Breakfast Joints & Diner Food
Blue Fox Café
Dorian says: wow I can't decide whether this is the best place to take my mom out for breakfast on a Sunday morning (get there early, it's busy as hell), or take my girlfriend on a saturday afternoon. So pleasant and just nice. Food's great.
Madeline says: I wouldn't recommend this place on the weekend. Great food + large portions + small vicinity = LONG LINE-UPS. Conveniently, they don't take reservations on the weekend.
#101-919 Fort Street. (map) 250-380-1683
Floyd's Diner
This bright pink restaurant is only 3 blocks away from our lovely establishment. My week is not complete without a visit to Floyd's for one of their amazing all-day breakfasts, and the bottomless soup is not to be taken lightly either. With writing on all of their walls except the bathrooms, this place has got one of the coolest atmospheres in town. - Heather
866 Yates Street. (map) 250-381-5114
John’s Place
Just down the street from Ocean Island, John has created a welcoming and casual place for fabulous breakfasts any time of the day or night. Yeah of course there's lunch and dinner served too. But really, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, why just have it once? The walls are covered in a mad montage of old film photos and paintings, and an old jukebox pumps out the old-time tunes (if you pump in the money). Their warm baskets of bread are non-stop and delicious.Licensed to serve alcohol.
723 Pandora Street. (map) 250-389-0711
Shine Café
Small breakfast/lunch cafe far up on Fort Street in the Stadacona Center. Reasonably priced, decent food, who can complain about that? They're licensed and make some pretty fancy coffee drinks.
1548 Fort Street. (map) 250-595-2133
The Sour Pickle
A great place for breakfast or lunch, right on charming Store St, between Fisgard and Pandora.
1623 Store Street. (map) 250-384-9390
Cabin 12
This fun and relaxed little breakfast place was started by some staff from the famed Floyd's. Great service and a funky atmosphere. Ocean Island guests will feel right at home.
607 Pandora Ave. (map) 250-590-1500
Fusion & Westcoast Cuisine
Ocean Island Café & Lounge
Mingle with travelers, students and locals in our lively cafe lounge! We are fully licensed, serve fair trade organic coffee and a variety of paninis, Indian and Thai-style curries, burgers and fresh salads. No cover, free wireless and we have some of the best prices in town! ($2.75 for a small dish, $5.75 for a large plate).
791 Pandora Avenue (corner of Blanshard & Pandora). (map) 250-385-1788
Delicado's Southwestern Café & Deli
Mike says: Everyone should know about this place! I go to the one in Oak Bay. The portions are huge, the menu is healthy and vegan-friendly (they even stock vegan soy cheese), everything is reasonably priced, the service is super-friendly and the atmosphere is very relaxed.
1911b Oak Bay Avenue (map) 250-595-9984
799 Fort Street (map) 250-381-3354
Ferris’ Oyster Bar and Grill
From young to old, trendy to tawdry, Victoria residents call Ferris' their dining room of choice. Ferris’ is a classic default for dates, birthday parties, quiet dinners because of its enormous fusion-style menu and great courtyard patio to enjoy your food and drinks on. Shellfish lovers do not miss out on this gem. Also check out their awesome Portabella Burgers, made with grilled portabella mushrooms the size of your hand.
536 Yates Street. (map) 250-360-1824
 The Mint
Just a block away from OI is one of the trendiest restaurants in the city. It's also a great place to enjoy some great DJ-powered or live music while you enjoy a good healthy Nepalese or Tibetan meal, and they're open super-late--one of the only places in Victoria that keeps their kitchen open until 2am!
1414 Douglas Street. (map) 250-386-6468
Noodle Box 
Just a few blocks away, this place serves up tasty food, healthy portions etc in sweet portable boxes. A Victoria must! They even have chilled coffee, beers and juices. This takeaway noodle bar has become such a popular local favourite in Victoria that they opened up a second restaurant on Douglas and now have plans to open one up in Vancouver!.
626 Fisgard Street. (map) 250-360-1312
and 818 Douglas Street. (map) 250-384-1314
The Superior
Everything about this place is totally rad. The food is great, the decor is out of this world, hold on I'm going to try to actually describe it: as classy as it is quirky, as pricey as it is funky... good music...
106 Superior Street (map) (next to Fisherman's Wharf
in James Bay) 250-380-9515
www.thesuperior.ca
Hippie & Hipster food
Don't you dare deny your identity as a hipster/hippie! If you're staying at Ocean Island, or you're considering it, you probably fall into one or more likely both of these categories! Here's how you know which you fit into: if you're thinking "that guy's totally wrong. I don't label myself at all" then you're a hippie, and if you're thinking "I can't be a hipster, those people are so pretentious" then you're definitely a hipster. Don't worry - they're catch-all categories, like "indie rock," "pop" or "IDM." You think they're getting way too broad, and they're used way too flippantly, but then when you somehow end up at a top-40 bar and it's like being on the moon except you hate it, then you realize that those catch-all categories are just there as "this is probably not absolute crap" filters.
Green Cuisine Vegetarian Restaurant
Organic buffet, pay by weight, can be a bit pricey, but it's super-filling and hearty, so it's worth it. Chill on the patio with some congas and dessert, and watch the afternoon turn Market Square into deep oranges.
5-560 Johnson Street, on the lower level of Market Square. (map) 250- 385-1809
Lady Marmalade
A great place to grab some breakfast. Tucked away between shops, you'll miss it if you blink! Somewhat trendy with delicious food. Highly recommended!
608 Johnson Street (map) 250-381-2872
Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant
Lotus Pond between 2:30pm and 3:30pm (except monday) is where all of Victoria's young bohemians, hippies, hipsters (ohmygod I used the H word), random vegans, UVic's eight cool students, totally looped art school teachers etc, go to collectively pretend they're not hipsters and bohemians, and to celebrate the only two things they admit to having in common: a love of vegan chinese food and a shared lifestyle of laziness and poverty. Jesus Christ it's beautiful. Make a thing out of it!
After 3:30pm they close for a couple hours, and open again with a standard restaurant-type setup. The food is killer but notas cheap as half-price time obviously.
They also have free books about Buddhism, and they play the same ambient record every day, but it never gets boring. Remember all that crap about musical wallpaper, invisible music, that kind of thing? They got one of the five records that actually worked in that way.
617 Johnson Street, near Broad (map) 250- 380-9293 Closed Monday
The Pink Bicycle Gourmet Burger Joint
This great little burger joint offers delicious burgers using ingredients sourced to home as seasonally as possible. The Moroccan Veggie Burger is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
1008 Blanshard Street (map) 250-384-1008
Caribbean
The Reef Restaurant
Caribbean Cuisine with a matching decor! It's worth it just to see the little seahorses in the toilet bowls, but while you're there you gotta try the yam fries. If they're not your thing, the plantains are a close second. Curries, rotini, jerk anything and fish, it's kinda like a short vacation to the tropics, bamboo bar and everything! - Heather
533 Yates Street (map) 250-388-5375
Dutch
De Dutch Pannekoek House
Excellent variety of classic Dutch breakfasts and lunches. The 12 inch pancakes are beaten by no one and eaten by everyone. It's only open until 3pm but it's worth waking up for.
642 Johnson Street, inside the Best Western Carlton Plaza Hotel (map) 250-382-9118
Fish & Chips
Barb's Place
Seasonal fish and chips joint at Fisherman's Wharf, it used to be reasonably priced but apparently not-so-much anymore Great atmosphere though—you get to sit at two open air picnic tables and check out the houseboats.. how cool is that?! Only open from March to October.
Blackfish Cafe
If you are near the harbour, this floating restaurant offers light fare as well as coffee, ideal for watching the whaleboats and the wet tourists or just watching the float planes take off and land all day.
950 Wharf Street (map) 250-385-9996
Fairfield Fish & Chips
Quaint little fish & chip shop in a great neighbourhood. A bit out of town, but worth it!
1277 Fairfield Road (map) 250-380-6880
Old Vic Fish & Chips
A very over-hyped fish & chip shop downtown. A friend of mine from Britain said it was the best but I don't believe her. Maybe British people aren't the ones to trust when it comes to Fish & Chips? Not the best but definitely nearby.
1316 Broad Street (map) 250-383-4536
Swan's Pub
Got a crowd of friends to eat with? Great calamari, great fish & chips, sometimes great desserts, good selection of beers, nice patio, live celtic and rock music. There's always a nice crowd of 30- and 40- somethings dancing. The crowd is generally 25-50.
506 Pandora Avenue. (map) 250-361-3310
Greek
San Remo's
A great place to go on a date (if you like Greek food and have some cash to drop). They have a large menu, helpful staff and a friendly ambience. - Madeleine
2704 Quadra Street (map) 250-384-5255
Italian
Pagliacci’s
Licensed to serve alcohol. Italian cuisine in an unforgettable Victoria-meets-New York atmosphere. Very popular, be prepared to wait.
1011 Broad Street between Fort & Broughton. (map) 250-386-1662
Mexican
Café Mexico
Licensed to serve alcohol.
Authentic Mexican cuisine in a fun, upbeat atmosphere.
Dinner reservations are a good idea in the busy summer months.
1425 Store Street, part of Market Square. (map) 250- 386-1425
Hernandez
"They have great tacos and really good deals! Like 5 tacos for $5." - Madeleine. It's a small but very friendly and very colourful (and very delicious!!) operation. The Yates location is open Monday-Friday 11:30am -5:00pm and the Bay Street Location is open Tuesday - Friday 5:00pm - 9:00pm. And bring cash, as it's the only form of payment they accept.
750 Yates Street, located inside the Arcade. (map)
1600 Bay Street (map)
www.hernandezrestaurant.com
La Fiesta Cafe
Can you say "SALSA BAR!"? A personal favourite, it's fast, pretty cheap and close to town. I recommend the chimichanga (it's like a deep-fried burrito). - Madeline
1001 Douglas Street. (map) 250-383-6622
Dessert and Sweets
Fat Phege's Fudge Factory
Fudge is Love... Their slogan and absolutely true! But they have more than just fudge--remember those mini fried doughnuts?? Oh yeah baby, and hot dogs, frozen yogurt, sea foam, nougat, chocolate, candied apples, the list goes on and on. Got a sweet tooth? This will fix it up just fine until your dentist gets a look at it! - Heather
I vouch for Fat Phege's too--the best fudge I've ever had in my entire life!! Beautiful stuff, if you like sweets you CANNOT miss out on this! - Teresa
134-560 Johnson Street (in Market Square) (map) 1-866-383-3435
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