Restaurants in Victoria

Every business begins with a dream that takes its owner on a proverbial journey. Victor Sanchez did things a little bit backwards. He was out on the open road, rumbling along on a transcontinental motorcycle adventure to Argentina, and he crossed path with his muse: food. Victor fell so in love with the exotic cuisines he sampled throughout Mexico and South America that he vowed to share them with his Canadian neighbors.

Instead of starting from the ground up, Victor expedited the process. He purchased Carlos Cantina & Grill, a local hotspot with a solid reputation for tasty Mexican food. Though he vowed to preserve the menu that made the eatery so popular, Victor payed homage to the trip that started it all. He’s added monthly South American specialties to the lineup of tacos, chimichangas, and chicken mole in a homemade sauce. He recruited a team of chefs that craft flavourful burritos and enchiladas for people of all culinary inclinations—noting on the menu which entrees are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Tangy margaritas and fire extinguishers filled with guacamole are always available to cool off tongues as guests dine amid brightly patterned tablecloths and warm adobe walls.

Amid the din of Old Town's shops and the bellow of boats coasting through the harbour, Kaz Japanese Restaurant beckons diners with a vast array of East Asian specialties. Chef Masami mans the sushi bar, drawing from more than 35 years of experience to captain his culinary crew as they whip up rolls that awaken the senses through combinations of colour, taste, and texture. Servers bear plates of sushi, teriyaki, and tempura into the dining room, which surrounds guests in softly lit hanging lanterns and elegant Japanese–style shades. The restaurant bustles with activity until 11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, accommodating late-night diners trying to stay up late enough to tuck in the moon.

Joe's FoodBar pays homage to the traditional wharfside crab shack by fusing stunning oceanfront vistas with fresh seafood feasts and a licensed bar equipped with restrooms. Guests dine on Pacific fish and chips, chowders, specialty hot dogs and sandwiches in the brisk, salty air of a 140-seat patio, drinking in the sights of Inner Harbour as sailboats drift past and seagulls vainly attempt to pick fights with the sunset. This natural beauty inspires Joe's FoodBar to act as a steward for the environment, pledging to use compostable or recycled flatware and cups and to source all food from local fisheries and farms whenever possible.

Taco Time's dedicated taco artisans enhance their menu of fast Mexican eats with shells, chips, taste-bud-kicking sauces, and beef prepared fresh in-store each day. They dish up bite-size, deep-fried Mexi-Fries alongside spicy meals, and for dessert, they shower empanadas and Crustos with cinnamon, sugar, and warm fuzzies to make them extra sweet. Their original hot sauce enflames such entrees as quesadillas and burritos stuffed with canadian cheddar, and guests can take swigs of Pepsi products to cool their sizzling tongues more effectively than licking a snowman.