South Island restaurants named among best in Canada

Once again, Victoria’s food scene is making a name for itself on the national stage.  

Yelp recently featured four South Island restaurants in its top 100 places to eat in Canada that embody what it means to live the west coast Island lifestyle. As chosen from community submissions from Canadian foodies, these restaurants embrace the rugged forest, the hearty ocean, and of course—Victoria’s brunch scene.   

Check out the restaurants that were named amongst the best in Canada.

Shirley Delicious 

Tucked away in the woods just past Sooke, Shirley Delicious cooks up lunch and baked goods in a cozy wooden cabin. Shirley Delicious scored the 36th ranking in the top 100, the highest score on the Island. A great place to stop by before or after going on an outdoor adventure at the nearby beaches and parks, the cafe is sure to warm you up with its soups, sandwiches, and frothy drinks. Shirley Delicious is currently participating in the Victoria Hot Chocolate Festival until Feb. 20 with a new hot cocoa featured each week. The cafe has previously featured on Yelp’s top 100 list, placing 19th in 2023 and 13th in 2021.    

Address: 2794 Sheringham Point Rd., Shirley
Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 8am-3pm

Fishhook 

A seafood restaurant with Indian and French influences, Fishhook ranked 40th in this year’s most popular restaurants. The restaurant aims to create healthy and fresh dishes made with sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. Among the selection of delicious options available are curries, soups, tartines, and wild seafood meatballs. Fishhook has a number of dairy-free, mayonnaise-free, and wheat-free alternatives available to accommodate different diets. The seafood restaurant previously placed 31st in the 2023 roundup and 24th in 2021.  

Address: 805 Fort St., Victoria
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, Sunday, 11:30am-8pm; Friday and Saturday, 11:30am-9pm

Red Fish Blue Fish 

Located in a seafood shack on the Victoria harbourfront, Red Fish Blue Fish is the one stop shop for fish and chips, tacones, and seafood sandwiches. Red Fish Blue Fish snagged the 48th spot out of 100. The grab-and-go restaurant approaches its dishes from an earth-friendly and sustainable perspective, serving only locally caught seafood and being entirely compostable. Although Red Fish Blue Fish is currently closed for the winter season, it will be back to business as usual in the spring. The seafood shack previously placed 11th in 2022.

Address: 1006 Wharf St., Victoria 
Hours: Temporarily closed, reopens in the spring

Jam Cafe

A beloved staple of Victoria’s brunch institution, Jam Cafe placed 52nd in the top 100 rankings. The quirky atmosphere of this breakfast restaurant is the perfect spot to enjoy its comprehensive menu featuring classics like eggs benedicts, hashes, and omelettes as well as more unique options such as breakfast tacos and cinnamon bun pancakes. Jam Cafe also has a kids menu so the whole family can enjoy brunch out. The breakfast spot does not take reservations so make sure to get in line early! Jam Cafe previously ranked 55th on the list in 2023 and 44th in 2021.

Address: 542 Herald St., Victoria
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-2pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8am-3pm