What is happening in Victoria's food scene this week?

Good morning foodies!

We wanted to begin this week’s newsletter by welcoming all the new subscribers who signed up to Tasting Victoria when they voted in the 2024 Tasting Victoria Awards. Welcome to our weekly foodie newsletter, we are so excited to have you all here!

Speaking of the awards—we are tabulating the results and will announce the winners in this newsletter. Stay tuned!

It has been a big week for Victoria’s food scene. Marilena was named the best new restaurant nationwide by Canada’s 100 Best, while three local cocktail bars featured on the list’s best bars. We are also bringing you a round up of some of the best places across the city to find craft ice cream to help you cool down as the weather warms up.

😍 5 spots to try right now

🍲 International Women's Catering Co-op: Delicious international dishes available for community events and at Moss Street Market on Saturdays. 

🥬 Nourish Kitchen & Cafe: Farm-to-table restaurant that makes excellent vegetable forward dishes at 225 Quebec.  

🥘 Shashwat Indian Cuisine: Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes located in Victoria Public Market. 

🥧 OhMyPie: This new food truck in Cook Street Village makes up personal and pocket-sized savoury and sweet pies. 

🥟 Toishan Kitchen: Traditional Chinese dishes at 306 Burnside.

Know a great place we should add here? Reply back and let us know!

FEATURED

Marilena named among Canada’s best restaurants

Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants—a definitive list of the country's finest, released every year—has just dropped, with several establishments in Victoria getting recognition.

Most notably, Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar landed in first place for Canada’s Best New Restaurant category. The restaurant operated by Top Table group has gained immense popularity since it opened last June. 

Three local cocktail bars were also named to the best 50 bars list. Clive's Classic Lounge took the number 15 spot, while Citrus & Cane and Humboldt Bar ranked 29th and 36th respectively.        

Read more about how these establishments were recognized on the national scale.

SPONSORED BY FATHOM

Your new favourite happy hour begins today

Raise your glass – Fathom’s newest offering drops today: Social Hour! Victoria’s newest West Coast-inspired restaurant is extending its daily happy hours to 2-5pm, giving you even more time to unwind and socialize. To celebrate, Fathom is opening its lower patio, Victoria’s best-kept secret, for the Summer season.

Indulge in a selection of delicious small plates and enjoy all of Fathom’s house cocktails, highballs, house wine, and beers at an irresistible half-off. Whether you're catching up with friends, unwinding after work, or enjoying live music in the lounge or on the terrace, Fathom is the place to be.

Check out the menu here!

FEATURED

Cool off at Victoria’s craft ice cream shops

It is officially ice cream season. 

The sun has begun to pour through the clouds and the beaches are becoming increasingly packed with people lounging on picnic blankets. What better way to cool off than with a waffle cone stacked high with locally-made craft ice cream.

We have compiled a selection of some of the best ice cream spots to grab a cone on the way back from the beach or to pick up a pint to enjoy at home. From scoops and bars to ice cream sandwiches and milkshakes, these delicious and consciously-made ice creams are available in many forms and flavours.

Where to find delicious craft ice cream.

🗞️ News

Ugly Duckling pop-up coming soon: Cold Tea Social Club will serve à-la-carte small plates and cocktails on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5-10pm at the restaurant in Chinatown. Begins June 3. 

John’s Place celebrating 40 years: The classic restaurant on Pandora will have monthly promotions leading up to its birthday in October. This month, buy one get one free bag of coffee. 

Victoria International Wine Festival launches July event: The Roses and Rosé Summer Gala will bring over 20 stations of rosé wines and florals to Parkside Hotel & Spa on July 27.

Greater Victoria Business Awards recipients announced: The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce recognized Pendray Inn & Tea House for its sustainable business practices, while Sheringham Distillery was a finalist for business of the year (11-39 employees).

Craft beer hits the Leg: BC Craft Brewers Guild and BC Ale Trail brought samples from 12 breweries across the province for MLAs to try at the BC Legislative Assembly.

Have a restaurant, business, or event to promote?

Get in touch with our team for small business-friendly advertising plans.

🗓️ Events

Stars on Ice: Kurt Browning directs this figure skating show featuring world champions at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Today. 7pm.

Swan Lake: Ballet Victoria will perform the classic Tchaikovsky ballet at the Royal Theatre. Tomorrow, 7:30pm. Saturday, 2pm. 

Voulez-Vous: Super Taste DJs presents a disco and new wave dance party  at Capital Ballroom. Tomorrow, 10pm-2am. 

Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival: North America’s longest continually running highland games returns to Topaz Park. Saturday, 8am-8:30pm. Sunday, 8am-7pm. 

Band!Bands!Bands!: Dreamworld Panic, Suoscietal, Tyler James Johnson, and Transitional Alien will perform at Victoria Event Centre on Tuesday. Doors 7pm, show 7:30pm.

Fernwood Comedy Night: Laugh along to live comedy headlined by Elyott Ryan at The Fernwood Inn on Wednesday, 4-5:30pm.

 💸 Deals

• $5 veggie tacos and $12 veggie burritos at Tacofino on Mondays.  

• $6 Hoyne dark lager and $7 Steamworks hazy IPA at The Snug Pub during happy hour from  Mon-Fri, 2-4pm.   

• $5 rum and coke and $8 daiquiri at Tora Tiki during happy hour, 5-7pm. 

• $12 kale caesar salad and $12 pulled chicken bowl at Swans Pub during lunchtime from Mon-Fri, 11:30am-3pm. 

🧑‍💻 Jobs

• Line Cook at The Rose Neighbourhood Public House 

• Bus Driver at Victoria Seniors Travel and Social Groups Society

• Impact Investment Associate at Scale Collaborative

• Operations Manager at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Society 

• 2nd Cook at The Blue Poppy Restaurant at The Butchart Gardens 

📸 Post of the week

Rudi is now open for lunch from Monday to Friday, 11am-3pm. Find this gorgeous sandwich alongside burgers, pastas, soups, and salads at 710 Pandora. Rudi Express will continue to offer coffee and pastries.

That’s it!

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