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

Good morning foodies,

We are super excited to unveil the winners of the 2024 Tasting Victoria Restaurant Awards, as voted by readers earlier this year. Now in its fifth year, these awards are based on more than 4,000 votes (and nominations) from Tasting Victoria readers in a public poll.

Our hope is that with this downloadable PDF, we can bring you closer to Victoria's culinary community, and get you to see a new restaurant with fresh eyes. There's a lot of amazing restaurants on this list, but of course, there's a lot of amazing restaurants that didn't make this list too. Victoria is truly spoiled with an amazing food scene. 

Thank you for taking the time to fill out the survey, for sharing your favourite restaurants with us, and for your constant support of Tasting Victoria. And congratulations to the winning restaurants! We are so happy to have you in Victoria. 

😍 5 spots to try right now

🇯🇵 Japanese Village: A teppan style restaurant that not only delivers great food, but also entertainment watching the chef cook in front of you. 

 🍣 Yua Japanese Bistro: Great sushi and bento boxes at 622 Fisgard St.

🥐 Patisserie Daniel: Pick up baked goods and pies at 1729 Cook.

🍕 Colwood Pizza Co.: A new restaurant specializing in Sicilian style sheet pan pizzas at 590 Ledsham Rd. 

🍫 Chocolats Favoris: Victoria’s finest selection of all things chocolate.

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

FEATURED

The 2024 Tasting Victoria Restaurant Awards winners revealed

For a small city, Victoria has an incredible food scene. And throughout a year that has challenged even the most established venues, many local spots grew, expanded, and even opened their doors. 

Our mission at Tasting Victoria has always been to inspire you to try new and different places; so, five years ago, we launched the Tasting Victoria Restaurant Awards to honour these creative, innovative, and resilient local establishments. The winning restaurants in each of the 18 categories were selected based on more than 4,000 votes from Tasting Victoria and Capital Daily readers earlier this year.

Check them out in the file below:

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FEATURED

 We tried Victoria's new omakase bar, here's how it went

Earlier this year we shared a story about a new omakase bar in Victoria, Chobap Sushi Bar. We visited the eight-seater restaurant last month and have all the details on each course, what our favourites were, the overall ambiance, and photos to top it all off. Spoiler alert: We loved it.

Learn more about Chobap.

🗞️ News

Esquimalt baker finishes as Canadian Baking Show runner-up. Jen Childs, who has been auditioning for the show since its original season, made it to the season eight finale after winning the weekly Star Baker crown in three episodes. Learn more about Jen Childs and her journey on the show.

Blue's Bayou Cafe is closing its doors in Brentwood Bay. [Vic News]

Sidney Scones just launched a breakfast menu, including breakfast sconewiches.

Ono Poké is giving away a free trip to Hawaii.

Our guide to Victoria restaurants booking holiday parties, small and large.

Have a restaurant, business, or event to promote?

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

🗓️ Events

Winter Wonderland: Kick off the holiday season with an unforgettable evening at Winter Wonderland in Cook Street Village this Friday Nov. 29, featuring craft vendors, village-wide deals, carollers, a kids’ scavenger hunt, photos with Santa, and more. 

Winter Fest at Royal BC Museum: The Royal BC Museum is hosting an outdoor multicultural holiday market featuring hot drinks, tasty treats, food vendors, multicultural performances, and more on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

Winter Bazaar: Sip and shop at this thoughtfully curated winter market with 110+ artists, with super special guest artists from across BC and Alberta at the Gorge Park Pavilion this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Breakfast With Santa: Every Sunday from now until the end of December at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Buffet brunch includes house-made cookie decorating, a visit from Mr. Claus himself, as well as on-site photo printing by Four Frames Photo Booth. 

*A Night with Alderlea: Visit Nowhere *A Restaurant next Tuesday Dec. 3 for a seven-course pairing dinner with Zac Brown and Julie Powell from Alderlea Wines in Duncan. [$150] 

See more upcoming holiday markets here.

 💸 Deals

• $6 Fishhook Chowder at Fishook restaurant daily. 

• $12 bottomless soup and bread at Pagliacci’s on its lunch menu. 

• $19 fish and chips and $2 off flights at Sawmill Taphouse and Grill on Fridays.

• Free appy with your ramen until Nov. 30 at the newly opened Raku Ramen at Broadmead. 

• Flip a coin to pay double or nothing when you order “The Mahoney” at Floyd’s Diner. All locations.

🧑‍💻 Jobs

• Full-time and part-time barista at Fern Cafe and Bakery

• General Manager at Rhino Langford

• Part-time Helper Baker at Thrifty Foods

• Restaurant Manager at Noodlebox

• Cook at Nubo Sushi Roll & Roll

📸 Post of the week

Fry’s Bakery has stollen and other holiday treats available until the end of December. Stollen is  a fruit bread with nuts, spices, candied fruit, and marzipan, coated with powdered sugar. It’s so good!

That’s it!

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