Travel & Tea

Victoria, BC, is the ultimate destination for brunch lovers like myself. There’s seemingly a never-ending supply of local and chain restaurants for brunch in Victoria that offer mouth-watering options for every type of brunch fanatic too.

I am already hungry just thinking about these brunch hotspots, so let’s dive into this list.

Here are the top 5 best places to eat brunch in Victoria, BC for brunch lovers.

1. The Village

The Village is my all-time favourite brunch restaurant because of its special dish, the Red Barn Egg Benny on potato latkas. If you are a lover of Eggs Benedict, you need to bless your mouth with their potato latkes rather than an English Muffin or bagel. Trust me.

Along with the Red Barn Benny, they have a few other delicious benny dishes that are one-of-a-kind. (My mom had the Italian Benny once and said it was chef’s kiss divine.)

If you aren’t a big fan of benny’s, I highly recommend their hash, pancakes, and Citizen sandwich.

There are 3 locations of this brunch restaurant in Victoria, making it easy to add to your itinerary. There’s one in Estevan Village, nearby Oak Bay, one on Shelbourne Street close to the University of Victoria, and finally, one downtown near Chinatown. For dining in, I highly recommend the downtown or Estevan location. The menus differ at each site, but I know the Red Barn Benny’s are at each one.

However, I have eaten at all 3 and enjoyed nothing but tasty brunches at each location!

Check out the menu here!

2. Fuego Old Town Eatery

If you love Mexican food, you need to check out Fuego on Store Street in the heart of downtown for the best breakfast burrito I have ever had.

After you’re done chowing down at Fuego, it’s in the ideal section of downtown to explore the local vintage clothing shops and specialty stores.

If you’re on the hunt for an excellent dinner restaurant that night, head over to Fuego’s dinner counterpart: Cafe Mexico. This is also one of my favourite places to go for dinner too. The beef barbacoa burritos…wow, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Check out the menu here!

3. Oaks Restaurant

For a big family brunch or just a brunch date with your best friend, Oaks has something for everyone on its vast and diverse menu.

I have been going here ever since I was a kid, and it’s still a favourite of I have been going here ever since I was a kid, and it’s still a favourite of mine. From the breakfast burritos to pancakes to another one of my go-to items, the California Benny, I’ve never been disappointed by a brunch at Oaks.

When you walk in, you immediately smile at the family diner vibe it gives off. It’s not a modern or trendy place, but that’s how I like it, and I’m glad they’ve kept it the same over the decades.

For afternoon tea or evening performances during dinner, make sure to visit Oaks outside of brunch too.

Check out the menu here!

4. Blue Fox Cafe

Blue Fox Cafe is another Victoria, BC classic right in the heart of downtown. While I do believe it’s a tad bit overhyped, the food is

Blue Fox Cafe is another Victoria, BC classic right in the heart of downtown. While I believe it’s a tad bit overhyped, the food is delicious, and it’s a trendy breakfast spot every brunch lover needs to check out. Especially since it was the first all-day brunch restaurant in Victoria!

One thing I really love about Blue Fox, however, is its drink selection. I got the Daily Special Coffee with my Eggs Pacifico, which was sweet and delicious. So, was the Eggs Pacifico. Well, not sweet, but savoury, and it perfectly hit the spot.

If you plan to go to Blue Fox Cafe, especially on a Friday or weekend morning, expect to wait in line a little bit. The restaurant is pretty tiny, but it’s worth the wait for cute photos and yummy food.

Check out the menu here!

5. Bear & Joey

Bear & Joey is a new hotspot for brunch in Victoria modelled after the Sidney, Australia spot. One reason I really wanted to go here was that when they first opened, they sent a little coupon for 2 free coffees to my house, so of course, I had to take advantage of that!

I was pleasantly surprised by Bear & Joey. I saw the photos online, and they looked so adorable with their pink and mint green aesthetic. And let me tell you, the food held up!

One thing I like about here is that they change up their menu for every season, and the fall menu looks delicious. This past Sunday, I went and ordered their French Toast with a side of bacon and an unsweetened latte for a drink. The French Toast wasn’t super sweet, which I liked, but it was so tasty. I am not a big sweet breakfast eater; as you can probably tell from the other things I ordered on this list, I prefer savoury foods. My boyfriend ordered the egg sandwich with the house potatoes, though, and it looked amazing! I am definitely ordering that next time because he said it was one of the best things he has ever eaten. I would also love to explore their drink menu more because they had everything from matcha to hot toddy’s.

If you’re into trendy and picturesque brunch places, I highly recommend Bear & Joey. I also liked it because it was a bit out of the way from the hustle and bustle of downtown while still being only a five or so minute walk away from the heart of everything.

Check out their menu here!

Top 5 Best Coffee Shops in Victoria, BC

If you’re too in a rush for a sit-down brunch in Victoria or are looking for your new favourite coffee shop, you’ve come to the right place. Victoria has an overwhelming of excellent local coffee shops to sit down and sip on your latte or macchiato from.

Here’s a list of my personal favourites.

1. QV Coffee Shop

I love QV Coffee Shop on Fort Street near Oak Bay for a coffee shop to sit down and relax at or get some studying in. Also, of course, for its unique and tasty menu of specialty coffees. Right now, my go-to is their ‘Nog Latte.

QV Coffee Shop has a calming atmosphere on the inside, and the employees are always so lovely, which is why I come here once or twice a week to catch up on freelance work.

2. Discovery Coffee

There are several Discovery Coffee’s around Victoria, but my favourite is the one downtown on Blanshard Street for the atmosphere. One reason is that it’s within walking distance to my favourite used book shops.

From outdoor to indoor seating, it’s the perfect coffee shop to meet up at with old friends or go for a morning coffee date.

3. Cat’s Coffee & Cake

This is a newer coffee shop that opened up on Douglas Street across the Bay Centre, and it’s the ultimate cozy vibe. I loved the coffee shop that was here before, and I adore the new one as well.

4. Just Matcha Tea Shop

Not a coffee shop, but for all you matcha lovers, I highly recommend a Not a coffee shop, but I highly recommend a trip to Just Matcha Tea Shop on Pandora Avenue for all you matcha lovers. They make the best matcha lattes and offer various flavoured drinks like caramel matcha (my personal fave) and lavender matcha, along with many matcha-flavoured sweets.

5. Habit Coffee

The atmosphere of a coffee shop is my prime indicator of what’s a good coffee shop, but of course, I appreciate well-made and tasty drinks. Luckily, Habit Coffee has both! I love sitting at their window seats on a rainy day with my laptop and an earl grey latte, looking out at the busy Yates Street through a rain-streaked window. Especially with some lo-fi playing. Isn’t that the most magical setting?

Those are the top 5 best restaurants to eat brunch in Victoria, BC that you NEED to eat at, as well as my top 5 favourite coffee shops to visit afterwards.

Check out my last blog post: Top 5 Must-Visit Places to Add to Your Vancouver Island Itinerary