Here are 6 more Victoria restaurants that we miss most
A great restaurant feels like it’ll be there forever, like every memory you’ve made there will be etched on the barroom countertops. But the reality is that the restaurant business is fickle and hard. When a restaurant closes, it’s like closing a chapter of your life. After the reaction to our first article, we figured there were some honourable mentions.
So, here are six more closed Victoria restaurants we miss the most.
Solomon’s
Crystal H/ Yelp! | @solomonsiegel
In 2008, a section of an old Herald Street Caffe location was transformed into Solomon Siegelās artisan cocktail bar. For a long time, Solomon’s was the only cocktail bar in Victoria. Now, the city’s cocktail culture is brimming with talent, thanks to this place. After Solomon’s, the space became The Geisha Tapas Bar and then Jam Cafe, which has been there since 2012. The former owner, Solomon Siegel, now runs his dad’s restaurant. You may have heard of it: Pagliacci’s.
Bengal Lounge
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The Bengal Lounge was located in the Fairmont Empress Hotel and was open from 1912 until 2016. Originally designed as a tea lounge in the early 20th century, it became a sophisticated cocktail lounge offering a blend of traditional British and Indian influences both in menu and aesthetic. You could order classic cocktails and specialty teas amid rich tapestries, intricate woodwork, and authentic artifacts.
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Hernande’z Cocina
Hernande’z Cocina/Twitter | Guajillo studio/Shutterstock
This family restaurant was brimming with authenticity, featuring made-to-order huaraches and fresh traditional salsa that tasted like it was straight from El Salvador. Owners Jerson and Tamara Hernandeāz proudly prepared dishes using time-honoured El Salvadoran and Mayan recipes passed down through generations. The former Yates Street restaurant was fun too, often featuring live Latin music. It closed over eight years ago.
The Beach House
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The Beach House Restaurant in Cordova Bay opened in 2012, taking over from McMorran’s. The waterfront restaurant was as picturesque as it gets, with stunning views of Pacific Northwest ocean passages. It was known for its fresh seafood and West Coast cuisine, as well as a go-to venue for weddings and events.
The Reef
The Reef/Google
The Reef was a vibrant Caribbean-inspired restaurant with amazing rum cocktails, cuisine and a lively atmosphere. Established in 1999, it became an instant hit, offering jerk chicken, plantain chips, and seafood curry. The restaurant’s colourful decor, reggae music, and friendly staff created a festive ambiance reminiscent of the Caribbean islands, making it the place in Victoria for tropical flavours until 2016. El Furniture Warehouse has occupied the space at 533 Yates Street since 2017.
The Princess Mary
The Princess Mary/Lost Victoria
After over 60 years of delighting Victoria residents, The Princess Mary Restaurant in Esquimalt, born from the remains of a former ocean steamship, closed its doors in 2014. The restaurant served plenty of famous people during its six decades, including Gordie Howe and Roger Moore.
Originally crafted in Paisley, Scotland, for the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Princess Mary steamship arrived in Victoria on February 15, 1911. Throughout its storied career, it diligently served routes encompassing the Gulf Islands, Powell River, Comox, Victoria, and Vancouver, and even ventured up to Alaska before housing a restaurant. Now, what remains of it is in the BC Maritime Museum downtown.
Did we miss one? Let us know in the comments.
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