It’s that time of year in Victoria: big sweaters, tiny toques, and comfort food. We love this season, mainly for the food.
Like bears preparing for hibernation, we get cozy with burgers, soups, ramen, craft beer — anything hot and hearty. While you can find these comfort staples all over the city, we believe these spots offer some of the best.
Check out our top picks for eight of the best places for comfort food in Victoria.
Ghost Ramen
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Ramen is the ultimate comfort food, especially for those in the Pacific Northwest, where rainy winters are a way of life. Ghost Ramen stands out as one of the city’s top spots to help you get through those wet, chilly days. Offering an elevated dining experience, Ghost Ramen features a unique, choose-your-own-adventure menu alongside a creative and robust cocktail selection.
Where: 1609 Store Street, Victoria
Big Wheel Burger
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Big Wheel Burger in Victoria offers fresh, daily-made beef, chicken, and plant-based burgers, paired with tasty sides like garlic Parmesan fries, Cajun fries, and classic poutine. Their shakes come in classic flavours like strawberry and chocolate, with fun specials like cookies n’ cream and Nanaimo bar. Known for comfort food with a twist, Big Wheel also stands out as Canada’s first carbon-neutral fast-food restaurant.
Don Mee Seafood Restaurant
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Up an elegant flight of stairs is one of Victoria’s best and longest-running Chinese restaurants: Don Mee. It’s a classic dim sum and Cantonese experience, and during these colder months, it’s super cozy. Established in 1923, Don Mee holds the distinction of being one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Canada.
Address: 538 Fisgard Street
Phone: (250) 595-3021
Sizzling Tandoor
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One of Victoria’s most successful Indian restaurants happens to (unsurprisingly) be one of the best. With its renowned buffet, Sizzling Tandoor has multiple locations around Greater Victoria to indulge and get cozy with heaps of awesome Indian food.
Where: 637 Johnson Street, Victoria; 2955 Phipps Road, Victoria
Beagle Pub
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No comfort food list is complete without a neighbourhood pub, and we absolutely love the Beagle Pub. In the heart of Cook Street Village is the Beagle Pub, it’s a welcoming neighbourhood pub with great food, big portions, awesome daily specials, and a huge list of craft beer. It’s easy to pack it on here.
Where: 301 Cook Street, Victoria
Shuck Taylor’s
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Seafood likely isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of comfort food, but Shuck Taylor’s buttery lobster roll is something you can really get cozy with.
Where: 1324 Blanshard Street, Victoria
Meet on Blanshard
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Comfort doesn’t always have to be an animal by-product! In fact, Meet on Blanshard does plant-based comfort food, with favourites like the dairy-free Mac n’ Cheez made with cashew cheese and a Crispy Chickun Burger with crispy oyster mushrooms.
Address: 797 Hillside Avenue #10, Victoria
Jam Cafe
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Jam Cafe is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about brunch in Victoria. Mostly everyone knows the feeling of standing in line at Jam Cafe and then getting in, ordering coffee, and a big cozy brunch with mega-helpings. Our favourites are the Charlie Bowl, Pulled Pork Pancakes, or the Fried Chicken Eggs Benny.
Where: 542 Herald Street, Victoria