Here’s How To Eat Your Way Through Victoria, B.C.

Nicknamed Canada’s Garden City, Victoria, on Vancouver Island, holds the record for the mildest weather in the country—it averages 300-plus sunny days a year, and boasts more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in Canada. No wonder, then, that the capital of British Columbia has become a top travel spot for gourmands. After all, where else can one forage for seaweed and wild mushrooms, explore a tea garden and lavender fields, and enjoy a gourmet meal made with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients—all in a single day? —Truc Nguyen

STAY The Magnolia Hotel & Spa is a distinguished, Michelin One Key property where in-room amenities include a Dyson dryer, L’Occitane toiletries and Frette towels. Located just steps from Victoria’s picturesque Inner Harbour, ​this intimate boutique hotel provides a stylish and convenient base for exploring the city’s rich natural beauty and culinary delights. There are even curated themed walking and biking maps for guests looking to discover top local attractions as well as under-the-radar gems downtown, along the Saanich Peninsula, in the Cowichan Valley​ and beyond. Just ask at the front desk.

SAVOUR Local, seasonal ingredients have a place of pride on many menus on Vancouver Island—for good reason. The beautifully presented Chef’s Seasonal Tasting Menu at the award-winning Courtney Room features fresh ingredients from top local and B.C. farms and producers like Littlest Acre Organics, Saanich Organics, Finest at Sea and Tannadice Farm​. Even a quick lunch at the Drake Eatery & Craft Beer Parlour will turn up tacos made with locally grown organic delicata squash and radicchio and craft beer brewed just two blocks away. Seafood lovers will want to visit Marilena Cafe & Raw Bar, named No. 1 on the list of Canada’s 100 Best new restaurants 2024, for grilled octopus, seared diver scallops and two different types of tuna tartare.

EXPLORE & FORAGE First-time visitors to Victoria shouldn’t miss a whale-watching tour with Prince of Whales Adventures, a visit to Canada’s oldest Chinatown or a stroll through Beacon Hill Park—especially during cherry blossom season or when the magnolias are in bloom. Foodies and nature enthusiasts will want to book a shoreline forage with Dakini Tidal Wilds founder and marine biologist Amanda Swinimer to learn about local edible kelps and nori, and the Tea Tour Experience at Westholme Tea Company, Canada’s only commercial tea grower. There are also dozens of scenic fruit and vegetable farms within a short drive of downtown Victoria, and those lucky enough to know—or meet—friendly local foragers might well find themselves collecting tasty greens like sheep sorrel and Siberian lettuce in the woods, and plucking intertidal beach oysters, rock crab and spot prawns straight from the Strait of Georgia.