27 Apr Top 5 Reservation Restaurants in Victoria
I grew up in a city where every restaurant took reservations for at least their dinner services. The great thing about this is that if you have a special event or group gathering you can make sure that you get seats in your favorite restaurants. Now, living in Victoria, I am realizing that I took reservations for granted.
For my birthday last year we spent over an hour waiting to get a table at Brasserie L’Ecole and had to scarf down what should have been a relaxing dinner before meeting our friends for a surprise post-dinner drink in 25 minutes. This type of fiasco has prompted me to put together a list of fabulous places to have dinner in Victoria without having to wait out in the cold. Check these out on your next night out in Victoria!
1. Restaurant Matisse
Move over L’Ecole, Restaurant Matisse is my favorite french restaurant in Victoria and they will guarantee that for my birthday this year, we will be making it to our after-party on time! Matisse is, in their own words, “The best of french dining with none of the pretentiousness” and doesn’t give up any points on an intimate and relaxing atmosphere. Their menu is the kind of menu that I look for in a favorite, so many delicious options from game meats to the classics where I will never find myself ordering the same old thing every time I visit. I always look forward to nice dinners out here, and better yet, they will take your reservations!
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday; 5:30-8:30pm
Contact: 250-480-0883; [email protected]
Location: 512 Yates Street, Victoria BC
Website: restaurantmatisse.com
2. Il Terazzo
If you know anything about me, it probably doesn’t surprise you that French and Italian food will dominate this list. Il Terazzo is a cozy restaurant tucked away in Waddington Alley, and often goes unnoticed by passersby, but I highly recommend giving these guys a call to stop in for dinner. The menu features the Italian classics that you would expect put together in a classic and rustic way. There are so many options here that you can please any guest on your list and is great for a fun girls night dinner or a romantic dinner for two. Just reading their menu is making me want to go there for dinner (or lunch) in the near future. This is the kind of restaurant where you are so well taken care of that it is a great place to go to relax.
Hours: Monday-Friday; 11:30-3:00pm (lunch); Monday-Sunday; 5:00-10:00pm (dinner)
Contact: 250-361-0028
Location: 555 Johnson St, Victoria BC; Behind Willie’s Bakery
Website: ilterrazzo.com
3. Cafe Brio
I go past Cafe Brio several times a day, and have always admired how cute and quaint this restaurant looks from the street. For their location on a relatively busy street, once you walk through the outer gates and are on the terrace of Cafe Brio you forget about the traffic and business going on all around you. I love this menu not only for the amazing selection but the fact that you can get full and half sized plates, which is perfect for sharing or for a special date where you don’t want to overstuff yourself. The meats on the menu at Cafe Brio are incredible and they feature an excellent selection of Canadian and mostly local cheeses. The customer service here really reflects the fact that the staff truly care about the customer experience. Though Cafe Brio is a little further away from the inner harbour area, it is worth the extra walk to work up an appetite.
Hours: Monday-Sunday; 5:30-9:30pm
Contact: 250-383-0009; Toll-free: 1-866-270-5461
Location: 944 Fort St, Victoria BC
Website: cafe-brio.com
4. Catalano Restaurant & Ciccetti Bar
For those with aversions to hotel restaurants, I encourage you to try Catalano in order to change your mind. I love small bites, and really appreciate the snack menu, which is great for sharing with your gal pals over a glass of wine or for a romantic evening treat. This menu reminds me of my old friday night go-to restaurant with the girls. Don’t let the snack menu distract you from the amazing mains, from short rib pappardelle (YUM!) to tagines, it is hard to go wrong here. The mediterranean flavours are so on point, that it is a nice refreshing dinner without being too heavy. Located in the Magnolia Hotel & Spa, makes Catalano just a quick skip from the inner harbour. Better yet, on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, they have live Jazz from 7:30-9:30pm!
Hours: Monday-Friday; 11:30-10:00pm (lunch & dinner); Sat-Sun; 4:00-10:00 (dinner)
Contact: 250-480-1824
Location: 619 Courtney St, Victoria BC
Website: catalanorestaurant.com
5. Camille’s
This restaurant is almost completely unexpected in Bastion square, but is a pleasant surprise, tucked away in a heritage building. When you walk inside you really feel the history of the city, while maintaining an intimate atmosphere. The menu changes quite often here but Camille’s strives to feature the freshest local ingredients that makes you appreciate the diversity of products available here on Vancouver Island. The Chef’s tasting menu, when available, is always worth a try because this is where you will find some of the most delicious culinary experiments and food pairings. Camille’s also offers special wine tasting and wine-centric events, which are worth checking out! Make a reservation today on their website or by phone!
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday; 5:30-10:00pm
Contact: 250-381-3433
Location: 45 Bastion Sq, Victoria BC
Website: camillesrestaurant.com
Though we do our fair share of last minute decisions about dinners out, it is nice to know that Victoria has a great selection of restaurants that will take your reservation to make sure that your special birthday, anniversary, girls night out or wedding rehearsal dinner will go off without a hitch.