Victoria’s food scene is heating up!
Dave’s Hot Chicken, the wildly popular US fried-chicken chain known for its Nashville-style heat, is set to open its first-ever Vancouver Island location.
The new restaurant is located at 1520 McKenzie Avenue, Building A, bringing its viral chicken tenders, sliders and fries to fans who’ve been waiting for a BC launch.
Dave’s Hot Chicken began as a modest pop-up in a Los Angeles parking lot in 2017, where late-night crowds lined up for its spicy fried chicken. Within months, the business moved into its first storefront.
From there, the brand expanded across California, the rest of the US, and eventually overseas.
Today, the chain has more than 320 locations worldwide, including the UK, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Canada’s expansion was led by the Bitove family of Toronto—best known for founding the Toronto Raptors.
After trying the food in LA, Blair Bitove convinced her father they needed to bring the brand north of the border. Toronto locations followed, and now a trio of BC restaurants is underway in Vancouver, Abbotsford and Victoria.
Victoria’s storefront is expected to be the first of the three slated to open across BC.
Dave’s keeps the menu intentionally simple. Guests choose from hot-chicken tenders or sliders, available in spice levels ranging from “No Spice” to the extreme “Reaper.”
The lineup is rounded out with sides like kale slaw, mac and cheese, and regular or cheese-topped fries.
The franchise adds another American food brand to Greater Victoria’s growing restaurant landscape.
The doors are open and ready for you to bring your spice-loving crew.
