Victoria’s food scene is constantly growing and evolving with new restaurants opening every season.
It’s hard to keep up with all the new spots opening their doors, but these new eateries’ survival depends heavily on people coming through.
To help you find your next food fix, Victoria Buzz compiled a list of some of the newer spots in town that have opened this spring and summer.
Some are slinging sandwiches, burgers and fried chicken, while others are more coffee focused or are serving up pizza.
Plus, there are a couple new restaurants, cafes and delis that are opening soon to be aware of.
Here are 8 new restaurants to try in Victoria:
Dough Eyes Pizza
Dough Eyes Pizza is the newest pizzeria in town, and it is located at 530 Pandora Avenue in the former home of the vegan pizza shop, Virtuous Pie.
This new shop specializes in sourdough pizza dough and has a wide selection of red sauce and white sauce pies.
Two standouts are the $19 ‘N.V’ pie, which comes with white sauce, mozza, fontina, pecorino, zucchini, castelvitrano olives and parm, and the $20 ‘Salami and Onion’ pie, which has tomato sauce, spicy salami, mozza, fontina, parm and red onion.
They also have a vegan pie, salads, dips, pickled veggies, antipasti, meatballs and ice cream.
Dough Eyes is licensed and has some seating for those who want to dine in instead of ordering take out.
- Where: 530 Pandora Avenue
- When: seven days a week — 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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Otto Sandwiches
Otto Sandwiches has had a line up ever since opening this summer.
What began with regular pop-up events and delivering sandwiches to some other businesses has grown into its own brick and mortar sandwich shop.
Otto is unique in that they make all their sandwiches’ focaccia bread in house and also cure and process all meat and toppings for every sandwich.
They serve classic breakfast sandwiches, muffulettas, mortadella sandwiches and marinated veggie sandwiches to name a few, all of which are made to order.
For those on the run, they also serve egg salad or ham and cheddar grab-and-go sandwiches.
Otto has indoor and outdoor seating for those who want to hang out, eat a sandwich and imbibe a beer, wine or coffee, but the kitchen is also quick for those looking for take out.
They also offer sides of fries and coleslaw which should not be slept on.
- Where: 1019 Fort Street
- When: Tuesday to Sunday — 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Crow’s Coffee
Crow’s Coffee is the newest micro cafe to open its doors in Victoria, located in the Gorge Burnside neighbourhood.
The space is small and only offers a bench to those waiting for their beverages, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in character.
This shop serves 2% Jazz coffee for all its caffeinated beverages and can also make a mean chai, matcha or London fog.
Make sure to grab a cookie or pastry as well if you get there before they run out.
And don’t forget to ask for a punch card—after buying nine drinks, the 10th will be $2.50 off.
- Where: 210 Gorge Road East
- When:
- Tuesday to Friday — 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Saturday — 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Pretty Patty
Located right downtown, Pretty Patty makes amazing signature smash burgers, loaded fries, creamy shakes and pizza, plus some vegetarian options.
Their beef burgers come as classic, loaded or spicy, and patrons can order either a single or a double for any burger. They also have single and double chicken burgers.
For those looking for potatoes, they have you covered with fries, poutine, sweet potato fries and loaded fries that come with cheese sauce, grilled onions and their signature ‘Pretty Sauce.’
Make sure to grab a mango, strawberry, vanilla or cookies and cream milkshake too!
- Where: 642 Yates Street
- When:
- Sunday to Thursday — 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday — 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Birdman
The long-anticipated Birdman has been around for a minute now and has been busy ever since.
This southern comfort eatery came from the minds of the restaurant group behind Rudi and Wind Cries Mary, where it began as a late-night concept.
Now that Birdman has its own space, it has expanded its menu beyond fried chicken to include oysters, more fried chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, whole-wing chicken wings, sticky ribs, a shrimp cocktail and more.
Birdman’s hush puppies are a must-try.
This spot has plenty of seating and a big partially enclosed patio space that will make you feel right at home.
- Where: 537 Johnson Street
- When: seven days a week — 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Citrus & Cane
Citrus & Cane is back!
After closing and moving out of their location at 1900 Douglas Street, the former Copper Owl, Citrus & Cane has a new home in Trounce Alley, downtown Victoria.
They have completely redone the space which used to be Park’s Kitchen, and have brought back all their beloved favourite tropical cocktails while adding food to their menu.
Check out the new and improved Citrus & Cane, try their new food and get a cocktail or two!
- Where: 606 Trounce Alley
- When: Wednesday to Sunday — 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
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Hero Sandwiches
A much-anticipated opening that is drawing near!
Hero Sandwiches started as a pop-up, operating out of Standard Pizza, and quickly became a sandwich phenomenon in Victoria.
People would line up around the city block for their Italian sandwiches during the early days, before Hero adjusted to a booking system for the semi-monthly pop-ups.
Though it is not open yet, owner, operator and ‘Sandwich Mommy’ Julie has acquired the former Gigi’s Cafe location in Quadra Village and is hoping to be open near the end of this summer.
Keep your eyes peeled for more on the opening of Hero Sandwiches!
- Where: 1002 Hillside Avenue
- When: set to open later this summer
Hey Happy – Cook Street
While not open yet, the news that Hey Happy Coffee will be opening its third location on Cook Street has been overwhelmingly welcomed by the community.
Hey Happy has become an institution in Victoria and is one of the more popular haunts for coffee nerds in the city.
They will be moving into the former Starbucks location in Cook Street Village, and hope to be open for business by January 2027.
For now, folks can still get their Hey Happy fix on Lower Johnson, or at the kiosk location at Uptown.
- Where: 320 Cooke Street
- When: set to open in early 2027
Are there any great new restaurants in Victoria not included on this list? Let us know in the comments section below!
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