The best way to understand downtown Victoria is to eat your way through it, and this small-group walking tour by A Taste of Victoria Food Tours is the highest-rated way to do it, with a perfect score from more than 2,000 reviews. Over about two hours, a local guide leads a maximum of twelve people through the oldest parts of the city, mixing tastings with the stories behind the streets. The route starts at the Phillips Brewing tasting room on Government Street and heads into Chinatown, the oldest in Canada, with a stop at Dragon Alley and a squeeze through Fan Tan Alley, one of the narrowest streets in the country, once lined with gambling dens. It continues to Market Square, a restored nineteenth-century warehouse courtyard of independent shops and cafés, and on to Bastion Square, site of the original Fort Victoria, before finishing down Government Street at the visitor centre across from the Fairmont Empress. The tastings change with the season and the vendors, from chocolate and tea to Korean chicken and Filipino pastries, and reviewers say the total adds up to a good lunch. This page links to the tour on Viator.
How the tour works: the meeting point is 2000 Government Street, where you meet your guide inside the brewery tasting room; the guide wears a black shirt with the company name. The tour ends at 812 Wharf Street, across from the Empress, which is handy for the whale-watching and seaplane departures. Morning and afternoon start times are offered, and you choose one when you check availability on the booking page. Free cancellation with a full refund is available up to 24 hours before the start.
Dietary needs: the tasting menu is not published in advance, because it rotates among local businesses. Tell the operator about allergies or food restrictions when you book, and they will do their best to adapt; reviewers mention vegetarians being looked after, but strict diets may find some stops limited.
Making it count: come hungry, wear comfortable shoes, and bring an umbrella in the wetter months, since most of the walk is outdoors. Note the names of the places you like best, as the tour is as useful for planning your meals for the rest of the trip as it is for the food on the day. In November, the shorter days make an earlier start the better choice for photos of Fan Tan Alley and the old streets.
What to expect
The experience
A guided small-group walk of about two hours through Chinatown and Old Town with several tastings that add up to a light lunch.
Best time
A morning or early-afternoon departure early in your trip, so you can return to the places you liked.
How long
About two hours, from Government Street to the Inner Harbour.
Tips
Arrive hungry, mention allergies when you book, and bring an umbrella in the wetter months.
Quick picks
- Best for
- First-time visitors and food lovers who want the city's history and its best small businesses in one walk.
- Families
- Older children who enjoy trying new food will be happy; younger ones may tire of the walking and talking.
- Couples
- A relaxed, sociable lunch on foot that ends near the harbour for an afternoon on the water.
- Pair with
- A whale-watching trip or seaplane flight from Wharf Street, where the tour finishes.
- Time needed
- Two hours.
Good questions
Where does the Victoria food and history tour start?+
It meets inside the Phillips Brewing tasting room at 2000 Government Street. It ends at 812 Wharf Street, across from the Fairmont Empress.
How much food is on the Victoria food tour?+
The tastings are designed to add up to a good lunch. The menu rotates among local businesses, so it is not published in advance.
How big are the groups?+
The tour takes a maximum of twelve people. That keeps it easy to hear the guide and fit into small shops.
Can the food tour handle dietary restrictions?+
Tell the operator about allergies or restrictions when you book. They will do their best, but strict diets may find some stops limited.
Can I cancel the food tour?+
Yes, free cancellation with a full refund is available up to 24 hours before the start. Changes inside that window are not refunded.
