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    Cafe Malabar

    4.6 (17 reviews)
    ModerateIndian, Cafes
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:30 PM

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    Coconut chicken

    This is on the pricier side, but service and the food truly make up for it. It tastes so good and fresh. They also give you a really nice rose tea with the meal which is so good.

    Coconut creme caramel (modified to be gluten free)

    This was a really great dining experience. Most North American Indian restaurants focus on north Indian food, and the only South Indian food I've previously tried were dosas. The waitstaff was incredibly kind and helpful. I'm vegetarian and my friend who was dining with me is gluten and dairy free. There were several vegetarian appetizers and curries available. Most of the menu was dairy free and about half of it was gluten free. Our waitress was incredibly knowledgeable about the food ingredients and cooking method, and was immediately able to tell my friend which items met their dietary restrictions, including which items had the risk of cross contamination with gluten, such as through being placed in a frier that was also used for items with gluten. I believe half the appetizers and all the curries were gluten free. I had the chaya (contains dairy) and it was some of the best chai I had throughout my whole vacation in British Columbia. It was very well spiced, rich, and not overly sweet. You could tell they make it in house. We got an egg hopper to start. It was very simple - an egg cooked in an appam, but very tasty. I had the vegetable ishtu with parottas for dinner. The curry had a coconut milk base and was very tasty. My friend had the fish pollichathu and appams. She said it was incredible. It had a bit of a spicy kick to it. For dessert, my friend had the coconut creme caramel, which they modified to be gluten free by not putting the crispy top layer on it. It was so good they ordered a second one to have as breakfast the next morning.

    Katherine C.

    We've had a lot of Indian food but mostly North Indian. Cafe Malabar specializes in South Indian cuisine and the flavors were so powerful but well balanced. We ordered an assortment including the egg puff, tofu cutlet, chicken and spicy fish curries, both rice options, and some parathas. Oh, and a banana smoothie. What a treat. And the chef was so nice even though he was busy filling orders. Nice find inside Victoria Public Market.

    Dosa

    This spot was perfection. The wait staff and host were super attentive and helpful with the menu. Was the best meal we've had our trip to Victoria. We had the rock fish in banana leaf with dosa and poratta. 10/10. The curry for the fish was very well made and spice level was perfect for us. The poratta are must tries. We ended the meal with masala chai in the cutest tea cups. The decor of the restaurant is modern and simple. Works really well! Will be coming back if ever in Victoria!

    Puttu + Kadala Curry
    Yojna J.

    I decided to try Cafe Malabar. It serves classic South Indian food at the Victoria Public Market, and it was a fantastic experience! There are a lot of seatings at the public market. I have always enjoyed the ambiance at public food markets. The restaurants/foods are like hidden gems. Thanks to Chef Kiran's recommendation, I tried the Puttu + Kadala curry, and it exceeded my expectations. The flavours, spices, and textures in the dish were exceptional, especially the black chickpeas. I've never had Puttu before and it was interesting! If you're looking to explore authentic South Indian cuisine, this is the place to be! Chef Kiran's expertise and humbleness added to the overall great service. Highly recommend!

    Kerala gun powder dosa

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    2 years ago

    Delicious food--unexpected find in an unfamiliar town (to me). Friendly and casual service!

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    Hey Happy - Nitro cold brew.... I dream of this every morning!

    Hey Happy

    4.5(136 reviews)
    0.2 km
    $$

    So glad we decided to walk in on our recent trip to Victoria. We did not plan to be here but…read moreliterally every person walking on the street seemed to be walking in and we were like - let's go, check it out. This is right outside the Public Market and has plenty of street parking on and around the block. From the get go, amazing ambiance - bright, colorful infused with wooden interiors makes you take notice. A very innovative menu makes it hard to not try more than you planned on. Service is fast and the staff is friendly. We had the below items and can't wait to be back to try more on their menu. It seems they do refresh their menu quite a bit and the current menu is definitely bomb! 1. Hong Kong style Pork Sandwich - 12/10, amazing favors, very nicely done! 2. Savory Poptart - 10/10, light, flake, buttery, melt in the mouth 3. Mandarin Day Dream from their Signature Drinks - Drink of my dreams. I will dream of it until I can have it again and I hope they do not drop it from the menu until then. Such a innovative and well balanced drink - 20/10, must try!! We need you here in the U.S. Whoever is dishing out these creative menu items (signature drinks & the sandwiches) needs a raise!

    hey happy has chill vibes from the moment you walk in. exposed brick, big front windows, and fun…read moretiered wooden seating give it a cosy but open feel. there's a steady rhythm of quiet chatter and keyboard tapping, lots of beanies and toques, plenty of laptops out, and a young hipster crowd settling in for long stretches. i grabbed a table with a little card that read "sanitized," which was a small but appreciated touch. i ordered the apple pie matcha, house apple pie syrup, ceremonial grade matcha, topped with cinnamon sugar dust. honestly, i wasn't a fan of the apple pie syrup. it leaned a bit artificial, sweetened with honey and overpowered the drink for me. that said, the matcha itself tasted good, but subtle, smooth, earthy, and decent quality. temperature wise it was more on the tepid side than properly warm, which didn't help. i'd probably try their strawberry matcha latte next time. i also got the hashbrown with herb mayo and added a soft poached egg. it comes as a tiny square, hard and crunchy on the outside with a solid crisp. when cut into, the yolk was cooked nicely with a soft jammy ooze that coated the hashbrown. the herb mayo added a creamy, savoury boost and brought extra flavour to each bite. overall, hey happy is a solid place to hang or work for a few hours. great seating setup options, relaxed atmosphere, and a crowd that makes it feel effortlessly cool.

    Photos
    Hey Happy - Bacon breakfast sandwich

    Bacon breakfast sandwich

    Hey Happy
    Hey Happy - Italiano

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    Italiano

    Duo Café Bakery - assorted pastries

    Duo Café Bakery

    4.8(18 reviews)
    0.7 km

    I was originally hesitant on visiting Duo Cafe Bakery since it's located inside a hotel and I…read morefigured it would be a typical food service-esque bakery. Then I read the reviews - the best croissants (or at least in the top two) in Victoria? Of course I had to give them a try before riding the ferry back out to the US. Bacon Cheddar Chive Scone ($6.50) - Woah so much filling in this scone. Many other scones and biscuits promise big flavor but disappoint with only a smallest imaginable amount of non-carbs added. This one, on the other hand, must have more bacon, cheddar, and chive than flour on the ingredients list. It's literally chock filled, no bite goes through with an entire mouthful of the flavorful combination of cheesy, salty and meaty bacon and fresh chive. It's all evenly distributed throughout, ensuring a consistent flavor with each bite. The cheese are small flecks inside rather than larger pools of cheese. The scone dough itself is also excellent, being extremely moist and fluffy on the interior while developing a great hard crust on the exterior. I believe they also sprinkle grated cheese on the outside of the scone which is caramelized into a speckled pattern while baking to give even more oomph. (5/5) Twice Baked Chocolate Almond Croissant ($7.25) - The chocolate is confined to one side of this excellent twice baked croissant. They spare no expensive, melting an entire layer of valrhona chocolate in a pocket on the bottom, and then slather the entire thing with several layers of an excellent sweet almond frangipane. The double bake gives a shatteringly crisp texture that makes me want more. I normally prefer traditional almond croissants but this one is excellent. I think I actually prefer this one over the more famous one from Bakery Noveau in Seattle. (5/5) It's almost impossible to determine actual croissant lamination technique and quality from a twice baked croissant, but on this visit, we wanted something a bit more decadent to tide us over until we arrived back in Port Angeles for a late lunch. I'll definitely be returning to Duo Café Bakery next time I'm in Victoria to give their regular croissants a try!

    Homemade chai! Unsweetened! So tasty!…read more If you want a huge croissant, they have them! They also have a soup of the day and light sandwiches. Service by the barista was excellent. Enough seats inside and outside but not enough if there is a huge crowd!

    Photos
    Duo Café Bakery - Reusable mug loyalty program

    Reusable mug loyalty program

    Duo Café Bakery
    Duo Café Bakery

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    Cafe Malabar - indpak - Updated May 2026

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