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!

Great twice baked chocolate almond croissants and many sweet and savory danishes. So good it makes…read moreme want to take the Victoria Clipper again and stay at the hotel it is in.

First time to this store or chain, but as it was recommended place to shop (by my friend who has…read morechecked out several shopping options & others I'm cat sitting for), I figured why not check it out. i just needed a few basics for finishing up my supper plans after all. I was happy with the amount of selection throughout the store. There's lots of premade/quick to add to meal options in the first aisle as you walk by the sandwich prep area. As I did arrive within the last hour they were open, I didn't do a full exploring kind of shop. I had a mission & didn't want to overstay. However, what I did notice is that things seem well stocked, with recognizable labels for both conventional & organic items. I found what I wanted & a bit more (hurray for eggnog still being available after New Year's Day!). At the till, I left thinking prices seemed about the same as the other 2 market/grocery stores I've stopped at. This one was just much more manageable for me to shop. I really enjoyed the fact that it is small enough that I'm not using all my energy to reach the dairy/fridge aisle. I didn't see any aisle description signs but then again, as this is a smaller store there isn't a giant long section & you can see things a lot easier from either end. Store seemed clean & accessibility wise was decent for width of aisles, entrance/exit. The line-up area/ access space around the tills would be easy to navigate for any mobility aid. Important to note, there's minimal street parking available. Definitely one can describe this market as a neighbourhood market & best to walk there, bike, bus or be dropped off. I also have to note it was a nice surprise to see the person stocking the store was able to help manage the line growing at check out. That's rarely the case in bigger stores to have a till open up. The only reason I'll give a 4 star is that the person stocking throughout the store passed me several times while I was shopping. Yet, never asked if I needed help or if there was anything in particular I'm looking for. I found things well enough by myself but that kind of struck me as odd. It was also weird for what seemed to be a community store, not to have a welcoming vibe from him or any of the staff throughout my shopping time/check-out. Overall, decent place to grab groceries or find some prepared items to make your meal prep easier.

Just two blocks from our hotel, a handy option for prepared items when you feel like skipping full…read moreservice restaurants. They have grab-and-go sandwiches as well as custom deli-made sandwiches. I chose grab-and-go mainly because I was tired and was not eager to follow their multi-step deli ordering process.

We bought a cake here for my mom's 70th birthday and were so impressed! We chose the "Crusty…read moreForest"--their take on a Black Forest cake--and it was absolutely delectable. What we loved most was that it wasn't overly sweet. It had a wonderful, strong fruit component from the cherries that balanced perfectly with the chocolate and a light, thin layer of whipped cream. The cake itself was incredibly moist and executed with such care. It was a total hit for the celebration! I only wish we lived in Victoria so this could become our regular go-to spot for special occasion cakes.

Crust Bakery is a hidden gem! I love the atmosphere and the smell of freshly baked goods…read more Everything looks (and tastes) incredible. The pastries are perfectly baked, not overly sweet. My favourite is the pistachio tart. The staff are friendly, helpful, and make the whole experience even better. Whether you're stopping in for a quick treat or picking up something special, Crust Bakery never disappoints. Highly recommend!

Great food friendly service. Got the sweet ricotta square pizza and we loved it. They came out and…read moregave us some house made sauces for dipping.

I was looking for places to eat during lunch time around downtown Victoria. It was really hard to…read moredecide as everything sounds really good. Based on the recommendations of the staff there, I ended up getting the steak & frites that come with a dip. They cook pretty fast. My hoagie was great. The fries gave a nice crispy but soft texture. The dip completed the dish, I think the bread would be too dry without the dip. It was good! Lunch specials are from Monday to Thursday from 11 AM to 3 PM and you can get half a hoagies plus fries for $16. They have regular fries or beef tallow fries. They do take Amex.

Dinner with friends and 2 breakfasts over 2 days. Two of us had the seafood pasta with cream sauce…read more It could have used a bit more garlic and perhaps a bit more seafood but it was very tasty. This is a great place to eat late because they are open until 10PM. Service was good and we enjoyed eating out outside. Breakfasts are very large. I ordered the deluxe poutine and could only eat about half of it. We have eaten here on previous trips and the food and service are consistent.

Food was WAY overpriced for what you get. Drinks were watered down garbage at premium prices…read more Welcome to Victoria suckers! Go to the Local where it's expensive as well... but worth it.

what a hidden gem! i'm surprised there aren't more reviews. this space is a deli/cafe/grocery…read morestore. they have a decent amount of seating, i would say they can fit about 12 people and there is some outdoor seating as well. we browsed their shelves while waiting for the sandwiches which was a good time killer. the staff was so kind and quick. one woman stood out to me. i didn't catch her name but you might be able to guess who i'm talking about if you walk in. she is welcoming and hilarious. she told us to holler when we were ready, and after the sandwich was assembled, she announced "ann you're in the grill!" she absolutely went above and beyond. our interaction was the highlight of my morning. i got the firenze and it was delicious. all the flavors blended together seamlessly and i love the texture of the bread. it was such a tough choice because all the sandwiches sounded so good, but this was a great decision. i would say my only critique is that i wish the meat was more evenly distributed, but that's hard to achieve when the prosciutto naturally falls out when you take a bite. overall, i would totally recommend coming here for a quick lunch or breakfast! such amazing service and staff. thank you!!

Came here on a recent getaway to Victoria. Hubs and I are always looking for an excellent sandwich…read more We got to town via the clipper on a Thursday mid morning. We walked here and got here around 11:30. We knew we had chosen well when we saw the line of people waiting to order spilling out onto the sidewalk. You order at the counter and proceed to pay. There are also all kinds of Italian import foods to shop from as well, though as far as we could see, everyone was here for a sandwich. My husband got the Mafioso sandwich and I had the Marco Pollo. He loved his, gave it 5/5 stars. My was quite delicious although it was a bit dry and lacking on the Aioli and Balsamic fig spread, 3/5. All in all, we would come back to try other sandwiches.

I've been to Heron Rock a handful of times now over several years and it's always been such a…read morestaple brunch spot! The bennys are my fave. Today we had the smoked salmon benny half order with a fresh salad and my hubby on the Dungeness crab and prawn benny with the roasted potato's and onions. We were very pleased with both. What I love most about the Benny is their hollandaise sauce - so lemony and light and they put the perfect amount on each - ie not drenched but nicely poured. The staff is super nice and overall the place feels homey. You also aren't waiting in lines to get good brunch which is always a bonus especially coming from Vancouver where everyone and their dog is going for brunch and lining up. This spot is very unassuming and kind of hidden behind the building. Highly recommend! They also have a cute patio if you're feeling some sunshine!

We're kicking ourselves for not taking photos of the beautiful food! While visiting Victoria for a…read morelong weekend to celebrate my husband's birthday, this restaurant turned out to be the highlight of our entire culinary trip--and we've eaten very well while visiting from our home, just a ferry ride away. The service was impeccable from start to finish. The staff and management were warm, attentive, and clearly passionate about what they do. Every dish was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. We had reserved in advance and asked for a booth and the manager gave these 2 old guys a fantastic booth by the window, which made the evening even more special. A memorable dining experience with outstanding food and service. Highly recommended!

Zucchini bread is sooo good! We also had one of their sandwiches and it was tasty. Easy and quick.read more

Got a couple of sandwiches to go plus fruit smoothies. The sandwich of the day: beef and cheese,…read morereally delicious. Mango smoothie nice and refreshing too.