My favourite resources for food & cooking, collected in one place. Where to find international ingredients, farm fresh produce, sustainable meats and seafood, and other food items of interest.
If you have any resources to add, or find any that need changing, please let me know via my contact page.
Full guide to farmers markets in Victoria, Vancouver Island, and Salt Spring Island. Local produce, food products, artisans, live music, and more!
Mondays and Thursdays 4:30pm - 7:30pm | April to December
Three different locations, depending on the day and the time of year. Check their website for details.
Saturdays 10am - 2pm | mid-May to mid-October
Veteran’s Memorial Park, Langford
Saturdays 9am - 3pm | early May to mid-October
Corner of Menzies & Superior Streets
Sundays 11am - 2pm | mid-May to late October
Metchosin Municipal Grounds, 4450 Happy Valley Rd.
Saturdays 9:30am - 12:30pm | early June to mid-October
10990 West Saanich Rd.
2nd Wednesday of the month 4pm–8pm | June through September
2100 and 2200 blocks of Oak Bay Ave
Wednesdays 4:30pm - 8:30pm | June to mid-September
1-2827 Belmont Ave.
Saturdays 9am - 1pm | early June to mid-October
Saanich Fairgrounds, 1528 Stelly’s Cross Rd.
Thursdays 5:30pm - 8:30pm | mid-May to late August
Beacon Avenue, between First and Fifth Streets
Saturdays 10am - 2pm | late April to late October
2205 Otter Point Rd.
Box delivery from a local aggregate of products from over 30 participating farms and producers. Items include produce, eggs, meat and food products, with both organic and conventional varites. Various box options to choose from.
Provides 100% local, certified organic produce year round. Subscribe to either farm-pick or delivery option and receive a selection of 7-9 different seasonal organic fruits and vegetables either every week or every second week.
A non-profit distribution system for fresh produce operated by the Capital Region Good Food Society for lower income families. Purchases direct from local and regional farmers and/or local purveyors. Six box types available and various pick up locations from Victoria to Sooke.
101-398 Harbour Rd. | 250-477-8882
Authentic French baguettes, ciabatta, rustic loaves, croissants, macarons and traditional petit-fours. Great stop for a quick lunch (baguette sandwiches and pizzas). Don’t miss the panettone at Christmas!
416 Craigflower Rd. | 250-590-5727
Byron Fry continues his family’s tradition of naturally leavened, wood-fired breads and pastries using organic, freshly milled heritage grains. Find a range of hearth breads, croissants, handpies and sausage rolls, plus weekend pizzas and bagels.
1010 Blanshard St. | 250-388-5377
A variety of everyday breads using different flours, grains, and seeds, sourdough levain, bagettues, focaccia, seasonal breads, croissants, and pastries. All baked using natural ingredients and following traditional European recipes and techniques.
1525 Pandora Ave. | 250-590-4149
100% Gluten-free bakery providing quality, fresh bread, baked goods, pastries, cakes, and cookies using a wide array of alternate grain and legume flours. There are also many dairy and egg-free options for vegans.
2272 Oak Bay Ave. | 250-595-4080
A Victoria institution for over 25 years, Ottavio’s makes fresh daily hand made breads, fresh fruit galettes, scones, savoury tortas, focaccia & fougasse. A one-stop-shop for bread, charcuterie, cheese and imported pantry staples.
1517 Quadra St. | 250-381-3473
Baking organic levain breads and pastries for over 10 years. Great variety of different flours and seed loaves. Have a coffee and a pastry and watch it all being done in the traditional wood fired oven.
Some of the best patisserie in the city! Get there early before they sell out.
Best croissant in the city. Tucked into a cozy nook at the Laurel Point Inn.
A must stop when cycling along West Saanich Road, or on your way to Durrance lake or Mount Work, this cozy spot had superb pizza, sandwiches, baked goods, and (yes) gelato.
550 Fisgard St. (Chinatown) | 250-383-6966
Find fresh, packaged, dried, and frozen ingredients from all over Asia. Lots of produce, noodles, sauces, specialty items, and more means that you will have everything you need to cook an authentic Chinese (or Japanese, or Thai, or Korean. . . ) meal!
All locations are very good all-around places to buy Asian foods, but especially 2635 Quadra St, which has an amazing selection of Asian produce, sauces, packaged ingredients, and frozen foods.
3624 Shelbourne St. | 250-598-3711
Sushi bar and a large variety of Japanese groceries and ingredients.
1213 Quadra St. | 250-388-3636
Specializing in authentic Japanese foods, this store also has a sushi bar.
835 Langford Parkway
A large selection of Asian and South Asian ingredients and produce
1286 McKenzie Ave. | 250-477-9495
A variety of fresh Asian vegetables and fruits.
3388 Douglas St A | 250-475-2424
Whole and ground Indian spices, dried curry leaves, dahls, several varieties of Basmati rice, lentils and split peas, chutneys, channa flour, atta flour, asafetida, flat breads, dried figs, fresh nuts, saffron, cane sugar (gur), pappadums.
550 Fisgard St. (Chinatown) | 250-383-6966
Good-quality tamarind, Ataulfo mangoes, shallots, palm sugar (jaggery), coconut milk, pappadums, chutneys, fresh chiles
3510 Blanshard St (Gateway Village)
An entire aisle devoted just to Indian ingredients, including basmati rice, whole and ground Indian spices, Indian lentils, pickles, chutneys, channa flour, & pappadums.
658 Burnside Rd. W | 250-479-4228
Whole and ground Indian spices, dried curry leaves, dahls, basmati rice, chutneys, channa flour, atta flour, asafetida, flatbreads, cane sugar (gur), halal and kosher meats, candy-coated fennel seeds, rosewater, saffron
1286 McKenzie Ave. | 250-477-9495
Fresh curry leaves, beautiful herbs, ginger, garlic, mangoes, greens, unusual fruits and vegetables
540 Fisgard St | 778-433-1544
Stone ground nixtamalized tortillas made from organic BC corn, plus Mexican culinary ingredients like dried chiles, herbs, etc
1412 A Douglas St. | 250-388-6602
A wide variety of Mexican ingredients, inlcuding dried chiles, masa, pozole, tomatillos, beans, panela, queso, guava, and epazote, as well as Latin, Caribbean, and African specialty foods and ingredients
903 Yates St. | 250-381-6000
Fresh & dried Mexican chiles, masa harina, canned and bottled Mexican products, soft corn tortillas, fresh tomatillos
Market on Millstream: 125-2401C Millstream Rd. | 250-391-1110
Fresh & dried Mexican chiles, masa harina, canned and bottled Mexican products, soft corn tortillas, fresh tomatillos, Mexican herbs and spices
2635 Quadra St | (250) 380-9773
A large selection of Thai ingredients, from produce, to rice and noodles, to dried, bottled & packaged ingredients.
1286 McKenzie Ave. | 250-477-9495
Fresh Galangal in season, Fresh makrut (keffir) lime leaves in season, fresh lemongrass, Asian mushrooms, shallots, Thai basil, lots of fresh Asian vegetables.
550 Fisgard St. (Chinatown) | 250-383-6966
A go-to place for Thai essentials - frozen galangal and makrut lime leaves year-round (fresh in season), bulk lemongrass, good-quality tamarind, a variety of Thai rices and rice noodles, and a wide array of bottled and dried Thai pantry items.
1003 Blanshard St | 250-415-8373
Full service butcher, whole animal butchery. Specializing in meat and poultry from local and ethical farms. Lots of pantry ingredients as well.
Serving Vancouver Island for 4 generations, they process, cure, package and deliver local meat products, from livestock raised with the highest health and moral standards.
2451 Island View Rd (Lochside Trail)
Selling free range, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef fed from the grass and grain they grown on their own 6th generation family farm - 100% locally raised beef! Sold fresh and frozen year round at their farm market.
2032 Oak Bay Ave. | 250-598-1115
Full service butcher shop, both basic and hard-to-find cuts and products. Purveyors of local and ethical meats & poultry, homemade sausage, homemade lard and duck fat.
2032 Oak Bay Ave. | 250-590-7675
An excellent salumeria that makes and sells only locally-sourced cured meat products, from nose to tail: salami, chorizo, bacon, prosciutto, coppa, pepperoni, pâtés and specialty items.
6-7103 West Saanich Rd., Brentwood Bay | 778-351-4733
Locally sourced, traditionally cut, antibiotic and hormone-free beef, pork, lamb and turkey. Handmade sausages and meat pies.
2577 Cadboro Bay Rd. | 250-592-0823
Featuring local, organic, free-range poultry; local, grain-fed non-hormonal beef and pork; and great customer service.
307 Cook St. | 250-382-3331
Local friendly butcher carries array of products from animals that are humanely raised on island family farms. Also find fresh made sausages, charcuterie, and meat pies.
1245 Park Dale Dr. | 250-478-6328
Carry selection of meats including Metchosin lamb, Cowichan Bay chicken, fresh sausages and smoked products.
180-2950 Douglas St. | 250-384-3388 & 343 Cook St. | 250-381-5450
The largest natural food store on Vancouver Island, with a good selection of Certified Organic meats
5550 West Saanich Rd. | 250-479-8349
5 other locations @ Mattick's Farm, Vanalman, Latoria Walk, Oak Bay Ave and James Bay. Excellent butcher featuring local meats and in-house processing.
1286 McKenzie Ave. | 250-477-9495 ex. 224
Meat sourced almost primarily from Vancouver Island and never outside of BC, with an emphasis on ethics and quality. All products are filler, hormone and antibiotic free.
903 Yates St. | 250-381-6000 | 125-2401C Millstream Rd. | 250-391-1110
Full-service grocery store with local meat counter - features organic and natural chicken, local lamb, and natural bison meat
27 Erie St. | 250-383-7760
Fisherman-run, West Coast sustainable fishing, fresh and frozen, sashimi-grade local fish, shellfish, and seafood. Food truck on site for delicious fish & chips, chowders, fish burgers, and more.
2550 Beacon Ave | 250-656-2642
Fresh fish & seafood, caught daily.
1701 Douglas St. (Victoria Public Market) | 778-433-4385
Fresh local seafood and lunch
1006 Broad St | (778) 433-9184
A "small, but mighty" kitchen gadget store, with something for every home cook.
