Mosi - Breakfast, with a side of Italy

Another revolving restaurant door is about to stop with the opening of Mosi on West Saanich Rd and Prospect Lake Rd/Sparton Rd.

If you long for the fabulous'ness of the original La Collina (remember pizza and pasta nights at the original Cedar Hill location?) - then you'll want to head out for breakfast or lunch at Mosi. It's run by the same family.

Their Italian roots are authentic - there's a photo on the wall of the owner's grandmother....

Wheelies Motorcycle Cafe - high-gear it over

Located in unassuming Rock Bay 'hood (between the garages, office furniture warehouses and fastner outlets) sits Wheelies Motorcycle Cafe.  Previously an actual garage (home to an honest mechanic who worked on my car), it's been, well, transformed into a cafe-come-custom-garage-come-general-cool-moto-hangout.

Cafe on the right, custom-garage on the left.

At the cafe you can saddle up to the barstools, tuck into the booth or, if the weather is stellar, get sun-baked on their patio. Inside the space the walls are covered in rough cut wood and decorated with vintage posters, magazines and helmets. And on one wall: a small screen, with classic motorcycle movies projected onto it (think Easy Rider and the like).

PiCNiC - tasty Fort St. bookends

PiCNiC is a (capital G!) great little coffee/lunch spot...well, two spots actually (as in PiCNiC and PiCNiC Too). The original is located at the bottom of Fort Street, near Wharf St, North side; the second is about seven blocks up Fort St, South side.

Picnic (first location, lower Fort)

Picnic Too (Fort btw Cook & Vancovuer)

They serve local coffee (2% Jazz), create unique lunches daily (2 sandwiches, 1-2 salads and a soup) and mix up refreshing beverages (lavender lemonade, sodas, cold-brew coffee & more).

Tre Fantastico - fantastic cubed.

This is not a coffee review - I will leave that to the professionals out there.

I'm all about the food.

And this is all about the breakfast.

A short and sweet review for a small & sweet place.

Most people that I mention Tre Fantastico to, have either a) been and loved it or  b) don't believe there's a coffee-house there and fire-up Google street view. But don't be frightened - it's easy to find, just surprising to some that it's there.

Tre Fantastico is located in the Parkside Resort on Humboldt Street - where their cosy patio is shaded by huge trees and their view is across to the gardens and buildings of St. Ann's. You'll easily forget you're half a block from Blanshard St.

Yes, that's it…..Tre Fantastico!

Building on the strong base of Caffe Fantastico coffee and their coffee-houses around town - this location is licensed and has a small kitchen that cranks out great food. You can stop in for coffee & a muffin, a local brew & grilled sausage, a glass of peninsula wine & a charcuterie plate or….well, the list goes on (and there's gourmet popcorn too!)

de'lish - Tweed Curtain Treats

Years ago it was a bakery, now (for the past few years) this tiny St. Patrick street storefront holds a fresh new array of baked goods. Gone are the brown-paper wrapped loaves of bread with your family's name on them (hands up those who remember THAT!); replaced by a shiny red espresso machine, caramelized onion tarts, homemade soups, rhubarb compote topped porridge and seating inside & out.

You'll find de'lish on St Patrick Street, near the corner of Central Avenue - just a short stroll up from Beach Drive.

de'lish on St. Patrick Street in Oak Bay

Once you step through the door, de'ish's tasty looking creations are laid out in front of you.

Jubilee Pharmacy...there's food too!

Pharmacy?
A food blog with a Pharmacy entry?
Yes, it sounds like a miss-post, but you need to know about this store.

Jubilee Pharmacy has two locations - one kitty-corner from the Jubilee Hospital (that one you could see coming, I'm sure) and the brand-new, second location on Johnson Street at Quadra. If you're now performing a mental Google Map - this location used to house a rotating array of carpet vendors (and Fabricland, way back when). The rugs are gone, the reno's are done and the food is here.

Yes, it's THAT old carpet building

Jubilee Pharmacy AND MARKET!

The original location is always an interesting place to shop for groceries. Two jam-packed aisles are loaded with an incredible selection of sauces, spices, pasta, gluten-free items, dried fruits, exotic chocolates, pop, jams and so much more. Shoppers brave tight aisles, barely allowing two people with hefted baskets to pass, to access the unique selection and amazing prices.

The second location?...

Melt Truck - Giving Cheese a Chance

The Melt Truck is a newer food truck on the scene in Victoria. Parked currently on Rock Bay Avenue, near to Bay Street - you can find them nestled under the giant 'Bayliss Sign' sign. It's easy to pull up and get food from them - lots of free street parking...and they're situated IN a small parking lot.

Like you need another reason to stop and have a grilled cheese sandwich?

Melt Truck parked under the 'Bayliss Sign' on Rock Bay Ave

It's a shiny new truck with the daily menu posted to the right of the order window. You can also check their Facebook site for menu updates.

They're open from 7am-2pm Monday to Friday - plenty of time to feed your grilled-cheese needs....

Hot & Cold Cafe - you'll warm right up to this place

Unfortunately, The Hot & Cold Cafe has closed this location on Pandora.
…fortunately, they still have their Cook St. Village location!


The Hot & Cold Café has recently opened up a second location on Pandora Avenue (the first one is tucked into Cook Street Village, just up from the Beagle pub). This new location is nestled up to Relish, a favourite restaurant of mine (best scones ev-a, and the breakfast isn’t a slouch either), but I digress…

The Hot & Cold is open Monday-Friday from 9:30 for coffee & baked goods and at 11am, they roll out their full lunch menu. The lunch menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches & rice bowls (plus they have a special of the day).

Lots of delish looking baked goods to liven up your morning coffee and then even more tasty-looking items for lunch….

Relish - Weekend Brunch Happiness

Relish is a lovely little cafe located on Pandora Avenue, just east of Quadra Street. Bookended on the corners by McD's and a Provincial Government office, a few older, one-storey buildings house a large amount of food-goodness. Relish is one of them (the Blair-Mart and Hot and Cold Cafe are worth standalone future blog write-ups). Relish is open Monday-Friday for breakfast & lunch and on Saturdays for brunch. A weekend brunch was our meal destination – so we slid into the last available table at the time.

Relish's sunny tables on Pandora Ave.

The menu is not long but it is diverse – including granola, french toast, bennies, sandwiches and a burger. Some of the menu items have very interesting Korean & Chinese influences, as well. They also have a beautiful espresso machine - so you can start your meal off...

Mortiscycle Doughnuts @ the Superior Point Espresso Bar

Update part deux:
While Mortiscycle currently is no more, I've heard rumours (June 2014) that their doughnuts may live on - Empire Doughnuts. And they are linked with PiCNic (upper Fort St location), possibly after their expansion into the adjacent space. More to come....I'm sure.


Update:
Currently the Mortiscycle Doughnuts have not set-up shop for 2014. The previous owner has moved on from Victoria and the currently owners of the Superior are concentrating on the restaurant portion.
Hopefully they'll open the espresso bar outside and maybe some delish doughnuts...




The Superior Point Espresso Bar is a lovely little coffee “stand” at the corner of Superior Street and Kingston Avenue (kitty-corner from the main entrance to Fisherman’s Wharf). It’s been opened by The Superior Café, whose owner is no stranger to the restaurant industry in Victoria (I’m sure there are some of you who remember having coffee -before it was “having coffee”- at La Boheme or Bohemetea).

They serve 2% Jazz coffee and homemade baked goods including Mortiscycle Doughnuts. Like I wrote before, doughnuts are popping up everywhere (and I say…..awesome-sauce!). I recently stopped in for a quick latte and (twist my rubber arm) a doughtnut to go with it. As I pulled in on two-wheels – I even got a special deal on my morning snack.

Love the vintage Coleman cooler...

You can hang out at the stand, making yourself comfortable on the steps, chairs or...

Donuts - the new cupcakes in town

We've had the cupcake craze happening in Victoria for several years now (the stores run the gamut - big, small, vegan, tv show tie-in, you name it). It wasn't like cupcakes didn't exist before this proliferation about five years ago - but the grocery store versions were mere shadows of the gourmet goods getting iced today. And now, I'm quite sure, the next big thing is gaining momentum - doughnuts. And like the aforementioned barbie-sized cakes, these are not your garden-run timmy's old fashioned plain.

In the name of exhaustive research, I will endeavour to try as many as I can (read: before I have to move the notch on my belt). To start off - I've hit two purveyors recently - Doughboy Donuts and Yonni's.

Doughboy Donuts can be found at some of the nicer coffee shops around town, but also Saturdays at the Moss Street Market. Inside the courtyard, tucked in the corner, the day's offerings are on display, each identified on the butcher paper covering the table.
**UPDATE**
Doughboys is currently not creating their fabulous donuts - but hopefully we'll see them around soon.

Doughboys Donut Stall at Saturday Moss St. Market

Doughboys Saturday Selection

On the two occasions I've visited the stall (research people, research!)...it's a steady stream of people coming...and the inventory doesn't last long...

Food Stores

Jubilee Pharmacy & Market