How do you choose the 50 best hotels in Canada? When we set out to make this honorary list, it sounded so simple: Choose hotels our editors and highly experienced travel writers have stayed at and like for their service, design and amenities, and then shorten the list down to 50.
But with such an extensive number of exemplary properties in the country, it proved to be more difficult than that. So, our senior editor, Michele Sponagle, our regular contributors, Waheeda Harris, Sandra MacGregor and Doug Wallace, one of our guest contributors, Karen Burshtein, and I laid out our individual lists. We each chose hotels that are not necessarily the fanciest or the most expensive—although there are properties in the final list that are pretty darn posh—but ones we felt have exceptional service, great ambiance, quality amenities and superb style.
Miraculously, there were some hotels we all agreed should be on the list; others, we discussed and, yes, there was even some cajoling involved as we stood up for our favorites. Finally, we reviewed what our readers had suggested and created the final 50.
From there, each writer, myself included, independently chose our top 10 hotels in order from the list. The ones with the most votes, determined their final placement. With rare exception, at least one member of our team has stayed in each of the properties that made the final cut; hotels that weren’t reviewed directly by us had to be highly recommended by a number of respected, independent reviewers.
Here, then, we’re pleased to offer our 2018 list of the 50 best hotels in Canada, as determined by our team—some of the best professional travel writers in North America with more than 100 years of collective experience reviewing hotels.
15. The Magnolia Hotel & Spa, Victoria, British Columbia
With only 64 rooms, this contemporary independent hotel has the capacity to give better-than-good service. The location of The Magnolia Hotel & Spa is good, too—close to downtown, the inner harbor, government buildings and the courthouse. The destination restaurant, The Courtney Room, helmed by chef Sam Harris, is superb. Do try the tasting menu.
(Photo courtesy of Leila Kwok/The Magnolia Hotel & Spa)
style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;">VICTORIA, BC (October 9th, 2018): Victoria’s Magnolia Hotel & Spa is thrilled to be announced as the #6 Top Hotel in Canada (with a score of 97.06), and leading hotel on Vancouver Island, in the Condé Nast Traveler 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards, announced earlier today.
“This is an incredible way to round out a landmark year at the Magnolia Hotel & Spa and we are honoured to be recognized by one of North America’s leading travel authorities,” said Bill Lewis, general manager of the Magnolia Hotel & Spa. “Not only did we open our own restaurant, The Courtney Room in the spring and receive a coveted place in the enRoute Best New Restaurant 2018 contenders list, we are also celebrating the hotel’s 20th anniversary on October 15th, with a dinner in partnership with Champagne Taittinger.”
The Magnolia Hotel & Spa placed among some impressive company, including Fogo Island Inn (Newfoundland, #1 / 98.39), Rosewood Hotel Georgia (Vancouver, #5 / 97.62), Thompson Toronto(Toronto, #18 / 93.73).
According to Condé Nast Traveler editors: “It’s the little things that set apart this swanky spot abutting Victoria’s Inner Harbour and downtown. Like those trademark metallic tubes of L’Occitane products for weary business travelers, fluffy signature robes for which we’d happily jet cross-continent, and, of course, the bittersweet pillow treats that quickly diffuse any travel grumpiness. Rooms are spacious smoke- and pearl-hued… we suggest you splurge for a diamond signature corner room, with high ceilings and a gas fireplace, and front-row views of the impressive, stone-clad Parliament building (especially charming when it’s lit up at night).”
The city of Victoria received recognition as #14 Best Small City and Vancouver Island ranked #4 Best Island North America. The Magnolia Hotel & Spa team would like to congratulate Tourism Vancouver Island and Destination Greater Victoria, as well as the Oak Bay Beach Resort (#12 / 95.76) and The Fairmont Empress (#19 / 93.66).
The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.” Nearly half a million Condé Nast Traveler readers submitted a recording-breaking number of responses rating their recent travel experiences of the world’s cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, airlines and airports, to provide a full snapshot of where and how we travel today.
The 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards are published exclusively on Condé Nast Traveler’s website at www.cntraveler.com/rca and celebrated in the November issue on newsstands nationwide on October 16.
To discover what makes the hotel one of the best in Canada, book your next stay in Victoria by visiting www.www.magnoliahotel.com or calling 1.888.MAGNOLIA.
Vancouver Island is fast becoming a national culinary powerhouse, and no wonder — it boasts a remarkable bounty of fresh, local produce.
Joanne Sasvari
Updated: September 6, 2018
A tapestry of fresh seafood at Tofino Marina Resort on Vancouver Island. Leila Kwok for Tofino Marina Resort
Is there something in the water? The soil? The air? Or simply the kitchens?
Whatever the magical ingredient is, it seems that Vancouver Island — from Victoria to Tofino to the surrounding Gulf Islands — has suddenly become a national culinary powerhouse.
Take this year’s enRoute Magazine nominations for Canada’s best new restaurants. Two Island restaurants made the list of 30: Victoria’s chicly French-accented The Courtney Room and the casual smoke-scented 1909 Kitchen in Tofino.
In comparison, foodie Vancouver had just one on the list, chef JC Poirier’s nostalgic temple to butterfat, St. Lawrence. (The winners will be announced on Oct. 25, canadasbestnewrestaurants.com.)
Lest you think this is an aberration, just glance back at the last few years: To 2016, when Victoria’s Agrius came in at No. 4 overall; 2015, when tiny Pilgrimme on Galiano Island was No. 3; and 2014, when Tofino’s Wolf in the Fog took first place in all of Canada. That’s a lot of recognition for an area with only about two per cent of the nation’s population.
So just what’s cooking over there across the Strait of Georgia?
The sun-drenched dining room with a view over Clayoquot Sound at 1909 Kitchen at Tofino Marina Resort on Vancouver Island. Courtesy of Tofino Marina Resort
Escape from the city
“It’s a sign of the times,” says Paul Moran, executive chef of 1909 Kitchen. “People are moving out of the big city and spreading themselves across the province.”
As in so many other industries, Vancouver’s astronomical real estate prices are driving talented young chefs out of town to smaller, more affordable communities. Chris Whittaker, formerly of the Listel Hotel’s Forage and Timber, is just one. He recently packed his knives and headed off to Quaaout Lodge in the Shuswap, where he can hunt, forage and raise his young family in a beautifully bucolic setting.
The island, though, has a special draw beyond budget-friendly accommodation. It also boasts a remarkable bounty of fresh, local produce that presents a delicious palette for a creative chef.
From the Saanich Peninsula and Cowichan Valley in the south to the Comox Valley in the north, almost everything grows on or around the island: dairy, poultry, lamb, orchard fruits, berries, vegetables, wine grapes, even exotica such as lemons, olives, kiwi fruit and tea leaves.
“We have some of the best produce in the world, and we have some of the best seafood,” says Sam Harris, executive chef at The Courtney Room.
Moran adds, “All the different micro regions on the island and the different ingredients they produce, whether it’s east coast or west coast, are definitely what appeals to me.”
Sam Harris, executive chef of The Courtney Room restaurant at the Magnolia Hotel in Victoria. Leila Kwok for The Courtney Room
A recent evolution
The culinary scene wasn’t always like this.
Vancouver Island’s culture has long been influenced by its British colonial history. That meant you could always find a decent bowl of chowder or basket of fish ‘n’ chips. But good luck finding other ethnic dishes, let alone the nouvelle cuisine that was so fashionable elsewhere in the 1960s and ’70s.
Back then, Victoria had Pagliacci’s for kitschy pasta, the Empress for fancy roast beef dinners, Ming’s for Chinese, and countless tea rooms serving a proper afternoon cuppa. Up island was a bit of a culinary wasteland.
Then three significant things happened.
In 1979, Sinclair and Frederique Philip opened Sooke Harbour House, a.k.a. “Chez Panisse north,” where they served shellfish from the waters off the Whiffin Spit, chickens raised by the neighbours, wild mushrooms foraged from the forests, and a confetti of edible flowers plucked from their own gardens.
In 1984 John Mitchell and Paul Hadfield opened Spinnakers, Canada’s first brew pub, in the Victoria suburb of Esquimalt. They designed it to be a welcoming “public place” where guests could enjoy good food, good beer and good company — a marked departure from the sadly punitive drinking dens typical of the 1970s and ’80s.
Then in 1996, the Wickaninnish Inn flung open its doors on Tofino’s Chesterman Beach, and head chef Rod Butters sent his hapless apprentices cycling down to the docks for fresh crab and prawns, confident he could serve Relais & Châteaux-worthy food in the wilderness.
These three establishments proved not only that chefs could create world-class cuisine from local ingredients on Vancouver Island, but that people would travel from all over the world to enjoy it.
A community of eaters and cooks
Today the island boasts ingredient-driven restaurants in just about every community from Port Renfrew to Port Hardy, as well as dozens of food artisans, wineries, breweries and distilleries making delicious things from local produce.
But just as important as the ingredients that come from the sea and soil are the people who transform them into food and drink.
“I think we have a real movement of chefs and other hospitality professionals really embracing what we are,” Harris says.
“We have a lot of creative people who love being here and can do a lot of captivating food.”
It helps that the Island has such a strong, supportive food and drink community, which comprises, among others, the prestigious culinary arts program at Vancouver Island University, the Island Chefs Collaborative connecting chefs with farmers and food artisans, and North America’s first Slow Food Community, Cowichan Bay.
“The kind of people that are drawn to the island are open-minded when it comes to food, and really care where ingredients come from. It’s great,” Moran says.
And Vancouver Island’s food scene is still evolving, with the long overdue arrival of Asian and other world cuisines, as well as a general elevation in culinary skills, thanks in part to the availability of chef tutorials online.
“It’s an exciting time to be cooking,” Harris says. “Now there’s a bit more glamour and romance.”
A seafood tower at The Courtney Room restaurant at the Magnolia Hotel in Victoria. Leila Kwok for The Courtney Room
A local secret no more
For now, there’s enRoute, and growing national recognition.
“To be included in the top 30 is an honour and a nice pat on the back for all the hard work we’ve done with the opening,” says Moran, who previously cooked in kitchens all over Europe and at some of B.C.’s top heli-ski resorts. “It’s a big morale booster.”
Longtime visitors to Tofino might remember 1909 Kitchen as that slightly dodgy pub on the waterfront. Today, it is coolly modern, with stunning views of Clayoquot Sound from its floor-ceiling windows. At its heart is a wood-fired oven where Moran roasts everything from pizzas to crispy cauliflower to tender, miso-glazed black cod.
“It’s ingredient driven,” Moran explains. “We try to work with high-quality products and not over-manipulate them.”
As for Harris, this is not his first dance with the awards: he was opening chef de cuisine at Agrius when it earned its Top 10 nod in 2016. But when the Magnolia Hotel decided to bring its restaurant in house and transform it into an elegant fine-dining room, Harris jumped at the opportunity to return to his roots in white-tableclothed hotel restaurants.
“I always loved that start-to-finish experience of how far you can go with fine dining … to really transport someone through the level of service and the quality of the food,” he says.
He’s delighted by the nomination, and the affirmation it brings to his “classically modern” cuisine that travels from house-cured charcuterie through to perfectly miniature mignardises.
“It’s a lot of validation,” Harris says. “And it will mean a lot of cool people will walk through the door.”
Recipes
The tuna tacos at Tofino Marina Resort on Vancouver Island. Leila Kwok for Tofino Marina Resort
Albacore Tuna & White Radish Tacos
By Paul Moran, executive chef of 1909 Kitchen at the Tofino Marine Resort.
10 oz (300 g) daikon radish
10 oz (300 g) albacore tuna
6 Tbsp (20 g) chopped chives
2 Tbsp (30 mL) white soy sauce
10 sheets (100 g) dried nori, torn
11/3 cup (325 mL) mayonnaise, preferably homemade
4 cups (1L) canola oil
3 sheets (40 g) phyllo pastry, shredded
1 lime, sliced
12 shiso leaves, torn
Thinly slice daikon radish into 2-by-2-inch (5 cm) “leaves” and store in cool water.
Slice albacore tuna into 1/2 oz (15 g) cubes (you should have about 20 similarly sized cubes). Toss with white soy and chives, cover and chill until ready to serve.
In a blender or food processor, blend together the nori and mayonnaise until it creates a smooth aioli. Store in a piping bag with a round tip and chill until ready to use. (Note that this will make more than you need; reserve the rest for garnishing other Japanese-flavoured dishes.)
In a deep-sided fry pan, heat the canola oil to 325 F (160 C) and quickly fry the shredded phyllo until it is lightly golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on absorbent paper.
To assemble: Remove daikon leaves from water and pat dry. Arrange on a platter. Place a dot of the nori aoli in the centre of each leaf. Add a piece of dressed tuna and a piece of torn shiso leaf. Finish with crispy phyllo and serve with a lime wedge.
Serves 4
The sidestripe shrimp cocktail at The Courtney Room restaurant at the Magnolia Hotel in Victoria. Leila Kwok for The Courtney Room
Sidestripe Shrimp Cocktail
Recipe by Sam Harris, executive chef of The Courtney Room at Victoria’s Magnolia Hotel.
Shrimp:
1 lb (454 g) sidestripe shrimp, shell on
8 cups (2 L) water (for cooking shrimp)
8 cups (2 L) ice water (to cool cooked shrimp)
Juice from 1 lemon
½ cup (125 mL) salt
Shrimp oil:
3/8 cup (100 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp (15 mL) sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
Cocktail sauce:
Diced tomato to taste
Creamed horseradish to taste
Ketchup to taste
Assembly:
1 cup (250 mL) crème fraîche
16 chives, sliced into 1 inch (2 cm) batons
16 leaves sheep sorrel (optional)
Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). Peel shrimp and reserve shells for shrimp oil. Place peeled shrimp in a heatproof bowl. Put ice water in a separate bowl.
Bring water, salt and lemon juice to a simmer at 175 F (80 C) and pour over shrimp. Poach for 2 minutes, then, using a skimmer, remove shrimp from cooking liquid and plunge into ice water. Cool for 5 minutes, then strain and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Chill until ready to serve.
Make shrimp oil: Place shrimp shells on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add shrimp shells, paprika and sliced garlic and lightly sauté for about 5 minutes, until shells are pink and garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Transfer mixture to a high-speed blender and purée for 2 minutes on highest speed. Strain through a coffee filter and leave to cool to room temperature.
Make cocktail sauce: Mix together diced tomato, creamed horseradish and ketchup.
To assemble: Divide crème fraîche between 4 serving bowls. Top with cocktail sauce, shrimp, shrimp oil, chives and optional sheep sorrel. Serve with bread or crackers.
Standing on the Breakwater Barge at the Greater Victoria Harbour in Victoria, an unexpectedly strong gust of wind swayed the platform just enough to remind our group that we were actually floating on the ocean.
The Breakwater Barge at the Greater Victoria Harbour in Victoria offers music, food and drinks every Friday evening until Sept. 28. Photo Tourism Victoria
But looking around at the crowd enjoying local beer, cider, wine and live music, it was obvious a little wind was not going to dampen anyone’s spirits on this cool June evening. This is only the second year the Breakwater Barge has been open to the public, but the concept is has proven to be a popular one. Every Friday evening until Sept. 28, families, couples and individuals of all ages flock to the harbour at Ogden Point to check out popular food trucks, enjoy craft wine and beer, dance to local performers and take in the ocean view. Kids are very welcome, so for families it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a night out without paying for a babysitter.
There’s always lots going on in Victoria year-round, but there’s a special vibe in the summer when visitors and locals can enjoy the city and surrounding areas unencumbered by their MEC and North Face rain jackets.
During a recent visit to the Garden City we stayed at the Magnolia Hotel and Spa because of its proximity to so many attractions, including a 25-minute walk to Ogden Point and the Breakwater Barge. But staff at the Magnolia have taken visiting Victoria to a whole new level. They’ve created curated maps highlighting the best of the city for guests to use as guides during their stay — all within walking distance of the hotel — including the Rainy Day Trail, Craft Brewery Tour, Tapas Trail, Tea-riffic Trail, Beautiful Boutiques Trail, Best Places for Romance and the Running Trail.
Just a short walk from the Magnolia Hotel, Victoria’s Inner Harbour is where visitors and locals can find whale watching and boat tours. Photo Sandra Thomas
The Magnolia is considered a “boutique” hotel because of its size — the fact it’s smaller than many of its neighbouring properties was part of the appeal for my husband and me when booking our stay. The hotel is one very short block from Victoria’s Inner Harbour and despite the fact it’s not located directly on the water, we could see the ocean and harbour from our room thanks to a view corridor between buildings.
Our ocean view room at the Magnolia Hotel and Spa. Photo Sandra Thomas
The Inner Harbour is where you want to be if you’re considering popular activities such as whale watching expeditions, boat tours, scenic flights, horse-drawn carriage rides and double-decker bus tours. We were also just blocks away from the Royal B.C. Museum, B.C. Parliament buildings and the Victoria Conference Centre, where I was attending a three-day conference.
The Courtney Room in the Magnolia Hotel is popular for its oyster bar. Photo Magnolia Hotel
New to Victoria’s food scene is the Courtney Room at the Magnolia, where we enjoyed a wonderful dinner — imagine West Coast cuisine meets French bistro meets art nouveau. It’s where chef Sam Harris, formerly of Agrius Restaurant, celebrates local and seasonal ingredients with a French twist. We enjoyed some fresh-shucked oysters (of course), decadent steaks and — please take my advice and try these — Potatoes Courtney. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside — and cooked in duck fat— this adult version of tater tots has been wowing food writers since the Courtney opened in May.
The Courtney’s commitment to buying local includes ingredients from area producers, including Madrona Farm, Umi Nami Farmand Two Rivers Meats. An extensive craft beer list and thoughtful cocktail menu are even more reasons to check out the Courtney.
The Courtney Room at the Magnolia Hotel specializes in local ingredients, including fresh seafood. Photo Sandra Thomas
As we discovered, there’s a reason this elegant, yet unpretentious, hotel has been recognized as both top hotel in Canada and top luxury hotel in Canada by TripAdvisor in the Traveler’s Choice Awards.
If you go:
You can enjoy fireworks every Saturday night until Sept. 1 at Butchart Gardens. Photo Butchart Gardens
Every Saturday night throughout Sept. 1, visitors to Butchart Gardens can enjoy spectacular fireworks shows accompanied by choreographed music. Live entertainment takes place at the garden three hours prior to the fireworks shows. And did you know you can take a boat tour from Butchart Gardens? Tours from the gardens depart every 15 minutes from the wharf in Butchart Cove. To check out a complete schedule of event, visit butchartgardens.com/events.
Note: the World Federation of Rose Societies, held every three years, recently recognized Butchart Gardens with an award of excellence and a commemorative plaque at their recent conference.
The Yo-Yo takes riders high above the crowds at last year’s Saanich Fair. Photo Darren Stone, Times Colonist
Saanich Fair 150th anniversary
Sept. 1 to 3
Drop by the Saanich Fair to celebrate Western Canada’s oldest agricultural fair. Enjoy live music, dance performances, eating contests, auction/raffle draw, rides and concerts, including 54-40 and the Chris Buck Band.
The Rifflandia Festival brings dozens of popular musical performers to Victoria. Photo Darren Stone, Times Colonist
Sept. 13 to 16
The eleventh-annual Rifflandia Festival features a diverse lineup of artists across numerous stages, all within walking distance of Victoria’s historic downtown. This year’s lineup includes dozens of popular performers, including JessieReyez, Daniel Caesar, Lights, the Zolas, Hey Ocean! and more.
Getting there:
The V2V luxury ferry takes about three-and-a-half hours between Vancouver and Victoria, leaving plenty of time to take photos of the beautiful Georgia Straight. Photo Sandra Thomas
V2V Vacations is a luxury ferry that offers daily service between downtown Victoria and downtown Vancouver.
They had us at the chevron-patterned wood flooring. The Courtney Room opened recently at the Magnolia Hotel & Spa, taking over the space previously occupied by Catalano Restaurant. A complete overhaul delivered new everything, all airy and white, the renovation pushing the ceiling even higher than it was before.
Photo courtesy of The Courtney Room/Leila Kwok
Expect velvet banquette seating, bistro-style lighting and elements of Art Nouveau in the brasserie on the main floor. The menu here features comforting shareable fare, along with charcuterie and cheese, plus ceviche and tartare selections from the raw bar—including a CAD$95 Seafood Tower with a selection of raw and cured seafood. Main dishes cover off things like smoked duck breast, gruyere mac and cheese and a selection of steaks.
Photo courtesy of The Courtney Room/Leila Kwok
The finer dining takes place upstairs, with white tablecloths, brass accents and bronze beaded curtains highlighting an earthy color palette that matches that of the hotel. This menu is full of classics like shrimp cocktail, beef tartare, baked halibut, seared scallops and four cuts of steak, with a list of side dishes you will find difficult to narrow down. The CAD$88 tasting menu is where the kitchen truly shines and presents extremely good value. And who doesn’t love a course called Pre-Dessert?
Photo courtesy of The Courtney Room/Leila Kwok
Chef Sam Harris favors local suppliers of seafood and steak, plus all the necessary trimmings—even a few you don’t expect—dishing out pure Canadiana with a tantalizing French twist. Suppliers include Umi Nami Farm, Haliburton Farms, Finest at Sea, Saanich Organics and wild food forager Lance Staples, among others. Harris comes to The Courtney Room from Agrius in Victoria. He has held positions at the Relais & Chateaux-designated Sonora Resort, the Four Seasons Whistler, Bishop’s in Vancouver and Stage in Victoria.
Photo courtesy of The Courtney Room/Gary Mckinstry
And if you’re just popping in for a quick one, the granite bar surrounded by wood columns and white marble chevron detail is perfect for bellying up to after work, mixing original and classic cocktails. The wine list has a little something for everyone, curated to encompass the cream of varietals and regions, with many from the Gulf Islands. A glass of bubbles from Vancouver Island’s Unsworth Vineyards and a dozen oysters? Don’t mind if we do.
(Featured photo courtesy of The Courtney Room/Leila Kwok)Read More
The cocktail scene continues to grow around the globe, and it’s no different in Victoria, British Columbia on Canada’s west coast.
While visiting the Magnolia Hotel& Spa on Vancouver Island, I had the opportunity spend a bit of time in their newly renovated restaurant and cocktail lounge, The Courtney Room. Following a $1.5 Million renovation, the Courtney Room emerges as a bright shining star on the Victoria food and cocktail scene.
According to The Courtney Room, “Taking cues from the old grand dame hotels of Paris, Sharon Bortolotto of BBA Design was inspired by the classic French bistro. The Courtney Room boasts high ceilings and is layered with elements of Art Nouveau to create a casually elegant ambience.”
Photo courtesy: Steve Drake
The food is amazing, and Chef Sam Harris (formerly of Agrius) has created an incredible menu that brings together the finest ingredients Vancouver Island has to offer. But more about the food in a later article… this visit is all about the great cocktails created by The Courtney Room bar team under the direction of head bar tender Clayton Thornber. On a hot summer day any choice from this trio will satisfy your thirst:
Photo courtesy: Steve Drake
MIDNIGHT IN OAXACA
The first drink (on the left) is called the Midnight in Oaxaca (pronounced wah-ha-ka), is a variation of a “maid style” cocktail. This drink is equal parts Tequila and Mezcal, fresh lime, simple syrup, cucumber and mint muddled, and habanero bitters. Garnished with a cucumber ribbon and mint sprig, it’s served over crushed ice, leaving you refreshed and ready for another. The perfect combination for a summer cocktail.
THE OAK BAY
This drink is a riff on a classic rum punch recipe from old English times. It is rum based with a splash of bourbon, fresh lemon, water, and a London fog tea syrup. It is called The Oak Bay because of it’s connection to England, and how strong the British roots are in Oak Bay, which is a charming village community tucked into the City in Victoria.
FRENCH 250
This fluted cocktail is their local take on a French 75, while paying homage to 250 – Victoria’s area code. The cocktail features Victoria Distillers Empress 1908 gin, fresh lemon, and a honey syrup made from local Wild Mountain honey in nearby Sooke, which is then topped up with Unsworth Charme de L’ile, which is a well known Vancouver Island produced prosecco style sparkling wine.
On your next visit to Victoria, British Columbia – be sure to spend a little time in The Courtney Room bar, sipping and experience some of the best cocktails in the region.
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When considering Canada’s best food cities, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal undisputedly clinch the title. And if you press further, destinations like Prince Edward Island and Quebec City shoot up as contenders. But there’s one Canadian city that’s quietly vying for epicurean attention: Vancouver Island’s Victoria.
Victoria’s food scene gets eclipsed by nearby Vancouver, but British Columbia’s capital has long earned its culinary cred: it was home to Canada’s first brewpub; it has a neighboring wine region; it serves one of the best high teas in the country; it boasts the nation’s oldest Chinatown; and Canada’s first chocolatier started here.
Dig in to find out why you should taste your way through the Pacific Northwest’s oldest city.
The Magnolia Hotel & SpaTHE MAGNOLIA HOTEL & SPA
WHERE TO STAY
For our Victoria culinary tour, we checked into The Magnolia Hotel & Spa, and not just because the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel has an excellent location mere blocks from the Inner Harbour or because of its plush, sophisticated accommodations.
The 64-room boutique hotel offers fun self-guided itineraries for guests called Curated Trails, a number of which revolve around food and drink. Here are highlights from Magnolia’s Culinary Trailblazers, Craft Brewery and Tea-riffic Trails tours, plus some other delicious spots we found along the way.
Duck at The Courtney RoomLEILA KWOK
WHERE TO DINE
The Courtney Room
The first stop is at the hotel’s chic brand-new restaurant that debuted in April. Come for fine dining or to soak up the sun on the new patio, which gives a glimpse of the domed capitol building, one of Victoria’s most-recognized sights. Then linger into the wee hours at the white marble bar for Midnight in Oaxaca cocktails (Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej mezcal, lime, habanero bitters, mint, cucumber) and the irresistible potatoes Courtney (duck fat tater tots accompanied by onion dip).
At dinner, order the seasonal tasting menu to see how chef Sam Harris spotlights local ingredients in French dishes. A tender Yarrow Meadows duck breast is covered with crispy skin and comes with carrots, turnips and pickled rhubarb. Local halibut goes decadent with a pool of airy, ethereal whipped béarnaise and tarragon.
Add on the caviar service. The sustainable, organic Northern Divine pearls, chives and creamy “dip” (garlic, garlic and onion powder, crème fraîche, egg yolk, grapeseed and olive oils, lemon juice) on top of a housemade chip was one of the best bites on the menu. And opt for the vino pairings — you’ll get a nice sampling of the local Cowichan wine region.
A Sampling from OloJENNIFER KESTER
Olo Restaurant
The cozy space basks in a warm glow from its orange-yellow walls and birds-nest-like lighting fixtures. The food goes for an artful presentation, but it’s just as homey as the environs.
The addictive deep-fried semolina cubes with garlic mayo will have you requesting a second round. The vegetable platter gets an upgrade with a deeply smoky white bean hummus. For a seafood-heavy dish that won’t weigh you down, choose the sablefish collar with clams, potato, kale, daikon and shellfish butter.
Chef Kunal Ghose firmly established himself in Victoria’s food scene with popular restaurants like Red Fish Blue Fish and Fishhook. For his April-opened venture, he embraced Dobosala’s location fronting Pandora Avenue’s new bike lane and went with a fast-casual concept that has the only ride-through window in the city.
But it’s worth parking your two-wheeler and taking a seat inside the industrial eatery to savor Ghose’s bright, flavorful Indo-Pacific fusion. Try the crispy pakora with kimchi crema and tamari-tamarind ponzu; “squimp” onigiri — rice balls with Humboldt squid, Tofino shrimp, sockeye belly sashimi and horseradish mayo; and the adobo-gochujang chicken stuffed in a tortilla cone. Wash it down with a housemade mango-hibiscus iced tea.
Fresh, Handmade Pasta at La PastaLA PASTA
Victoria Public Market at the Hudson
At the small public market, save your appetite for La Pasta, which debuted in May. The spot churns out handmade pasta daily. Order the comforting carbonara with toothsome spaghetti and porchetta bits or the fusilli pesto topped with generous dollops of fresh ricotta. But first begin with antipasti like fried artichokes with lemon aioli for some brightness as well as the rich arancini.
Or venture over to Very Good Butchers. The first vegan butchery on Canada’s west coast, it specializes in plant-based “meat.” Try a dish featuring the smoky seitan bacon or the “pepperoni,” which gives more of a kick than its beef-and-pork counterpart.
Kid Sister Ice Cream
Hidden along Chinatown’s photogenic Fan Tan Alley — Canada’s narrowest street — sits this scoop shop. You can’t go wrong with from-scratch ice cream like the luscious salted caramel in a house-baked waffle cone, but the parlor is known for its paletas (Latin American popsicles upgraded with fresh fruit and fun ingredients) in creative flavors like quince Creamsicle; mango, black currant and lime; and mocha cheesecake.
Half a million cups of tea are poured annually at the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel, whose afternoon ritual has been a Victoria tradition since 1908. Don’t let the date fool you: the modern room overlooking the harbor makes for one of Canada’s best tea experiences.
Thoughtful details abound: the china bears the same timeless purple-and-pink pattern that King George VI and Queen Elizabeth chose for a 1939 dinner party they hosted at the hotel; the menu arrives in an elegant wooden box that also holds samples of each high-quality blend; the housemade strawberry jam uses local berries, honey from the hotel’s beehives and lavender from its rooftop garden; and servers are warm, welcoming and ready with just the right recommendations.
Even if you’re not one for tea, come for the Empress 1908 gin. The hotel’s small-batch, butterfly-pea-blossom-infused pour possesses an indigo hue that turns lavender when you add citrus or tonic. The color-changing G&T is a must for your Instagram feed, but also for its great taste, with juniper and grapefruit notes.
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.JENNIFER KESTER
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
The brewery launched in 2001, but it added the city’s first tasting room in April. Head there to sample the easy-to-drink Blue Buck or Robert Service Stone Fired Ale.
But everyone will find something to sip here. Check out the all-natural house sodas — i.e., made without syrups or other artificial sweeteners — like the effervescent, Creamsicle-like Dare Devil orange.
Little Jumbo
Seek out a small neon elephant above the Pacific Transfer Building sign, enter and go to the end of the hallway for this restaurant/bar. The brick-walled, pressed-copper ceiling space is an inviting local favorite for well-crafted cocktails.
Follow the Victorians and ask for A Convicted Melon (Altos tequila, Campari, hibiscus, honeydew melon, local Olive the Senses coconut balsamic, Bittermens molé bitters) or the Gin and Tea (Boodles Gin, Silk Road’s Alchemist’s Brew and Berry Victoria teas, lime and flowers).
Silk Road TeaSILK ROAD TEA
WHERE TO SHOP
Silk Road Tea
In this tea-loving city, there’s no better souvenir than local leaves. Tea master Daniela Cubelic makes exquisite blends at her Chinatown shop. You’ll notice that Silk Road teas appear all over the city (including Little Jumbo, The Courtney Room and rooms at the Magnolia).
Pick up health-targeting teas, like the antioxidant-boosting Beau-Tea-Ful Skincare (white and green leaves, rooibos, calendula, lemon balm, peppermint, lemongrass, lavender) or sinus-relieving Allergy & Hay Fever Defense (take the green tea, peppermint, nettle, holy basil, rooibos and eucalyptus blend three weeks before allergy season to prep your immune system). Or try the 8 Immortals, a special reserve oolong with floral notes that’s supposed to help longevity.
Rogers’JENNIFER KESTER
Rogers’ Chocolates
While you can purchase Rogers’ chocolates all over Canada, Charles “Candy” Rogers started his business in Victoria in 1885. His first confection, the Victoria Cream, launched his career as the country’s first chocolatier.
Pop into the original Government Street shop, which seems frozen in time. Staff dressed in starched white button-down shirts and black ties stand ready to sate your craving from the wood shelves and glass cases filled with chocolates. The must-buy sweet is Rogers’ Victoria Cream, wrapped in a waxy pink-gingham paper. Enrobed in dark chocolate, the discs are made with fresh cream and fruits and don’t contain any additives. Our favorite was the not-overly-sweet, nut-studded hazelnut.
Jennifer Kester is Forbes Travel Guide‘s Executive Editor. Her finger is on the pulse of the latest in luxury travel, spanning hotels, food, culture, top destinations and more.
YAM Magazine’s restaurant issue is out, and they have named The Courtney Room Victoria’s Best New Restaurant!
“Our favourite new restaurant is The Courtney Room in the Magnolia Hotel, a stylish bistro that embodies Parisian flavour. From the oyster bar in the casual main level, to chef Sam Harris’ smoked duck salad, leek vichyssoise and dry-aged steaks in the dining room upstairs, there’s a lot to explore in this modern, French-inspired menu. And with a $1.5 million renovation under its belt, it’s simply a stellar spot to dine out.”
a href="https://vanmag.com/go/weekend-getaways/your-victoria-weekend-getaway-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vancouver Magazine – By Stacey McLachlan
Got 48 hours to kill in B.C.’s capital city? We’ve got a few suggestions.
If our experiences are any indication, Victoria should really adopt the motto, “Why aren’t you here more often?” It’s the sort of place that, thanks to its careful blend of foodie sophistication and small-town charm, makes you wonder why you haven’t been spending all your weekends on the island. Here’s where to eat, stay and play next time you’re in town.
Stay Here
The Empress may get all the glory, but Magnolia Hotel—steps away from basically everything—is the true crown jewel of Victoria’s hotel offerings. Rooms are understated but elegant (the fireplace! the down pillows!) and bathrooms come stocked with L’Occitane toiletries. It’s within walking distance from pretty much any worthwhile resto, but the recently opened (and quite excellent) Courtney Room—helmed by Agrius alum Chef Sam Harris—is right downstairs with its mashup of West Coast locavorism and classic French fare, so you can stumble down for a platter of house-cured charcuterie or duck fat potatoes without even putting on a coat. If you’re ready to venture further afield, borrow on of the hotel’s bikes and its curated maps that plot routes of the city’s breweries or tea lounges for you.
Eat Here
It’s no surprise that the winner for Best Victoria at this year’s Restaurant Awards would be on our checklist for a perfect weekend in Vic, but we’re about to get a little crazy and slate Agrius for brunch, not dinner. It’s the best time to maximize your intake of their bread—made in-house at the attached bakery, Fol Epi—and to tuck into beautifully plated dishes that put Vancouver’s brunch game to shame: sourdough French toast with cardamom ice cream, heirloom bean tempeh and daily terrines.
Come dinner, though, you’d be well served to snag a table at locally focused Olo in Chinatown, and put yourself at the mercy of chef/owner Brad Holmes. A tasting menu (five courses at $68 per head, with wine pairing an extra $40) might result in plates of alder smoked salmon with culture cream and beets, dreamy potato gnocchi served up in a bed of pea puree and black garlic sauce, or an asparagus salad that will make you question what the point of every other vegetable is.
Drink Here
Phillips’ newly expanded tasting room, opened this May, is rowdy and friendly—the perfect spot to mingle with locals at long wooden tables, Solaris white peach ale in hand. If none of the 16 taps are speaking to you, you’ve got options: the brewery recently began dabbling in the fine art of distilling under their Fermentorium label, producing a stand-out gin infused with hand-foraged B.C. botanicals (think fir, cascade hops and lavender in addition to juniper) that makes for a fine G&T when paired with Phillips’ Soda Works dry tonic. Pair whatever you’re sipping with a cheese board for optimum results.
The compact Little Jumbo is a hive of activity when night falls, with bartenders shaking, stirring and garnishing at dizzying speeds to whip up selections from their creative drinks menu. Beets by Jumbo pairs bourbon and bointreau with golden beets (!), honey and horseradish; A Convicted Melon adds coconut balasamic and molé bitters to tequilla. Grab a seat at the bar and try to keep up with the action.
Do This
Victoria holds tight to its British heritage in many ways, but the city’s obsession with tea time is the most obvious one. Embrace it, whether planning a full-fledged tea crawl or hitting up a few key spots at which to sip the afternoon away. Skip the touristy Empress tradition and instead make your way to the shabby-chic Venus Sophia tea room, which offers a High Tea experience that’s less Queen Liz, more Princess Kate: pick a pot (rose black tea, anyone?) to pair with a tiered platter of treats (delicate lemon tarts, crustless strawberry-and-marscapone sandwiches).
Down the street at Silk Road Tea, tea is regarded as less of a Sunday afternoon treat-yo’self experience and more as a wellness product—though the on-site spa treatments certainly split the difference. Stock up on Detox Wellness Tea (a blend of dandelion, nettle, rosemary and blueberry leaf), ginseng and ginger root Chinese green tea, or cedar-and-pine-infused bath salts. Silk Road has been in operation since the early ’90s, helmed by Daniela Cubelic (Canada’s “Queen of Tea,” says the Globe and Mail) and dedicated to organic growing practices and preaching the gospel of antioxidants.
Getting There
V2V ferry departs right from the convention centre and drops you off three hours later in downtown Victoria, and is more of a cruise than a ferry: the seats kick back into recliners, staff deliver wine, beer and three-course meals right to you and if there needs to be a detour to see pods of orcas playing in the waves, so be it. Sure, it’s a slower journey than a seaplane or even BC Ferries, but the downtown-to-downtown car-free convenience and scenic route make you wonder what’s so great about the rush, anyways.
em>The Magnolia Hotel & Spa unveils a modern, classic dining room.
The Courtney Room, Victoria’s newest dining destination, opens this week in the lobby of the Magnolia Hotel & Spa following a four-month restaurant renovation. With Executive Chef Sam Harris at the helm, guiding a menu that honours the very best of land and sea, The Courtney Room upholds the level of timeless hospitality characteristic of the award-winning Magnolia Hotel & Spa, which was named Travel + Leisure’s #1 City Hotel in Canada in their annual World’s Best Awards last year.
“We are very excited to see our vision for The Courtney Room come to life this summer,” says Bill Lewis, General Manager at Magnolia Hotel & Spa. “We look forward to giving guests a taste of our Island’s best ingredients in our elegant new dining room and restaurant.”
Chef Harris’ menu will enliven local and seasonal products with a classic French twist, in celebration of local farmers and flavours. The ingredient-driven menu allows each dish to convey a sense of place, highlighting produce sourced and foraged from as close as possible to the restaurant, including Umi Nami Farms, Madrona Organic Farm and Wildcraft Foraging. An Arrendoinox Maturmeat fridge allows the team to both dry age and cure local meat, resulting in dishes such as smoked garlic sausage with mustard spaetzli, cured steelhead with celeriac and pickled shimeji mushrooms and an extensive dry aged protein menu, featuring various steak cuts, Cheam View Ranch pork chop and local lamb rack. Rounding out the menu, seafood towers are prepared barside and guests can enjoy side striped shrimp cocktail, rockfish meuniere, with a selection of vegetable dishes and sides.
A Chef’s Tasting Menu ($74 per person with the option to add wine pairings and a caviar service) includes five courses of seasonally inspired dishes. The front of house team includes seasoned hospitality professionals, many with Relais & Châteaux experience. Adrian Gatt leads the team in the role of Food & Beverage Manager, bringing an accomplished resume that includes The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickanninish Inn in Tofino and Claridges in London. Wine Program Director Anna Romeyn, a member of the International Sommelier Guild and BC Hospitality Foundation sommelier scholarship recipient, brings boutique hotel dining experience from both the Sidney Pier Hotel and the Hotel Grand Pacific.
The Courtney Room’s interior takes stylistic cues from grand Parisian hotels and classic French bistros alike, evident in its tiled entrance way, soaring ceilings and bronze beaded curtains. Textured wall coverings frame Art Nouveau-style light fixtures and focal abstract expressionist artwork by local artist, Blu Smith, as well as brasserie-style leather banquette seating. The elegant gray marble bar serves as the perfect canvas for a range of classic French and original crafted cocktails made with local spirits, a flight of BC beers, ciders on tap, and a custom glass oyster station.
Moving upstairs, the room develops into a more formal dining space, boasting Frette table linens, vintage-style lighting, brass accents and a palette of smokey grey, taupes and elegant earthen hues. The elevated feature wine room houses a varied collection, showcasing bottles suspended on floating plinths.
An approachable wine list includes selections from BC, France and an international range, as well as Le Verre de Vin wine preservation system offering 23 wines served by the glass, including Unsworth Vineyards, Checkmate Artisanal Winery and local treasures Sea Star Vineyards.
The Courtney Room offers genuine hospitality, day and night. Come and discover a true taste of Vancouver Island, combined with French flair and a warm welcome in Victoria’s newest dining destination. For dinner, lunch or brunch reservations, call 250-940-4090 or visit www.thecourtneyroom.com.
Note for editors: high res images can be viewed here, and Chef Sam Harris is available for interview.Read More
