Eating Local in Victoria, BC

Salt Spring Cheese Company

We’re back from Canada, but the trip was rejuvenating and all, and we spent time these year seeking out the best of the local food scene. A few notes:

We so love our homemade pizza that we seldom eat it out. But sometimes, such as vacation times, we venture out and try some store-bought stuff (if only to confirm that our own is superior). Imagine my surprise when we discovered Pizza Pi, just around the corner. Hand-crafted pies, whole-grain crust, local ingredients – the commitment to local so great that even the furniture in the place was made by local craftsmen. We ordered a medium pie, but should have gone bigger, because it was so great. Lots of vegetarian options here, too. This place deserves to be more well-known.


We also discovered Red Fish, Blue Fish this trip. OMG, as the kids say –really great, local, sustainable seafood prepared simply, tempura style. Hand-cut, twice-fried, Kennebec potatoes. A terrific curried slaw. A quick look at the menu indicated that we’ll have to go back three or ten times in the future. Best of all, this little fish shack is housed in a shipping container plopped onto the wharf on the Inner Harbor. No indoor seating here, just a couple of tables where patrons can sit, nosh, and watch the floatplanes take off for the mainland. Later, we strolled over to our favorite gelateria. Red Fish Blue Fish offers cupcakes from Pink Sugar Cupcakery for dessert. The kid in line in front of us was campaigning pretty hard for one, but his mom wouldn’t cave. I was surprised, because they’re all vegan and healthy and all (and I’m a sucker for a vegan cupcake myself). At $3.50 a pop, though, I can understand her refusal – that’s a lotta quatloos for a cupcake, kiddo.

Lastly, a day trip via the ferry to Gulf Spring Island had us walking a couple of miles from the wharf to Salt Springs Cheese Company. The island is beautiful and the day perfect; the farm itself was idyllic, what with the sheep, horses, goats, and chickens, not to mention that half-dozen border collies running around, wanting to play. We got to see their cheese making operation and to sample all of their offerings at their beyond-cute store. We came away with our favorite cheese, a Camembert-style round called Juliette. It’s improving with age as it sits in the fridge.

Eating local – it’s really worth seeking out, wherever.