Happy hours are a tradition in Western culture that has morphed from illegal gatherings during the Prohibition era to a great way for bars and restaurants to boost sales on slower weekday shifts. Now, it’s typically defined by finger foods, cheap pints, small glasses of wine, and unraveling with your coworkers after a hard day’s work.

So, in honour of the happy hour tradition, here are the top three in the 2023 Tasting Victoria Awards presented by Gordon Food Service.

Tapa Bar

A great happy hour can be categorized by great small dishes and affordable drinks, and each evening, underneath the centuries-old gaslights, Tapa Bar fills Trounce Alley with lively conversation and Spanish-inspired cuisine. With sangria, mussels, and pizza on its happy hour menu, for the second year in a row, Tapa Bar’s happy hour tops our list as Tasting Victoria reader’s favourite happy hour.

620 Trounce Alley
tapabar.ca

Boom + Batten

Boom + Batten’s elevated casual dining offers guests an experience inspired by the Pacific Northwest surroundings, taking advantage of some of the region’s best produce. Its happy hour menu is a great chance to enjoy the finer things at Boom + Batten, while not being too full to enjoy a walk around the Songhees Walkway too.

2 Paul Kane Pl.
boomandbatten.com

CRAFT Beer Market

Launched in Calgary in 2011, the CRAFT movement has been spreading across Canada ever since. A visit to CRAFT is meant to be an experience connecting you to the community and culture, and is a place where fresh local food and craft beer from all over the world come together under one roof.

450 Swift St.
craftbeermarket.ca

We encourage you to support your favourite restaurants by dining in or ordering takeout—and, of course, try new ones! Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected], or reach out on social media at @tastingvictoria.