Dine Around menus we are excited to check out this year

It’s the most wonderful time of the year... for Victoria food lovers!

Author

Amelia Acedo
January 23, 2025

L' Apéro Wine and Cheese Bistro. Website.

Dine Around and Stay in Town Victoria starts tomorrow, an opportunity to try a diverse array of cuisines across the city at set price points. Each participating restaurant has created a featured menu for either $25, $35, $45, $55, $65 or $75.     

We have compiled a roundup of some of these exciting limited-time menus that you need to try before the festival’s final day on Sunday, Feb. 9. From fine-dining experiences to award-winning restaurants, Dine Around and Stay in Town covers all the bases, including breakfast, brunch and lunch. 

Offering a fixed price menu for $75 with an optional BC beverage pairing for an additional $35, the special Dine Around menu at Ugly Duckling consists of three courses. To begin your dining experience, you have the option to choose from the following starters: Slow-roasted pork belly accompanied by Shanghai noodles, yu choy, and shiitake mushrooms; Beretta Farms beef tartare served with black garlic, cured egg yolk, and vegetable chips; or Hokkaido scallops paired with celery root and black truffle for a $10 supplement.

For the main course, selections include a butter-poached Haida Gwaii halibut complemented by potato gnocchi, house-made XO sauce, and lotus root, or a glazed Yarrow Meadows duck breast accompanied by fingerling potatoes, golden beets, and preserved cherry.

To conclude your meal, dessert options are a dark chocolate pot de crème or a Salish apple crumble served with brown butter, rolled oats, and white miso gelato.

Address: 543 Fisgard St. 

The Dine Around menu at Faro caught our attention because it’s a great option for sharing. It’s offered at $45 per person, with optional drink pairings available but not included in the price.

For appetizers, guests can choose between three options: a roast broccolini with garlic, romesco, and hazelnut; an arugula salad featuring pear, fennel, hazelnut, and pecorino romano; or a roast cauliflower salad with capers, olives, Calabrian chili, parsley, and cashew romesco.

The main course offerings include four distinct choices: a classic Margherita pizza with tomato, fior di latte, and basil; a Calabrese pizza featuring tomato, fior di latte, and soppressata salami; a funghi pizza with roast mushroom, fior di latte, gorgonzola, arugula, garlic, lemon, and truffle; or the peposo, a braised beef short rib with chianti, peppercorn, and polenta.

For dessert, diners can select either the tiramisu with espresso-soaked savoiardi, mascarpone cream, and cocoa or the polenta & olive oil cake with orange sauce and marmalade.

Many items in this menu can be made without gluten.

Address: 1175 Beach Dr. 

Clive’s Classic Lounge’s three-course menu is priced at $45 per person with optional beverage pairings for an additional $30. Guests can choose between a beet salad with goat cheese and mint pesto; a smoked tuna tostada featuring tartar sauce, chili crisp, and fennel; or a prosciutto dish accompanied by orchard fruit, crouton, and creamy dressing to start.

For the main course, diners have three options: the beef steak and fries comes with red wine jus; a handmade ravioli dish featuring basil and parmesan; or rockfish served with grain risotto, cured meat, and lemon butter sauce.

The dessert selection includes a cherry chocolate mousse with crispy cereal; a cheesecake served with fruit; or a raspberry sorbet accompanied by meringue and streusel crumble.

Address: 740 Burdett Ave. 

Get a taste for what this new Victoria restaurant has to offer with its $45 three-course menu. The first course offers two choices: Hokkaido scallops served with potato veloute, leeks, and dill or a smashed potato salad with dill, cucumber, and grainy mustard. 

For the second course, diners can choose between three options: a mushroom fettuccine with goat cheese cream sauce, walnuts, and truffle oil; a hazelnut crusted ling cod served alongside heritage carrot, barley risotto, parmesan, and broccolini; or chicken schnitzel with herb-mashed potatoes, mustard, leeks, and greens. 

The third course presents two dessert options: a blackberry and rum trifle featuring lady fingers, blackberry jelly, custard, cream, and cocoa or sticky toffee fritters served with 49 Below vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and pecans.

Address: 505 Park Pl.

Good Ovening’s lunch menu is set at $25 per person and it is offered from 11:30am to 3pm. The menu begins with several appetizer options: gimmari, which are seaweed rolls filled with glass noodles, man-doo (deep-fried pork dumplings) or cheese sticks. For the main course, the restaurant offers deop-bop (rice bowl) with various protein options. Guests can choose from spicy chicken, soy tofu, tuna mayo, soy chicken, spicy bulgogi, or regular bulgogi. To finish the meal, diners have two dessert choices: vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce and oreo flakes, or house-made churros. 

Address: 799 Fort St.

Sit by the waterfront and enjoy Boom + Batten’s $55 set menu that begins with a choice of a vegetarian and gluten-free white bean and kale soup with romesco; a baby romaine salad featuring beets and a blue cheese vinaigrette; or grilled prawns with a couscous salad. For the main course, guests can choose between a crispy duck confit with toulouse sausage and white wine braised beans; pan-seared trout with gnocchi and seasonal vegetable; or a vegetarian roasted tomato risotto served with pesto-artichoke fritters and burrata. The dessert course offers one option: a sticky toffee and date pudding served with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Address: 2 Paul Kane Pl.

Priced at $55 per person with optional wine pairing for $30 or beer pairing for $20, Callisto Restaurant at the Westin Bear Mountain offers options for a first course that include a West Coast mushroom soup with pine cream, a beardorf salad with endive and apple vinaigrette, or a jumbo prawn cocktail with jerk sauce. The second course features spaghettini carbonara with pancetta; mussels and frites using Salt Spring Island mussels; or braised top sirloin with butterbean cassoulet. For dessert, guests can choose between chocolate cake with mascarpone chantilly, cheesecake with quince preserve, or a cream puff with white chocolate crémeux.

Address: 1999 Country Club Way

Ferris' Grill & Garden Patio’s Dine Around menu offers a $35 three-course menu with optional wine pairing for an additional $25 or beer pairing for an additional $21.

The menu features a Turkish carrot and lentil soup with sumac crème fraîche; beet carpaccio with pistachio and goat cheese; and gnocchi with porcini cream. Main course options include a Sicilian seafood stew with wild salmon and shellfish, or braised beef brisket with potato pave and demiglace. For dessert, diners can choose between a charred lemon posset with quince shortbread or a spiced orange and almond cake served with greek yogurt and honey. 

Address: 536 Yates St.

Block Kitchen + Bar's 2025 Dine Around menu offers a $65 five-course tasting menu with optional $55 drink pairings. The Japanese-influenced menu starts with an oyster with ikura and aged ponzu, followed by a corn potage with brioche crouton and a grilled scallop with crispy rice is served next. Short rib with shiitake and yuzu kosho demi as a main, and a matcha tiramisu with adzuki whip and white chocolate for dessert. 

Address: 538 Yates St.

Vis-à-vis’ Dine Around 2025 menu is priced at $65 with an optional $40 wine pairing. The first course offers brie tart with caramelized onion, seared scallops with beet puree, or prosciutto with house made compote. The second course features herb-crusted sablefish, duck confit with navy bean cassoulet, butternut squash ravioli, or steak frites (with $10 supplement). Dessert is either vanilla crème brûlée or triple-layer chocolate cake.

Address: 232 Oak Bay Ave.

The Courtney Room introduced a $45 lunch menu, served from 11:30am to 1:30pm from Monday to Friday, offering two starter choices: kale caesar salad with white anchovy or turmeric and morel velouté with chickpea fritter. For the main course, options include oyster mushroom rigatoni with nutritional yeast pesto, slow baked BC ling cod with olive oil confit potato, or crispy chicken breast from Vancouver Island farms. Dessert is a citron tart with crème fraîche. This menu is a great option if you’re gluten-free.

Address: 623 Courtney St. 

L’Apero Wine and Cheese Bistro is doing a $55 three-course menu, for a minimum of two people to order, making it a $110 three-course menu for two people. The first course options include the Tuscan pleasure: roasted garlic and white bean purée with marinated cherry tomatoes, served with crostini and baguette. Or foraging goat: a winter salad featuring baked chèvre nestled in an orange curry-marinated fennel with spicy pickled butternut squash, walnuts and pomegranate. 

As a second course guests can pick from a Swiss fondue accompanied with a dressed micro green salad, assorted artisan breads, cured meats and more; a Raclette accompanied with roasted potatoes, cured meat, marinated onions, cornichons, and more; or the L’Apero Experience, a cheese board dinner including three curated cheeses, one cured meat, bistro salad, crackers, baguette, and an array of other accompaniments. 

For dessert guests get to try the Ensemble: a sampling of black forest parfait, chocolate mousse and panna cotta.

Address: 1028 Blanshard St. 

What Dine Around 2025 menu are you excited for?