Old Favourites in a New Light: Rediscovering Victoria
When planning a weekend away, my sights are typically set on places I’ve never been before. I considered a cruise along the Sunshine Coast, then shifted my thinking towards a woodsy retreat to Bowen Island. When the opportunity arises, why not welcome a new experience?
However, by virtue of making the decision to get out of Vancouver approximately 24 hours before I intended to leave, I ended up deciding on a trip to Victoria. Victoria is somewhere I called home for several years during the start of my post secondary education, and somewhere that draws me back time and time again. It’s a city that I know like the back of my hand.
Or so I thought.
While I stand by my prior sentiment about chasing new experiences, my first stop in Victoria was, as it always is, The Tapa Bar. Tucked away in Trounce Alley, the heritage space contains a certain kind of magic rarely found in our corner of the PNW. Intimate and always buzzing. Warm lighting, redbrick walls, and the constant sizzle of white wine and garlic reducing on open flames. The menu has gone practically unchanged throughout the 15 years I’ve been returning, and for good reason. It’s sharing plate heaven. Coconut milk marinated kale, bacon wrapped dates with balsamic and blue cheese, and pollo ajillo are non-negotiables. Top it off with a pitcher of sangria and a seat on their heated patio. Some sips, some bites, and a spot to watch the world go by against a backdrop that feels like somewhere far from home.
As I retraced the paths I used to walk daily, I was called back to old favourites left and right. The breakfast sandwiches from Rise and Grind that revived me from more than a few hangovers. The pints at Bard & Banker drank in a room from a different century. The dishes at Urban Rebar that made me forget how badly I wanted an order of chicken wings during a very vegetarian time in my life. Everything felt, up until this point, comfortingly familiar.
It’s doubtless that Victoria’s culture is informed by the city’s history, and understandably so. It’s a history that sits at the foundation of daily life there, and it remains visible on every block of the downtown core, with its brick-lain streets and the narrow alleyways of Canada’s oldest Chinatown.
That said, Victoria is also, in its own way, a young city. It’s populated by a flow of bright-eyed university students who are cultural architects in their own right. Victoria has also become home to many young folks looking to recalibrate their city-bound lifestyles to a slower pace without surrendering their urban comforts. All of these disparate forces come together to create an undeniably youthful spirit that hums beneath the history.
There was constant evidence of this evolving atmosphere amongst my nostalgic landmarks. After walking out of The Tapa Bar on my first night in Victoria, I experienced a moment of absolute euphoria when I found Citrus & Cane had become a Trounce Alley neighbour. Years ago, I would frequent their original home inside the Copper Owl on Douglas Street. It was one of the most unique rooms I’ve ever been in. Private social corners were partially enclosed by velvet curtains and filled with comfy mid century furniture. Their tiki-style cocktails were a stunning compliment to the offbeat, retro setting. When their doors closed on New Years Eve of 2025, I was devastated from afar.
The new location in Trounce Alley has perfectly reimagined their signature vibe in a room that feels familiar, yet entirely refreshed. From my perch at the bar, I could spy their private room, which was shrouded by a velvet curtain much like the nooks at their old location on Douglas. The ceilings got higher, the windows got bigger, but the energy has carried over. I’ll be thinking about the amaro daiquiri for weeks, but I was over the moon to see that their coconut shaft has remained a menu feature.
Venturing into my old neighbourhood, I was surprised to find that Herald Street Brew Works had popped up just a few doors down from my old home. I was slightly offended that they chose to open up after my departure, but forgiveness came quickly alongside my first pint. In a rapidly evolving area of town, casual gathering spaces like this are an essential hangout for lovers of a good beer and a gab. Maybe a pint at Herald Street turns to a flight at The Drake, or maybe a couple tall cans from Phillips Brewing carried down to the shoreline and shared while the sun sets into the inner harbour. One of the beauties of Victoria? All of this can happen within a four block radius.
As much as I stand by my ambitions to explore new places and try new things, my return to Victoria provided a valuable alternate perspective. New experiences can happen in familiar places. In the years since I left Victoria, I went from studying literature and pulling pints to writing full time, telling the stories behind the hospitality community that supported and inspired me along every step of that journey. Meanwhile, Victoria’s been on a journey of her own. Maybe this is a good reminder to head back to your old haunts, and bring a fresh perspective along with you. After all, things change, and so do you.
