Food and Drink

Biryani Palace for Monday Mag food review. March 2023. (Allan Reid)

Voracious: Biryani Palace

New Indo-Pakistani restaurant serves up mouth-watering dum biryani and more.

 

Big Bad John’s started in 1962, during a celebration of the World’s Fair in Seattle, where the Strathcona Room was temporarily transformed into “Big Bad John’s Hillbilly Bar.” Due to popularity, the bar has continued in all its quirkiness ever since. (Dave Van)

Behind Bars: Big Bad John’s puts the quirk back into the bar experience

Throwing peanuts, falling spiders, and bras hanging from the rafters – Big Bad John’s has it all.

  • May 11, 2023

 

Victoria Beer Week has six events total this year. (Victoria Beer Society)

Matter of Beer: good times brewing at Victoria Beer Week

Lift Off! happens May 5th at Market Square with dozens of new beers

 

The Loft Pub offers live music seven days a week. (image supplied)

Behind Bars: The Loft Pub

Loft raising Gorge spirits with great food, drink and music

  • Apr 25, 2023
The Loft Pub offers live music seven days a week. (image supplied)
Whistle Buoy master brewer Matt West-Patrick (left) and Isaiah Archer are brewing a new batch with an AI-generated recipe. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Can I pour you a cold Robo Beer? B.C. brewery uses AI to craft its latest brew

Victoria’s Whistle Buoy Brewing’s new hazy pale ale recipe developed with ChatGPT

Whistle Buoy master brewer Matt West-Patrick (left) and Isaiah Archer are brewing a new batch with an AI-generated recipe. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Bartender Rohit Sharma in action at Rebar.

Behind Bars column visits Rebar

Comfort dining and cocktails with a twist

  • Feb 2, 2023
Bartender Rohit Sharma in action at Rebar.
Bodega's Chili Berisoff

Bodega brings Spanish flair to downtown Victoria

Behind Bars with John Atkinson

  • Dec 29, 2022
Bodega's Chili Berisoff
Little Jumbo and Jeffrey Dillon

Little Jumbo’s sublime slice of the Big Apple

Behind Bars with John Atkinson

  • Dec 23, 2022
Little Jumbo and Jeffrey Dillon
Assistant bar manager Bronwyn Hawkins - Wind Cries Mary restaurant

Cocktails and more at Wind Cries Mary

Behind Bars with John Atkinson

  • Oct 28, 2022
Assistant bar manager Bronwyn Hawkins - Wind Cries Mary restaurant
Cocktail cheers stock

Get your groovy on

1960s theme at Art of the Cocktail

  • Oct 5, 2022
Cocktail cheers stock
Leopold's Tavern in Victoria

Leopold’s Tavern toasts success and second birthday with people power

An accessible, safe and intimate space

  • Sep 21, 2022
Leopold's Tavern in Victoria
Victoria Event Centre for behind Bars column

Take a bow

VEC Happy Hour hits all the right notes

  • Aug 1, 2022
Victoria Event Centre for behind Bars column
Wind Cries Mary ....Bar manager Soren Schepkawski exemplifies a professional mixology master.

Behind Bars visits Wind Cries Mary

Bastion Square’s newest restaurant and bar

  • Oct 25, 2021
Wind Cries Mary ....Bar manager Soren Schepkawski exemplifies a professional mixology master.
Bartender Cam Paton at Vis-a-Vis

Behind Bars at Vis-à-Vis

Cam Paton talks cocktails and tending bar

  • Sep 24, 2021
Bartender Cam Paton at Vis-a-Vis
Tug Eatery cocktails

Behind Bars with Tug Eatery

Inner Harbour restaurant serves up a twist on tea time

  • Aug 18, 2021
Tug Eatery cocktails
Ken Winchester, a recently retired master distiller, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Whisky Awards last month. (Black Press Media File Photo)

Canadian Whisky Awards raise a glass to Vancouver Island’s Devine Distillery

A Saanich Peninsula distillery will have to slide the bottles over and…

Ken Winchester, a recently retired master distiller, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Whisky Awards last month. (Black Press Media File Photo)
Dan Hayes, left, and Art Napolean star in Moosemeat and Marmalade. An episode of the show was recently shot in Sooke and other locations on the South Island. (Dean Azim photo)

Moosemeat and Marmalade TV chefs cook up shows on South Island

Pair shoot in Saanich, Sooke and Port Renfrew

Dan Hayes, left, and Art Napolean star in Moosemeat and Marmalade. An episode of the show was recently shot in Sooke and other locations on the South Island. (Dean Azim photo)
Pacific Lounge bartenders Cory Burden, left, and Patrick Woo at their post in the Hotel Grand Pacific’s Pacific Restaurant. Don Descoteau/Monday Magazine

BEHIND BARS: Culinary arts meets cocktails

Hotel Grand Pacific bartenders enjoy creatively combining elements into a winning flavour

Pacific Lounge bartenders Cory Burden, left, and Patrick Woo at their post in the Hotel Grand Pacific’s Pacific Restaurant. Don Descoteau/Monday Magazine
Phillips Brewery is among the local craft brewers offering enhanced pickup service in the era of COVID-19. Courtesy Phillips Brewery

MATHIEU POIRIER: Local breweries pitch in with drive-up and delivery services

With taprooms closed and social contact limited, thirsty patrons have new ways to stock up

Phillips Brewery is among the local craft brewers offering enhanced pickup service in the era of COVID-19. Courtesy Phillips Brewery
March (or drive) into the Harbour City this month!

March (or drive) into the Harbour City this month!

From Festival Nanaimo’s 40-plus events to waterfront sights and sounds, mid-Island city has it all

  • Mar 2, 2020
March (or drive) into the Harbour City this month!