YAM magazine’s Best Restaurant Awards 2023 celebrates Greater Victoria, B.C.’s exciting food scene and are judged by an independent panel of chefs and food experts. 

BY CINDA CHAVICH | PHOTOS BY JEFFREY BOSDET

YAM magazine’s Best Restaurant Awards 2023 celebrates Greater Victoria, B.C.’s exciting food scene and are judged by an independent panel of chefs and food experts.
A selection of happy hour sips and snacks at The Courtney Room.

Best Happy Hour – The Courtney Room

619 Courtney Street | thecourtneyroom.com

For a seriously stylish happy hour, there’s no place quite like a seat at the bar at The Courtney Room in the Magnolia Hotel.

You can enjoy $12 classic cocktails during their happy hour, from 2 to 5 p.m. every day. Pair your drinks — including house brut and local brews — with a curated menu of snacks from chef Brian Tesolin, whether you splash out with fresh oysters and kampachi tartare or nibble the crispy duck-fat-fried Potatoes Courtney.

It’s also a great spot to sip spirits, including their own bartender’s cask whisky from local Stillhead Distillery, showcased in Anton Wilson’s TCR Boulevardier made with Esquimalt Wine Co. vermouth.

Runners-up

The Block Kitchen + Bar, for Asian-inspired bites enjoyed with beer and cocktails on tap.
Clive’s Classic Lounge, the dark, clubby lounge offering inspired cocktails and shareable plates during the first and last hour of every day.