Victoria, BC - "British style Pub?"

[mjcali]

Hi,

Will be stopping in Victoria on AK cruise, and are traveling with two Brits. Want to stop in at a good "British flavored" pub in downtown area. Any recommendations?

[c-to-sea]

For starters, you might like this - the Bengal Lounge in the Empress Hotel. Not quite a 'pub'

but one of my favourites.

 

http://www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/dining/thebengallounge/?cmpid=google_emp_search-generic_victoria-on-property&OVMTC=Broad&site=&creative=10681753860&OVKEY=victoria%20bengal%20lounge&url_id=97894882&adpos=1t1&s_kwcid=TC|1025556|victoria%20bengal%20lounge||S|b|10681753860&gclid=CJPVx77slrECFSIHRQodkG6cgA

[scottbee]

Hi,

Will be stopping in Victoria on AK cruise, and are traveling with two Brits. Want to stop in at a good "British flavored" pub in downtown area. Any recommendations?

 

Irish Times (Bastion Square), The Sticky Wicket (700 block Douglas), Spinnikers (best if you're a beer connoisseur), Garrick's Head, the Canoe Club, Bartholemew's. All in or around downtown, probably in that order

[Putterdude]

Downtown Victoria has a number of British flavoured pubs, in no particular order they would include:

 

Garrick's Head http://www.bedfordregency.com/pub.htm

Darcy's www.darcyspub.ca/

The Sticky Wicket http://www.strathconahotel.com/TheStickyWicketPub.aspx

Irish Times www.irishtimespub.ca/

Bard & Banker www.bardandbanker.com/

 

Another one but would require a taxi is:

 

Spinnakers http://www.spinnakers.com/gastro-brewpub

[mjcali]

Thank you very much! Like the look of the Sticky Wicket and Garrick's Head- Will make those our beer stops! Would either of you happen to know the pubs visited on the cruise ship excursions, as it would be nice to avoid those if we could?

[Putterdude]

Sorry, I don't. If you posted the question on your cruise line's forum someone may know.

[scottbee]

Thank you very much! Like the look of the Sticky Wicket and Garrick's Head- Will make those our beer stops! Would either of you happen to know the pubs visited on the cruise ship excursions, as it would be nice to avoid those if we could?

 

Well, I suppose that all depends how good taste the tours have.

 

Must visits would be Spinnaker's (excellent on premise brewery) and Irish Times (good selection of local brews). If you have time, do a brewery tour of either Phillip's or Vancouver Island Brewery (or both as they're 5 blocks apart). If you want more info on the Victoria beer scene, I would recommend you contact the local chapter of CAMRA

[Putterdude]

I have no idea which ship or cruise line you are on but from what I can discern the Princess tour includes Spinnakers, the Penny Farthing in Oak Bay and the Moon Under Water which is a brew pub and not British in flavour, which as I recall was what you were looking for. The ones you have chosen are close in and will provide the British flavour you are seeking.

[mjcali]

Yep, it is Princess, so this is great! Found a nice map on the Ogden point terminal website. Our plan will be to hang a left out of the terminal, stroll down to Fisherman's Warf for Barbs Fish & chips (if they are open & we're hungry), see/feed the seals, hop a water taxi over to the inner harbor and check out Parliment buildings, buskers, Empress Hotel, etc.. have a beer at Sticky Wicket, shop a bit, another beer at Garret's Head, then start our walk back to ship on the " green route" through Beacon Hill Park by 11:00 PM, or cab it if we are late. Does this look doable, and is Beacon Hill park walkable late at night, or is it better to skip that?

[Urban trekker]

Yes it looks doable and is what I have done when my cruises have stopped in Victoria - I will let some of the others offer there suggestions re walking through the Park at night but you should be fine if you walk down Douglas which borders the Park and then hang a right back to the ship.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Yep, it is Princess, so this is great! Found a nice map on the Ogden point terminal website. Our plan will be to hang a left out of the terminal, stroll down to Fisherman's Warf for Barbs Fish & chips (if they are open & we're hungry), see/feed the seals, hop a water taxi over to the inner harbor and check out Parliment buildings, buskers, Empress Hotel, etc.. have a beer at Sticky Wicket, shop a bit, another beer at Garret's Head, then start our walk back to ship on the " green route" through Beacon Hill Park by 11:00 PM, or cab it if we are late. Does this look doable, and is Beacon Hill park walkable late at night, or is it better to skip that?

 

Your plan is certainly doable and I am certain you will have fun. You always hate to recommend walking in a park after dark but as there seems to be at least four of you and Victoria is a very safe city you should be fine.

[scottbee]

Yep, it is Princess, so this is great! Found a nice map on the Ogden point terminal website. Our plan will be to hang a left out of the terminal, stroll down to Fisherman's Warf for Barbs Fish & chips (if they are open & we're hungry), see/feed the seals, hop a water taxi over to the inner harbor and check out Parliment buildings, buskers, Empress Hotel, etc.. have a beer at Sticky Wicket, shop a bit, another beer at Garret's Head, then start our walk back to ship on the " green route" through Beacon Hill Park by 11:00 PM, or cab it if we are late. Does this look doable, and is Beacon Hill park walkable late at night, or is it better to skip that?

 

Here's a better map I did on Google Maps:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=212770407613531027445.0004665d7f3e28f06866d&msa=0&ll=48.419005,-123.374233&spn=0.044318,0.0527

 

Sticky Wicket has gone a little mainstream, you'll probably find the beer selection better at Irish Times. If only had time for two beers, I'd probably make it Spinniker's and Irish Times. Spinny's is easily assable on the water ferry from Barb's fish and chips, and would make for a nice loop. To get from Spinny's back to downtown, it's not a long walk, the bus runs along Esquimalt Road all the time, or a taxi would be well under $10.

[mjcali]

Thanks for the map & the tips "Scottbee"! The only problem with the Irish Times is that I am traveling with a couple of "Brits", and we all know that they're "not that fond of the Irish!" ;)

All kidding aside, they specifically wanted to hit a more British style pub or two to remind them of home. They have not been back to England in many years. I'm the only real beer drinker in the group, so will defer to them for style of pub versus the best beer selection.

[Putterdude]

I have a son who used to be the manager for the liquor operations at the Strathcona Hotel in which the Sticky Wicket located so I am pretty familiar with it. The pub is large but is broken down into a number of smaller areas which disguises its size.

Here is link to the photo gallery for the Sticky Wicket.

 

http://www.strathconahotel.com/TheStickyWicketPub/PhotoGallery.aspx

[Rockfan2]

My recommendations would be for the Bard & Banker, Irish Times and Spinnakers.

 

It's a bit of a walk from B & B or IT but a short cab ride to Spinnakers. After that a leisurely walk back to downtown.

 

Enjoy our beautiful city!

 

Rockfan2