I've spent 7 months in the YQQ area and nothing is outstanding. The better ones are Locals, which buys a lot of its ingredient locally, but kitchen staff can't do a good job when it is busy (a major supplier agreed/said as much).

Bisque can be good but just can't put it all together.

Avenue Bistro, along with its sister Atlas Café are good but again not outstanding.

One of the places where you can give dining out a miss if you are a half decent cook.

The microbrewery scene is said to be better in Cumberland.

I've only tried 40 Knots winery and can't say their wines are outstanding.


Down island, which probably won't work with your timing, I do recommend Farm Table Inn between Duncan and Lake Cowichan. Superb ingredients cooked to perfection by a passionate-about-his-new-profession chef de cuisine. The Marechal Foch-Cabernet from Averill Creek is quite nice.