Planning a trip to Victoria before the holidays? We’ve compiled a short list of essential eating and drinking around the city to sate your appetite this November and December…

Right on queue for comfort food season, new Alpine-inspired restaurant, Eva Schnitzelhaus, is officially open for service at 509 Fisgard Street. Expect traditional Swiss, German and Austrian fare (schnitzel, pretzels, spaetzle, currywurst and plenty of beer) with some twists (a vegetarian-friendly eggplant schnitzel), served up in a casual, conversational setting.

Heat things up by hitting the newly opened Superflux {Cabana} located upstairs on the corner of Blanshard and Broughton. Sexy, Vegas-inspired vibes abound in the Studio Roslyn designed room – think cozy booth seating, low ceilings, a prominent U-shaped bar outfitted with a glitter-flecked tap system, and lush patterned carpeting, upholstery and wallpaper accents. The menu, designed to pair excellently with Superflux beer, features elevated versions of comfort food classics such as fully loaded curly fries, sandwiches and burgers.

Wine and cheese guarantee a good time, anytime of the year. This month L’Apero offers two tasty occasions to factor into your Victoria excursion:  Raclette Dinner (November 19th) and L’Apero Experience with Wine flight (November 26th). For future events, keep an eye on the L’Apero website here.

Another good reason to make time for beer on your Victoria trip: Herald Street Brew Works. This collaboration between New West’s Steel & Oak Brewing and Victoria’s own (and much loved) drinking establishment, The Drake, is the perfect place to land after a day of wandering the downtown core: sit back and embrace the autumn season with a Sarrasin Buckwheat Saison or Wispy Business Dry Stout.

In addition to their Chinatown location (556A Pandora Avenue), the Dumpling Drop is now also slinging their handmade dumplings seven days a week (12-9pm) out of Driftwood Brewery on Viewfield Road. Which means that now you can stuff your face with stuffed dough while working your way through an extensive (32!) tap list. Sounds like a pretty great winter activity, doesn’t it?

Curious to see what Victoria is about once you leave downtown? Hustle up to Estevan Village for a meal at Ruth & Dean. Located on a bustling one-block shopping district in a residential neighbourhood, this luncheonette and bakery does comfort food right. Not only do they serve from-scratch soups, sandwiches and salads, but they also produce some of the best baked goods in the city.  Anything you order here will be top-notch, so go big. Pro tip: beach access is only a few blocks away, so you can work off your indulgence with a shoreline walk.