Must-see nightlife in Vancouver Island

  • Drake

    Victoria

    Victoria's best tap house, this redbrick hangout has more than 30 amazing craft drafts, typically including revered BC producers Townsite, Driftwood and…

  • Garrick's Head Pub

    Victoria

    A great spot to dive into BC's brilliant craft-beer scene. Pull up a seat at the long bar with its 55-plus taps – a comprehensive menu of beers from…

  • Tofino Brewing Company

    Tofino

    Slip into this recently renovated tasting room in an industrial park and enjoy a $7 'flight' of taster suds amid the polished beer vats and au naturel…

  • Renfrew Pub

    Vancouver Island

    Summer drinking here is all about snagging a spot on the patio alongside the wharf. On lazy days, it's hard to peel yourself away from the shimmering…

  • Cumberland Brewing

    Vancouver Island

    A microbrewery that's mastered the neighborhood-pub vibe, this tasty spot combines a woodsy little tasting room with a larger outdoor seating area striped…

  • Bard & Banker

    Victoria

    Retro-fitted with Victorian cut-glass lamps, open fireplaces and a long granite bar topped with brass beer taps, this former bank building reopened as a…

  • Nest Cafe

    Victoria

    One of the few cafes abutting the Galloping Goose Trail, the Nest acts as a kind of ‘gas station’ for cyclists, offering coffee and sandwiches as fuel,…

  • Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub

    Victoria

    One of Canada's first craft brewers, this wood-floored smasher is a short hop from downtown via Victoria Harbour Ferry. Sail in for copper-colored Nut…

  • Gladstone Brewing Company

    Vancouver Island

    Order a pizza at the adjoining counter and grab a parasol table outside this former garage-turned-brewery that retains a mechanical aesthetic. Check the…

  • Big Bad John's

    Victoria

    Easily missed from the outside, this dark little hillbilly-themed bar feels like you've stepped into the backwoods. But rather than some dodgy banjo…

  • Clive's Classic Lounge

    Victoria

    Tucked into the lobby level of the Chateau Victoria Hotel, this is the best spot in town for perfectly prepared cocktails. Completely lacking the…

  • FoggDukkers Coffee

    Vancouver Island

    A wonderfully disheveled beach shack that doubles as an ultra-friendly coffee bar. Inside there are humorous signposts, a jumble of seats and a wood-fire…

  • Canoe Brewpub

    Victoria

    The cavernous brick-lined interior is great on rainy days, but the patio is also the best in the city with its usually sunny views over the harbor…

  • Habit Coffee

    Victoria

    If you like your coffee ethically sourced and sustainably produced, hit Habit, where the potent brews and simple snacks are made with practically zero…