Cafe Brio

We went on the recommendation of a family friend and we were not disappointed. The service was one of the best we have ever had as they were attentive, informative and kind. Our water glass never became half empty due to their diligent service. The food was spectacular - we ordered the contori, housemade pork garlic sausage and half orders of the duck breast and seared scallops. Every bite was delicious. We finished our meal with a mango sorbet which was perfect. Thank you to the wonderful staff at Cafe Brio for a wonderful meal start to finish!

Nice place and good ambiance. Price is good and you can choose 1/2 plate or full portion. The 1/2 portion was enough for me. The bad thing is the wine. The red wine is too hot. It should be close to 14-15 degrees.

Fantastic dinner for three. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here and it’s even better than I remember - wish I’d been back sooner! We did the ‘family sharing’ for $79pp and didn’t have room for dessert. It’s chef’s choice but I really wanted the halibut so asked our waitress if that was possible? Don’t know if it was already part of it, or she made it happen, but we got it as one of our entrees, the other two were the meatballs on polenta and the gnocchi - all outstanding. Going a bit backwards we’d started with tomato soup (and we all agreed it was the best tomato soup we’d ever had!), a small charcuterie board (special mention to the pate) and a salad; again, all excellent. Highly recommend and will definitely be back much sooner this time.

Good all-around dining experience. We were sat 5 minutes before our reso, our waters were topped up and were checked in with frequently (not too much). Our dishes Generally were all great, kudos to the saucier as all the sauces were divine, especially the daily fish dish and the seared scallops. Speaking of which, i got the scallop dish and despite looking a bit messy was superb, the sauce, the perogies, the scallops, all of it. Lastly, for the dessert, the creme brulee was the creamiest and most texture consistent I've tried and made me want to ask the chef what was their trick. Overall the atmosphere was nice, a mix of natural light from big skylights and cozy warm lighting from candles and chandeliers. Also loved that each and every main / entrée had the option for a half and full size in case you're not as hungry but crave a certain dish. Would recommend and would dine at again.

The food was absolutely delicious, and the service was outstanding. The atmosphere was so welcoming and pleasant. We enjoyed a couple of drinks, the butter lettuce salad, olives, spaghettini with scallops, the scallop dish, and the sticky toffee pudding. Each dish was incredible. I’ll definitely be coming back!

Easily the highlight of our visit warm ambiance and exquisite cuisine and efficient service. We started with the baguette it’s made in house with a crust to die for. the appetizer we had rabbit terrine and it was exquisite. I had the hearty meatballs in polenta which can easily feed two people, my partner had the rockfish special and accompanied with the wine pairing. For the dessert we had the bread pudding it was heavenly.

It's hard to write a review of my experience at Cafe Brio without it sounding like they paid me to write it. It honestly was just that good. The food, the option to order half plates, the service and the way they have managed to make such a big space feel so intimate and cosy all add up to make an outstanding dining experience, and at a price that I found incredibly reasonable. Many thanks to everyone who made our night special. We will definitely be returning here next time we visit the Island.

These folks get 5 stars because nearly every item comes in half portions. This allows you to mix and match food items or cater to smaller appetites. I had beet salad, 1/2!duck breast and scallops. The half portion of duck was as good as if it set aside from a full portion. It’s like they cooked the whole thing and tossed away half. It was perfect. Sticky toffee pudding finished the dinner off nicely. The place can be busy and loud but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. And obviously because of the half portions options, this is the perfect place for a more “mature” crowd. Just don’t expect to get the old fashioned breaded “veal cutlets” your grandparents liked!

The food was absolutely amazing. My husband had the halibut and I had the mushroom risotto. We shared the dishes and it was a wonderful pairing. The halibut was cooked to perfection. The risotto was so creamy and the tender mushrooms were plentiful and delicious. Service was excellent

Not as many options I was expecting but the choices available were plenty. Ordered the Meatballs (1/2 plate) and the Spaghetti (1/2 plate) and though I intended to take before photos of the spaghetti, I completely forgot. I did however manage to take a photo of the Meatballs. And they were a little spicy for what I'm used to, they were delicious. Perfect amount of sauce and meatballs. The spaghetti, which I was excepting a red sauce, I was extremely satisfied. Sat at the bar and the service was great. Made small talk about Canadian sports. The place was welcoming and inviting. It was a cold, rainy and windy night and the temperature was perfect. Highly recommend this establishment and look forward to returning in the future.

My wife and teenage son had a very enjoyable experience on a Wednesday night. The place was nearly full when we arrived for our 6:45pm reservation, very lively but we were still able to talk without really raising our voices. The service is the best thing happening at Cafe Brio, with staff uniformly pleasant and mature-but-not-old. The menu is inviting and broad without being large - perfectly balanced. The food is nicely executed, both in looks and preparation. The bread is as good as any bakery. My son and I shared the 14oz ribeye and it was just right, medium rare, with a wine jus that made for fantastic bread pairing. My wife's plates were gorgeous and delicious. The non-alcoholic drinks were a hit. We would all be delighted to return.

I loved everything about this place. 1. The ambiance is delightful. It's very homey and personal. I imagine it lovely on a chilly winter day. 2. I love a restaurant that offers the same dish in multiple portions sizes. I was able to try 4 dishes in half portion sizes. The wine is available in 6 and 9 hour pours. 3. The food was all delicious. Standouts were the duck and the scallops. 4. Staff were as friendly as can be. My favorite restaurant in Victoria! Must do!

Another busy night for them, the host/manager made extra steps to get my wife and I in for dinner on short notice. A smallish place, the crowd noise wasn't bad and we could enjoy our wine and dinners and still converse. The menu selections were great and our choices of duck and fish were excellent. Of particular interest was they offered half-portions for everything! We availed ourselves to these smaller portions but as shown in the pictures still plenty of food and very well presented. Highly recommend for a great Italian experience but do book reservations early!

One of my favorite restaurants in Victoria! Beautiful but cozy ambiance. A creative seasonal menu. And amazing service. We started with an ahi crudo in avocado which was served with homemade potato chips! We shared an order of homemade corn dogs which is so unexpected but surprisingly delicious. And I then had the seared scallops served with potato pirogies. We finished with the mini crème brûlée. Everything was truly delicious.

Within walking distance of the Victoria harbor we stopped in for dinner. There were 7 of us. We ordered the Brio Family Dinner. 6-7 courses, all chosen by the Chef and served family style. This of course makes it feel like a holiday!! Charming and fun! Service was spot on! Attentive and knowledgeable! I didn't get photos of everything we were served. Missing are the soup, the salad and the charcuterie boards. But check out what I did get pictures of.....

This was our first time visiting Cafe Brio and it was a delightful experience. We did not make a reservation so we're seated at the bar. We began with the Gavin's Greens salad. Excellent starter with a very subtle truffle base. We ordered the Black Truffle Tagliatelle and Penne Bolognese. Both dishes were served piping hot, if perhaps a little slowly. But both dishes were amazing. We will both have a hard time trying other dishes when we return. Which we will. Although a patron seated beside us assured me that all the dishes are amazing. CB has been in this location for 36 years but was recently purchased by the manager and chef. So they have skin in the game and it shows. The best Italian food we have enjoyed in the 3 years we have been in Victoria.

Have driven past this place for years and always thought about going but never did. That changed last night - three of us went for dinner last night. WOW! What a great place. The setting, the staff, the bartender and the food were right on! The Romain Salad should not be missed. We sampled a gnoochi, a pasta and the tuna and all were fantastic. Could not have had a better experience. Thanks!

This place is fantastic! Honestly I had low to medium expectations walking in. They blew us away. I absolutely love love love that they offer half portions to encourage you to order more dishes to share. Who doesn't want to try half a menu at a restaurant?? And the fact that it's only slightly more than half the full order. If a dish is $40 for a full it's $22 for a half. Logical. Not like breakfast places that charge $20 for a full eggs Benedict and then $18 for half. I'm not a big eater so I'd get a half but when it's basically the same price it seems like a waste. I also hate to waste food and that's not an eat it later kind of dish so then I end up feeling gross for two hours eating the whole thing. So this concept is absolutely fantastic and I will 100% be back next time I find myself in Victoria. The food was all excellent!

An absolute treat. Dining here was such a lovely way to end our trip to Victoria. The setting is romantic, cozy and full if character. The service is friendly, attentive and personable. The food is delicious. What more could you want!! We had House Cured Meats, Gnocchi and the Lamb Special with several glasses of wine. Crème brûlée to top it all off was perfect!

I'm going to spend the summer trying out as many coffee shops in Victoria as possible. I will rate them on an Americano, so take the reviews in the spirit of coffee rather than ancillary matters. This review is for the Cook Street Village location, which is located in a small out-of-the-way venue. COFFEE: Yes. Delivered to you scalding hot with quick efficient service. Unlike the watery Americano some places serve, this one has good strong flavour with just the right hint of bitterness. Anyone who wants coffee rather than a coffee-flavoured drink will enjoy this cup.

Fabulous experience! I visited with five friends and we ordered the Chef's family dinner. All the dishes were delicious. I also cannot say enough about our server. All in all, a memorable evening of fine food and pleasant company.

Excellent dinner. Great option to have half portions available. Gnocchi was really flavorful and the halibut was perfectly prepared.

A few years ago, friends highly reco'd this place- we had a great meal. Came back last year and were quite unimpressed with their food execution and service. Decided to revisit this evening: service was incredibly slow without any reason. We sat at 6pm and received our appetizer (6:45pm) , the tuna was small in portion and not flavourful. Dinner arrived at 7:20om. Ordered 1/2 portion of the bolognese and 1/2 portion of the spaghettini - both quite small and spaghettini was basic while the bolognese had great flavour. Spot prawns were mushy. Scallops were very good. We mentioned that we were dissatisfied to our server and they seemed uninterested. Wish we would have had a more enjoyable evening but sadly, can not reco. Would have also appreciated some check-in by the server to give us a sense of timing.

Cafe Brio is one of my favorite restaurants in Victoria and a go to when in town. Since my last visit about 10 weeks ago the Chef has changed for the better. It was very good before but the new chef has elevated the offerings. I like that you they still offer smaller servings of all items so one can have several different courses. I had the beet salad, the gnocchi ( to die for) and the roasted halibut. They have a good selection of wines by the glass. Great service reasonable prices for what ypu get . Ill be back again next time in town

We went to Cafe Brio on Friday night with another couple since we were in Victoria. The restaurant's atmosphere was very nice. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The food we ordered was delicious. Only issue we had was that the food took a very long time. We asked our server where our food was and it turned out that our food was given to another table. We arrived at 745pm, we ordered and got our appetizers pretty quick but our main courses didn't arrive until about 10pm. They gave us bread as we were really hungry but I felt that they should have done a little more since it was their error such as offered us complimentary dessert or coffee. If they had done something like that to redeem themselves I would have returned to this restaurant the next time I was in Victoria.

Great place. Good food, quick service. Beautiful interior. The waiter has been a bit weird though, made political jokes which I believe is inappropriate in a situation where I came in for a dinner and not for entertainment or argument.

My Husband and I had a reservation for dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The restaurant was already busy and we were seated promptly by Susan upon arrival. We ordered half portions of the morel risotto, seared scallops, brio steak and roast duck breast. Our courses were served within 10 minutes. Every dish was incredibly delicious. The flavors were very well balanced and concentrated. We insisted that the chef was made aware of how wonderful our meals were. For dessert we had sticky toffee pudding and the chocolate bar. Both were well executed but I didn't think they were fitting for the menu. The toffee date pudding was also very sweet, kind of in a sickly way but that could just be personal taste. Lastly I was expecting the dessert options that were more Italian influenced. In hindsight I wished I just had another serving of the risotto instead of dessert. The restaurant decor was eclectic, casual all around. Peggy was our waitress. She was very friendly, personable and attentive without being overbearing. Throughout our time there we cracked jokes with her and shared quite a bit of laughter. It was a fantastic experience overall to celebrate our anniversary.

We've been regulars for years now, and have never been disappointed in any aspect--menu is always creative and especially since the new chef began a few weeks ago. The staff are very professional--discreetly careful not to intrude on personal conversations or romantic interludes, while at the same time ensuring the feeling of a truly family restaurant. Just lovely, every time

Excellent food and amazing service. Great wine selection. Make a reservation if possible.

Overall 4.8 stars. Entrees an easy 5.0 stars. Dinner for 2 in early September. AMBIANCE: 5.0. This is specific to where we sat, which was a small intimate alcove located between the outside covered area and the large high-ceiling interior. The indoor high-ceiling area would rate a 4.0 from us - the artwork on the walls is nice, including the wonderful nude. The outdoor area would also rate a 4.0. The area is visually very appealing with vines hanging from the ceiling and pretty lighting. Only downside is the traffic noise, but that is minor. TIP: For an intimate dinner for 2 to 4 people, choose the third area - the alcove. There are two alcoves, each with 2 tables. SERVICE: 4.0. Very professional. Would have been 4.5, but the wait for dessert and for paying the bill was rather long. The greeter was wonderful and cheery. FOOD: 5.0. Total pleasure. Outstanding sauces accompanying each dish. As my partner said: "One can taste the passion of the chef in each plate." Every item in each plate was done perfectly. For example, the vegetables that accompanied the entrees were simply excellent - string beans, carrots, beets, shallots... TIP: Rather than a single full entrée, choose 2 half entrees. Worth it to experience more of the food. - 5.0: Lamb chops with lamb sausage. - 5.0: Duck breast. - 5.0: Flat Iron steak. - 4.9: Scallops with orzo. - 4.0: Appetizer of stuffed olives. 2nd bite even better than the first. - 3.5: Dessert - dark chocolate cake with olive oil gelato. Next time we'll go for something else as this was ordinary. WINE: We had the house white and red. Excellent, and matched the elaborate descriptions. With dessert my wife had a sherry and I had the "Madeira-like" BC wine. Next time I'll go for the sherry, as the taste was more like Madeira-barely-like.

Ambience: we sat outside. atmosphere was great! Food: we ordered the halibut, crab risotto, and seafood broth. Loved the halibut & risotto. the chef did such an amazing job accommodating my no-dairy request. I didn't know a non-dairy risotto was possible to make, not to mention how tasty it was. The spicy avocado was on point. I wish the portion was larger. The seafood broth was okay..not bad..wouldn't recommend. Service: the receptionist was super friendly! Our server was nice as well :) Overall a great experience. I would definitely come back again for the risotto and halibut. Might go for the full portion next time.. half portion is just...too little...

What I like about this place is 1: food prepared by skilled chefs - delicious 2: professional friendly communication + well trained servers 3: flexibility of food size offered - full or half.

Fabulous food! My Pan Roasted Halibut was literally to die for, and my husband was similarly pleased with his Penne with Italian Sausage Ragout. We split the Sticky Date Toffee Pudding for dessert--both of us loved it too. The only negative aspect of this fabulous dining experience was the overly dim lighting inside the restaurant. I literally had to use my iPhone's flashlight to read the menu! Granted, we were seated in the darkest corner of the entire restaurant but still....

Delicious and great service. Love the half orders so we could try multiple dishes. Hope to come back!

On those extremely rare occasions when my wife and I get to escape for a dinner on our own, this is where we come. The service is attentive without feeling intrusive. The food is out of this world. We always do the family meal, as that way we get whatever the chef has fresh and interesting in the kitchen. We have never been disappointed. The mains in this weekend's were chunks of perfectly roasted tuna in a burnt butter sauce and beef in a truffle and wine reduction. Neither dish could have been better prepared. The salumi at the start was well prepared and paired nicely with some amazing pickles and phenomenal mustards. The pasta course was simple, but absolutely perfect. While dinner for us at Cafe Brio is never a low priced event, we never leave feeling like we paid too much. It is worth every penny.

First, it's only open 3.5 hours a day. A good sign. I'm also impressed when a restaurant doesn't feel the need to put salt and pepper on the table. Another good sign. I also love that they have half orders of everything. I had the Cabernet Savignon- perfect. I started the meal with a half order of the romaine hearts- good but more dressing than it needed. I also had a cheese plate with the Brie, Pecorino, and chèvre. It came with a pistachio crustini and a rhubarb compote. All were delicious. The Brie was especially good with the rhubarb compote. For my entree I was leaning toward the halibut which sounded amazing, but the waiter said his favorite dish on the menu was the rabbit. It's not something you see on a menu very often, and I'd never had it before. I'm relatively adventurous when it comes to food, so I went for a half portion of the rabbit. So glad I did!! It was tender, gamey, perfectly crisped on the outside. Came with sautéed mustard greens and lentils with herbs. Perfect combination of flavors and textures. Finally, for dessert I had the fresh fruit and vanilla buttermilk panna cotta- ginger rhubarb compote, macerated strawberries, and lemon scone. Not too heavy, the flavors together were perfect! So, so good. Ambiance was low key fine dining, adorable patio (which is where I sat on this beautiful day). I found the server knowledgable about the menu and wine selection, and great at guiding me through my choices. Service slowed down a bit when they got busier, but I didn't mind. I wasn't in a hurry, and this is definitely one of those linger-over-dinner kind of places.

Family meal is terrible value and the quality is nothing special. For $52 a person I expected alot more. Appies consists of: 1 plate of salad to share, I cup of soup and a small board of deli meat to share (3-4 slices per person) Main courses consists of: 1 piece of fish per person, 3 pieces of bite sized venison per person and 1 plate of plain pasta to share. At least throw in some damn desert!!!!!

For Victoria this is a great little place. I put it just behind L'Ecole Brasserie and WAY BETTER than Restaurant Matisse, which one can't count on being open. For Cafe Brio, bear in mind that you're looking for Cafe and Brasserie foods, so this is not haute cuisine. That said, the execution is quite good and the service is friendly. I enjoyed the natural light (came during daylight)

After almost 10 years of coming to this restaurant Greg, Sylvia and the rest of the crew at Cafe Brio have us feeling like family on each visit. We have never had en evening here where we weren't delighted and I don't know how they do it. The food, drinks and arm are always perfect. Our kids are now old enough that they can enjoy the evening with us and the staff go out of their way to make them feel welcome. In a world full of franchised cookie cutter restaurants this is one of the last true family restaurants guaranteed to delight.

We were here for Dine Around 2016 and were basically treated like garbage by our server. As soon as she realized we weren't going to be drinking, it was as if we didn't exist. Was it also because we're young and not big spenders? We'll never know. But probably. When we somehow managed to actually get her attention, you could almost see the rudeness and impatience barely being held in check. I suppose we should be thankful that she made the effort... A one star experience bumped up to two stars because of the food, which was actually quite good considering the $30 Dine Around price tag. But no tip for you.

I went here three night in a row pasta fish steak lamb all wonderful with a great wine list. You couldn't ask for better service timely professional and most of all friendly my favorite in victoria

Absolutely love Cafe Brio. It's rare to fine a restaurant that has it all: Great Food and Service, Music, and Soft Lighting. Clearly Cafe Brio takes pride in the details that contribute to a wonderful dinning experience. While food and service is important, the environment is equally important and complements. Great chefs and staff know this, but few care.

We visited on a Saturday night. No wait and got seated immediately. Staff was friendly, quick and efficient. We ordered the full size portions and left satisfied.

Food: good but small portion than usual Staff: so much disappointed Ambience: cozy and nice I had rabbit fricasse for dinner tonight. Portion was a little bit smaller than other restaurant I had visited in Canada. Anyway it taste was good. However, after I paid, the staff did not say thank you or any other words when I was going out. I paid 10% for a tip. Did she think or need more tips so that she was angry? Whatever, it's ridiculous.

My wife and I celebrated an anniversary a week ago. Great service, we were seated quickly and the staff was attentive. Anytime I had a question or needed some service I'd look towards any server and they would notice and someone was at our table pretty quickly. The food was spaced out so my wife and I had plenty of time to converse and enjoy our dinner. Food was excellent. We started with three appetizers Salami, Chicken Liver Parfait, and Lardo, a charcuterie of complimenting textures and flavors. My wife ordered the roasted Artic Char and Scallops. The fish skin wonderfully crispy and the scallops perfectly tender and done. I had roast Venison, well seasoned and nicely cooked to a perfect medium rare with pine nuts adding a deliciously crunchy texture and nutty richness to contrast with the very lean yet tender roast. We finished up with a mini crème brûlée (with an Amelie worthy caramel brûlée) and an apple tart. We paired the dinner with a local BC Alderlea Pinot Noir and finished up with Alderlea's Hearth.

Couldn't eat the over salted food. Can't believe this place thinks it is all that. Nice waitress, but rude owner/manager. Ick. Could they have been having a bad night? I just don't have any idea how their night could be so horrible just the one time. I can't go back. We received dirty (stinky!) glasses with our wine, and when we asked for new glasses they made a big embarrassing scene. Really? You can't just get us new glasses? I know, you probably think I am some kind of crank, but not really. I love lots of restaurants and am able to give the benefit of the doubt when I've only been once. But this place? No way.

From our inital greeting by the owner, Greg Hays to the aperizers, wine selection, main course and finally the cheese plate our experience was a culinary treat that stands as our best dinning experience in Victoria. Off the beaten path, a 15 minute walk from the town center, Cafe Brio is a rustic Italian oasis sandwiched tightly between non nondescript buildings. The front patio encased in creeping vines beckons you in. In our conversation with Greg we learned the restaurant was built to his a co-owner Silvia Marcolini's design some 20 years ago during the biggest snow Victoria has ever seen. Its high ceiling, earth tones and subtle lighting transport you immediately back to an Italian tratoria. The atmosphere is "vivacious" reflective of its name "Brio" and its owners. Chef Luarie Munn has created a superb menu of fresh ingredients from local farms sure to please knowledgeable foodies. Many of the servers have worked at Cafe Brio for over a decade and are very knowledgable of the food and wine parings. Our server suggested a Querciabella Chianti which proved to be an excellent choice. Both Greg and Silvia visit Italy yearly to bring back new ideas and interesting wines. We started with 2 stuffed olives followed by an antipasta selection that include a fantastic Boudin Noir blood sausage and a chicken liver parfait pate both homemade. We then both had the pasta Bolognese which was perfectly cooked al dante. We finshed with a cheese tray of Farm House Cheddar and La Baquette de Kerneval (french cow). All in all a fantastic expereince and a "must visit" if you're in Victoria.

When you're on vacation, you lose track of time. We found ourselves standing in front of Cafe Brio's door about 45 minutes before they opened on a Saturday night. The host came to the door and graciously told us he'd hold a table for us if we came back at 530, which we did. Service was very warm and friendly. The dining space is has a comfortable, inviting atmosphere with large skylights allowing lots of natural lighting. Most meal offerings come in 1/2 and full size, which gives the opportunity to eat well but light - or try several different things without overdoing it. Wine list is diverse. Prices very reasonable. I had the poached salmon and my daughter had the chicken. We inhaled both. Would have stuck around for the sticky toffee dessert but we had several cupcakes to eat from Ooh Lah Lah so we will have to go back for dessert next time! We will definitely go back!

My wife and I would give this restaurant a solid 3. Here is a brief overview of our experience. Atmosphere: warm, casual, worn edges on the menus add some charm. Menu: everything is a half order or full order. No typical appetizer or entree sections. Lends itself to sharing dishes. Wine: wine pairings were underwhelming. Our server was kind, and very attentive to helping my wife find a white wine she enjoyed. I would say our server was keen on what sort of wine he likes, but not necessarily knowledgeable about the wines overall. We did not stray away from the suggested wine pairings, so I would have expected a bit more specifics on the wine since there are only a handful of wines suggested for pairings. Food: a) Chilled Asparagus Soup with Butter Poached Scallops: don't bother. As a half order it's huge. Chalky taste, skimpy on the scallop. After a few bites, you just can't eat too much more. Both of us couldn't get more than 1/4 through the soup together. b) Nettle Pesto and Potato Agnolotti: As a half order it's tiny. Good flavours though, and redeemed the first course. Only negative was it was a bit oily. c) Entree: Duck: the duck was cooked perfectly! The skin was crispy and delicious. The lentils were a nice accompaniment. My dish overall was a bit cool in temperature when it came to the table. The rhubarb compote I left alone. I love rhubarb... But the texture of this was very thick and pasty, and did not go with the other flavours. I had the wine pairing Cabernet Franc. Nothing special. Still, the duck alone was great. d) Entree: Halibut: the halibut came to the table looking a lot like salmon... because it was. The server quickly took the plate back and had the kitchen prepare the halibut. Essentially my wife and I ate our entrees separately. When the halibut came, it was piping hot and a little overdone. Not an appealing way to eat fish. Can't say anything great about this dish except that the restaurant did not charge us for the entree. That was classy and appreciated. My hunch is that when properly prepared, the halibut is simple, but nice. e) Dessert: Pistachio cake: This was tasty. Deep chocolate and coffee flavours. Enjoyed nicely with cappuccino. Overall, half decent dining experience. We were not wowed. Service was good.

So... my friend chose this place and our hotel concierge also confirmed it is a foodie's must while in Victoria. It is French so in line with the theme of the cuisine, the portion sizes are also French. But the food is great. We started with some of their homemade salumi and proscuitto. Tasty - the proscuitto is aged 18 months and was quite salty but one thing that we absolutely appreciated but never had was the pickled green beans with a kick - some red chili pepper flakes. Tangy, crunchy with a kick to offset the salty cured meats. Chilled bean soup with chunks of dungeness crab was cool and refreshing with minty flavor. Lovely way to start the meal! My friend had the pasta with beef which had multiple chunks of tender beef with seared exterior and al dente pasta. The 1/2 order was very filling and generous. My 1/2 order of the rockfish was a tad small - good thing my friend shares! Service was impeccable! All visitors should go!

Oh MAN. This was THE BEST meal I have EVER HAD. Period. The ambiance was perfection. Each item of food we tried was made so intentionally, I couldn't help but savor EVERY SINGLE bite slowly... We decided to try many things, so we opted for the small version of each plate. We had the crab spaghettini paired with the riesling (OH THE RIESLING); the lamb feature (cannot put into words...); frites with house aioli (no words...); housemade mortadella salami and italian pate (MMMMM); as well as the field greens salad. Chocolate mousse for dessert... This food was almost unbearably good. I would travel from Seattle to Victoria JUST TO EAT HERE. One downside: They do get a little slow with service when it is busy.

24.50$ for a mystery veggie dish that comprised of 1 nugget potato cut into 4, 1 tomato cut in half, some sautéed kale, fresh arugula and a Marsala reduction. I watched everyone eat their half order meat appies as I waited for my entree that came with everyone's second meal. Thanks.

We had looked at the menu 6 years ago when walking past Cafe Brio this trip we were once more looking when a local who was going in to eat said that it was the best restaurant in Victoria. We shrugged and decided to give it a try. The gentleman introduced us to the owner and we were soon seated. What a feast!!! Best meal we have had in years and we dine in San Francisco, L.A. and New York on a regular basis. 1/2 plates are wonderful for smaller appetites and allowed us room for desserts. I had leg of lamb and my husband had steak. Both orders were tender,properly cooked and had lovely sauces. Extensive wine list with lots of choices in different price ranges . The desserts are imaginative and so good and I am not a desert person. Our server Janna was excellent. We went back 2 nights later for another incredible meal. I had mussels and my former lamb relucant husband had lamb shoulder. Two more incredible desserts and coffee for a perfect experience. We enjoyed chatting with Greg's wife and they both have such obvious pride in their restaurants food and service. Locally sourced ingredients and a talented chef make for a great experience. Too bad we don't live closer!

How often do you have a meal where everything tastes just right, comes out at the right time and staff make you feel welcome. This was our experience on Saturday. And I love places that allow you to do half orders ...no food wasted! We ordered the romaine hearts, vegetables, halibut and sausage - and each dish come out with the right assists of veggies and broth. The goat cheese polenta w/sausages was beyond decadent. The dessert of white chocolate gelato and chocolate mouse covered in toffee crunchy bits was an incredible finish to the whole thing. Out waitress was distant but great, ambiance is welcoming, and it was great to see so many kids being accommodated.

Cafe brio is great, always a solid choice for restaurants on Victoria. The restaurant is incredibly consistent always great specials, I've never had a bad meal.

My husband had the salmon, super tender, perfectly cooked! The pasta I had was so yummy, straight out of Italy! All the meats where made in house, delish! You can bring your dog on the patio and the owners are super cool! We will be going back next time we are in town!

Our friends invited us to this restaurant because it was a favourite of theirs and suggested we share a family meal at ~$55 pp. We were really excited to see what would come to the table and loved the idea of sharing plates of food as a group. When the appies came we were a bit surprised at the modest amount put before us, especially since we were each only given about 1/3 of a cup of soup but we were sure the entrees would make up for it. Not so. I would describe the entree portions that came to the table as 'micro' sized and the bowl of pasta we were to share was ridiculously small (imagine about 1 cup). A sure sign that there isn't enough food is that our table, including our friends who loved the place, asked for more bread four or five times throughout the meal. FYI, we are not big eaters. After dinner, I thought, well, at least there will be some dessert included. Imagine my surprise when we were given a dessert menu...since when do order a set meal and it doesn't include dessert? To be fair, the food was very good. The ambiance was cozy, the restaurant was quiet and the service was fine. Our issue was value: Our table paid $220 JUST for food, an amount that should have been far less. We wouldn't feel this way if we left feeling full. Instead, we left the restaurant feeling ripped off and still hungry. Our friends probably still love the place so we obviously have different expectations.