Hip & Hidden Chinatown + Old Town Food Tour Victoria
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Victoria, Canada
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get a history lesson mixed with food as you wander around Old Town and Chinatown on this walking tour. Explore historic areas of the city, which started out as a fur trading outpost, as you taste the local cuisine. Plus, Victoria boasts one of the oldest Chinatown sections in North America. Sample an eclectic mix of cuisine that ranges from Thai dumplings to Mexican tacos, craft beer, and more.
- This tour is ideal for foodies and first-time visitors to Victoria
- Sample foods from local purveyors including craft beer
- The short tour fits easily into a day of sightseeing
- Hear stories and history from expert local tour guide
Sample Menu
Starter
Mexican Tacos
Made with homemade tortillas
Starter
South-Indian dishes
A curated selection of Kerala dishes from one of the best restaurants in Canada.
Starter
Thai dumplings
Thai-style fried dumplings - pork belly or tofu - served with homemade chilli sauce and crispy onions
Starter
Craft Beer or Cider
Sample a local craft beer or cider from one of the city's best breweries. Non alcoholic option available.
Dessert
Filipino dessert
Try a unique Filipino pastry - ube cream filled bun
Starter
BBQ Pork Bun
Juicy BBQ pork buns from one of the city's oldest Cantonese bakeries
Starter
Vegetarian dishes
Try some tasty vegetarian cuisine from one of Canada's oldest vegetarian restaurants.
What's Included
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Food tasting
- Local guide
- Gratuities (recommended) for tour guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 540 Fisgard St, Victoria, BC V8W 1R4, Canada
We meet at our first foodie stop, Maiiz Nixtamal. Please not your guide will meet you in front of the restaurant, they will be holding a clipboard and wearing a nametag. This restaurant opens at 11am.
End point
- Block Kitchen and Bar Victoria538 Yates St #101, Victoria, BC V8W 1K8, Canada
The end location is roughly a 15 minute walk to the starting location.
Itinerary
1
MAiiZ Nixtamal Eatery & Tortilleria
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Victoria’s Chinatown National Historic Site
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Fan Tan Alley
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Market Square
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Minimum drinking age is 19 years. We have a non-alcohol sample for youth and for those looking for a non-alcohol experience
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking, we need to know of any dietary issues before the tour starts.
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Please triple check the date that you booked. We can not reschedule your tour if you miss the date - you will have to re-book at full cost.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 179 reviews
Heather_R, Apr 2026
Great way to find spots you might otherwise miss. Erik has great background stories for each establishment we visited. It is a good amount of food, so come hungry!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for the kind words! We love introducing guests to hidden gems they might not discover on their own. Erik will be happy to hear this. We think he’s fantastic too, and just as knowledgeable as all of our guides when it comes to sharing the stories behind each stop. And yes, we always say come hungry… glad you were ready for it!
April_D, Mar 2026
If you are going to do a food tour in Victoria, this is the one to do! We stopped at 7 different locations and had a variety of different foods with great stories about the restaurants chosen. Come hungry as you will leave full!
Mallory_H, Mar 2026
Great food tour with a lot of information and food packed into a short amount of time! We did not feel overly full at the end and appreciated all the different types of food to try. Eric is knowledgeable and obviously has good rapport with the restaurants.
Wendy_M, Mar 2026
An easy walk, fun & informative, with a great sampling of foods (don’t eat beforehand). As it was our first day in Victoria, we got a little bit oriented, found a few places to circle back to and met some lovely folks! Erik our guide, was funny, knowledgeable, and passionate about food, the city - and featuring small businesses. We loved it!
Anita_S, Mar 2026
Erik was great, knowledgeable about food and local stories of the stops on our tasty adventure ,we recommend this tour!
Meg_M, Jan 2026
Erik is a super fun and knowledgeable guide. I had such a great time that I brought my sister and friends to do it again on my next trip to BC!
Jeff_U, Oct 2025
We enjoyed the food and learning what made each restaurant or shop special. Our guide, Eric, was personable and engaging. We would do this again.
Marilyn_L, Oct 2025
I had a fantastic time. I am not a foodie, and I found this very interesting, informative and food I wouldn’t have ever had before - I had. Thank you for a great time.
Janette_S, Sep 2025
Erik really gave us lots of variety. He knows his stuff! A good balance of food and information. The morning was very enjoyable.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hi Janette! That's wonderful to hear! Erik is a fantastic guide so I'm glad he showed your guide around! We hope you can join us again soon!
Elena_G, Sep 2025
Great food and Erik was a knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide . I especially liked everything we had at the Indian restaurant and also the Philippino dessert obe bun. Outstanding!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hi Elena! We're so glad you had a wonderful time! We hope you can join us again in the future!
theresa_d, Sep 2025
We thoroughly enjoyed this tour.Eric made this 2 hour walk so enjoyable. Lots of great info re area and delicious food.We would highly recommend this tour.Ojan was in training, he was very nice and will do very well with such a great and personable teacher.Eric was perfect.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you! We like to offer our guests a variety of foodie options while learning about the city's history! We hope you can join us again in the future
Brian_J, Sep 2025
This was such a fun tour. Food was great and our guide Brenda was super knowledgeable. Definitely worth it.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hi Brian! Thank you for your kind words! We hope you can join us again in the future on another tour!
Teresa_F, Sep 2025
Food stops and guide were good. All 6 adults enjoyed. I thought there would be more history of the area (Chinatown and old town). Very disappointed that one of the stops was closed. Only found out after our guide built up the restaurant, then tried the door! Her office texted her to advise her not to go there. Although we missed one food stop there was no alternative added. Very poor of the company. We got an extra chocolate, but that was not the same! Very disappointed. I will look for a different tour company in the future.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
HI Teresa - I'm glad all the guests enjoyed the tour. As for the closed stop, unfortunately Cafe Malabar had a family emergency and had to unexpectedly close. We didn't find out until the guide got to the restaurant. Brenda did pivot and added another stop - Pinhalla. And we did also add an extra chocolate as a bonus. So not only did you get the full 7 stops on the tour but you also got an extra treat. We work with a lot of small, family owned restaurants and sometimes things happen and our guides have to pivot. So on the tour we took you to Maiiz Nixtamal, the award-winning Latin restaurant, Pinhalla ( a fun pizzeria/pinball joint), Pure Lovin' (a organic chocolate shop), Dumpling Drop, Whistle Buoy Brewing, Oni Oni for Japanese Onigiri, and Block Kitchen - all 7 stops.
So we are sorry you felt the tour was disappointing but please do note that even though there was a closure we did replace that closure with another stop so that you would not miss any food. As for not learning about the neighbourhood, I'm very surprised to hear that as Brenda has been an excellent guide for us for 7 years and if you look at most of the reviews she is raved about for her in depth knowledge of the area.
Best,
Bonnie
llw24, Aug 2025
My husband and I had a great time on this tour with Brenda. Quite a variety of food, along with lots of history about the chefs and/or owners of the business
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your lovely review! Brenda will be thrilled to hear that you enjoyed her tour and the food! We hope you can join us again in the future!
Susan_J, Aug 2025
We enjoyed seven tasting spots (6 were great) with some pleasant surprises! Our guide was wonderful and the group of 7 was very friendly. All the walking was within a few blocks, which was quite doable.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi Susan! Thank you for your review! We like to bring our guests to hidden gems around town that the locals love! Thank you for joining us
Ashley_L, Aug 2025
Fun way to see the city and try out restaurants we wouldn’t have found on our own. We would recommend to anyone with adventurous taste buds
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi Ashley! Thank you for your kind words! We love bringing hidden gems to our guests...we hope you can join us again in the future!
Michelle_B, Aug 2025
Do not miss this tour! Brenda was a fantastic guide! She is very knowledgeable about the area and truly a kind, genuine person to spend time with, one of the best tours we have taken. Arrive hungry, the portions are generous and absolutely delicious! My advice is to take the 11am tour then plan to spend time in the area until about 4pm. Brenda has a wealth of knowledge of the area and will give perfect suggestions of what to visit after the tour. We will definitely recommend this to anyone visiting the island
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you so much! Brenda is a wonderful guide with many amazing suggestions! We're so glad you had a good time and we hope you can join us again in the future!
Janette_W, Aug 2025
We had an incredible time on this food tour! The variety alone was impressive — we sampled everything from Filipino and Japanese to Mexican, Indian, Thai, and stopped by a brewery. Each stop brought something unique and delicious, and there wasn’t a single bite we didn’t enjoy.
What really made the experience stand out was our guide, Brenda. Her knowledge was outstanding — not just about the food itself, but the cultural history, culinary traditions, and local stories behind the restaurants and the chefs. She was so easy to get along with and had a good sense of humor. We highly recommend this tour and especially Brenda.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hello! Thank you for joining us on our Hip and Hidden tour! We're glad you got to experience it with Brenda and hope you can join us again in the future!
Lisa_G, Jul 2025
Great tour guide, great food options! Already been back to a number of the food & drink destinations for more
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi Lisa! We're so glad you think so! Thank you for joining us and we hope you'll consider us again in the future!
Elle_V, Jul 2025
Really fun way to get to experience Chinatown. Brenda was fun, quirky, and knowledgable. Perfect combination!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hi! Thanks so much for the kind words! Brenda is the best and knows the Chinatown tour like the back of her hand so I'm very glad you got to experience it with her! We hope you can join us on another tour again in the future!
Fiona_W, Jul 2025
A fabulous tour. The guide, Brenda was funny, friendly and informative. We had some older ladies on our tour and Brenda did a great job of adapting the tour for their needs without affecting the experience for the rest of us.
Based on the name of the tour and the starting place, we were expecting to mostly have Chinese food, but the range of foods was truly international… and delicious!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hey Fiona! Thanks so much for the awesome review! Our goal is to include lots of variety on the tours so we're thrilled to hear that was your experience! And Brenda is such a great guide! Thanks for joining us!
Leah_S, Jul 2025
Make sure you come to the tour hungry! We ate so much good food that we never would have tried on our own and learned about the area. Would definitely recommend this tour. Brenda was great!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hey Leah! Thanks so much for the amazing review! On all of our tours, we make sure to give you good food, and lots of it! We hope you can join us on another tour in the future and get to experience more unique bites!
Sarah_P, Jul 2025
This was like two great tours in one - seven delicious food selections and history about each place. Our family of four loved it. We couldn’t pick a favorite food because they were all so good. Our guides Jo and Ericshared the stories of each restaurant and Chinatown history. Highly recommended
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We're so glad your whole family enjoyed the tour! Your guides will be thrilled to hear the good news! We hope you can join us on a tour again soon!
Kim_W, Jul 2025
Such a fun afternoon! Our guide was delightful and shared stories of the places we visited and walked through. Victoria Chinatown is very diverse, and we tasted foods from a variety of cultures. Each taste was better than the last and it would be hard to pick a favorite.. so I would just do the entire tour again!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
That is what we aim for! We're so glad you enjoyed the variety of samples...our goal is to bring you cuisine you may have never tried before! We hope you can join us on a tour in the future. Thank you
Bruce_C, Jun 2025
Outstanding food! Several top restaurants in Victoria we were fortunate to visit. (Cafe Malabar was just named the top chef(s) in Victoria)! All stops were fantastic! Even the taco we had ( and we are from So Cal) was amazing! Our guide Brenda, was so knowledgeable and friendly was the cherry on the sundae!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hello! We're so glad you had a great time with Brenda - she's the best! We also love the food options on this tour so hopefully you got to try something new! We hope you can join us again in the future!
Madeline_F, Jun 2025
We met up with Julie our tour guide a few moments prior to the 11AM start time, and the other 4 guests on the tour. Julie was very knowledgeable and very kind! She kept us entertained the whole tour with facts and tidbits about Victoria and even other areas of Canada. She stated she's originally from the states so we were very impressed with her knowledge! We started at a beautiful Mexican restaurant in Chinatown, had some delicious Chicken Tacos, very tasty. After we went down to a wonderful Indian bar on the water, and had some AMAZING tea, Dosa, and an Egg Pastry. After that we did a 3 in one stop and go. We went to a chocolate shop, picked up a few sweet, Julie picked up Dumplings for us to-go and we then went to brewery to sit down have a drink and enjoy everything. From that point we went to a cute little onigiri shop, and then our last stop was an Asian Fusion restaurant. We were able to choose between Chicken Kaarage or Takoyaki. We informed Julie at this point we really had to take ours to go, so we could catch our ferry home and she was very accommodating and getting that done promptly for us! We highly recommend this tour, and highly recommend sight seeing in China Town! Julie was amazing, and she's perfect for that position!
Cindi_M, Jun 2025
This walking food tour was a fantastic experience from start to finish! We visited seven diverse stops, enjoying everything from Mexican and Indian cuisine to Japanese bites, Chinese dishes, local beer, and rich chocolate. Each stop offered something unique and delicious.
Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable—not just about the food, but also the history and culture of the area. He took the time to explain the background of each stop, shared fun facts about the city, and made sure everyone felt comfortable and included. We never felt rushed, and he gave thoughtful recommendations for places to check out after the tour.
The tour lasted about two hours and covered a pleasant 1 to 1.5 miles, making it an easy and enjoyable pace for everyone. It was a perfect mix of great food, local insight, and good company. Highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to explore the city through its flavors!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hello! Thanks Cindi! I will pass along your kind words to your guide. We strive to have lots of variety on our tours, as well as information and history about the city! Thank you for participating!
Leslee_S, Feb 2025
Very fun and informative. Out guide Julie was really knowledgeable and very easygoing. We reallly enjoyed the tour and all the food. My daughter is Vegan and all the places we ate were very accommodating. My daughter lives in Victoria and found many new places to go thanks to Julie.
Jan_H, Nov 2024
Comfy shoes as we are walking quite quickly from location to location. Bring your appetite! Great fun!
Margot_S, Oct 2024
Tour guide Brenda was interesting and informative. Other people in our small group were fun and friendly. All the tour stops were great. Loved the food we sampled.
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