Gluten-Free Victoria, British Columbia: A Celiac-Safe Travel and Dining Guide

When I visited Victoria, B.C. on a quick cruise stop on the last day of my Alaskan cruise, I knew I had to come back to explore the beautiful location. The combination of small city with Pacific Northwest trees and views of the rugged Olympic Mountains spoke to me. Thankfully, I have friends who were more than happy to invite me back for a longer visit. I have since been back to Victoria twice, and I know I will return many more times for the beautiful location and the amazing celiac-safe, gluten-free restaurants.

Is Victoria a good vacation destination for gluten-free food if you have celiac disease?

I learned quickly that Victoria has a wide variety of restaurants that are very serious about providing a safe and delicious gluten-free dining experience. Victoria is one of the best destinations in Canada for gluten-free travel if you have celiac disease. I felt very safe, and I ate such amazing gluten-free food. Don't be turned off by the fact that there are only a few dedicated gluten-free restaurants, I almost exclusively ate at non-dedicated places. This was mainly due to my friend who also has celiac disease wanting to try new places to see if she could eat there safely.

Many restaurants have dedicated gluten-free fryers, this is always such a wonderful treat when you have celiac disease. From Chinese food to schnitzel and pizza, the variety of cuisine was so much better than I can safely get at home.

How I Evaluate Celiac Safety

I am very careful when selecting restaurants I ask all the questions about how food is prepared, what precautions they take, if they have a dedicated fryer, and I always research reviews ahead of time (read my blog on Finding Celiac Safe Restaurants). I review celiac safety by checking:

• How food is prepared

• Whether there is a dedicated fryer

• Staff knowledge and willingness to answer questions

• Recent reviews from other people with celiac disease

 I also had 2 advantages, I travel with my gluten detection celiac service dog who checks all of my food for gluten. These restaurants passed her highly trained nose. I also had my friend, a Victoria local with celiac disease who frequently eats at many of these restaurants.

My gluten detection service dog is an added layer of confidence, not a replacement for asking questions or reading menus. Although I feel confident in the restaurants I recommend, there is always risk of cross contact when eating out. You still need to ask questions, review menus, verify safety, and trust your gut wherever you may eat. Staff and menus change, so what is written here may change on your visit.

Inner Harbor, Whale Watching, & Fish & Chips

Victoria is on Vancouver Island so water is a key part of the experience. One of my favorite days in Victoria was my birthday. We took a Whale Watching tour with Eagle Wing. They are a family-owned company with a variety of boats. We went out on one of the bigger boats staffed by naturalists who study the animals and who are focused on conserving and protecting the Salish Sea and its wildlife. They provided excellent information about the whales, sea otter, birds and seals. We saw several humpback whales, the only sea otter in the area, seals, bald eagles and many other birds. This tour was an incredible experience, and it made my birthday extra special. They also provide digital photos as part of the excursion.

After the whales, we visited Victoria Harbor, and ate some gluten-free Fish and Chips from The Floating Fish Store. The halibut fish is fried in a dedicated gluten-free fryer as are the fries.  The fish was flaky and the breading crispy.  The fries were the perfect texture too.  The fish and chips actually rivaled some I had an expensive restaurant.  The perfect stop after a whale watching excursion. They close in the winter, so add it to your list for spring, summer and fall trips.

English Tea & Ghosts

Did you know that Victoria is a very haunted place? I didn't encounter any ghosts, but I know that the Pendray Inn & Tea House is supposedly very haunted. I do know that it is a great place for gluten-free afternoon tea. When the tray of tea sandwiches, scones, cookies and cakes arrived, I was a bit concerned that the bread didn't look dry and the scones and the sponge cake seemed a bit springy. Thankfully every sandwich, scone and cake was approved gluten-free by Suki my gluten detection service dog. The tea was delicious and the location was lovely.  Right across from the harbor so it is convenient to reach from the Vancouver and US Ferries.  This could be a great option to pair with whale watching as well.

Is there gluten-free food near tourist attractions? Downtown Victoria, Historic Chinatown, Tacos or Schnitzel

You can walk right by the Parliament buildings for the Provincial government and head to downtown and the oldest Chinatown in Canada. This is a very fun place to explore. The smallest alleyway, Fan Tan Alley has some interesting shops and the surrounding streets have some great resale shops and unique gift stores.

This area also has some excellent gluten-free food. Maiiz Nixtamal is dedicated gluten-free and focuses on using nixtamal corn in all their dishes. We tried tacos with fresh corn tortillas and the flautas or taquitos. We tried the barbacoa beef and the chicken tinga, I would skip the chicken and stay with the beef. The tortillas were very good and the beef was seasoned perfectly. The taquitos were light and crunchy. I would skip the churros as they were very corn heavy and the sauce was not good either. They have grasshopper tacos too. We sampled a grasshopper and it was seasoned well, but I don't think I would get it for my meal. You need a reservation as this place is tiny. The prices are elevated beyond a taco shop too.

My favorite place in the area was Eva Schnitzelhaus. I was so excited when we stumbled on it on a map, and looked at the website to see they have a dedicated fryer. As someone who lived in Germany, I know good schnitzel and this was definitely very good, traditional schnitzel. The sauces are made with flour, so we went with the traditional schnitzel. They were able to make a fresh dill sauce for us. I got the Rosti and red cabbage as my sides. Plus they have local BC Apfelwein, a dry cider that took me back to the last schnitzel I had pre-celiac in Frankfurt, Germany. It was such a treat. I will defintely go back.

Walkability & Public Transportation

 The city is very walkable and has good public transportation by bus, water taxi, ride share or bicycle. Parking downtown is limited, but possible. If you stay in the downtown and harbor areas, you really don't need a car. If you venture further out or travel up island, you will want to rent a car.

Where Can I Find Gluten-Free Fast Food and Casual Bites? Chinese Food, Burgers & Pizzas

J & J Wonton & Noodle House

As anyone with celiac disease knows, it is almost impossible to find safe gluten-free chinese food. I found it at J & J Wonton Noodle House. If you are visting Victoria, this is the place you must eat. They have a huge gluten-free menu and are adding new items. My favorites are gluten-free spicy garlic prawns with hot chili pepper, gluten-free beef chow fun with black bean sauce, and the gluten-free spicy ginger fried chicken or fried beef. If you stop in be sure to tell them that Suki & Kendra sent you.

A burger is one of my go-to safe gluten-free meals, but a burger with a really good bun is something else. Big Wheel Burger has celiac-safe burgers, gluten-free chicken strips, and even the Canadian classic poutine. The chicken sandwich is not gluten-free. They even have celiac as note in their app to order online.

Pizza places can be challenging when you have celiac disease. I usually recommend only eating pizza a place with a dedicated oven, but since my friends do not have that option, we decided to see which places passed the test. As with any of the places mentioned here, there is risk of cross contact, please make sure you stress that you need a celiac safe pizza and ask them to cook it in a separate pan and cut it and handle it with a separate utensils.

The one place I highly recommend and have been multiple times is 900 degrees. The owner has a family member with celiac disease so they take it seriously and have a good choice of gluten-free pizzas. The pizza in their wood fired oven is thin and crispy. They also have a very good dairy free cheese. I recommend the gluten-free Carnivoro or the gluten-free Rucola & Crudo. If you have room for dessert, the flourless gluten-free chocolate torte was delicious too.

Grocery & Backup Food: Where can I buy gluten-free food if a restaurant doesn't feel safe?

Victoria has a dedicated gluten-free bakery, Origin Bakery. You can get some sweets there as well as bread.

You can always buy gluten-free food in grocery stores or even order food to your hotel via Instacart. Save On Foods has stores close to downtown, and there is also a Whole Foods further out. Foods are clearly labeled as gluten-free, and gluten-free foods are widely available in most grocery stores.  I also found that most of the grocery stores had a good assortment of gluten-free bread. My favorite in Canada is Promise Gluten-Free Rustic Sourdough Loaf. I am very excited that I can now buy it in the US too.

My final recommendation for your food tour of Victoria is Jones Bar B Que they have a dedicated fryer for gluten-free fried chicken, fries, and poutine. The brisket is so tender and the sauces are delicious and gluten-free. One day of the week, they even have prime rib dinner.

Get my free download of my Victoria gluten-free recommendations and a link to my google map so you can start planning your trip. I did all the work so you can easily plan your trip without stress or added worry. If you want help with your Victoria trip, you can schedule time with me to answer all your questions.

Get Your Free Gluten-Free Victoria Map

FAQs: These are the most common questions I get about visiting Victoria with celiac disease.

• Is Victoria gluten-free friendly for people with celiac disease? Yes, Victoria is definitely a good destination for people with celiac disease or those who are gluten-free. Most restaurants have a high awareness of what it takes to make food celiac safe, and many even have celiac statements on their menu.

• Are there dedicated gluten-free restaurants in Victoria? Yes, there are a few dedicated gluten-free locations, but most are not dedicated gluten-free. The restaurants I recommend are tested by my gluten detection dog, and vetted personally by me. They are also tried and true recommendations from my local friend who has celiac disease.
  

• Do many restaurants have dedicated fryers? There are many restaurants with dedicated fryers from fries and chicken fingers, to poutine and chinese food. There are so many available options. Dedicated fryers were plentiful all around Victoria.
  

• Is Victoria walkable for gluten-free travelers? Yes, Victoria is a walkable city, and it has very good public transportation as well. It was incredibly easy to get around, and walking the city is very pleasant. It is easy to see the sights and the signage is good too.
  

• What is the best time of year to visit Victoria? Victoria is always pleasant and is even a winter destination for most of Canada since the winters are mild. The tourist season is summer (June-August) with long, sunny days to take advantage of outdoor activities. Spring (March-May) is the best time to see the spring bloom and explore the famous Butchart Gardens. Fall is free from the crowds but still great for hiking and outdoor adventures. I really enjoyed my time in October. I saw some fall leaves, yet still had sunny days, and I only needed a light jacket on the coldest day.

• How do I get to Victoria? If you are flying from Canada or the United States, Victoria has non-stop flights from major cities like Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto, Calgary, and Edmonton. I flew from San Diego to Seattle, and took the quick flight to Victoria on Alaska Airlines. Victoria can also be reached by ferries from Vancouver, Seattle, Port Angeles, and Anacortes. You can also fly scenic float planes from Seattle and Vancouver.

• What kind of weather does Victoria have? Most people think of cold when they think of Canada, but Victoria, B.C. has one of the mildest climates of anywhere in Canada. It is the perfect escape, from cold Canadian winters in Toronto or Montreal. High temperatures in Winter typically are between 6°C–8°C (43°F–46°F). I visited during a cold spell in January and 1 day had a low below freezing, but there was no snow. Summers are dry and mild averaging highs from 19°C to 22°C (66°F to 72°F).