Cafe Brio in Victoria

Excellent food but perhaps more pasta choices would be appreciated. The service was very friendly and efficient; as we needed to leave for a show the server made sure we would respect our timeline. We will return that s for sure!

Amazing food and excellent service.

Fantastic table on the enclosed patio. Visited Brio for a friends B day. Our server was super knowledgeable in wines and wine pairing. The food was fantastic , perfect wine suggestion. Great atmosphere in the main room. Cant wait to go again.

Impeccable service with top quality food! Has alwasy been and still is one of Victorias best fine restaurants!

Lovely evening with great friends. The food was amazing and they made sure I had gluten free food. They called me at home to ensure my needs are met at Cafe Brio. Thanks for a job well done. Anne

We have been eating here for decades. Always a favorite place to go.

They have a 3 course option for earlier dinner times that is both a great deal and a wonderful experience. I cant wait to go back.

Fist time back under new ownership,as good as always. These people work hard for their money,great flexable menu. The place was banging,prompt service and if the stars align and Peggy is your server when you leave run dont walk to buy a lottery ticket before your good fortunes change.

This is now my favorite place to go. The staff are so good, polite, friendly, not pretentious. The family meal is amazing every time.

A wonderful neighbourhood restaurant. Ive had many of their menu items and nothing ever disappoints. I love that their menu offers classic dishes with a bit of a twist. The appetizers in particular are always huge standouts and I definitely recommend ordering a bunch and opting for a half sized main. The waitstaff are also so lovely and always willing to help when youre feeling indecisive! I love this place!

The varied menu had something to suit every picky person in my party. Loved the Pepe Long-Stalking cocktail. Appreciated the ability to order a half-size entree and a mini dessert.

Delicious Italian food in an intimate setting. Even the salads were amazing. Unfortunately they were not able to customize pasta with sauce as would have been my preference.

Great service, food was very good (they brought me two half dishes so I could try more than one dish--tres cool), and the ambience and decor are chill and pleasant. It was fairly empty when I was there (major t storms outside), so I could imagine if it were full, the restaurant would be amazing (hence the 4, not 5). I will definitely go back. I want to try more dishes to make my food review based on more experiences.

Great atmosphere Attentive service Clean and bright Exceptional food and drink menu Definitely will be back !

Culinary

Reservations are recommended

One of the coziest restaurants around town, and such good selection of food on their menu. I especially appreciate that they have 1/2 portions of their main dishes. Highly recommended!

Outstanding restaurant in Victoria. Great menu on the dinner menu and half portions or full. Super wine list. Over the top service. Went there twice.

Nice place, great selection of wine

Amazing food, portion control is pretty wild though

We often frequent this restaurant. The atmosphere is great and the service is always good, but tonight our experience was absolutely disappointing. We are in our 70s and tend to go for the 1/2 orders. Surprisingly, we were served our dinners tonight on literally half plates. It was comical yet felt a tad insulting. My very little amount of food was lost on the small plate and my husbands meal could barely fit on the ridiculously small plate they served his on. Good chance we wont be back. Very disappointing.

Beautiful restaurant with delicious food and attentive service. The happy hour menu was perfect.

I would like to acknowledge the lovely civil grace and service provided by Cafe Brio. Following this I would like to say for all my fellow humans reading this that their Spaghetti is absolutely delicious....noodles perfectly cooked, lamb beef sauce so very very taste, with generous amounts of Parma. Thankyou Cafe Brio for accommodating our requests tonite. You are 5 extraordinaire!

Cafe Brio has quickly become our go-to for its consistently satisfying service, quality of food and welcoming atmosphere. The staff and management are clearly highly invested in the caliber of their establishment and it shows. Thank you!

Perfect spot for date night! Cocktails and food were awesome. The service was also great!

Absolute revelation best meal of our trip to Victoria impeccable food and service . Easily a top five restaurant meal of the last 25 years .

My Partner and I had a truly lovely experience. New ownership has done a great job validating their old regulars while also bringing new life into the menu and atmosphere. Great job all.

The food was absolutely amazing, great selection and we really enjoyed it. The service was marginal, we were seated quickly and we weren t asked is we wanted drinks, served water. Waited 20 minutes then had to ask for a glass of wine which is very expensive for a 9 ounce, about $5-7 more than most restaurants. We were served the wine when we were almost finished dinner, kind of muted the experience but again the food was good.

This has become our favorite local neighborhood bistro. Great food, well conceived and well executed and a great wine list. Get away from the tourist traps and the harbor and come here.

If I could give 10 stars for their service I would, phenomenal! Food was pretty good too, we re vegetarians and had no problem finding good. Their patio is also dog friendly! As for the food and wine, we got their salad, mixed veg plate and two pastas and plenty of bread and butter. Highly recommend!

Everything 5 stars!

Wow! What an incredible experience. We were too busy savoring every delicious dish to take photos! We shared everything family style, and it was all outstanding. Some memorable starters were the spinach gomae (the perfect bite when all together), the fried fontina (fried cheese come on), the corn dog, and the charcuterie plate! But everyone at the table had a different top favourite dish! (Which was probably because they were all so good.) The gnocchi was my favorite main dish! If I were dining alone, Gavin s greens and the gnocchi would be my go-to choices. But sharing made it so much better, allowing us to taste all the dishes! Lastly, of course we love Vinnie, but also I want to give a shoutout to Peggy and all the others who I forget the names of who helped with our dinner! Everyone was so personable, making us feel totally comfortable with having our children there! The chef went above and beyond making my lactose-free sister able to eat as much as possible as well! Definitely the place to go for family dinners. Thank you Cafe Brio for an absolutely wonderful first evening in Victoria! Vegetarian options: Delicious salad, vegetarian soup, and pasta that is/can be vegetarian. Dietary restrictions: Accommodated above and beyond for lactose free options during family style. Kid-friendliness: 5 kids ranging ages 9 months - 8 years all had a wonderful time and left full!

Overall a delicious and enjoyable meal, Peggy was an amazing server!

Everything tasted amazing. But I was particularly surprised by the corn dog and the spinach gomae with duck tenders. Amazing flavours together! Also the service was outstanding! Thanks for a great night.

I highly recommend Cafe Brio. We each ordered seafood of different types, which was cooked just right. After I explained to our server that we didn t want to rush, we enjoyed our meal at a nice pace, and finished with generously sized truffles and some port.

We had an incredible meal with exceptional service! Our Server recognized we were four old friends catching up and enjoying each others company. She gave us space, was very knowledgable about the food and drink. She joked with us and made us feel like we were at family dinner. The supporting cast were great too! I highly recommend this restaurant and will frequent it for years to come. Well Done Team at Cafe Brio!

Lovely venue and staff, excellent wines. The Italian dishes are just sooooo salty though, I was hungry but couldnt even finish a half serve. I am not a fussy eater but it was way saltier than sea water. We had to order more bread to fill our stomachs and get rid of the super strong salty taste.

Very disappointed that as a person who tries to eat plant based I couldn t just get a pasta with an assortment of vegetables. The server did not seem to want to go so the chef to see if they would make the dish. All I could have was the spaghettini without the Parmesan as it has a meat based by product in it. They put on a couple of morels and charged a lot for them. The server indicated it would be a small up charge. But I didn t expect what we were charged. My daughter had the duck and she felt it was definitely over cooked. The salad my daughter had was good.

This place. This place. I would highly recommend to any and all whom wish to take someone for a romantic date, great wine and amazing food.

We called to get a table last minute and they took us! Food was amazing love the 12 portions they have!

We really enjoyed our meal here! The server was great and walked us through the menu and gave reccomendations. They have the option to do half orders so we ordered several things and shared. All the food was delicious and we loved the ambience. Will absolutely return next time we visit Victoria!

Came in with a low blood sugar and the staff was helpful and very kind. Would love to come back and eat. A cute hole in the wall

Amazing food, service and vibes. My third time coming here, and I will definitely keep coming back. My group of 4 shared the Brio Family meal and it did not disappoint.

One of the Best Restaurants in Victoria. Cafe Brio is my favourite , the menu is limited , but what they serve is perfection . I Highly Recommend Cafe Brio.

The atmosphere there is so good if you are looking for an European style restaurant. To be honest, the food there is just fine. There is no doubt it s good and better than merchandise but not as good as other Italian or French. Generally, the food there is healthy and plain.

it s expensive but the food tastes very good. the atmosphere is nice and the bread is tasty!

Enjoyed our dinner thoroughly. Delicious flavours and a lovely waitress. Thank you

Having mixed feelings about this place. The good: I m impressed by the duck breast dish - the duck was cooked on point: tender meat with crispy skin. The potato stick is super crispy on the outside, although a bit salty. I like that they have wine paring suggestions on the menu, and that they are good. The not so good: The rabbit appetizer turns out to be a rabbit ham-ish piece; it s novel but we didn t enjoy that much. The penne dish had good flavor, but the sauce was runny and the pasta itself was meh. The service was suuuuper slow; I can see that everyone was busy but that didn t justify the wait for almost 30 minutes for main dish. The host needs to work on their communication skills. After checked in for our reservation the host mumbled something and seated the people arrived later than us first. Again I could see that everyone was busy but that shouldn t mean skipping proper communication to customers.

We had a wonderful time celebrating our anniversary. We ordered the Brio Chef s Special. Everything was delicious.

lovely atmosphere though the service and quality of food fell a bit short. portions were quite small, flavour was okay. ordered two cocktails (of the same) and the second tasted quite different from the first.

Cafe Brio was way more than we expected and just incredible service with an outstanding DINNER! the Mushroom risotto is delicious and the gnocchi was the best have ever had before! This was a great experience and we cant wait to come back, thank you!

Our first time at Cafe Brio. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The service was amazing.

The server was VERY rude. Was talking to us like we are from a 3rd country where there are restaurants. For every question we had regarding the food, the reaction was , its food..... are you even from around,,, have you been to a restaurant before..... The male server with the long hair should not work in this industry if h3 does not know how to behave and hwve minimum knowledge of restaurant service. Went to this place first time due to online reviews for a good food and service local restaurant, but was very very disappointed!!!

I went here for a group dinner. I recommend making reservations, as the earliest we could get a table on a Saturday night on short notice was 8:30 p.m. Having said that, the wait was totally worth it. The food here was exquisite. We started with oysters which were served with house made sauces. One thing I really appreciated about this restaurant was that we could order half portions of the main courses. This allowed us to enjoy different things without getting too full. The server let us know about the daily specials, which all sounded superb. I opted for a half portion of the daily fish special. It was divine. I finished with cheese, which was served with quince jelly and artisanal crackers. The server was a total pro and knew just how to manage being attentive without being too much. This was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long while. I totally recommend this place to anyone who loves good food.

Wonderful cuisine, fantastic server!

We had a recommendation from friends. What a great tip! All 3 courses were wonderful. The service is perfect. The selection of Italian and local food and wine as well. Price/performance was great. Hopefully soon!

I recently celebrated my birthday at Cafe Brio, and it was an exceptional experience. We ordered seven different meals, and each dish was an absolute delight, showcasing the chefs skill and attention to detail. The variety and quality of the food made the dining experience truly worth it. A special shout-out to our server, Peggi, whose exceptional service added to the overall enjoyment of our evening. Her warmth and attentiveness made us feel welcome and enhanced our overall dining experience. Café Brio exceeded our expectations, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a top-notch dining experience in a welcoming atmosphere.

We had a fabulous dinner here. Albeit small portions, the food was delicious. (I will take quality over quantity any day.) We started with the Marinated Olives, which were good. Our full sized entrees were the Braised Short Rib Tagliatelle (2 very small pieces of meat) and the Seared Scallops (4 standard sized scallops.) Both entrees were very good. The scallops were particularly delectable. For dessert I had the Mini Crème Brûlée, which a was a tiny, perfectly formed, piece of heaven. Its very open seating with only a handful of private booths. Unfortunately it was quite cold (at the back, away from door) towards the end of our dinner. Our server blamed the AC, which hopefully wasnt on in February. Despite that wee glitch, I highly recommend the lovely restaurant.

Love it here! Whether with friends or at the bar, its a wonderful place to eat and drink.

food, service, and cocktails were spectacular!

We decided cafe Brio was the place to celebrate my birthday after our first experience was amazing. The food and service felt like you were a valued customer the first time. We love to try different cuisine and dining experience. The second visit felt like we were invisible. The lady at reception who we checked in with greeted us like if we weren t welcomed or maybe she seemed flustered/ stressed. It wasn t the high energy greeting that we experienced when we first went. However our host with the red glasses was phenomenal in her service. She was warm and friendly. The seating we had was not ideal as the traffic was so busy due to staff congregation, my partner had to sit forward for the entire night to avoid being brushed on by the moving traffic of people. That by itself was not relaxing for her.The portion size has decreased tremendously nearly microscopic and the food took sometime to be served and was lukewarm- cold. We weren t able to enjoy the lamb because it was cold and we did not want to inconvenience the host to have it reheated. The highlight for my celebration was the exceptional service from our host along with the cheesecake we had for dessert. This was not the birthday experience I was expecting. The standard has definitely changed and I honestly would not be able to recommend this subpar experience to anyone.

Lovely place, with great people.

Wonderful food and great service!

very good place to have a social meal. Wheelchair accessibility: ground floor easy access from the street Food : 5/5 |

charming restaurant. service is professional, seasoned, and smooth. food is excellent.

A pricey place, thats for sure! But in 2022 it was refreshing to have a quality food and an outstanding service.

Wonderful dinner, service and atmosphere as always. We have been coming here for nearly 20 years and it is still as good as it was the first time we dined. Tonight, the Foie Gras special was to die for. Put Cafe Brio on your to do list. You won t be disappointed. Well done guys! (As usual) Dietary restrictions: My mom has a severe mushroom allergy and they are always willing to accommodate her.

No surprise that the food and service was amazing. A medium sized menu with a nice variety of choices. Most have the option to get half portions so you try a few different dishes easily enough. I assumed the full portion would be smaller due to being a fancy joint but it was very filling. I had the pork cutlet which was mouth watering. I tried the beat salad and carbonara pasta as well - both amazing. The only thing to complain about, and you can probably tell from the photos, is the lighting! If its so dark your wait staff carry flashlights to read the menu... Its probably too dark. Would be happy to return!

Everything was excellent!

Food excellent and great atmosphere. Always a pleasure!

Extremely overpriced, service is just average. Also the interior is too dark for me

Had a nice dinner with my wife, waiter was chatty, overall good experience would reccomend ro friends.

Our absolute favourite restaurant in Victoria, the brio steak, gnocchi and butter lettuce salad are to die for. Our server Callie took the best care of us and made our experience amazing. 10/10 would recommend!

Great dinner all round. Food was exceptional and the service was prompt and friendly

Chefs Kiss.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Cafe Brio, and I have to say that it was an absolutely fantastic experience! From start to finish, everything about the meal was top-notch. First of all, the restaurant itself is lovely - warm and inviting, with a cozy atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. The service was excellent as well - our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, without ever being overbearing. But of course, the real star of the show was the food. Every dish we tried was simply delicious, from the appetizers to the entrees to the desserts. I was especially impressed by the attention to detail that was evident in each dish - it was clear that a lot of thought and care had gone into the preparation and presentation of everything we ate. Overall, I would highly recommend Cafe Brio to anyone looking for a truly outstanding dining experience. Greg and Sylvia, the owners, have clearly put a lot of love and passion into their restaurant, and it shows in every aspect of the experience. Thank you for a wonderful meal, and we cant wait to come back!

Such a beautiful evening!I was met warmly at the door by the owner (I believe) who made me feel like I was coming to visit a good friend. The atmosphere was inviting and comfortable. The lovely young lady serving us was so attentive without hovering. The food was just amazing. Each of our meals were thoughtfully prepared and just the right amount. Desserts were fantastic! Thank you all for a perfect evening!

Everything about this experience was incredible!! I have a gluten allergy and our server was excellent. We wanted to enjoy multiple courses but were a bit overwhelmed with the choices...she offered to make all our selections for us. We accepted and she did an outstanding job, from start to finish. So fun, delicious and stress-free! Dietary restrictions: An incredible option for gluten free!!

Best Italian in Victoria hands down and fantastic atmosphere!!!

Wonderful dinner, perfectly done, with an amazing ambience and impeccable service. Well done Cafe Brio

Always a delightful experience, from the time you enter the attractive surroundings and receive a gracious greeting from the owner, to the attentive server, and on to the excellent food. My favorite, and only, dining choice in Victoria!

First time there tonight with my Boys. We had the family meal - great food, great service, great atmosphere and very friendly staff. Highly recommend!

We dine here regularly and we are never disappointed. Anything on the menu is a safe bet. Great wine list, warm and tasteful surroundings, amazing staff, we always enjoy our evening here!

Love Cafe Brio. Professional commitment to providing the best service and wonderful meals is evident.

Everyone at our party had exceptional dinners. Very few places even come close. Top-drawer service too. Outstanding, we will return...thanks

Always great food, atmosphere and service. Love it!

Amazing service from Devon and the whole wait staff team for a great Saturday night date and the best food of our week-long trip to Victoria. Best to call for reservations.

Delicious! I love the half order option. Perfect for the person who wants to try a few different dishes.

Good food, but small portions and quite pricey.

My husband and I enjoyed several beautiful meals at Cafe Brio when we lived in Victoria 15 years ago. While visiting the island this past weekend we decided to go back. This place remains just as exceptional as we remember. The food and wine is outstanding, the atmosphere is perfectly moody and interesting, but its the service that really sets it apart. It truly feels like every staff member is committed to making your experience great. Our favourite restaurant in Victoria. We will be back again and again.

Went here with my husband and we had an amazing time and felt very taken care of. Food was delicious and mocktails were on point!

Amazing place to go for outstanding service and food. I have always had the most incredible experiences when visiting Cafe Brio

The best service, food, and atmosphere. They are the real deal.

The food was delicious, service from the bartender was excellent. Will be coming here again.

I cant wait to go back. But we live on the mainland! 5 stars for everything. We had the halibut and the steak. We started with the chicken liver pate, which is out of this world. My Parisienne French companion wanted to lick the dish clean. Lovely service, and the owner is present, and she was a delight. I love that they offer half portions on all main courses. Not that we took advantage of that! But it does allow for sharing a greater variety from the menu. So looking forward to our next visit which should be in September.

Cafe Brio exceeded our expectations by a mile. Food looked beautiful and tasted like out of this world. Staff was nice and attentive. If I could, I would visit this place more often.

Bellisismo! What a great dining experience, from booking (true to their word, they confirm within 24hrs if you leave a message), to warm welcome, to prompt yet relaxed service (thank you Callie), to absolutely divine food and menu choices, to not being hurried and saying goodbye as though you were family Bravo Brio!!

A wonderful evening that was made extra special because of Devin our amazing server.

He said 6 out of 5. Really good selection of wine and perfect food. Really happy with quality of food. Ambiance of the cafe was also phenomenal.

My partner really enjoyed her meal and mine was good too.

Wonderful having half portions available so as to enjoy a variety of food! Service was absolutely outstanding! A long time proven spot for a great dining experience. Dietary restrictions: Able to fully ensure all my wifes dietary issues

Fantastic staff and food.

First time at Cafe Brio ever, you really are never sure what to expect at a new restaurant, what I can share is Wow I went with a friend and we sampled the duck, olives and lamb rib appetizers...all exceptional with lots of flavor and even though the online menu didnt show the full list of drinks they had some great original cocktails. For dinner I had a half order of Mushroom Risotto(texture exceptional lots of mushrooms and a interesting addition purple corn flowers) and a half order of the daily special Rock Fish. Alot of thought goes info the presentation and flavors in each dish. I took me 15 min to decide on what too eat and I cant wait to return. P.S. they have gluten free options and my friend was also extremely happy with his selections. Good job guys kudos to the chef and great service from the servers.

Great hosts accommodated us even though they were busy. Atmosphere and food super. Great team made it an overall lovely evening out.

It was our first visit to Cafe Brio, and we were blown away. We had unexpectedly decided to eat there for date night. We called and reserved a table. They informed us that there were only seatings at the bar, which didnt bother us at all. When we arrived, the kind host greeted us and led us to our seats. The bartender was very helpful, and suggested some meals and beverages to us. He was pleasant to work with, and gave outstanding service. In fact, all of the hosts were fantastic. The service is excellent. I liked how you could order half or full orders of each dish. We got half an order of mushroom risotto and the gnocchi! Both dishes were delicious and well-prepared. The gnocchi was more traditional, but with the addition of walnut basil pesto, it was impeccable. We got the full order of scallops sans bacon and an entire order of halibut for our main courses! The seared scallops were beautifully prepared! The halibut dish was perfectly executed. The fennel in the halibut dish provided some wonderful textures! We split the crème brûlée for dessert! Oh my gosh, that was decadent and delicious! Shout out to the chef, crew, and personnel that go above and beyond to ensure a fantastic experience.

Amazing special occasion dinner. Exceeded expectations. We needed a reservation for a weeknight and every chair was filled. We were seated immediately and the greeter was cheerful. Our server did a nice job walking us through the menus and we opted for the chefs selection of six dishes for a fixed price of $69 each which is a good value. The meal was soup, beet salad, charcuterie, gnocchi, chicken confit & halibut. The quantity of food was large but the quality was what shone! The cured duck pastrami was both unexpected and outstanding. Each of the dishes was perfectly prepared and showed creativity and an excellent example of bringing the most from a dish. For example the gnocchi which is a very mild dish was paired with a mushroom pesto. They have bar seating group seating and several intimate couples tables. My only criticism is the bathroom needs a bigger better exhaust fan.

The food is superb! If our drink orders had arrived in a more timely manner, I would have given 5 stars.

We came for a friend s 50th. We stayed for the creative craft cocktails, friendly service, excellent food and desserts to die for. You can t go wrong here. Casual yet upscale, local yet worldly and just a ton of fun. Come, stay and have another round!!

Excellent food and service. A memorable evening.

Excellent family dinner for 4

Amazing food with original recipes! We wanted to lick our plates to savor every bit. Service was great as well. Highly recommended. Food

Absolute decadence ! Loved their in-house cured meats selections, had the duck pastrami and lamb salami even their homemade pickled veggies and honey mustards to pair with the meats were scrumptious ! Did half orders of the seared scallop and lamb special - beautifully balanced saltiness with sweetness in both dishes Loved the look and smell of the rose cocktail but was a bit on the sweet side Atmosphere was lovely, restaurant patio and exterior looked like an Italian cottage in the countryside ! Patio was also accommodating for my puppy which is a big plus Overall, loved the food and can t wait to come back and try more of everything !

Food and ambiance were excellent. Our server, James, was great. Extensive wine list. Highly recommend.

We ordered some garlic sausage, salami, a ribeye steak, spaghetti, halibut, penne bolognese, and a fig and lime sorbet and a vanilla ice cream tonight. The bread was nice and the butter which came with the bread was so flavourful. The ribeye was very flavourful and delicious (as well as the veg which was served with it). The halibut was absolutely wonderful. The cured meats were delish. The pastas were tasty, too. My FIL thoroughly enjoyed the vanilla ice cream.

Pasta Bolognese as good as Florence Server Devon, great personality. If you re in town a must visit in a league of their own Food

For my birthday, my partner surprised me with a reservation at Cafe Brio, a place Id heard rave reviews about. From the moment we arrived, our evening became an enchanting journey of flavors and impeccable service. Our server, Amber-Lynn, welcomed us with refreshing water and introduced us to the evenings special menu. Her warm demeanor set the tone for the evening, making us feel truly special. To start, we shared a Caprese Salad, a visual masterpiece that delighted our senses. The sweet, juicy tomatoes danced harmoniously with the rich, creamy mozzarella, while aromatic basil leaves added a fresh, herbal touch. A drizzle of high-quality olive oil tied it all together, creating a symphony of flavors. Before our mains arrived, we enjoyed warm bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a simple yet divine treat. The breads crisp crust and fluffy interior felt like a cherished family recipe. My partner opted for the Lamb Four Ways, a visual and gastronomic masterpiece. The lamb was tender, juicy, and bursting with savory and aromatic notes. Each cut, accompanied by green beans, fingerling potatoes, and a light au jus, showcased culinary excellence. One bite, and sheer delight swept across my partners face. As for my choice, the perfectly cooked Rockfish stole the show. A culinary masterpiece, it embodied the essence of fresh seafood. The crispy, golden-brown crust encased a moist, flaky interior that melted in my mouth. The chickpea, bacon, and red pepper base added depth to the dish, allowing the rockfishs natural sweetness to shine through. After our satisfying mains, we couldnt resist indulging in desserts a delectable apple cheesecake with vanilla ice cream and a delightful pavlova. Both were exceptional, closing our meal on a sweet note. Now, let me express our deepest appreciation for our server, Amber-Lynn. Her attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable service elevated our dining experience. She anticipated our needs, delivered with a genuine smile, and struck the perfect balance between attentiveness and respect for our privacy. Amber-Lynns professionalism and dedication transformed our special occasion into an unforgettable affair, exceeding all expectations. Café Brio, thanks to this delightful experience, has earned its place among our most cherished dining destinations.

A high-class Italian restaurant where locals gather. I didnt have a reservation, but I was able to get in. All of the dishes were excellent and you could order in half sizes so two people could enjoy several dishes. I think its quite delicious compared to the price.

My girlfriend and I just had the most delightful Friday night at Cafe Brio. Despite the place being packed, we were able to get the patio all to ourselves, which was fine with us, given how unusually nice and warm it was for an October evening. Our service was exceptional. Truly. Being on the patio we had front row seats to watch satisfied guests leaving the restaurant, happily engaged in conversation by a gregarious man who almost certainly was the owner. His lively panache for customer experience was a welcome sight. Throughout the night, staff visits to our table were perfectly timed, and everyone seemed to be enjoying their work. Our waiter knew the menu inside and out, and really hit it out of the park in helping us navigate the many high quality appetizer options to start our meal off right. We opted to share a number of smoked and cured meats and fine cheese boards, and I went a bit crazy adding a small serving of cream of mushroom soup. For our mains, we both opted for the Penne Bolognese which perfectly balanced lamb, tomato, carrot, onion, garlic, and parmigiano flavours delivered on the freshest penne Ive had yet on Vancouver Island. Afterward, I would have surely opted for dessert, but by then it was clear that I had gotten a little too carried away with the bread and butter in the early stages of our night. If you have the chance to go to Cafe Brio you must. I cant recommend it highly enough! Such a wonderful atmosphere and experience.

We had the beet salad and cheese board, gnocchi and fish special, and sticky toffee pudding. The meal was excellent. We didnt have a reservation but we were able to sit at the bar which was actually very nice. The bartender served us and did a great job.

Our favourite Greek place. Good prices and great food. Also the female server who works there is wicked awesome.

Lamb was amazing . Fish and carbonara pasta were a bit too salty, but creme brulee was lovely. Really enjoyed 1/2 plate options for lighter fare or mix and match. Bread was delicious and bountiful. The staff was the best, attentive and friendly, offering delightful suggestions Will go again Thanks Cafe Brio staff PS loved that it is open late Dietary restrictions: Staff was quick to offer modifications ,or other dishes for food restrictions

One of the best ever.

Amber gave us some great tips and we loved our meal. All available in 1/2 portions so you can mix entres. Brilliant. 1/2 portions are huge. Great find for us.

The contorni plate is a whole vegetarian restaurant to herself. I would have it over and over and over again, and will probably do.

Open 4 days a week Wednesday - Saturday, has an old world ambiance and charm, with great food, mostly locally sourced, some fusion dishes with a Thai slant, and attentive service. Booking a table is only by phone request. Worth more visits.

Amazing service!! Portion sizes are small, so order more than you think you need. You won t regret it.

My partner & I had dinner. The scallops & duck breast was so amazing! We were wishing the scallop portion was 4 rather than 3. Food, drinks and staff were great.

I found that the waitress took a little too long coming to the table to take food/dessert orders, but it was busy. Lovely restaurant, delicious food.

Less than welcoming reception... And when you book 3 weeks in advance it would be nice to get some acknowledgement that you are being kept waiting for half an hour.

We went for a small company Christmas meal. Excellent food and atmosphere with a waiter who was extremely knowledgeable and chill.

It s been a while since I ve been here but I was impressed when I came here. Everything was quality and well presented not to mention tasted amazing.

Great service fun atmosphere

Delicious dinner, our table got a variety of mains and desserts, super friendly and helpful staff.

2nd time visit to the restaurant, and all of us agreed the ribeye steak was one of the best weve ever had! Absolutely delicious meal and we saw Dr. Bonnie Henry - perfect night!

The salmon was dreamy perfection, the risotto was just right, and the house made chocolate ice cream was a delightful end to a nice night out. Great service and good ambiance even if it was a bit loud ( Im a little... extra sensitive to noise so your experience might be different)

While visiting my son in Victoria, we enjoyed the best meal ever at the wonderful restaurant. The waitress was super knowledgeable about the food and history of the place and was so helpful. The Parsnip soup is off the scale delicious as were the mains of duck ,steak, and fresh cod. You can order half dinners for a sampling. Cool vibe from start to finish.

Fabulous evening. Peggy, our server (She was so much More!!) Was knowledgeable, paid attention to every detail, lots of fun and all around fantastic. I love the ambience at Cafe Brio and did not find it too loud. And the food was superb. Order the pate!! Fish was excellent and cooked to perfection. Pasta very good, exactly what I was looking for. And the Stcky pud and Creme Bruise to die for. Excellent selection of wines. Cocktails very very good and different to what you would find at other establishments. If I could, I would give a 12 / 10.

I can t believe I just discovered this restaurant From from service to the food absolutely amazing Can t wait to come back

Entering Café Brio is walking through two beautiful gates and into a comfortable European-style foodie paradise. They found myself and my date a table despite not having a reservation (my other plans nearby had a mishap), and even though our server apologized about wait times because they were down a chef in the middle of a dinner rush, incredible food kept pouring out of the kitchen on time and delicious. I like to order in courses, they offer appetizer sized meal portions so I can try lots of things: I was driving and instead of water or sodas, the bartender made up some fun mocktails for me to try (lemon, lime spicy jalapeño mocktini!) To start: pomme frites that were hot and lightly salted. First course: I ordered the rockfish which was light, buttery and gorgeously paired with leek puree, Second course: The braised duck with spring vegetables that absolutely melted in the mouth. Third course: Penne bolognese which was just a gorgeous way to end a meal with a rich meat sauce with parm. Dessert was a gorgeous chocolate ice cream and biscotti. The atmosphere was exactly as I remembered it. Im so glad this gem of a restaurant didnt disappear. My review doesnt give the food justice, and if you have any sense youll try this place out at least once, if youre like me, it will fast become a favourite. Cheers

Always happy to eat here; however, it may be that the new chef doesn t quite get the concept of 1/2 portion, perhaps confusing it with an amuse-bouche: a microscopic portion of about 5 gnocchi and 1 mushroom appeared at the table, so tiny as to be almost funny. In the past, it was possible to put together a delicious full meal with two different 1/2 portions a uniquely Brio experience I always thought, and one of the attractions.

Amazing food and incredible service. Tonight was our first night trying this local spot. The wine list is great and the menu gives you so many options. Half orders, veggie, meat, fish. What we tried was absolutely delicious. Jason looked after us and never once made us feel rushed though very attentive. 5 star spot. Go. You wont regret it.

A really charming place, with very good service (James), and excellent food. We would be happy to come back if the situation arises.

Really enjoyed the food, great staff. Very popular place. Definitely recommended.

Rarely does the front of house and the back of house mutually exceed expectations but cafe brio did both. Initially there was a slight mix up with our reservation but the host who was also the owner of this incredible establishment went above and beyond to correct the misunderstanding. The food was phenomenal, the drinks phenomenal l, and the customer service was also phenomenal! The owners, husband and wife, take great pride in their work, the restaurant, and their staff. One of the owners, the better half aka the wife of this dynamic duo, also one of the servers, told us beautiful stories of where the locally sourced food came from and the inspiration behind this beautiful restaurant which is as lovely outside as it is inside. It s best to reserve your meal weeks in advance as this restaurant has a large following of customers that are treated as family when they walk through the door by the owners themselves. We are hoping to become apart of this family as cafe brio has now become my favourite restaurant in Victoria for their full service in all areas! We definitely give cafe brio five stars and would give more if we could!

I was there for a private function last night and all I can say is WOW The moment we arrived I felt I was almost family with the very warm and welcoming reception. The kitchen did a fabulous job, the presentation and taste was incredible. The servers were attentive and seemed to be able to anticipate when they were needed. The cocktails were also very delicious. It was more than a great meal it was a great experience. Thank you Cafe Brio.

Our B&B recommended Cafe Brio and made us a reso - were glad we went with her advice because it was a really beautiful meal. The owner was in and the place had the hum that it has when the owner is active in the room. Our server was friendly and professional, wine recommendations were spot on, and even though they had some staffing issues (like everyone) service and food were excellent. We had the asparagus & stuffed morels which was sublime (I do love a poached egg) and the pasta and steak we followed with were also excellent. Will return for sure.

Reservations recommended. Went with the brio family style shared dinner @ $67 per person, chef s choice, 6 dishes overall. Since it s random, I ll speak to what we were served: clam chowder cup (meh, soup on the lighter side, New England style). Romaine lettuce salad (ok, garnished with crumbs, garlic, sharp cheese) charcuterie board with pate (good), bresaola (good) rabbit terrine (delicious) sausage (good). Mains: gnocchi (good) duck with beets (yum) fish with pancetta(?) and fingerling potatoes (yum). Party of 4 + bottle of wine = $380 not including tips. Overall, I d stick with ordering charcuterie + individual mains, though the variety was nice. Service our waitress was good though didn t bring the requested balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Food was delicious. Service fabulous. Will eat there again when we visit Victoria again. Highly recommend.

The fella with the long hair (waiter or host?) was rude and dismissive. Really disappointing.

Excellent food and excellent service. One of my favourite restaurants.

Delicious! A hidden gem with sincere authentic service- no scripts here! Love the 1/2 portion option, the ambience and creative dishes. My favourite place!

The food and service was great but when the owner asked us to vacate because there were people waiting, that spoiled the evening. We dropped $500 for a party of 6 and were there for an extended period of time because my wifes glass of wine arrived after we had completed our dessert.

I was so excited to hear Chef Sam Harris was taking over as Head Chef at this beautiful little spot. The menu is simple and sophisticated at the same time... everything is perfectly cook and the ambiance is wonderful. This has to be one of the best dining experiences in the city! Put it at the top of your list, I promise you wont be disappointed.

Servers were great. Unfortunately food took over an hour and a half. Only to receive our cold plates once my guest asked a hostess if the order had actually been placed. Returned cold food payed billed departed

Great food, experience, staff. We were sad that we were stuck in the corner with the wooden wall blocking our view of the beatiful paintings and restaurant

We were served by Peggy. She was amazing! Her service, humour and knowledge of wine was spot on! We were a group of 8 and were on a time crunch, which wasnt a problem at all. We had fast and efficient service from all the staff. The food was delicious and I loved that you could have half portions, so we got to try more. They have excellent cocktails, unique and delicious recipes. I wish we could have lingered longer for dessert.

Inventive Cocktails. Delicious food. Perfect wine pairings. Efficient friendly staff and more wine pairing. A lovely night was had by all who could get a table.

This restaurant has excellent food and service. You feel like youre in a true classic family setting. We had the Chefs family style dinner which was excellent value! Highly recommended!

Loved the family style dinner and the service was excellent.

We were visiting Victoria , and after a recommendation we made reservations for 730pm two weeks prior to the date. Upon arrival, we were sat very close to a party of 4. To be fair, most of the other tables appeared to be appropriately spaced, but ours was not. Our server gave us water but no introduction or any info on specials. We ordered a few of the house-made meats/terrines with pickles and mustard, which were nice. My partner tried to order a spirit listed on the drink menu, the server came back and told us they didn t actually have any of it, which was a shame. We then ordered a bottle of wine to have with our mains which took a little bit of time to arrive. It was a cold bottle of white on a mid-August evening -perfect- but no chiller on the table! Especially weird when the table beside us had a bottle of red our server gave the table next to us in a bucket on ice. We did eventually ask one of the bussers for a wine chiller, which came promptly, but was surprised this wasn t standard. We shared half orders of 3 entrees. The squid fettuccine was tasty other than the noodles being quite over cooked. The halibut was nice as well, but again, a touch overdone. No complaints about the scallops and pork jowels, it was delicious. I probably would have liked a polenta that wasn t quite as runny but otherwise the dish was near perfect. We wanted to order dessert but ended up deciding to go for ice cream elsewhere after waiting a while for our server to come back and take our order. I don t think she was a bad server, but I do think she had too many tables and seemed pretty flustered the few times she did check in with us. I understand staffing issues are brutal right now, but perhaps closing off tables might be an option for the restaurant moving forward when they aren t able to maintain a high standard of food or service. Based on our experience, I wouldn t recommend the restaurant and won t be back again.

Had the most wonderful anniversary dinner here tonight. The staff were delightful, the environment was beautiful and the food was exquisite. Thank you all for such a wonderful dinner.

Friendly staff, the server was new (only worked there 3 years) and she was delightful, most of the staff have been there 10+ years. The owner made the evening even better. Many guest were local but we were made to feel like we were family. One of the best meals we have ever had.....a must if you are in Victoria.

Decades of great service. Amazing art, dedicated and friendly staff, kid-friendly, and most importantly, DELICIOUS. The spot to go for dinner in Vic.

What an amazing dinner we had! The food was delicious and the service was great. The best meal we ve had in Victoria.

Contorni veggies excellent

Wow! I went to Cafe Brio with my family for dinner and I highly recommend it! The food was amazing, the staff was incredible, and the environment was great. Highly recommend this yummy local spot.

Good food good service

Wonderful food and owner. Had the Beet salad, the Contorni, Tomato Salad, Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto, and Lamb feature (4 types). Superb for 2 people.

Last night was the first time experiencing Cafe Brio. I had read some very positive reviews of both food and service. A server named Peggy was mentioned in many reviews and we were fortunate enough to also have Peggy assist us with our delicious choices from perfect wine, meal courses and dessert. What an incredible experience! We will certainly be returning here. Thank you.

Amazing food and impressive service!

Returned after a bit of a hiatus, and found everything as good or better. Knowledgeable, friendly staff working as a professional team, with a varied menu and wine list. The two of us shared 3 dishes and each choice was bursting with flavour and originality - creative extensions of old favourites. Still one of the top dining spots in the city. Bravo.

Amazing service and food. Highly recommend!!

Staff and atmosphere was great - semi formal. Would like to see the prices a bit lower considering the portions are quite small. The wine selection and pasta were quite bleak. The taste was good - but definitely could add more selection to the menu.

Excellent staff. Superb atmosphere and aesthetic. Perhaps some of the best food in the city, however you should go somewhere else if you want to eat a normal amount of food for a hundred dollars plus. Extremely small portions for a similar price you d get elsewhere - and leave feeling satisfied. 6/10 Lower the prices or up the portions. Preferably the latter. Probably won t be coming back unless I win the lottery.

Amazing atmosphere, fantastic service, but the real prize is the cooking. Best farm to table(and only true one at that) in the city.

Absolutely incredible meal - from service, to atmosphere, to quality of the fare. We had the lamb, fish of the day, steak, and cured meats (which are made in house), and cheeses. Everything was fresh, well balanced, and very flavourful. One of our new favourite staples in Victoria

Cafe Brio is an exceptional place with 5 star food, staff, atmosphere and overall experience. You wont find a more passionate team of people who truly care about your dining experience and the food theyre serving you. A place like this is truly hard to find these days and wont be beat here in Victoria. The best dining experience you will ever have in Victoria. Thank you!

We have not been to Cafe Brio for quite a while for a number of reasons (ours, not theirs) but decided to go tonight and an excellent decision it was. From our arrival where were greeted by Greg who still remembered where we usually sat to our server whose name, unfortunately, we dont know but had served us many times before and has been working there for 25 years we felt very welcomed.

We went to Cafe Brio on a busy Saturday night for my husbands birthday. Making a reservation is recommended especially on the weekend. We sat near the front door in a separate little balcony. Doors to outside were closed and I think heat was on, and it was not as loud as inside. We didnt love the music inside either so it worked out. Service was good but pretty slow, our server was very polite and nice. Ordered 3 glasses of wine, one kind of cheese, one chicken liver pate, half order of duck breast, beet salad, and full order of cod. Duck breast was very good. Cream brulee was as expected, nothing special. Portions are not very large. Glad we had a gift certificate to cover most of the bill, otherwise not our first choice fine restaurant.

This place was great. The atmosphere perfect. The bartender was friendly and made my friend a custom drink. The boards are delicious the duck with the Brie and quince jelly was a 10/10 combo. My only regret was not getting the bartender s name to put in the review because he was both authentic and kind.

Definitely one of the most professional cooking experiences in Victoria, if you are looking to get more than just a meal, Cafe Brio is fine cuisine as good as it gets in this city Parking: Street parking

Love that you can order 1/2 portions

Last night enjoyed one of the best dinners Ive had in years. Beautiful decor, friendly and attentive service and a delicious menu. I love the half portion options so I could enjoy 4 courses!

Lovely little area where the 4 of us sat. Nice and private. Food was delicious. The truffles were very filling too

We had our corporate Christmas party here this past Friday and had an unbelievable experience! Greg and his team were all extremely friendly and accommodating. The food was outstanding, especially considering they were serving 40 guests at once. The atmosphere was lively enough for a party, but quiet enough you could still hold a conversation. Amazing experience overall! Thank you, Greg and team!

I love Cafe Brio. The food is excellent and half portions are an option which is great if you are a light eater or want to order appetizers along with your main. The service here is authentic. No one is asking what your plans are for the night as they pass the debit machine to you. The staff are total pros. I would recommend having them put a charcuterie plate together for you. They cure the meat on site and its exceptional! Enjoy!