Off The Eaten Track

12/07/2024

Victoria is a great place to spend the holidays! Thank you to Forbes for giving us a mention!

This charming community on Vancouver Island has a whole lot going on during the merriest season. Here are a few highlights that might prompt you to book a trip to Canada.

12/04/2024

Where are my sauceaholics at?

If you're like me, your fridge door is a chaotic explosion of sauces that you just can't help but add to every dish. Boring eggs? Add sauce. Mediocre hummus? Add sauce.

In lieu of the recently published list of "sauces worth flying for" by enRoute magazine here are our list of Top 10 must try sauces made right here in Victoria, BC.

In no particular order:
💥 The Chickpea Ginger Miso from Green Cuisine
💥 Green Sauce from The Root Cellar
💥 The Chive & Salt Koji from Cozy Koji
💥 The Crack Dressing from Elk & Tide
💥 That Other Sauce by Wandering Mollusk
💥 Chili Oil from Dumpling Drop
💥 The Habanero Rhubarb hot sauce from Spice Bae
💥 The Vancouver Island Gold BBQ Sauce from Island Chef Pepper Co
💥 The Umami Bomb sauce from Vumami Foods
💥 Mole from Maiiz Nixtamal

All of these would make a wonderful gift for any foodie in your life! We carry a few of them at our shop at 470 Belleville Street 📍

12/03/2024

We are so excited to share that we have partnered with Victoria Hospitals Foundation to bring you a very special foodie box called "A Taste of the Island."

$5 from the sale of every box goes towards the Victoria Hospitals Foundation that uses their donated funds for medical equipment, special projects, education, and research.

The Victoria Hospitals Foundation works in partnership with Island Health to enable donations to every area of care at Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria General Hospital, and the Gorge Road Health Centre.

Take home a taste of the Island with the proceeds going to a good cause! This small but mighty box contains goodies from Vancouver Island companies such as:

The Mustard Lady (Comox)
Terrible Truffles (Victoria)
Murchies Tea Shop (Victoria)
Country Bee Honey Farm (Saanich)
Jenny Marie's Cracker Company (Victoria)
St. Jeans Cannery (Nanaimo)
Vancouver Island Salt Co (Black Creek)
WildLife Illustration Co (Tofino)

The box can be purchased & picked up at our office/gift shop at 470 Belleville Street.

To learn more about The Victoria Hospitals Foundation, visit their website at www.victoriahf.ca

11/30/2024

🎅5 Holiday activities to get you in the festive mood this weekend 🎅

🎄Winterfest at Royal BC Museum: NOV 30-DEC 01 - food, warm drinks, multicultural performances, and local vendors! Plus it's free to attend ❄️
📍At the Royal BC Museum

🎄Out Of Hand Modern Market: NOV 29-DEC 01 - Victoria's largest winter craft market featuring 100 BC artists - general admission $10.50
📍At Crystal Garden Conference Centre

🎄Gingerbread Showcase: NOV 22- JAN 05 - last year raised over $106K - ogle at the magnificent creations and vote/donate for your favorite 🏚
📍At the Hotel Grand Pacific

🎄Santa Claus Parade: NOV 30 5pm-7pm - Line-up along Douglas Street and catch a glimpse of the big guy in all his glory!
📍Starts at Government & Belleville and ends at the Victoria Public Market.

🎄Cozy Christmas Food Tour: NOV 22-DEC 31 - join us on a 2-hour walking tour of downtown Victoria to eat holiday treats from seven local businesses 🍗
📍Tour starts at 470 Belleville Street (Steamship Terminal Building)

11/28/2024

Dear American Guests....

Did you know the Canadian dollar is at a record low? If you've been considering a trip to Victoria, here are five more great reasons to visit during the "off-season."

1️⃣ Less Crowds - now you can get that perfect Fan Tan Alley picture all to yourself!
2️⃣ Get Festive - there are tons of things to do over the holiday season to get in the spirit including markets, parades, light shows, and of course awesome comfort food.
3️⃣ West Coast Weather - we're not as wet as you think - Victoria is one of the top 10 sunniest cities in Canada ☀️
4️⃣ Food Festivals - We have some very awesome food festivals in the winter that are worth making the trip for - Dine Around Victoria (January), The Hot Chocolate Festival (February), Culinaire (Feb 26), and Victoria Craft Beer Week (March) just to name a few!
5️⃣Deals - there are usually awesome deals to be had with hotels, attractions, and activities in the slower season - and don't forget your💲goes a LOT further here.

So happy American Thanksgiving and please do consider visiting us soon!

11/27/2024

Victoria's harbor has some moody vibes today ☁️

11/27/2024

We have some last minute tickets left for this afternoon's Cozy Christmas Tour starting at 1:30pm today! - https://offtheeatentracktours.ca/cozy-christmas-food-tour/

Hoping to be out and about? Try your hand at Dino-themed trivia, take a date out on a Christmas edition food tour, or give drag bingo a try.

11/25/2024

🎁 Top 10 Victoria Shops to find the perfect gift for a foodie 🎁

1. Tuscan Kitchen - dreaming of going to Italy? Head to this shop instead and grab dreamy Italian goods like beautiful dishes, olive oils, spices, and of course panettone!
📍653 View Street

2. Root Cellar - Who couldn’t want to wake up with Green Sauce under the tree? They carry a ton of great local foodie items and we love their cute totes.
📍Various Locations

3. Murchie’s Tea & Coffee - pick-up some tea or tea-related items in this cute shop and don’t forget to grab a snack while you are there!
📍1110 Government Street

4. Russell Books - a huge selection of cookbooks, both new and used. We have our eye on the new CRUST BAKERY book.
📍747 Fort Street

5. Victoria Olive Oil Co - the go-to shop for beautiful gift baskets and of course unique olive oils and vinegar.
📍619 Broughton Street

6. The Market Garden - a food-lovers dream shop - we could spend a small fortune here, especially in the tinned fish section.
📍810 Catherine Street

7. The Farmer’s Daughter - Love cheese and cheese paraphernalia? Then you’ll love this shop in downtown Sidney.
📍2360 Beacon Ave

8. Whisk Victoria - They have a huge collection of hard to find kitchen gadgets and the cutest tea towels in town.
📍1701 Douglas Street - Victoria Public Market

9. Vessel Liquor Store - they have a huge selection of local beer, wine, and spirits plus a great selection of non-alcoholic beverages.
📍1609 Fort Street

10. Off The Eaten Track - visit our office/gift shop to get some great locally made foodie bits like jam, sauces, salt, crackers, seafood, holiday cards, and more. Or - purchase a gift card to be used towards one of our food tours!
📍470 Belleville Street

11/24/2024

Some great ideas of what to do in Victoria not just this weekend but for the holiday season including our Cozy Christmas Food Tour!

If you've got some time off and are itching to fill your days with wonder and magic, then we've got the perfect list of fun-filled events for you.

11/23/2024

⏳Our biggest sale of the year is less than a week away -sale starts at 6am on NOV 29th and last until midnight on DEC 01⏳

30% OFF all gift certificates and gift cards🍴

Why give a food tour?
💥Experiences are a great gift alternative to "stuff."
💥 Support multiple local small businesses - not just us but also family-owned restaurants.
💥No need to leave the house to shop - just purchase online and download our printable templates to send via email or in person.
💥Not just for foodies - our tours also celebrate history, stories, and Victoria architecture.

So save the date and consider purchasing a tour experience as a fun, festive, and delicious gift for that special someone.

For more information about our gift certificates and gift cards visit our website:
👉https://offtheeatentracktours.ca/gift-certificates/

11/21/2024

Looking for an easy, affordable, and festive activity to celebrate with your office, extended family, or awesome friends group? Treat yourselves to a PRIVATE Cozy Christmas Food Tour ✨

Book a private tour with us and get perks like:
🍴 Flexible tour timing to suit your busy schedule
🍴 Private guide to capture and create joyful memories
🍴Bonus holiday prizes for fun festive foodie quiz
🍴Access to our Eat & Shop Like a Local Discount Card

This holiday-inspired tour is perfect for groups between 6-16 and the price is inclusive of all of the food, drinks, taxes, and gratuities so no hidden costs! Have guests that have some food allergies? No problem! Got some vegetarians in your crew? Easy!

Don't delay, our Cozy Christmas Food Tour is only available NOV 22nd until DEC 31st!

To book a private tour either give us a call at 778-918-4584 or visit our website:
👉 https://offtheeatentracktours.ca/private-custom-tours/

10/21/2024

Captured a few candid photos from our first ever Bites & Frights Ghostly Foodie Tour last night 🎑

Thank you to all who joined us and tour our awesome foodie tour partners .nixtamal .vic and

We hope to do it again next year ⏳

10/17/2024

👻🍴 Get ready for a spine-tingling foodie adventure this Sunday, October 20th, with our Bites & Frights Ghostly Foodie Tour! 🍴👻

Explore five incredible local spots while indulging in hauntingly delicious bites. Here’s a taste of what’s in store:
Sip a cozy hot chocolate from Green Cuisine
Savor one of BC’s best tacos at Maiiz Nixtamal
Discover the demon-inspired Onigiri at Oni Oni
Feast on local dishes at Wind Cries Mary
And end with a sweet treat from the iconic Rogers' Chocolates.

PLUS, you’ll get your dose of thrills with chilling tales from Chris Adams of the local Ghostly Walks Tour. 👻

Join us for 2 hours of foodie fun and ghostly stories! Tickets are going fast—grab yours now: bitesandfrightstour.eventbrite.ca

10/12/2024

What a sky last night

10/11/2024

Meet your two hosts for the upcoming OCT 20 Bites & Frights Ghostly Foodie Tour 🎃👻

Chris Adams from Ghostly Walks will thrill and chill our guests with eerie stories of the most famous haunted sites in Victoria. Since 1999, Ghostly Walks has been telling spooky stories and entertaining guests with their incredible historic knowledge and tales from Victoria's gory past 😱

Bonnie is the owner and founder of Off The Eaten Track and loves to showcase the unique culinary culture of Victoria. She has curated five delicious local foodie stops for the tour with some very tasty bites including Green Cuisine, Maiiz Nixtamal, Oni Oni, Wind Cries Mary, and Rogers' Chocolates.

Oh, and the handsome fella in the middle is Steve.

We both look forward to sharing our stories, expertise, and passion with our guests on OCT 20 - Bites & Frights Ghostly Foodie Tour. Tickets are limited and can be purchased here: https://bitesandfrightstour.eventbrite.ca

10/08/2024

Prepare for an afternoon of eerie encounters and culinary delights with the Bites & Frights Ghostly Foodie Tour, happening 3pm-5pm on October 20, 2024. Hosted by Ghostly Walks and The Eaten Track , this exclusive two-hour walking tour blends spine-chilling ghost stories with delicious local food, creating a one-of-a-kind experience that is sure to thrill both haunted enthusiasts and food lovers alike.

Guests will explore the haunted history of Victoria while strolling through the streets of Chinatown, Old Town, and Downtown, guided by expert storytellers from Ghostly Walks. Along the way, participants will visit some of the city's most famous haunted sites, where they'll hear the legends of restless spirits and mysterious happenings.

But that’s not all—between ghostly encounters, participants will indulge in tasty bites at five foodie destinations curated by Victoria’s oldest food tour company, Off The Eaten Track. Stops include Green Cuisine, Maiiz Nixtamal, Oni Oni, Wind Cries Mary, and Rogers’ Chocolates, the most haunted chocolate shop in Canada! A delicious way to get to know some local favorites and new hidden gems.

Tickets and more info found here: https://bitesandfrightstour.eventbrite.ca

10/04/2024

Look who got a shout-out in Forbes Magazine 👀

Check out this great list of "unforgettable ways to explore Victoria" with mentions of awesome companies:
Kelp Reef Adventures
Discover the Past
Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours
Orca Spirit Adventures
Prince of Whales Whale Watching
SpringTide Whale Watching & Eco Tours
Pedego Electric Bikes Victoria
The Pedaler

Check out this great article to read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2024/10/03/6-unforgettable-ways-to-explore-victoria-british-columbia/

10/04/2024

We had the pleasure of hosting a great group of Aussie travel agents on our Sip, Savor, Stroll Evening Tour last night 🌃

Thanks to our tour partners and for making the night so deliciously memorable 🍸