The Market Garden — Restaurant in Victoria

As a newcomer to Victoria, I’ve been loving every opportunity to explore the city, and The Market Garden at 810 Catherine St is easily one of my favourite discoveries so far. The moment I stepped inside, I felt like I had entered a treasure trove of incredible finds, each section offering something special. The fresh produce section is stocked with beautiful, organic, and GMO-free fruits and vegetables, all displayed without plastic packaging, which I really appreciate. Nearby, shelves are lined with an impressive selection of gourmet foodstuffs—artisan crackers, jams, chutneys, pickles, and pastas, all so beautifully packaged that I wanted to take one of everything home.

Wandering further, I found a section dedicated to chilled and frozen goods, including fresh seafood, local sausages, and an array of organic and vegan options. Then there’s the bulk spice and dried herb section—an absolute dream for anyone who loves to cook. Each spice is neatly stored in glass jars, making it easy to find exactly what you need. But the highlight for me was the room full of soap and personal care products. The scent was absolutely intoxicating, and I could have stayed there for hours just soaking it all in. They carry organic makeup and natural household cleaning products too, which fits right in with the store’s eco-friendly vibe.

Beyond food and personal care, The Market Garden also offers an array of household items and décor, from rustic furniture to organic linens and unique tableware. I even stumbled upon specialty sections like the Chocolate Room, a Cheese Counter, and a Conservas area with beautifully curated selections. And as if the shopping experience wasn’t already magical enough, a grand piano sits in the middle of the store, with live music performances on weekends.

It’s rare to find a place that makes grocery shopping feel like an adventure, but The Market Garden does just that. I could have spent hours wandering through the aisles, discovering new things at every turn. If you’re in Victoria and love exploring unique, well-stocked markets, this is one spot you absolutely...

If you are looking for a unique market that carries Mediterranean, Greek, Italian and other European specialty foods…or you just want a feast for your eyes and nose…then tour thru this multi roomed market and find a special treat,luxurious nougats, delicious breads, pastas galore, spices, fresh cheeses, imported tinned seafoods, including herring, sardines , scallops, and squid, to name a few of those delicacies. Browse thru each shelf lined room to discover all the hot chocolates you never knew existed, then coffees, and teas, olive oils, pastas, sauces, condiments, chocolates in every format, marzipans, baquettes, pretzels, and buns and breads and don’t forget the No Alcohol wine cellar. In fact you could complete all of your shopping here for any holiday or birthday gift that you needed. It has good hours, 8:00 am-8:00 pm, moderate parking and super friendly staff. What are you waiting for? Take your out of town guests or plan a special meal and go buy your truffle risotto , ready to make for your guests. Lots of frozen meats, specialty ice creams, and fresh vegetables and fresh herbs..and jarred dried spices, all in one fun market. Oh, I forgot to mention soaps a hand and body creams and other beautiful skin products. I’m sure I missed many many products as it was my first visit there today. What a treat…I’ll be bringing my...

Really love the live piano player; and the variety of fresh and packaged items at the Market Garden. Without fail, when other tea shops have been out of pu'erh, the Market Garden has been stocked, and stocked with fine quality tea. We enjoy the labyrinth nature of the market's set-up, as each aisle and recess holds surprises and fine quality items to explore and learn about. We have also witnessed a kinship and genuine friendliness among some of the regulars and staff.

If deli meats and cheeses are of interest to you, then you have to visit the market as there is a vastness and a great variety to the stock, that no other place in Victoria can rival. Fine chocolate, pasta, whole vanilla beans, specialty produce, vegan items from the freezer section, cookies, special crackers and tea, are just a fraction of the items that we enjoy sourcing the market. (During the Christmas season the list of enjoyed items easily doubles.) There is a sit-down area, and a personal items / housewares area that we will be returning to more fully explore, and we find that parking is always available and store hours are reasonable. It is a joy when we get to...