Zanzibar

It was our first time visiting and were so pleased. We ordered the smoked salmon Benny and the classic breakfast. You could tell the kitchen staff really cared by the attention to detail and excellent garnishing. All this for a good price. Highly recommended.

Caesar salad was basically pureed anchovies drizzled over three romaine heart leaves with a couple of anchovy fillets laid over top and a big pile of romano shavings piled on. My lamburger was raw in the middle. the waitress was very nice but never came back to check on the food.

Good service, great food, «rustic» atmosphere. Really surprising there aren’t more reviews for this place. Had the English breakfast platter, and my s/​o had something with poached eggs and vegetables. Both dishes were great, she said the poached egg was exactly the right consistency. Drip coffee was kinda bland but the cappuccino was very good.

Great for every meal of the day. Kid friendly with colouring books, puzzles and reading books. The entire staff from front to back was kind, attentive and concerned about my tables well being. Good job all around. My in laws could not stop talking about the food. Loved it! A big recommendation. Reservations help. But not necessary.

We’ve eaten here before and were looking forward to returning on this visit to Brentwood Bay. What a disappointment. Both our lamb burgers came raw inside. My wife sent hers back but since I had already started mine, I decided to finish mine. A few minutes later, my wife’s burger was returned, same patty, just reheated. For desert, I ordered the Crème brûlée which was cold… plainly just taken out of the fridge. When the bill came, there was no apology or compensation for the uncooked food.

We were a little unsure about having breakfast at a place called Zanzibar… but it was fantastic. The casual atmosphere was relaxing. Their entrees with poached eggs were perfectly cooked. All too often, the simple things are overlooked, but not here.
We will definitely return!

The staff and owner at Zanzibar are friendly and helpful. Nice to find a sweet place like Z tucked into Brentwood. Every time we go there’s a crowd. They make a great Americano! The food is delicious. Sometimes a little over my budget but hey, it’s worth the treat. I like the lunch menu: paninis, salads, soups and curry. The dessert selection was meager and not great tasting… but, dessert is not important for me. And, the only other issue I have is that they spread «margarine» on the toast with breakfast so do remember to ask for butter. The reason is, according to the server, that it’s for the vegans. Hmmm… I would think there were still more «carnies» than vegans… and I must have butter on my toast and cream in my coffee. I am sure the vegans could ask for marg! Thank God they don’t serve soy milk with the coffee. It’s a great place to eat, intimate, homey, casual and friendly. We will be back!
UPDATE: just found out they use margarine in all their bakery items… DARN…we don’t eat margarine… only butter. But, other food is great. Maybe someday they and others will quit using yucky margarine!

Unpretentious place with super friendly service.
Yummy. Baked brie, fresh clams and butternut squash ravioli made a very pleasant meal.
Added a local Meritage and finished off with espresso.
(Work) Life is good.

I can’t imagine there is a better restaurant anywhere near here. The food was complex, cosmopolitan, excellent and interesting. Our server couldn’t have been more attentive or helpful in getting the kitchen to prepare something special for our children (her idea, not ours). Or more complex, cosmopolitan, excellent and interesting (tall, slender, red hair, strong features). But I digress. Some really really great food. Restaurant is in a quiet property in a country road. An unexpected pleasure.

Charming and funky with lovely outdoor seating and great food. This is a great little gem. We stay in Brentwood Bay when we come to Victoria, and I look forward to frequenting this place on future vacations.

Wonderful evening, sophisticated menu, excellent food … and superb service (especially, if Jennifer is your waitress).
There was a bit of a miscommunication among our friends, so we arrived ½ an hour earlier than we were supposed to. Jennifer didn’t bat an eye, just sat us down and served drinks, appetizers and bread as if there was no problem whatsoever.
Eventually we were a party of 10 and everybody got their food sizzling hot, and everybody was happy with their choice.

— charming atmosphere, cozy and funky at once — I was initially a little off-​put, but the charm just poured off of this place
— amazing menu with lots of selection for persons with dietary limitations (I have none, but guests of mine did)
— terrific hosts and knowledgeable staff — our questions were answered brilliantly… customer service in this venue is top notch
— a bit of a hike from town, but well worth it — take a designated driver and enjoy your glass of wine
— odd bathroom location is my only negative observation… but they’re working well with what they’ve got there, so I won’t complain

We were headed back from Victoria to take the ferry from Swartz Bay back to Vancouver and we decided we wanted to check out the Butchart Gardens and the Butterfly Gardens. We were blown away at how expensive the Butchart Gardens were, so we skipped that and instead enjoyed the butterflies. When we were done, we were ready for lunch and asked for a recommendation for someplace between the Butterfly Gardens and the ferry. The nice girl at the counter immediately directed us to Zanzibar.
Zanzibar was wholly unexpected, but in a good way. We came there not expecting much, but the menu had lots of great, tasty-​sounding options and was reasonably priced (for Victoria, anyway). And, best of all, the actual food we ordered tasted great.
If you are heading to the ferries or just find yourself in the area, this place is worth the detour.

Almost feels like eating at camp only the food is worlds better. Among the top restaurants in Brentwood Bay now that Bistro Cache is no more. Always busy at lunch so get there early.

Situated on the edge of the village, in a beautiful spot surrounded by gardens, Zanzibar is conveniently located en route to the ferries, Butchart Gardens and the Airport. Chef Mohamed Dehairi has found the ideal location to continue to serve locals and visitors the superb fare that made Quattro Stagione an institution on the Peninsula. Zanzibar preserves the taste and value clients have come to expect, with some refreshing changes and seasonal lunch and dinner menus.
There were 6 of us there for lunch and we all had something different and each one was perfection. Will we go back there again? You bet your boots
and by the way our server Rowen was top notch
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