Sidney Culinary Guide — Holiday Edition
Due to the recent storms making travel difficult, I decided to go on a culinary adventure in my own backyard—which just so happens to be the beautiful town of Sidney, a community that knows how to get in the holiday spirit! Strolling along Beacon Street feels like you have stepped into a romantic Christmas Hallmark movie set. You know the one: featuring a small town that is decorated almost too perfectly with lights strung everywhere, a wreath hanging on every light, and small quaint shops with impeccable window displays. Well, that describes downtown Sidney this time of year, and it couldn’t be more delightful. I was on a mission to get festive and spent a day eating, drinking, and making merry in this picture-perfect community. Here is Edible Vancouver Island’s guide to Sidney—the holiday edition.
The Farmer’s Daughter
2360 Beacon Ave
You can’t have Christmas without some decadent cheese, and The Farmer’s Daughter cheese collection is truly a gift. They carry over 100 unique cheeses, but one in particular stands out: the extremely rare and very seasonal Vacherin Mont D’or. It is a soft cow’s milk wrapped in a pine box, and although I have never tried it, owners Tom and Jessica assure me this is one of the most sought after cheeses out there. This beauty hails from Switzerland and is made from the winter milk of the same cows that produce Gruyere in the summer. The cheese is only available from October to April, and it sells out quickly. Due to supply chain delays, this epic cheese has yet to arrive this season, but Tom and Jessica are confident it will be here before Christmas. In the meantime, pick up any number of their take-home cheese kits like the beginner fondue kit, the Champagne and Cheese Pairing Box, or a holiday charcuterie platter.
Beacon Brewing
9829 Third Street
The paint has barely dried on this brand-new brewery, but they already have ambitious plans to launch a weekly seasonal holiday beer starting in December. I sat down at the beautiful wood bar and dove into a flight of their core beers featuring the winter flavours I’m craving this time of year. The Resistor Red ISA had those pine and citrus notes that are synonymous with West Coast hops; the Disconnect Dark Mild tasted of dark fruits and toffee, not unlike a well-made Christmas cake from Sidney Bakery (keep reading to hear about that!); and the Little Red Grisette had a hint of vanilla and just a touch of tartness—not to mention its gorgeous red colour from the addition of beets from local Silver Rill farm. Lastly, I enjoyed the Open Circuit Oatmeal Stout, because a hearty glass of beer with chocolate and coffee notes is exactly what I want on a rainy day.
Fickle Fig
1780 Mills Road
I suppose what makes this farm stand “fickle” is it’s ever-changing menu due to their focus on seasonality—and right now it’s the season for baked goods. Whether you are looking for a handmade panatone, gourmet shortbread cookies or a holiday Stollen, this bakery, cafe and farm stand does not disappoint. I was particularly enamoured with the gingerbread scones, baked fresh with huge chunks of candied ginger inside. Paired with any of their festive holiday drinks, a visit to this farm is worth your time. As an added bonus, Howl Brewing is attached, and they are about to release their Juleøl, a Norwegian winter solstice beer. Made by lining the mash tun with juniper branches, this beer has a gin-like characteristic. Yum.
Surly Mermaid
9851 Seaport Place
There are a lot of reasons to visit this extremely popular seaside restaurant, none of which are particularly distinctive to the holidays: the food is wonderful, the service is friendly and the view is lovely. But since this is a holiday list, I just happened to notice they have a seasonal cocktail on the menu that is decidedly festive. The Cranberry Mule contains muddled cranberries with lime and vodka and is topped with ginger beer. It’s light and refreshing and a great pick-me-up after a long day of shopping.
Sidney Bakery
2507 Beacon Ave
Stepping into the Sidney Bakery is like stepping back in time. One of the oldest bakeries in the Peninsula, they pride themselves on using some of the same recipes since 1944, including the fruit cake that only gets released at Christmas. I know, I know: how dare I suggest a fruit cake. But like the historic nature of the bakery, the history of this divisive dessert dates back to Roman times, a “cake” prized for its long-lasting shelf life that Romans brought with them to battle. If you truly can’t get excited about fruit cake (though you should), there are plenty of other delightful traditional holiday treats like mincemeat pies, sugar cookies, and—my favourite—their holiday pound cake.
Janet’s Special Teas
2451 A Beacon Ave
Janet Thompson loved drinking tea with her grandma, and tea has always been the go-to drink in her house. She moved to B.C. in 2005 and got a part-time job at a tea shop in Sidney, eventually taking ownership of the shop. Janet has created some very fun holiday tea blends such as German Gingerbread, Santa’s Milk and Cookies, Rooibos Cinnamon Bun Chai and Rooibos Winter Palace Marzipan. There is also a great selection of treats, cute teapots and more. Also, like most of Sidney, this shop is four-legged friendly, so bring your pooch!
Roost Bakery
9100 East Saanich Rd
Roost is mostly known for their popular bakery and cafe, but I highly suggest picking up a bottle of their wine for the holidays. Their Highland Bramble Blackberry Port would make a delightful after-dinner treat or a thoughtful gift. Uniquely, they use a traditional “solera” method most commonly found in Spain, a system of blending each bottle with a little bit of the port from previous harvests. I also love the 2019 Roost Estate Sparking Siegerrebe. All of the grapes come from their two-acre vineyard behind the bakery (about to increase to six acres) and is made in a “Pet-Nat” style, meaning the wine finishes its fermentation not in a tank or barrel, but in the bottle. It’s got a heavy nectarine nose with some nice light bubbles. This would pair very well with a nice charcuterie board—or, a decadent cheese from Switzerland.
Riva
2537 Beacon Ave #107
Of all the beautiful Italian dishes on the menu at Riva, it’s hard to believe I’m about to recommend the brussels sprouts. I noticed this dish tucked away in the Piccoli (small plates) section of the menu; I was intrigued by the addition of pistachios. Like most kids, I hated brussel sprouts on the holiday table, but as an adult, I have realized that you can really jazz this dish up. Riva has done a wonderful job of making this lowly vegetable sophisticated. The Cavoletti di Bruxelles starts with a pan of bacon lardon that renders down to get nice and crispy. They add shallots and pistachios, then a sweet red wine vinegar. A nob of butter and salt bring this creamy tangy sauce together, which they toss with the brussels sprouts and top with more crushed pistachios. Bellissima. They pair the dish with a nice crisp Pinot Grigio and a side of pillow soft focaccia bread they make fresh daily.
