L
ives are more hectic than they used to be, the pace of life no doubt keeping stride with the constant increase in societal and technological advances. This isn’t to say our forebearers didn’t have full and eventful times on this earth, but they probably didn’t know the chaos of trying to schedule work,
school, social life, family time, and exercise all in one day while still hoping for a few min-
utes to check Twitter in the morning. Modern problems require modern solutions, and the demand for the breakfast sandwich
all the best tools for your kitchen
was born. It’s not always possible to eat something healthy and warm at home in the morning, but Victoria’s broad range of quality cafés has you covered. Just a quick pop in and you’ll be on your way with a warm, portable breakfast and coffee in no time. Here’s a selection of some of the options in town.
Parsonage Café: $6 1105 CALEDONIA AVE. (250) 383-5999
“For us, it’s been about 12 years of breakfast sandwiches,” says co-owner of the Parsonage Café in Fernwood, Ben Cram. “We haven’t changed a thing. It’s identical to the first day of service.” Averaging nearly 100 sandwiches on a given day, the Parsonage has found a classic formula that works. “In our old building, we could get Mount Royal Bagels direct out of the oven,” says Cram. “We still walk over each morning and get fresh bagels every day, but it’s one street over now.” Here, simplicity is key. A fresh Lockwood Farm egg is fried and placed on a chewy sesame bagel along with a slice of Cheddar cheese. Options include Slater’s bacon, tomato, or an amazing creamed spinach topping. Cram insists there’s no secret to the sandwich’s popularity, save for the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Lockwood Farms, for instance, uses a commercial-grade insect feed for their chickens, as opposed to grain. The
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result is a rich, dark yolk. “This sandwich is basically a copy of a cafeteria sandwich I used to get while I was in culinary school 25 years ago,” says Cram.
Hot and Cold Café: $7 313 COOK ST. (778) 433-1007
At Hot and Cold Café in Cook Street Village, owner Chelsea Harrison has forgone simplicity for choice. “It starts with our focaccia bread, which we make every morning. From there we have a million options,” she says. While the basic comes with egg, mayo, and Cheddar cheese, for an additional dollar each you can add: a free range egg; avocado; brie; black olive; kale and feta; sweet chili, sriracha, and basil; pesto; fresh tomato; Hertel’s bacon; or a mushroom meatball (which costs $2). After toppings have been arranged, the cheese is melted open face so the whole thing can be pressed together and grilled panini-style. The result is an exterior with a satisfying crunchy texture and a melty, cheesy inside. While Harrison says standards such as avocado or bacon are the most popular, their menu allows for thousands of combinations, including very specific creations or, for those who value the messy option, “the works.”
Picnic Coffee: $6.50 506 FORT ST. (250) 590-5737 & 1019 FORT ST (250) 590-1201
“There’s nothing too wild about our breakfast sandwich,” says Picnic owner Jon Perkins.
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“We just choose good ingredients and it’s nice and fresh. But we have some people that will religiously come in every day for it.” Perkins says Picnic Coffee has had a breakfast sandwich on the menu since they opened a decade ago on Fort Street. In that time, they’ve gone through their fair share of them. “The volume we do is insane,” says Perkins. “We have days where we sell dozens and run out of bread, and it’s not even 10 o’clock.”
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