Note: This place has closed permenantly.

The Melt
G2A – 1001 Douglas St
Sussex Place
Victoria, BC
(250) 590-4636

The Melt replaces the former pizzeria that once operated here. While I liked what the previous establishment made, square shaped pizzas, it did suffer from one problem: the lack of proper heaters to keep the pizza warm.

Ironically, the new establishment fulfills a certain need. The Melt properly grills its toast so that the cheeses are satisfyingly gooey at every bite.

This place doesn’t hold many people wishing to dine in. I’d say maybe a dozen people can comfortably sit in before the space feels crowded. In what this diner caters to is the lunch crowd—businessmen looking for a quick bite.

I hope the menu changes once in a while, because after eight visits, every single sandwich can be sampled. However, if bread is not your thing, borscht is also offered. And there are even breakfast-styled variants.

Of course, I think I will have to start from the top of the menu and work my way down. The Apple Bacon melt ($6.80) was satisfyingly delicious. The apple slices were succulently soft after being heated up. Instead of being turned to apple pie consistency, it still retained a bit of a crisp. The bacon could have been more crispier than cooked to ham-like consistency. The aged cheddar was not too strong, and it stood the test of time when I opted to simply chow down before my bus arrived.

I do like the style of bread used; it was super fresh and the all-grain crust made me want to dig deeper into the meal. I usually find some sandwiches halved for the diner to enjoy but this time, I found the portions made bite-sized. That is, drawn and quartered. I could have easily had two of these sandwiches and then some. The next time I’m hanging out in town, I will have to try the soups.

My only real complaint is that the brunch style offerings does not continue part way into the evening. That’s when I’m downtown more often.

3½ Blokes out of 5