Winner of three Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in English Canada
Finalist for a Gourmand World Cookbook Best in World Award

A carefully curated collection of recipes from Victoria, BC, the brunch capital of Canada.

It’s the weekend in picturesque Victoria, and whether you’re planning on enjoying a scenic seaside hike or indulging in some window shopping, we all have priorities: First, we brunch.

This exquisitely photographed cookbook showcases more than 60 recipes from the city’s most beloved mid-morning eateries. Food writer and photographer Rebecca Wellman introduces us to the people and stories behind the capital city’s diners, bistros, cafés, coffee shops, bakeries, and more. Get the inside scoop on iconic diners such as Floyd’s and newer hot spots like Jam, Agrius, Be Love, and Nourish.

For the visitor, this cookbook is a simple, trustworthy guidebook to Victoria’s best eats, and a fabulous gift to take home to friends and family. Whether you’re after a quick, budget brunch, a hearty vegan breakfast, or a much-needed hangover cure, Wellman helps you choose the ideal mid-morning eatery. And if you’re a Victorian local, you’ll love the resources for finding the freshest ingredients so you can whip up a terrific brunch at home. This stylish, image-rich collection of recipes and stories is the ultimate guide to Canada’s brunch capital, and offers yet another delicious way to celebrate the city's thriving food culture.

Rebecca Wellman has always had a strong love for all things culinary. Over the past decade, she has contributed her food and lifestyle photography to many print publications including Victoria’s EAT magazine and the Outlander Kitchen Cookbook (Penguin Random House, 2016), and has worked as a stills photographer on set with The Food Network. She continues to write, create, cook, style, shoot and enjoy all the West Coast has to offer. Find out more at rebeccawellman.ca.

Rebecca Wellman's profile page

"First, We Brunch, [is an] an ode to the city's best places to break the fast. It's an essential guide for exploring Victoria's casual café culture, whether you're shopping in the eclectic downtown core, taking in the manicured gardens or biking down a tree-lined suburban street." —Globe and Mail

Globe and Mail

"This is such a beautiful book of photographs of all of the many many places that you can get fabulous brunches and breakfast in Victoria, but it's chock full of recipes so you don't actually have to know the restaurants. I think it's going to be a real stand-by on BC bookshelves for a long time, and it might tempt you to come over for a weekend to Victoria." —Jessica Walker, bookseller at Munro's Books

CBC North by Northwest

"First, We Brunch . . . would be ideal for an out-of-town friend or family member as both a souvenir and gift. Whether you’re after a quick, budget brunch, a hearty vegan breakfast, or a much-needed hangover cure, Wellman helps you choose the ideal mid-morning eatery or menu." —Read Local BC blog

Read Local BC

“First, We Brunch is a visual feast and poetic love letter to eating great food in one my favourite cities in Canada. I love how Rebecca takes a contemporary look at what brunch is, and reminds us it's no longer that stuffy weekend standard, but an über fresh, casual, and creative meal to eat any time of the day, made better in the company of good friends and a cocktail. Her book goes beyond recipe sharing—it’s a deeply affectionate and personal tour of what makes great food: the restaurants and neighbourhoods they’re in, the people who cook, the ingredients, and, of course, the eaters too!”

Canadian Living

"It is not uncommon for the newly arrived to Victoria to make disparaging comments about the lack of night life here. Though they may be right, it is important to note that just because we aren’t staying up late, we don’t particularly want to get up early. What we excel at is a nice leisurely brunch. Rebecca Wellman has assembled this fantastic book of more than 60 recipes from local cafes, bistros, brewpubs and bakeries. Filled with stunning photography and stories of the people that run some of the best eateries in town, First, We Brunch is the perfect book for any readers that love food, or need a bit of help deciding where to meet friends around 11ish." —Colin Holt, bookseller at Bolen Books

49th Shelf

“If a delectable brunch—home cooked or enjoyed out—makes you happy, then this scrumptious book will have you grinning ear to ear.”

Times Colonist

"There is so much to love about this book: utterly gorgeous photographs . . . cleverly divided sections . . . insider knowledge, meticulous research and an obvious fervour for her subject . . . This book will be the perfect reference for lazy mornings when you want to eat your favourite brunch dish without leaving the house, but you will also reach for it whenever someone asks, "Where should we meet for brunch?" It also makes the perfect souvenir for friends who have come to visit and need a reminder of why they should come back." —EAT magazine

EAT Magazine