What are the opening hours?

Monday 4pm - 12am Tuesday 4pm - 12am Wednesday 4pm - 12am Thursday 4pm - 12am Friday 4pm - 12am Saturday 4pm - 12am Sunday 4pm - 12am

Stage., 1307 Gladstone Avenue, Victoria, BC (2026)

01/22/2026

I am an especially odd man.  When I enter a restaurant, I try my darndest to find out what the restaurant does best and like a crazy person, I order that.  Weirdly, I do not walk into Paradise and order risotto with a side of spaghetti, then offer the assumption of meatballs to my husband.  Like I said…odd man, in more ways than you can count.

For a very long time in this restaurant, someone would slam a menu shut and stomp their feet because we did not have mezcal.  Frankly, this would make my wee tiny belly grow robust with a hardy chuckle every time.  But even the best jokes get tired when told too often.  Mezcal has been put on to the backbar to ensure the happiness and well-being of all those around us.

Alipus San Baltazar is up first.

Don Cosme Hernandes & his son are small family farmers that make their regional San Baltazar Mezcal in collaboration with a local distillery in the highlands of Oaxaca.  There are no binding contracts in this deal, no exploitation, and no George Clooney.  They combine tradition with modern hygiene & safety.

The distillery not only helps the Hernandes’s with paperwork/certification and access to far away markets such as Victoria BC, where people pay the premium necessary to make this product a viable living.  The distillery also helps them with other issues such as the disposal of the immense waste.

It is the industry standard to produce 10-12 litres of Vinaza for every litre of Mescal produced.  This very toxic wastewater can severely contaminate the local soil and water supply if not properly disposed of as is the case with many of the more industrial Agave products.  The distillery also helps the Hernandes to ensure that the 7-15kg of wood burned, per 1 litre of mescal made, does not come from the rapidly expanding illegal industry logging the Oaxacan Forest to distinction.

In an attempt for even greater sustainability, the Hernandes’ also use cultivated Agave Espadín rather than the overexploited wild Agave of the region.

My new joy is conformity, so it is the great pleasure of my life to bring Mezcal to a place called Bistrot L’Stage.  Temper tantrums be mourned.

11/06/2025

Bourdain claimed the pig to be the noblest of creatures, believing the path to true happiness came through the goodness of his provisions.  In recent times it has been repeatedly claimed that dog is man’s best friend.  If I ventured to guess, that claim has origin in some John Wayne cinematic colloquial (apparently, I’m wrong, it was an 1870 law case over a man’s dog that had been shot).  It is true the dog is an unwavering companion.  But no beast has done for man as the noble pig has.  He has been with us since the very beginnings, stood by us through all our awful acts and bad, bad hygiene. He never leaves us, never disrespects us even when we disrespect him as we most definitely do today, he’s still here at our side nourishing us as only he can.

Melted, crisped, rendered, caramelized, pork tastes like every great feast you’ve ever had, reminding you of why we gather around tables in the first place.  It is comfort and sin, ritual, and decadence, past & present.

Come pay homage to both its generosity and nobility, maybe even say a few words as you dig into his deliciousness.

Respected, even I dare say, loved fat Porch chop, charred, sliced, served with aged sauerkraut and house made mustard is on the menu daily at Bistrot L’Stage.

10/28/2025

Dylan’s Big Mac Tartar has been around for a while now, but it seems to be getting better and better all the time. Ronny or McBurglar or somebody should probably pop in & steal the crazy good pickles chef is making to go with the Tartar. They are so juicy and go so good with the Big Mac Sauce. Maybe snag the house made chips on the way by as they are obviously McLovin’ too! Only thing you’ll need, is a nice cold dirty, dirty martini to wash it all down with, mmmm, mmmm,mmmm!!!!

10/19/2025

Over the years of running the Stages, the one thing I could always count on was the joy it gave me to confuse the b’jesus outta people with our Menu’s…haha, still puts a smile on my face just thinking about it; The wine menu that NO ONE, including me, could read, haha that was a good one. My absolute favourite though, was the 1-word food menu that Ivan, Matthew & I ran for years, that one got some AMAZING reactions, I can still see the faces. MAN, those were good times.

Maybe Mom is right, maybe there really is “something wrong with (me)”

Anyways, she thinks🤫 I FINALLY saw a therapist, because WE HAVE NEW MENUS…and they are all readable, even the wine menu😢.

Don’t tell her but I actually kind’a like these menus, because I love the classics. Of course, the food is still ours— honest, simple plates built for sharing & yes, the burger is still available…but yes, you still have to ask for it.

Dylan has obviously been working hard since he’s been here to come up with a few new bangers to fill out the menu. So come have a sip on a dirty martini or be adventurous and try one of West’ls new additions to the Martini menu while you take a a peruse of the new readable food & wine menus that even Mom is proud of.

10/14/2025

Look at those damn Cheeks!  Granny pinchers!  Meet Dylan, my man, my Chef de Cuisine

When Matthew announced he was leaving, I wept uncontrollably for days but he picked me up off the floor & the two of us spent months scouring this side of the Rockies & beyond for a replacement.  There did come a point where the inside of my thigh began to smell of New Zealand Sauv B..  But in the nick of time - like a saviour from above (or just Denver) - HE arrived in the most nonchalant, no big deal, way possible. Which I am learning is just his way

Obviously, I would never hire a chef that wasn’t an immigrant.  This one climbed the south wall via Southern Colorado. His resume is a forest unto itself, the majority of which consists of some of my favourite Vancouver locals’ spots including but not limited to Livia, Mackenzie Room & Autostrada group.  Matthew found him putting up meals at Bar Tartar & I could not be happier

He was excited to move to Victoria & embrace the lifestyle here.  He’s charmed by American Food Fare, in awe of Classic French Brasserie/Bistro culture & most comforted by rustic Northern Italian food classics.  But most importantly, he shares my vision of what L’Stage can be

I had mad mumbles for some time about the direction of the restaurant, “Stage needs to grow into a neighbourhood Bistro” was my Tourette’s for months on end.  No one listened.  The staff just ignored the unhinged lunatic lurking in the corner.  But Dylan gets me - he knew what I was talking about before I even said it

Now I walk into the shop in the morning & there he is, alone in the restaurant, quietly working on about 10 different projects.  He politely raises his head just enough to say hi then returns to much more important things than me which always puts a smile on my face

He spent years making pasta for some of the best pasta houses in Vancouver, now he’s doing it here in Fernwood.  He’s also been working these past several months to bring forth some bigger, iconic, yet simple & delicious bistro dishes to round out the bottom part of our menu.  Both of us want to allow for a more complete dining experience should one have a few friends that wish to dine like its 1992

10/09/2025

Most folks know that the BC Government makes the lion’s share of the profit from liquor sales in BC.  What most don’t know is that independent import agencies do the lion’s share of the work to generate that profit and take a minimal share of the profit for themselves.  The import agencies that L’Stage works with are all local small family style businesses, similar in size to our restaurant.

Many of these mom & pop businesses are currently being forced to pay warehouse rent (at a government controlled warehouse) for American products they bought to sell to the BC Government before the Government banned those products from their shelves overnight & without warning to the agencies.  The cost of storage is not being reduced while they are caught in the middle, but rather doubling as is the warehouses policy for long term storage.

This is the least of these agencies’ problems, as the Governments dispute with its own employees has now seized their entire cashflow yet leaving them to be crushed by warehousing fees for their entire inventory.  Legally there is no adapting or pivoting as the government is the only customer they are permitted to sell to. Lack of cashflow and piling bills is a death sentence for any small business.

These actions are soon to result in bankruptcies and foreclosed mortgages for at least a few of these folks.  So regardless of any BC citizens political affiliations or views on either the banned American products or the BCGEU strike, we should all be aware of the consequences of our government’s actions especially when done for political reasons as we are the politics and thus accountable for these broken businesses.

Maybe we as a people feel that is a price of doing business, maybe we don’t, that’s up to each of us individually.  But we should all be aware of such facts when we go into a voting booth next.

08/17/2025

Bistrot vs Bistro
There is no “vs.” — it’s the same word. One spelling makes me look smart, the other doesn’t.
Google traces the word to Russian occupation of Paris. Supposedly, Cossack soldiers would
shout “bystro” — meaning “quick” — in search of food.
Bistrots will forever be linked to French food for obvious reasons, it’s the entwinement with
Haute Cuisine that gets my underpants crunchy. I do not see Bistrot food as a heavily
manipulated seesaw of rigid obeyed/broken rules turning the fruits of the gods into something
they are not.
For me the ancient Bistrots of Paris were defined by transportation. The city went north to
Normandy & Brittany for apples and oysters, got mustard from Dijon & chickens from Bress.
Sometimes these products showed up at the Bistrot’s back door, other times they made their
way to the famous market of Les Halles. All came from the countryside by river, train even
bicyclette in a shockingly efficient, quick infrastructure of transportation. I can’t even buy a cow
raised less than 10km from my restaurant or a geoduck from the ocean I live on due to the
complications of government…but I digress.
They didn’t manipulate the products — they celebrated them in obedience to the gods’ true
intentions. The famous radishes & butter: so simple, yet the pinnacle of perfection. Our summer-
long crudités. The figs, nearly done now, served on house ricotta and brioche. We’re entering
true tomato season with a panzanella using the guts of our house focaccia. These dishes, along
with comfort staples like steak, terrine, cheese, & bread, are what define a bistrot menu for me.
As to the room…it’s not a 2-star Michelin web of dining do’s & don’ts. It’s far too important for
that. It’s a community institution, like the Inn’s of yesteryear. Our restaurant culture is often
just “Fancy/Fine Dinning” cosplay. Elements of fine dining are awkwardly mimicked in
everything from pubs to corporate restaurants. We expect, individual appetizers, mains &
desserts, prim & proper, blah, blah, blah…F #$% that!!!!
Bring food, celebrate it. Break bread. Share. Laugh, Drink. Do other things (not in our
bathrooms please). It’s not complicated, it’s just a Bistrot.

08/05/2025

Hello, my name is David Listhaeghe.
In a few months I become the longest serving owner of Stage Small Plates Wine Bar, est. in
2007. There have been many variations on that name but that was it at conception.
I, too, have had many, many nicknames. Some Bad-ass - like Killer or The Machine. Others not
so much - like Lipstick or Pistachio. The common theme, results of a complicated last
name…proncounced Le Stage (this is called a Chekhov’s Gun, so pay attention).
In 2019, (going by Boom Boom at the time…no gun, just a random fact), I took possession of
Stage Wine Bar, a very good brand that had seen some rough years. My plan: run it as is, right
the ship, put a team in place & in approx. 1 year rebrand. But as my favorite philosopher once
said,
“everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”
I love this restaurant as if it were my own child.
My fingerprints are in every crooked cranny. I’ve made the décor mine & replaced/rebuilt
every piece of equipment. I do the wine program the only way I know…my way, & I drive every
bartender mad with the same. I’ve collab’d with multiple chefs to make a distinct and definable
kitchen program & fought preconceived notions to build my service team, the only way I want
it.
This restaurant has become mine in every way but one. I never named it.
Through all that change & flux the restaurant has taken on a personality of its own. No longer a
2010’s wine bar that’s not really a wine bar or serving mid-aughts small plates. I tried
desperately to hold on to & build a version of both those identities, but this restaurant has its
own identity that cannot be supressed.
Stage Small Plates Wine Bar has become a Bistrot in all ways but name.
“Mr Le Stage, What’s the difference?” you ask.
“F #$%’d if I know!”
It’s complicated, but for the purposes of this Novel we’ll just say it’s a more complete
restaurant, rounded out with more offerings & more consistency.
Over the next several months Stage will rebrand in an attempt to pay respect to its history, my
humble contributions & most important, its true identity.
Stage is to be Bistrot L’Stage.
I know you have questions, but I only have 2200 characters so…

07/01/2025

Today it has been 6 years exactly, since that key went in the hole. In my career I have never known a restaurant that won so few awards and yet won so many hearts and those that know me know that I would not have it any other way. This little neighbourhood shop is all about the people. All about the staff, the amazingly supportive family of clientele and the other local business people who continue to help us do what we do.

This place really is ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE! An ol’chestnut, but it COULD.NOT.BE.MORE.TRUE! You are what makes this place special to me so thank-you & see ya soon!

David

05/04/2025

Chef is taking over The Stages on May 14th at 6:30pm.  He will be teaming up with the amazing & diverse Wines of Domain Rolet, located in the beloved and eccentric French region of Jura.

Carmen is well known here in Victoria for his time as chef at Olo, as well as his time up Island as Execitive Chef at The Wikaninnish Inn and is a very good friend of us stageesse folk.

Not only is Jura literally the original JURAsic Park, it is also the land that stood still, all but forgotten for nearly 100 years after the human upheavals of the early 20th century.

Carmen will pull a few tricks from the old chef bag to pair up some amazing food to these wonderfully unique, distinct, and even a few very vintage wines.

You are not gonna wanna miss this one.  Get Hunnybuns off the couch and head to the website in the bio above to reserve your seats before it is too late.

12/11/2024

Gift card season is here! Come on in and stock up for all those sweet or spicy special humans in your life.

We also offer digital gift cards via the link in our bio. There is no excuse really!

Stage.

01/22/2026

11/06/2025

10/28/2025

10/19/2025

10/14/2025

10/09/2025

08/17/2025

08/05/2025

07/01/2025

05/04/2025

12/11/2024

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Monday	4pm - 12am
Tuesday	4pm - 12am
Wednesday	4pm - 12am
Thursday	4pm - 12am
Friday	4pm - 12am
Saturday	4pm - 12am
Sunday	4pm - 12am