The Discovery Room is Vancouver Island University’s full-service learning restaurant connecting students with our community patrons. Learning by doing, Hospitality Management and Culinary Students together serve up a contemporary dining experience. By experiencing the Discovery Room, your support fuels our student’ growth and education.
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Lunch and dinner service fall 2025
Lunch service
Lunch service is offered Tuesday through Thursday (excluding statutory and academic holidays and special events) from February to mid-May, with reservations available for parties of up to six guests between 11:30 am and 12:15 pm
Reservations open two weeks in advance, to the same day and time, with a 15-minute delay.
For example, if it is 11:45 am on a Wednesday, reservations may be booked up to 11:30 am for the Wednesday two weeks later.
Here are our Spring 2026 lunch service dates.
February: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26
March: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 26, 31
April: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30
May: 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14
Trying to add yourself to the waitlist? Here's how + FAQ. If you aren't presented with a wait list option, please reach out to us by email to be added manually.
Dinner service
Dinner service is offered Wednesday and Thursday evenings (excluding statutory and academic holidays and special events) throughout January and February, with reservations available for parties of up to six guests between 5 and 6:30 pm.
Reservations open two weeks in advance, to the same day and time, with a 15-minute delay.
For example, if it is 6:45 pm on a Wednesday, reservations may be booked up to 6:30 pm for the Wednesday two weeks later.
Here are our spring 2026 dinner service dates:
January: 7, 8, 14, 15, 21
February: 18, 19, 25, 26
Brunch service
Brunch service resumes in January!
From January 5 to January 29, VIU’s Culinary Arts students will offer brunch in the Discovery Room as part of their Short Order & Breakfast course, served Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30 am to 12 pm.
This service features an à la carte menu rather than our traditional prix fixe format. Regular lunch service will resume in February.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and their learning!
Here are our Spring 2026 brunch service dates:
January: 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29
Menus
Our menus change weekly and are typically refreshed here every Monday for the coming week's service. Because we work with fresh ingredients in this learning environment, it is not uncommon for the menu to change from what is posted.
If you have special dietary requirements, including the need for a vegetarian meal, please let us know ahead of time.
Parking and access
The Discovery Room can be hard to find! We recommend parking in Lot F which is accessed via entrance 5C off of Fifth Street (pay parking machines accept cash or credit cards). Enter building 300 through the Welcome Centre for level access.
Parking can be at a premium, especially during the lunch period, so consider allowing a little extra time to find a parking space.
Menus change weekly. We are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions with advance notice.
Lunch
À la carte lunch menu with appetizers from $8 and entrées from $20. Dessert included.
Dinner
Three-course menu starting at $27. Choose from three appetizers and three entrées. Dessert included.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, and Debit. Cash is accepted but not preferred. We do not accept American Express or VIU PCards.
Gratuities are not expected but are greatly appreciated. All gratuities support extra-curricular educational opportunities for Hospitality and Culinary students
We offer a modest selection of wines, bottled beer, and spirits. During dinner service, students may present a featured cocktail as part of their learning experience.
Our bottled wines are priced at $10 above cost. Guests are welcome to bring a commercially produced bottle of wine for $10 corkage per bottle. Please present your wine to the host upon arrival—this also provides students with an opportunity to practice proper cork service.
Beverage Menu (Due to limited inventory, selections may vary)
Sensory dinner (April 16, 2026)
The Sensory Dinner was originally offered exclusively to our Culinary students as an experiential, palate-expanding part of their curriculum. Changes in cohort size now allow us, at times, to extend this invitation to the public.
The dinner includes eight to ten creative, expertly prepared courses, served at your table in the Discovery Room for 20–24 guests, at $89 plus tax.
Here are the event and menu details from the most recent Sensory Dinner: April 12, 2024 Sensory Dinner Information
Gastronomic dinner (March 19 and 20, 2026)
A nine- to ten-course, wine-paired experiential dinner, served by our Hospitality students and prepared by graduating Culinary Diploma students to culminate their education at VIU.
This intimate, education-focused experience welcomes 20–24 guests in the Discovery Room and includes facilitated discussion on dish composition and wine pairings led by a Chef Instructor or guest sommelier
More information from the most recent gastronomic dinner: 2025 Gastronomic Dinner Details and Menu
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Location
Building 300, at the side of the cafeteria.
VIU Nanaimo Campus Map
Contact Us
Email us at Discovery.Room@viu.ca (email is checked daily).