There's a lot going on in the world right now... but no matter what, we've still got to eat.
That's why we're thrilled to announce this year's finalists for Vancouver Magazine's Restaurant Awards. It's our 31st annual celebration of the city's best rooms—from hidden gem hole-in-the-walls to lineup-out-the-door hot spots to worth-it culinary splurges—and for the 31st year in a row, our judges ate their way through Vancouver before debating and casting their ballots in a private, accountant-tabulated vote.
In addition to being up for gold, silver or bronze in their categories, one of the names on this list will be the one-and-only Restaurant of the Year. We'll be celebrating all of the winners in our annual Restaurant Awards issue of the magazine this May, and at our big awards bash (we'll be announcing the date and venue soon!). Our Chef of the Year will also be announced the day of, too... so for now, it's anyone's game.
We'll be sharing the contenders for Best New Restaurant in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for that. And if you missed our announcements of the Best Bartender, Best Bar, Best Sommelier and Best Brewery Awards earlier this year, go catch up now so you know where to drink as you're plotting your dinner plans for the next few months.
In the meantime, go taste your way through our 2020 VanMag Restaurant Award Nominees and place your bets. Who will be taking home the gold this year?
Category Finalists
Best Casual
Chancho Tortilleria
DownLow Chicken Shack
Downlow Smash Burger
Fat Mao Noodles
HK BBQ Master
Best Chain
Cactus Club Cafe
Earls
Joey
Nook
Tacofino
Best Chinese
Chang 'An
Chef Tony
Dynasty
Mott 32
New Fishport Bistro
Best European
Bacchus
Bauhaus
Chambar
Como Taperia
The Magnet
Best French
Au Comptoir
Le Crocodile
Provence Marinaside
St. Lawrence
Tableau Bar Bistro
Best Indian
Dosa Corner
My Shanti
Sachdeva Sweets
Swad Indian Kitchen
Vij's
Best Italian
Ask for Luigi
Autostrada Osteria
Cioppino's
La Quercia
Osteria Savio Volpe
Best Japanese
Dosanko
Masayoshi
Stem Japanese Eatery
Tetsu Sushi Bar
Yuwa Japanese Cuisine
Best Korean
Hanwoori Korean
Insadong Korean
Joong Won
Royal Seoul House
Sura Korean BBQ
Best Latin
Chancho Tortilleria
El Santo
La Mezcaleria
La Taqueria
Rinconcito Salvadoreno
Best Pan-Asian
Longtail Kitchen
Phnom Penh
Pidgin
Torafuku
Ugly Dumpling
Best Pizza
Bufala
Corduroy Pie Company
Farina a Legna
Pizzeria Farina
Via Tevere
Best Seafood
Ancora
Blue Water Cafe
Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar
Landmark Hot Pot House
Oddfish
Best Steakhouse
Atlas Steak and Fish
Elisa
Gotham Steakhouse and Bar
Hy's Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar
The Victor
Best Thai
Bob Likes Thai Food
Jitlada
Kin Kao
Maenam
Unchai
Best Upscale
Blue Water Café
Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar
Cioppino’s
Hawksworth
The Pear Tree
Best Vegetarian
Aleph Eatery
Beetbox
Do Chay
The Acorn
Virtuous Pie
Best Vietnamese
Anh and Chi
Co'm Vietnamese
Do Chay
Hanoi Old Quarter
Mr. Red Café
Best West Coast
Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar
Burdock and Co
Farmer's Apprentice
Mak N Ming
Nightingale
Best Okanagan
Home Block at CedarCreek
Liquidity
Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek
Row Fourteen
Waterfront Wines
Best Victoria
House of Boateng
Nowhere
Part and Parcel
The Courtney Room
Wild Mountain
Best Whistler
Alta Bistro
Araxi
Bar Oso
Red Door Bistro
The Grill Room
The Mexican Corner
Best Neighbourhood: The Nominees
Best Chinatown
Bao Bei
Chinatown BBQ
Kissa Tanto
Oyster Express
Torafuku
Best Downtown
Bacchus
Blue Water Cafe
Botanist
Boulevard
Hawksworth
Tavola
Best East Side
Dachi
Kishimoto
Livia
Ugly Dumpling
Via Tevere
Best Gastown
Ask for Luigi
Bauhaus
L'Abattoir
Pidgin
St. Lawrence
Best Mount Pleasant
Burdock and Co.
Como Taperia
Koon Bo
Masayoshi
Osteria Savio Volpe
Best North Shore
Ancora
Bufala
Olive and Anchor
Terroir Kitchen
Two Rivers Meats
Best West Side
AnnaLena
Grapes and Soda
La Quercia/L'Ufficio
Maenam
Yuwa Japanese Cuisine