Neal McLennan

Challenge your family a little (but not too much) with these off-the-beaten-path wine picks.

We love the Okanagan and all, but Langley wine country is here at our front door. Here are the best wineries to hit on your next trip to the Fraser Valley.

Yet again, all the intel you need to game the monopoly and snag the best bottles.

Krug is teaming up with Published on Main for some bubbly bargains (relatively speaking) next week

From "what wine do I bring on a hike where I'm planning on proposing" to "I only like wine with pretty labels," our wine editor has a bottle for you.

Cheers to a civilized new era of public sipping.

For the 127th year in a row, we give you the straight goods on what's good, bad and ugly at the annual event

Does B.C. have a signature grape variety?

Plus a special $25 code just for VanMag readers to the year's most bespoke wine event

The much-beloved Oca Pastificio is now Magari by Oca, and the reimagined restaurant is as captivating as its previous incarnation.

A thoughtful consumer can find great value in the B.C. section at the wine store. Here are three bottles that prove it.

The Okanagan wine region needs our help... and it starts with our choices at the liquor store. Here's a trio of made-in-B.C. subs for your favourite Loire-region bottles.

Track down these outstanding bottles at this week's wine festival.

Five years after a very viral visit, our restaurant critic gives Hydra a second look.

New job? Anniversary? Tuesday? We're sure you come up with a reason to pop one of these bodacious bottles of bubbs.

For the Pinot lovers to those who love bubbles—here's your British Columbian holiday wine list.

Everything that's not Scotch gets the once over.

For the 17th (or something) year in a row we do all the heavy spirit lifting for you.

The famously cheerful operation has developed an awesome side hustle as the Okanagan's geekiest winery... and it's awesome.

For these three standout BC wine picks, timing is everything.

Jon Bonné's "The New French Wine" is a towering achievement in wine writing.

It's another stellar year, but they don't come cheap—so here's a cheat sheet to get the goods without going bust.

Can PC Black Label swoop in and undercut our local heroes?

Farmhouse Fest Wine Fair offers the very best way to explore the sometimes-daunting world of low-intervention vino.

Just look at the roster of the hotshot producers who are making it.

Once in awhile the monopoly likes to keep it real.

Drops of God is amazing... and not just for oenophiles.

No excuse not to Top Drop on May 23 and 24.

Trust us this rare Krug x Juke colab will blow your minds at how well the two pair together.

A rare offering from Sandhill ticks all the boxes.

From rough and rugged to haute horology, these three watches all channel YVR.

We don't get deals at the BCLDB very often, so it's gather ye rosebuds time!

From the heavy hitters to the oddballs, we've got you covered.

Can a nod in the World's 50 Best be far behind?

A year into our historic round-up, and a new champ emerges.

Plus a few $25-or-less wines that will make you look like a genius in 10 years.

Editor's Pick

Toast to Robbie Burns with these whiskies from Shelter Point, Odd Society and Devine Distillery.

Whistler’s main village gets all the glory, but don’t sleep on this neighbouring community.

The best deals and biggest misses of the BCL's annual whisky release.

Editor's Pick

Everyone is dying to know what the tiny Chinatown room, which was awarded one Michelin star in 2022, is really like.

Editor's Pick

We've found a sneaky 2019 bottle that's available now and gives a killer preview of what's to come. And it's $20.

Sponsored Content

The white grape will one day be your fave, so why not get an affordable jump start on your next passion?

Editor's Pick

We’re living in a golden age of frozen pizza, where there’s no longer a need to sacrifice taste for convenience. And it’s our local dough tossers who are leading the way.

The building has been sold, and they've been told to beat it by April 30.

But they're in really good company.

We get Chef Kazuhiro Hayashi of Miku to give us the skinny on (not so skinny) Wagyu.

We chat with St. Lawrence's Colin Johnson on the art of mastering the classic French dish.

A breakdown of where our vodka actually comes from.

As decided by a panel of the foremost experts ever gathered.

Love it or loathe it, Vancouver House’s facade is part of our urban landscape—but does the troika of new restaurants located there elicit the same sort of emotions?

Friendly service and top-notch fries in the Kitsilano favourite's new room.

What's more impressive: the duck and anchovy ragu or the first-class service?

The dream team behind Published on Main will be steering this very cool pop-up.

Saying farewell to Seán Heather's ambitious ode to classic drinking.

Here's where to find the best Korean food in Vancouver, according to our most recent Restaurant Awards.

I mean, look at them.

Just because it's last minute doesn't mean you don't love them

The crew from Published is doubling down with Novella.

Put another way, how to "MacGyver ways to get around the occasional absence of Suze"

The historic neighbourhood is bringing the buzz.

In the nicest, sort of way (they're bringing wine!)

Doug Stephen and Lindsay Mann are well on their way to world domination.

And you'll be blown away by the talent behind it.

Soon you'll be able to get thy daily bread (et al) in Strathcona.

And they're all Vanmag Restaurant Award winners.

Want to look like a big wheel? Try these.

Run, don't walk.

A full-size quarter pounder with real lettuce. Seriously.

And luckily, they're all Fridays.

A Calgary import attempts patty supremacy.

There's no substitute for sanitation.

All you wanted to know about wine, but were afraid to ask.

It's a well-priced unicorn bottle safari.

Well, good for them, I guess.

What better way to celebrate World Malbec Day!

Oddfish GM Miguel Quezada and partner Alicia Munro bring you Kōv.

Shiva Reddy's "Reddy to Help" project is serving up kindness (and curry).

Road 13 are the Chenin Masters.

A loss leader from Sungiven Foods, a store of loss leaders.

This St. Patrick's Day, let's master some armchair travel (with a little help).

A greatest hits of pandemic-era takeout.

Here's what they thought about Penfolds' new "Wine of the World."

Iain Philip's wine course collab with Dachi is on March 9 and 16—and trust us, they will sell out.

How to build a wine time capsule in memory of these trying times.

Sons of Vancouver want you to come on a journey with them.

Goodbye to a killer list.

The winner of the Canadian Artisan Spirits Competition is this wonder from Ampersand.

It's a flipping winner.

Channel your inner Apollo Creed.

If you choose wisely, that is.

Sorry, make that 22.

But we're thinking lame may be the new cool.

The first great wine of 2021 goes to this class act from Domaine du Chalet.

Nothing says "I love you" like a thoughtfully chosen condiment.

Finally some interesting bottles for everyday splurges.

Stealing your kids' candy makes you a creep; pairing it with wine makes you a sophisticated creep.

On rare occasions, the answer is yes. Especially if your Brother-in-Law pays.

To celebrate the release of his new cookbook, David Hawksworth comes out swinging with a new dinner series.

Liquid travels only, for now.

Fresh, vibrant and oddball grapes.

One bottle of Brolio and you'll be a convert.

Honestly, this has the potential to be the best season ever for accessibility.

The best sort of $50 mistake there is.

It's been one Mother of a bumpy ride.....

One of the world's great bargains.

There's a long road ahead, but Burdock and Co.'s Andrea Carlson isn't playing chicken.

The category that gets all the smiles....

The BCHF (and your palate) will thank you.

Hot tip: Mello does delivery.

Silver Lining Alert: We're in the glory days for take-out.

The celebrated Vancouver chef gets dairy specific.

Cheers to a wine that's a bright spot in a dark time.

Your new go-to gift wine.

It's the best deal on whisky tasting in thecity.

Can mollusks save Davie and Denman?

I've got a pocket got a pocket full of battery life.

A feast that'll surprisingly save you some cash.

Experts pick the best of the fest.

This year we put the job of selecting the Sommelier of the Year to a group who knows a thing or two about the topic—our past SOTY winners. We think their choice was inspired.

A Valentine's dinner you'll fall in love with.

2020 kicks off with yet another depressing food "event."

We're vibrating with excitement.

And bonus: it's Canadian.

Tickets are $500... but that's actually an amazing deal, it turns out.

The soufflé revolution is here.

An underdog vs a splashy new opening.

It's the happiest day of the year.

But is that a good thing?

Seriously, help me out on this.

The math checks out.

We’re smack dab in the middle of bivalve heaven.

How's the locavore-friendly haunt on the vino? 

Wherein we call some of Vancouver's buzziest restaurants to see just how hard it is to snag a table.

But you'll miss out on the new cocktails and puffcreams if you do.

Quit snickering, you snob, and just get to Sushi Bar Shu.

Sure, no local spot is as good as Lima's Central (#6 on this year's San Pellegrino-sponsored ranking). But quite a few are as good as London's Lyle's (#33).

If you like your amazing al fresco dining with a side of supporting the planet, kids and the community, then we have the dinner for you.

Hawksworth is an expensive restaurant and Phantom Creek is a really expensive winery, so how is this event only $155?

Heidi Noble's Chic Fille is a game changing take on pink wine.

Can the new English Bay seafood spot win our wine editor's seal of approval?

We have a city full of dedicated, talented chefs and bartenders who deserve your patronage a lot more than a three-day Instagram pander.

Try to figure out what this tastes like. I dare you.

Sardines in a can at the Main Street haunt will have you hooked. 

Is it expensive? Yes. Is it also a good deal? Again, yes. And this sentiment seems to be shared by the restaurant-going crowd.

DownLow Chicken Shack's smoked onion rings has us reaching for our thesaurus and flipping to “amazing.”

For me, sabring combines two cardinal sins: waste and being a show-off.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including wowing deep-pocketed friends.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including which bottles you should pour your hard-to-impress Albertan in-laws.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including which bottles you should give your niece to open when she turns 19.

The masterclasses at the Whisky & Words festival are woefully underpriced—and you should take advantage of that.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including what to bring to a curry-centric dinner party.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including what bevvies to bring on a kayak trip.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including which bottles to pop when you need to wow your partner's dad.

I suppose that the new Whisky & Words is having an enviable sort of problem.

A dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including the bottles to bring when you're entertaining some big clients.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including this annual seasonal challenge.

No, it's not a typo: Origo Club + Château Branaire Ducru = $100. All in.

A dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including a few bargain bottles to bring to the beach.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including what to do if royalty comes knocking.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including what to do if your friends are broke snobs.

The Gastown spot was hyped like few restaurants in recent Vancouver history, but the path that once seemed so sure has been far from smooth.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...including this reluctant investment advice. 

And kitsch factor aside, they're no joke.

Tickets just went on sale so—seriously—don't wait.

We asked a dozen-plus of the city's top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios...starting with a pretty timely one.

Every bottle is under $100. So you'll be happy too.

The Western Front's Annual Craft fair drops this weekend.

Does the tourist magnet in Queen E. Park treat our visitors fairly?

And as is our yearly custom, we present the greatest ski video every filmed (the late great JP Auclair x Trail BC x LCD Soundsystem) to get you good and psyched.

Four places to power-lunch right now.

The Whisky Release isn't for a few weeks but a few bottles of the investment-grade gem are hiding in plain view right now.

We finally have an answer to the question, Where are the good pickles?

The Northern Albertans are starting the cannabis game very strong.

Four of our contributors are getting together to talk about weed...

How to hop aboard the lauded 2015 vintage and only go a little bankrupt.

Starting October 1, the Downlow Chicken Shack starts its weekly quest to grab the best burger in the city crown.

So now I'm telling you about it (and they're re-stocking all weekend).

And they're throwing their first ever wine festival this weekend to celebrate.

Exhibit A is this bruiser from Hester Creek

Red Truck opens a beachhead in Colorado today, and they're the first Canadian brewer to expand South in over a decade.

Sebastian & Co.'s Charcoal Rub is a thing of exquisite beauty.

How's the Yaletown stalwart on the vino?

Four of the city's tops chefs think it's high time you get reacquainted with Granville Island.

Wait...does this mean we're finally a world-class city?

Imagine if your Dad made you eat an ice cream cone you dropped at the beach...and it somehow tasted awesome.

Are there deals in the 'burbs?

The team from Merchant's Workshop is set to open the Downlow Chicken Shack next Wednesday—and for chicken lovers, nothing will ever be the same.

The Fairmont Pacific Rim's Chris Enns won Canada's World Class last night.

Masi has tapped Musqueam artist Susan Point to design their next label.

The U.K.'s cult gin, Sipsmith, has finally landed here—with some alchemy up its sleeve.

And it comes from the same winemaker-and-architect duo that brought us Mission Hill.

We go behind the scenes to see just how a new Italian joint comes together.

Plus the best locally brewed ones to try right now.

It'll be at this Friday night's Dram fundraiser for the Vancouver Writers Fest.

It's like buying real estate...except opposite.

Stock the cellar with some Iberian (and other) rarities without breaking the bank at VIWF.

How about treating VIWF as a fact-finding mission for everyday drinking?

And there are still a few tickets left for his dinner with Botanist's Hector Laguna.

Boycott or not, B.C. winemakers open their arms to give some love to our Alberta brethren.

Quick question: do we need to bow the next time we're at Cioppino's?

A recent story out of California has us very...concerned.

Editor's Pick

Our compendium of single malts will help you choose the perfect dram to suit your persona.

By the time you read this, the menu will no doubt be different.

And these exclusive tastings at 39th and Cambie give you a front row seat to the revolution.

A chef from North America's most exclusive hotel meets the Okanagan's most exclusive winery, all at the Four Seasons. That'll do.

Enjoy some superlative dessert while planning for your future.

The release of Suntory's new lacklustre Toki is not a good sign.

The West Vancouver vintner's acclaimed winery has fallen victim to the wildfires that are sweeping through Napa and Sonoma.

Chef JC Poirier goes back to his fine dining roots.

No, it's not...but it should be.

The Royal Dinette drink-slinger just triumphed over the entire mixology universe at Diageo's World Class competition in Mexico City.

The Creek from Tinhorn Creek was two decades in the making—and it shows.

Stroll in with a bottle of JoieFarm bubbles in each hand and everyone will say, "Who's the High Roller?"

It's called "5 Guys on Gambier Island" and the Okanagan kicked a little bit of Washington, Aussie and French derrière.

On the opening of their new store on Burrard we reflect on North Vancouver's greatest export.

Tinhorn Creek would rather lose money than sell wine before it's time—isn't that worth getting excited about?

The darling of Commercial Drive brings its modern take on Lebanese fare to South Granville with mixed results.

It's the meatball hoagie from the new Say Hey Cafe and it's a thing of beauty.

Hit these watering holes and throw back some bitter sweet love—all in the name of charity.

Burdock and Co. masters fried chicken.

Tickets for the L'Abattoir dream team's new monthly dining event go on sale June 1—act fast if you're interested.

No...it's not Christmas. It's Top Drop—the nerdiest, most awesome wine festival in Canada.

And if you're not familiar with Filson then you're not familiar with how the Pacific Northwest came of age.

Why we love the simplicity (we'll take a ham and cheese sandwich, thanks) at Mount Pleasant's Federal Store.

Or how endless, brainless, construction is keeping you from the city's freshest Mexican food.

Nothing fancy, just beautifully wholesome little pockets of goodness.

Ladies and gentleman—the legendary Redbreast.

Zero Zero Pizza's thick and doughy slices are filling but flawed.

Le Crocodile's foie gras crème brûlée is both nostalgic and au courant.

Who doesn't want to watch Canada's best wine minds squirm and sweat for your enjoyment?

Wherein we skip the same old tasting notes for some unvarnished truth about what the bottle you choose says about you.

A stone bowl of piping hot melted goodness.

I don't care for lemon and I'm rarely in Abbotsford, but this little wonder has me re-thinking both of those things.

Dageraad Anno is the festive golden ale you've been searching for.

But, surprisingly, their prices on them are pretty good.

Due north of Vancouver lies some of the best heli-skiing in the West; the trick is to find your courage.

The osteria will make you want to move to the neighbourhood.

The Macallan Edition No. 1 never made it to Canada before selling out, so act fast if you want this version.

East Broadway's summer pop-up is now a permanent fixture.

Let's say it'll be okay in cocktails.

The much-anticipated (and surprisingly affordable) Juke is now open for business

Ice Cream's beloved suit of chocolatey armour reigns over Kits!

Why those ultra-high end bottlings aren’t meant for us mere mortals

A lingering moment in the Interior does the soul—and the palate—some good.

And as a result, your Negronis and Manhattans taste funny.

You don’t have to be a celebrity to visit these balmy destinations, but you may come home feeling like one

We’re spoiled with selection.

Seek out the hills where skiing is all about the powder, not the social scene.

A pocket of California still shelters restrained and elegant pinots.

Meticulously re-created, whisky has found a second, sweet life in Japan.

A vacationer's favourite, the Mai Tai has more history and restraint behind it than you may realize.

Hold the Coke. Fresh, grassy rhum agricole from the French Caribbean blazes all on its own.

The Bartender of the Year alum is hitting the open road.

Stag’s Hollow remakes the idea of what BC wine can be.