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Our esteemed judges have spoken: these are the best French restaurants in Vancouver.
GOLD: Le Crocodile, 909 Burrard Street
SILVER: St. Lawrence, 269 Powell Street
BRONZE: Collective Goods, 3532 Commercial Street
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Au Comptoir
A tough two years has our judges revelling in the comfort of precise execution of the French standards. Legendary room Le Crocodile—steered by chef and master mentor Michel Jacob—impressed the judges with its refined take on the classics. The restaurant is always buzzing, the technique is perfection—but, noted one judge, this isn’t formality for its own sake, it’s an expression of respect: for the food, for the occasion and, most of all, for the diner. “It’s the personal touches that make visiting this restaurant feel like you are part of the family,” said another judge.
Silver goes to one of the toughest reservations in town: St. Lawrence, where chef J-C Poirier delivers his gorgeous takes on Gallic classics from this side of the Atlantic: perfect tourtières topped with a cheeky Canadiens banner; incredible homemade pâté en croûtes. As one judge noted, “I would like my last meal to include their cailles en sarcophagi (quail in puff pastry): a dream dish right out of Babette’s Feast.”
Newcomer Collective Goods clinches bronze this year—a charming boîte with note-perfect steak frites, an excellent wine list and a great-value prix fixe. And honourable mention goes to Au Comptoir, whose zinc bar, excellent tartare and charming service bring a slice of Paris to the streets of Kitsilano.
Want More Restaurant Award Winners? Read Them All Here