The Best Casual Restaurants in Vancouver 2024
Gold: Chancho Tortilleria
Who better than a taco joint to take top honours in a category that celebrates the culinary art of no-fuss dining? Casually earning themselves gold for the second year in a row since relocating to the Drive, Chancho Tortilleria maintains its excellence in delivering what our judges called “near perfection” carnitas—hand-chopped to order—and tortillas so well-constructed they’ve revolutionized this town’s taco game. The colourful new space only adds to the experience, ensuring every visit is as fresh as the food itself.
2096 Commercial Dr.
chancho.ca
Silver: Street Hawker
Silver goes to Street Hawker, where chef Justin Cheung’s “crave-worthy flavours and epic concoctions” take you on a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a neon-tinged, ’90s arcade twist. Think juicy burgers that demand a stash of napkins and milkshakes that you can’t—and shouldn’t—resist, like the Milo Dino (malted chocolate) shake. “The General Tao Crusher chicken sando packed me to the gills and tingled my tastebuds,” admitted one judge.
3088 Main St.
streethawker.ca
Bronze: Fat Mao Noodles
Snagging bronze is Fat Mao Noodles, where chef and owner Angus An captivates with his bold Thai flavours. Whether it’s the classic hot and sour pork noodles or the two locations’ signature soups, each dish testifies to the restaurant’s vibrancy.
983 Helmcken St.
fatmaonoodles.com
Honourable Mentions: Motonobu Udon and La Grotta del Formaggio
Honourable mentions Motonobu Udon and La Grotta del Formaggio serve, respectively, Japanese comfort at its finest and an Italian experience so authentic you might just hear the gondoliers.
Motonobu Udon, 3501 E Hastings St., motonobuudon.ca
La Grotta del Formaggio, 1791 Commercial Dr., lagrottadelformaggio.com
