Gold: Marilena
Certainly the chicest room in town, gold winner Marilena remains the place for a fancy night out (“especially if you’re not paying,” joked one judge). From precise and playful raw bar dishes (alongside equally skilled cocktails) at the bar, through the deep dive into stunningly prepared mains and Victoria’s richest wine program, the standard has been set, very high, by Top Table’s first Victoria outpost. One judge described Marilena’s A5 wagyu sashimi as “mind-blowing.”
1525 Douglas St.
marilenacafe.com
Silver: Rabbit Rabbit
Silver winner Rabbit Rabbit is a gem, too. Local ingredients are thoughtfully touched with Asian sensibilities, on a small-plates menu that would feel equally at home in London, U.K. The scallion milk buns with caramelized onion butter are worth a trip down the rabbit hole alone.
658 Herald St.
rabbitrabbitwinebar.com
Bronze: Cafe Malabar
The pure, fresh authenticity of bronze medallist Cafe Malabar is evident in every aromatic bite of their Keralan dishes, ingrained naturally from head chefs Kiran Kolathodan and Karma Tenpa’s youth in Southern India.
407 Swift St.
cafemalabar.ca
Honourable Mentions
Ugly Duckling
543 Fisgard St.
uglyducklingrestaurant.ca
Chobap
610 Courtney St.
chobapsushibar.com
