Gold: Crab Hot Lau
For the third year running, Crab Hot Lau snags the top spot in our Best Vietnamese category. It’s particularly impressive that owner/chef Cherry Pham has remained so consistently excellent in a year that saw two additional openings of her Kingsway family-run spot (one at UBC and another on South Granville). Wherever you find a table, the authentic Northern Vietnamese cuisine is bold and satisfying, served in a bustling, no-frills atmosphere. Highlights include the rice field crab hot pot (with its complex, downright-addictive broth) made with noodles imported from Pham’s hometown, beef carpaccio salad and meaty crab spring rolls. “This place feels genuinely soulful,” said one judge.
Various locations
crabhotlau.ca
Silver: Lunch Lady
Commercial Drive’s Lunch Lady scoops up the silver for 2026, praised as much for its food (crispy prawn fritters, bone marrow pho) as for its great vibe—fun, energetic and full of colour.
1046 Commercial Dr.
thelunchlady.com
Bronze: Madame Danh
New hot spot Madame Danh has made a strong first impression, nabbing bronze this year: it’s absolutely one to watch. Judges celebrated the kitchen’s modern, innovative take on Vietnamese cuisine, “still preserving deeply authentic flavours” with dishes like charred octopus and grilled pork jowl on rice.
4288 Fraser St.
madamedanh.com
Honourable Mentions
Bonjour Vietnam
3944 Fraser St.
bonjourvietnambistro.com
Anh and Chi
3388 Main St.
anhandchi.com
