The Best Things Our Editors Ate in 2024

While our Restaurant Awards judges are out and about devouring the city all year long for our official annual awards, we editors find time to get out there occasionally, too. We covered many of our favourite bites in this year’s 25 Things to Eat package, but there’s more where that came from—these are some of our most memorable meals from 2024.

The Best Things We Ate This Year

Croquetas at Casa Molina, $18 for three

It’s hard to say if something is delicious because it is inherently well-made, or if the environment in which you eat it creates a bias, but it’s impossible to separate the decadent gambas (shrimp) croquetas at Casa Molina from the adorable restaurant itself, so I won’t even bother. I’m sure the delicately fried little orbs—think aracini, but make it Spanish—would’ve been just as delicious enjoyed on a Barcelona beach or even in a sketchy Madrid back alley, but I was fortunate enough to tuck into these rich, comforting treasures (the filling is like béchamel, a creamy contrast to the crispy exterior) while seated in the bay window of a converted home in Mount Pleasant, all while being relegated with tales of small-town Spain bullfighting from owner-chef Javier Blanc. So maybe the space does add an extra layer of flavour here, but it’s a delicious combination, to be sure. —Stacey Mclachlan, editor-in-chief

Sablefish Collars at Fanny Bay Oysters, $18 for four

We’ve already mentioned the sablefish collars once during a recent visit to Fanny Bay Oysters, but I had to give this dish a whole shoutout of its own. It’s crispy and fried to perfection, and I’m a big fan of the sweet and savoury mix, so the Korean BBQ glaze finish really brings it all together. Plus, it gets bonus points for showcasing a part of the fish that isn’t usually used AND it’s on the happy hour menu. A win-win in my opinion. —Rebekah Ho, digital marketing manager

Breakfast Pizza at Elio Volpe, $28

Earlier this year I told everyone to eat Elio Volpe’s breakfast pizza ASAP—and I stand by that statement. The ‘za has a distinctly pierogi vibe thanks to potatoes drizzled with pitch-perfect hollandaise (How does it stay unbroken in a squeeze bottle?! Is it in a bain marie? This is also my unanswered question of the year), plus the mushrooms come out meaty, not shrivelled and the house-made bacon alone is worth a trip to Banda Volpe’s newest restaurant. It’s so good that while reminiscing and writing this I got myself so excited that I booked in a brunch over the holidays, because is it really Christmas without the best breakfast pizza in town? —Dani Wright, managing editor

 

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Seafood Michelada Ceviche from El Gato Gab Gab, $33

I wish there was a Spotify Unwrapped but for everything I ate this year because I know I ate some bangers. The one that instantly comes to mind though (and for that reason, gets to claim top spot in my best-of foodie playlist—the Taylor Swift of eats, if you will) is from newcomer El Gato Gab Gab with their seafood michelada ceviche. I knew I would like this dish when I first tried it as it included my three faves: Seafood, Micheladas (normally a boozy treat) and, of course, ceviche (every time I try to make this at home it always hits different—the less good kind of different). And let me tell you, this triple threat chips n’ dip delight did not disappoint. It’s a citrus-forward, seafood treat stuffed with everything under the sea: grilled octopus, pacific prawns, black garlic shoyu clamato (sea-adjacent), love (probably—when it taste this good there’s got to be some sort of secret ingredient!) Needless to say, with extra tortilla chips for dipping, this is the perfect share plate pre-going-out-dancing-at-the-Fox or hitting-the-bars-along-Main-Street… or the most amazing meal for one—this is your sign to order this as a full meal, I dare you. It’s chips for dinner, in the best way. —Kerri Donaldson, assistant editor

The Flan at Zapoteca, $9

Growing up, pudding was the go-to dessert at every family gathering for me. And I never imagined I’d taste a better one than my grandma’s—until I tried Zapoteca’s flan. As much as I would love to keep this Kitsilano spot for myself, its flan is truly the best thing I ate this year. Light and creamy, yet firm enough to require a solid dig with your spoon, it’s the greatest way to end a meal. And most importantly, it’s not too sweet!—Rushmila Rahman, associate editor, BCBusiness

Seared Cabbage from Pizza Coming Soon ($18)

The culinary roots on both side of my family are steeped in cabbage—Slovak on my mom’s, Irish on my dad’s—so I’ll gun just about any cabbage-centred dish I spot on a menu. But I didn’t expect to love this seared cabbage from Pizza Coming Soon quite as much as I did. It’s lightly fermented, perfectly seared and plated with a miso cashew crema that is so I-want-more I quickly ignored every other dish we’d ordered that night and just focused all my energy on this one. Think you don’t love cabbage? I challenge you to reconsider with this excellent take on it. (And yes, I loved this dish so much we included it in our December issue’s list of 25 Things to Eat and Drink Right Now.) —Anicka Quin, VP Content