They say you can’t pick a favourite child, but in the Vancouver food scene, the "Best of the Bunch" categories come pretty close. These are the heavyweights—the bakeries that wake us up with the scent of butter, the romantic corners where we’ve shared our deepest secrets, and the "cheap eats" that keep our hearts (and wallets) full. This is my personal documentation of The Georgia Straight Golden Plates Awards: Best of the Bunch. As I look through this list, I see a map of my life in this city—the milestones celebrated at Seasons in the Park and the rainy Tuesday comfort found at Breka. It’s a grounded reminder that whether it’s fine dining or a food truck, a truly "smooch-worthy" bite is about the feeling it leaves behind.
Bakery
☑️ Breka Bakery & Cafe (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Livia (2025)
☑️ Purebread (2024, 2026)
☑️ Small Victory (2024, 2025, 2026)
Breakfast
☑️ Cafe Medina (2024, 2025, 2026)
☑️ Fable Diner (2024)
⬜ Hunnybee Bruncheonette (2026)
⬜ Jam Cafe (2025)
⬜ Maxine’s Cafe & Bar (2025, 2026)
⬜ OEB Breakfast Co. (2024)
Brunch
-
☑️
Cafe Medina
(2025)
⬜ Chambar (2024, 2026)
⬜ Jam Cafe (2025, 2026)
⬜ Livia (2024)
⬜ Maxine’s Cafe & Bar (2025, 2026)
⬜ OEB Breakfast Co. (2024)
Cheap Eats
-
☑️ Duffin's Donuts
(2024)
⬜ Fat Mao (2025)
☑️ Hawkers Delight Deli (2024, 2026)
⬜ House of Dosas (2025)
⬜ Jo's Italian Deli (2024)
☑️ Juke Fried Chicken (2025, 2026)
☑️ Tacofino (2026)
Chocolatier
⬜ Thomas Haas Chocolates (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ BETA5 (2024, 2025)
☑️ Purdy's (2026)☑️ Thierry (2024, 2025, 2026)
Coffee Shop
☑️ Elysian Coffee Roasters (2024)
☑️ JJ Bean (2024 ,2025, 2026)
☑️ Nemesis Coffee (2024, 2025, 2026)☑️ Small Victory (2025, 2026)
Comfort Food
⬜ Burgoo (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Cockney Kings Fish & Chips (2026)
⬜ DownLow Chicken Shack (2024, 2026)
⬜ Hai Phong (2025)
⬜ Jam Cafe (2024)
☑️ Juke Fried Chicken (2025)
Deli
⬜ Bosa Foods (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Cioffi’s Meat Market and Deli (2024)
⬜ Jo's Italian Deli (2025)
☑️ La Grotta Del Formaggio (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Oyama (2025)
Dessert Bar
☑️ Breka (2026)
☑️ Cheesecake Etc. (2024, 2025)
☑️ Earnest Ice Cream (2026)
☑️ Thierry (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ True Confections (2024, 2025)
Food Truck
⬜ Between 2 Buns (2025, 2026)
⬜ Chickpea (2025, 2026)
☑️ Japadog (2026)
☑️ Mom's Grilled Cheese (2024, 2025)
☑️ Mr. Shawarma (2024)
☑️ Tacofino (2024)
Hidden Gem
⬜ Apollonia Greek Restaurant (2025)
☑️ Fife (2026)
⬜ Grapes and Soda (2026)
⬜ Hai Phong (2025)
⬜ It's Okay (2024)
⬜ Merci Beaucoup Cafe (2024, 2025)
⬜ Mortadella (2026)
⬜ Red Accordion (2024)
Hotel Lounge
⬜ Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge, Wedgewood Hotel & Spa (2024)
⬜ The Lobby Lounge & RawBar, Fairmont Pacific Rim (2024)
⬜ Sylvia’s Restaurant & Lounge, Sylvia Hotel (2024)
Hotel Restaurant
⬜ Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge, Wedgewood Hotel & Spa (2024)
⬜ Botanist Restaurant, Fairmont Pacific Rim (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Boulevard, Sutton Place Hotel (2025, 2026)
⬜ Hawksworth Restaurant, Rosewood Hotel Georgia (2024, 2025, 2026)
Pub
⬜ The American (2025)
☑️ Brewhall (2026)
⬜ Cambie Bar & Grill (2026)
☑️ Dublin Crossing (2025)
⬜ Irish Heather (2026)
⬜ The Magnet (2024)
⬜ Mahony's Tavern (2024, 2025)
☑️ The Wicklow (2024)
Restaurant: Best Overall
⬜ AnnaLena (2025, 2026)
⬜ Botanist (2024)
⬜ Chambar (2024)
⬜ Dovetail (2025, 2026)
⬜ Published on Main (2024, 2025)
⬜ Savio Volpe (2026)
Restaurant: Best View
☑️ Seasons in the Park (2024)
⬜ Cardero's (2024)
⬜ Miku (2024)
Restaurant: Casual
☑️ Bin 4 Burger Lounge (2024)
☑️ Cactus Club (2025, 2026)
⬜ Chancho (2025)
⬜ DD Mau Chinatown (2024)
⬜ Dovetail (2026)
⬜ Lunch Lady (2026)
☑️ MeeT (2025)
⬜ Superbaba (2024)
Restaurant: Fine Dining
⬜ AnnaLena (2025, 2026)
⬜ Elisa (2025, 2026)
⬜ Kissa Tanto (2024)
⬜ Published on Main (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ St. Lawrence (2024)
Restaurant: New
⬜ Chez Celine (2026)
⬜ Dovetail (2024)
⬜ Dear Gus Snack Bar (2024)
⬜ Eli Volpe (2025)
⬜ Gary's (2024)
⬜ Jeju (2026)
⬜ June (2025)
⬜ Nui (2025)
⬜ Touk (2026)
Restaurant: Patio
⬜ Anh and Chi (2024)
⬜ Black + Blue (2026)
⬜ Cactus Club Cafe English Bay (2024, 2026)
⬜ Cardero's (2025)
⬜ Dovetail (2025)
⬜ Joe Fortes (2024, 2025)
☑️ Tap and Barrel (2026)Restaurant: Romantic
⬜ AnnaLena (2024)
⬜ Chambar (2024)
⬜ Brix and Mortar (2024)
Restaurant: Seafood
⬜ Bar Bravo (2026)
⬜ Blue Water Cafe (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Joe Fortes (2025, 2026)
⬜ Miku (2024)
⬜ Oddfish (2024, 2025)
Restaurant: Steakhouse
⬜ Black & Blue (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Elisa (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Gotham (2025, 2026)
⬜ Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar (2024)
Restaurant: Plant-Based
⬜ Acorn (2025, 2026)
⬜ Chickpea (2024, 2026)
⬜ Kokomo (2025)
☑️ MeeT (2024, 2025, 2026)
⬜ Virtuous Pie (2024)
Restaurant: Vegetarian
⬜ The Acorn (2024)
⬜ The Naam (2024)
⬜ Do Chay (2024)
From the high ceilings of hotel restaurants to the hidden gems tucked away in quiet neighbourhoods, this list represents the very best of our community's craft. I’m finding so much joy in looking back at the links I’ve already shared. Each one is a tiny time capsule of a meal well-spent. Here’s to the winners, the dreamers, and every bite in between—I can’t wait to see what’s next in our beautiful Vancouver.
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