The Georgia Straight Golden Plates Awards: Best Specialty Items | Checklist

There is something so incredibly romantic about a kitchen that masters just one thing perfectly. Whether it’s the chew of a traditional Montreal-style bagel or the golden crunch of fried chicken, these specialty items are the true heartbeat of Vancouver’s culinary soul. This is my personal documentation of The Georgia Straight Golden Plates Awards: Best Specialty Items. It’s a roadmap of the specific bites that make our city so unique—and a checklist of the "smooch-worthy" treats I can’t wait to indulge.

Bagel

⬜ Mish Mish (2025)

☑️ Rosemary Rock Salt (2024)

☑️ Siegel’s Bagels (2024, 2025)

☑️ Solly’s Bagelry (2024, 2025)

Barbecue

☑️ Chinatown BBQ (2025)

☑️ Juke Fried Chicken (2024)

☑️ Memphis Blues BBQ House (2024, 2025)

☑️ Rosie’s BBQ and Smokehouse (2024)

⬜ Slim's BBQ (2025)

Burger

⬜ Between 2 Buns (2025)

☑️ Bin 4 Burger Lounge (2024, 2025)

☑️ Burger Crush (2024)

⬜ DownLow Burgers (The American) (2024, 2025)

Chicken Wings

⬜ Phnom Penh (2024)

⬜ Anh and Chi (2024)

☑️ Juke Fried Chicken

Cold-Pressed Juice

☑️ Glory Juice Co. (2024)

⬜ The Juice Truck (2024)

⬜ Chasers Fresh Juice Vancouver (2024)

Dim Sum

⬜ Bao Bei (2024)

⬜ Dynasty(2025)

⬜ Little Bird (2024)

⬜ Sun Sui Wah (2025)

⬜ Western Lake Chinese Seafood Restaurant (2025)

Doughnut

☑️ Cartems (2024)

☑️ Lee’s Donuts (2024, 2025)

☑️ Lucky’s Doughnuts (2024, 2025)

⬜ Mello (2025)

Dumplings

⬜ Bao Bei (2024, 2025)

⬜ Dinesty Dumpling House (2025)

⬜ The Dumpling King (2024)

☑️ Hon’s (2024)

⬜ New Town Bakery (2025)

Fish and Chips

⬜ Go Fish (2025)

⬜ Cockney Kings Fish & Chips (2024)

☑️ Pajo’s (2024)

⬜ The Fish Counter (2024, 2025)

⬜ Vancouver Fish Company (2025)

Fried Chicken

⬜ Chewie’s Chicken and Biscuits (2024)

⬜ DownLow Chicken Shack (2024, 2025)

☑️ Juke Fried Chicken (2024, 2025)

⬜ Mogu Fried Chicken (2025)

Gluten-Free Bakery

⬜ Lemonade Gluten Free Bakery (2024)

⬜ Gluten Free Epicurean (2024)

⬜ Delish Gluten Free Bakery (2024)

Gluten-Free Food

⬜ Gluten Free Epicurean (2025)

⬜ Kokomo (2025)

☑️ Juke Fried Chicken (2025)

Gluten-Free Pizza

⬜ Wild Flour Pizza Co. (2024)

☑️ Ignite Pizzeria (2024)

⬜ Nicli Pizzeria (2024)

Ice Cream/Gelato

⬜ Dolce Amore (2024)

☑️ Earnest Ice Cream (2024, 2025)

⬜ Gelato by James (2025)

⬜ Innocent Ice Cream (2024)

⬜ Rain or Shine (2025)

Pasta

⬜ Ask for Luigi (2024, 2025)

⬜ Pepino’s Spaghetti House (2024, 2025)

⬜ Savio Volpe (2024, 2025)

Pizza

⬜ AJ’s Brooklyn Pizza Joint (2025)

⬜ Nook (2024, 2025)

⬜ Via Tevere (2024, 2025)

⬜ Sopra Sotto (2024)

Poke

☑️ Steve’s Poke Bar (2024)

☑️ Pokerrito (2024)

☑️ Pacific Poke (2024)

Poutine

⬜ Fritz European Fry House (2024)

☑️ Belgian Fries (2024)

☑️ La Belle Patate (2024)

Ramen

⬜ Danbo Ramen (2024, 2025)

☑️ Jinya Ramen Bar (2024, 2025)

⬜ Kintaro (2025)

☑️ Kokoro Ramen (2024)

Sushi

⬜ Kishimoto (2024)

⬜ Miku (2024, 2025)

⬜ Minami (2025)

⬜ Sushi Hill (2025)

⬜ Tojo’s Restaurant (2024)

Tacos

⬜ Chancho (2025)

☑️ La Taqueria (2024, 2025)

☑️ Sal y Limon (2024)

☑️ Tacofino (2024, 2025)

Looking through this list, I am struck by how many of these items have been part of my most cherished memories—late-night poutine runs, celebratory doughnuts for a special day, and ramen bowls shared on rainy afternoons. While many squares remain unchecked, I’m treating this list as a promise for the future. After all, the best specialty items aren't just food; they are proof that when you do one thing with enough love and heart, it becomes legendary.