YAM magazine’s Best Restaurant Awards 2019 celebrate Greater Victoria, B.C.’s exciting food scene and are judged by an independent panel of chefs and food experts. We are proud to announce the winners of 2019!
It’s been another big year in Victoria’s exciting dining scene.
Ever punching above its weight, our small city has big culinary chops, with chefs, butchers, bakers and food producers who continue to raise the bar higher when it comes to eating out, at every level.
Island food continues to expand and evolve in this city of creative foodpreneurs. It was a challenge for our panel of judges to choose their favourites for our Best Restaurant Awards, but we’ve tasted our way to bring you our winners for 2019.
Bon appetit!
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Restaurant of the Year
Winner: Saveur
Runners Up: Olo | Wild Mountain Food & Drink
Honourable Mention: The Courtney Room
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Chef of the Year
Winner: Castro Boateng
Runners Up: Kunal Ghose | Ken Hookham
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Best New Restaurant
Winner: House of Boateng
Runners Up: Nowhere, a restaurant | Sherwood
Honourable Mention: Cera
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Best Fine Dining Restaurant
Winner: Saveur
Runners Up: The Courtney Room | Olo
Honourable Mention: Agrius
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Best World Food
Winner: Dhobosala Cantina & Ride Thru
Runners Up: House of Boateng | Bao
Honourable Mention: Persimmon Tree
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Best Cocktail or Wine Bar
Winner: Veneto Bar Ristorante
Runners Up: Vis á Vis | Clive’s Cocktail Lounge
Honourable Mention: Little Jumbo Restaurant and Bar
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Best Brunch
Winner: Saveur
Runners Up: House of Boateng | The Village
Honourable Mention: Zambri’s
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Best Bakery Cafe
Winner: Fol Epi Yates/Agrius
Runners Up: Ruth and Dean Baked Goods | Ottavio Italian Bakery and Delicatessen
Honourable Mention: La Roux Pattisserie
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Best Pub
Winner: Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
Runners Up: The Drake Eatery | Six Mile Pub & Eatery
Honourable Mention: The Churchill
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People’s Choice
Winner: Part and Parcel
Runners Up: Blue Fox Cafe | Fireside Grill
Honourable Mention: Zambri’s
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Best Caffeine
Winner: Habit Coffee
Runners Up: Bows & Arrows Coffee Roasters | Hey Happy
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Best Casual
Winner: Part and Parcel
Runners Up: Stage Wine Bar | Vis á Vis
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Best Afternoon Tea
Winner: The Empress
Runners Up: Venus Sophia | White Heather Tea Room
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Best Bread
Winner: Fol Epi Organic Bakery and Patisserie
Runners Up: Fry’s Bakery | Wildfire Bakery
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Best From the Sea
Winner: Wild Mountain Food & Drink
Runners Up: Nowhere, a restaurant | Fishhook
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Best Burger
Winner: Brasserie l’Ecole
Runners Up: Deadbeetz Fresh Food Truck | Bin 4 Burger Lounge
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Best Sandwhich
Winner: Wheelies Motorcycle Café
Runners Up: Bold Butchery & Grill | Roast
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Best Middle Eastern
Winner: Superbaba
Runners Up: Yalla | Fig Deli
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Best Pizza
Winner: Pizzeria Prima Strada
Runners Up: Standard Pizza | Fernwood Pizza Company
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Best Vegan
Winner: Nourish Kitchen and Café
Runners Up: Be Love | The Very Good Butchers
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Best Korean
Winner: Cera
Runners Up: Persimmon Tree | Chicken 649
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Best South Asian
Winner: Spice Valley
Runners Up: Royal Spice Indian Cuisine | The Mantra Fine Indian Cuisine
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Best Mexican
Winner: Mesa Familiar
Runners Up: Café Mexico Grill and Cantina | La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop
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Best Chinese
Winner: J & J Wonton Noodle House
Runners Up: Little Yunnan Restaurant | Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant
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Best Italian
Winner: Zambri’s
Runners Up: Il Covo Trattoria | 900° Wood Fired Pizzeria
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Best Japanese
Winner: E:Né Raw Food and Sake Bar
Runners Up: Uchida Eatery/Shokudo | Gozen
Best Charcuterie
Winner: The Whole Beast Artisan Salumeria
Runners Up: Choux Choux Charcuterie | Black Market Meats
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Best View
Winner: Alpina Restaurant at the Villa Eyrie Resort
Runners Up: Aura | LURE Restaurant & Bar
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Best Food Truck
Winner: Deadbeetz Fresh Foodtruck
Runners Up: Finest at Sea | Taco Justice
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Best Takeout
Winner: Ottavio Italian Bakery and Delicatessen
Runners Up: Charelli’s | Fig Deli
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Best Patio
Winner: Canoe Brewpub
Runners Up: The Livet | LURE Restaurant & Bar
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Best Late Night
Winner: Sherwood
Runners Up: Little Jumbo Restaurant and Bar | Northern Quarter
This article is from the July/August 2019 issue of YAM