YAM magazine’s Best Restaurant Awards 2023 celebrates Greater Victoria, B.C.’s exciting food scene and are judged by an independent panel of chefs and food experts.
BY CINDA CHAVICH | PHOTOS BY JEFFREY BOSDET
Best Upscale Restaurant – Saveur
658 Herald Street | saveurrestaurant.ca
Here on the West Coast, there’s a relaxed and approachable side to fine dining, and Saveur embodies that vibe with its stylish décor and innovative, seasonal menus.
Chef/owner Robert Cassels is behind every plate — from the snacks paired with sparkling wine by the glass during the Bubbles and Bites happy hour to his ambitious multi-course tasting menus — and offers diners a new experience each time they visit.
Saveur’s contemporary cuisine melds classic French technique with modern methods and Asian ideas, featuring the week’s freshest ingredients from local farms. The combinations are always surprising and artfully presented, whether it’s pork belly with black garlic jus and sunchoke chips, or shellfish custard with squid ink tuile and yuzu pearls.
Runners-up
AURA Waterfront Restaurant + Patio, a destination hotel dining room for beautiful, Asian-inspired dishes and exceptional desserts; and Wind Cries Mary, a popular Bastion Square hideaway to share plates and cocktails with friends.