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Rare peek at finalists for 2018 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards

Food fans know that with the spring comes the annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.
Medina
Photo by Amy Ho/courtesy Café Medina

Food fans know that with the spring comes the annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Revealed online and in a special issue of the magazine, Vancouver’s dining scene is celebrated each year and the critics’ favourites are crowned victorious in several categories spanning cuisines and neighbourhoods.

It's not just about Vancouver at the Vancouver Restaurant Awards. A number of Richmond restaurants such as Kirin, Dynasty Seafood, Cocoru, Lido and Nine Dishes have been shortlisted this year.

To get our collective appetites primed for the awards in April, Vancouver Magazine has served up a smorgasbord of solid intel: The finalists in each category. From Best Bar to Best West Coast, and from Whistler to Richmond (and all the delicious Vancouver neighbourhoods in between), the categories cover a lot of tasty territory.

This is only the second year Van Mag has given the public–or anyone!–a shortlist of finalists for the coveted awards. Last year they published an alphabetical list of all the finalists, but for 2018 the publications has opted to get even more specific and give us the finalists by category.

While Vancouver Magazine is set to announce the winners at their ceremony and party on April 16, get a head start on picking your favourites from their just-released list of finalists.

Vancouver Magazine’s 2018 Restaurant Awards Finalists:

BEST BAR
Campagnolo Upstairs
Grapes and Soda
The Narrow
The Shameful Tiki Room
Uva

BEST BRUNCH
Au Comptoir
Belgard Kitchen
Burdock and Co.
Café Medina
Merchant’s Workshop

BEST CHAIN
Cactus Club Cafe
JOEY
Nuba
Tacofino
The Flying Pig

BEST CHINESE
Dynasty Seafood
Golden Paramount
Hoitong Chinese Seafood
Jade Seafood
Yue Delicacy

BEST DESIGN
Botanist
Fayuca
La Glace Ice Cream
La Tacqueria (Hornby Location)
St. Lawrence

BEST DIM SUM
Kirin (Richmond)
Dynasty Seafood
Golden Paramount
Red Star Seafood (Granville)
Yue Delicacy

BEST FRENCH
Au Comptoir
Bacchus
L’Abattoir
Le Crocodile
St. Lawrence

BEST INDIAN
Apna Chaat House
My Shanti
Rangoli
Sachdeva Sweets
Swad

BEST ITALIAN
Ask for Luigi
Cinara
CinCin
Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill
Savio Volpe

BEST JAPANESE
Dosanko
Kishimoto
Masayoshi
Sushi Bar Maumi
Tetsu Sushi Bar

BEST LATIN
Cacao
El Santo
Fayuca
Los Cuervos
Molli Café

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Botanist
Fayuca
Mak N Ming
St. Lawrence
Yuwa Japanese Cuisine

BEST OKANAGAN
Front Street Brassarie
Miradoro
Old Vines
Raudz
Waterfront Wines

BEST PAN-ASIAN
Fat Mao Noodles
Kissa Tanto
Laksa King
Longtail Kitchen
Torafuku

BEST PATISSERIE
Beaucoup Bakery
Chez Christophe Chocolate Patisserie
Temper Chocolate and Pastry
Thierry
Thomas Haas

BEST PIZZA
Bufala
Corduroy Pie Co.
Nicli Antica Pizzeria
Pizzeria Farina
Via Tevere

BEST RAMEN
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Marutama Ra-men
Motomachi Shokudo
Ramen Danbo
The Ramenman

BEST SEAFOOD
Ancora
Blue Water Café
Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar
Landmark Hot Pot House
Oddfish

BEST STEAKHOUSE
Black and Blue
Gotham
Hy’s
Joe Fortes
The Roof

BEST THAI
Jitlada
Kin Kao
Maenam
Sawasdee Thai
Sen Pad Thai

BEST UPSCALE
Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar
CinCin
Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill
Hawksworth
The Pear Tree

BEST VICTORIA
Agrius
Chorizo and Co.
Fishhook
Part and Parcel
Pizzeria Prima Strada

BEST VIETNAMESE
Bánh Mì Très Bon
Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen
Chau Veggie
Hái Phong
Mr. Red Café

BEST WEST COAST
Bows x Arrows
Burdock and Co.
Forage
Mak N Ming
Royal Dinette

BEST WHISTLER
Alta Bistro
Araxi
Bar Oso
Bearfoot Bistro
The Grill Room

Best Neighbourhood Spots: The Nominees
CHINATOWN
Bao Bei
Campagnolo Upstairs
Fat Mao Noodles
Jade Seafood
Pizzeria Farina

DOWNTOWN
Café Medina
Cinara
Heritage Asian Eatery
Royal Dinette
Tableau Bar Bistro

EAST SIDE
Bistro Wagon Rouge
Bows x Arrows
Burdock and Co.
Kishimoto
Merchant’s Workshop

GASTOWN
Belgard Kitchen
La Mezcaleria
The Mackenzie Room
Tuc Craft Kitchen
Wildebeest

BEST NORTH SHORE
Feast
Maru Korean Bistro
Swad
Terroir Kitchen
Zen Japanese

RICHMOND
Britannia Brewing Company
Cocoru
Gudrun Tasting Room
Lido
Nine Dishes

WEST END
Amici Miei
Damso
Kingyo
Marutama
Nook

WEST SIDE
Au Comptoir
Bufala
Grapes and Soda
L’Ufficio
Oddfish

YALETOWN
Bistro Sakana
Homer Street Café and Bar
House Special
Provence Marinaside
WildTale