* 2023 Gold winner Cactus Club Cafe moved into the Hall of Fame this year, and was not judged in the Best Chain category
The Best Chain Restaurants in Vancouver 2024
Gold: Nook
Nook grabs gold for the first time in this category with its personable ambiance and classic (or classic-with-a-twist) takes on pizzas and pastas. “This is the class of the category—each spot has personality and feels like there’s an actual chef making actual decisions to serve the customer,” said one judge. That’s as clear from the daily location-specific specials as it is from the standards: chicken liver crostini topped with port-glazed onions, for example, or a puttanesca that’s the perfect balance of salt, sweet and heat—a dish that made a fan of Jamie Dornan the last time he filmed in Vancouver.
Various locations
nookrestaurants.com
Silver: Tacofino
Taking silver, Tacofino hasn’t strayed too far from its original beachside food truck in Tofino, and that’s a good thing. Taco selections vary by location, but Yaletown’s lemongrass chicken burrito—stuffed with crispy garlic rice, pickled veg and tamarind mayo—is middle-of-the-night-craving worthy, while Ocho’s lamb birria quesadilla is made for the more adventurous eaters. “Maybe I eat here too often?” joked one judge.
Various locations
tacofino.com
Bronze: Joey
Joey takes bronze for a reliable great night out over share plates of roasted corn guacamole and smoky paloma cocktails.
Various locations, joeyrestaurants.com
Honourable Mentions: Maruhachi Ra-Men and Nuba
Honourable mentions go to Maruhachi Ra-men, where noodle-lovers line up for perfectly balanced broth and soy eggs, and Nuba, the city’s longtime (and long-popular) Lebanese mainstay.
Maruhachi Ra-men Various locations, maruhachi.ca
Nuba Various locations, nuba.ca
