The 10 Most-Read Vancouver Magazine Stories of 2023

We don’t know what section you’re flipping to first when you pick up your copy of Vancouver magazine each month (you do have a free Vanmag print subscription, right?), but online, it’s a different story. We’ve got some cold, hard, data that tells us exactly what readers have been digging into here on Vanmag.com.

There were some oldies-but-goodies that crept into the top-10 this year—like the perennial fave “Where Vancouverites Like to Have Sex in Public” survey—but for the sake of posterity, we’re only including stories that have gone up since our 2022 Top 10 round-up. (Sorry, horndogs.) Scroll on for a peek into your neighbours’ reading habits: mayoral profiles, turkey talk and all the rest.

10. 8 Things to Do in Abbotsford Even If It’s Pouring Rain

Managing editor Alyssa Hirose braved the Valley in inclement weather, and was rewarded with the 10th-most-viewed story in our 2023 lineup. Coffee shops, the best thrifting and more await if you’re Abbotsford-bound.

9. The Ultimate Vancouver Spa Guide

This was a gruelling package to research, as you can imagine. But our brave editors Did The Work—and now you can just peruse a dozen-plus spa treatments and blissful relaxation experiences at your leisure.

8. A Guide to Non-alcoholic Drinks That Don’t Suck

Wine whiz Kurtis Kolt wrote this helpful guide for us last December, just as we were putting together our 2022 list, so we’ll allow it to sneak in here. And if you’ve been hitting the holiday party circuit as hard as we have,  a night with a zero-proof bubbly might not be such a bad idea.

7. A Year In, How’s Mayor Ken Sim Actually Doing?

Matt O’Grady’s in-depth profile of our current mayor attempts to paint a balanced portrait of a polarizing civic figure. Mayor Sim swept to power a year ago promising to reduce waste, make our streets safer and bring Vancouver’s “swagger” back. But can his open-book style win over the critics?

6. Breaking News: Vancouver Now Has 9 Michelin-Star Restaurants

In our humble opinion, the Michelin Guide Vancouver Awards are only the second most important restaurant-industry honours, after our very own Vanmag Restaurant Awards. But it’s still a thrill to see our city’s culinary scene get the spotlight it deserves from the 97-year-old institution… and this year, they upped the ante with some worthy new additions.

5. 10 Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner in Vancouver

Our readers were hungry for a little help with their Thanksgiving feasts this year, and we were happy to provide some insight on where to outsource that turkey. Obviously, these specials are no longer available, but if you’re looking for someone to whip you up a little something-something for a festive occasion, check out our (constantly updated!) list of Vancouver’s best New Year’s Eve dinner events.

4. Sandos in the City: 9 of the Best Sandwiches in Vancouver

Food editor Alyssa Hirose compiled this stacked guide to the best between-bread eats in Vancouver, from a Waygy bao from Petite Bao to a Doofer hero hoagie from Say Hey.

3. I Tried It: The Aritzia Superpuff Is Legitimately Amazing

You’ve probably noticed everyone and their (stylish) grandmas sporting the down-filled puffy jackets from Vancouver’s favourite affordable-luxury fashion retailer. But are they actually worth the hype? Our intrepid assistant editor, Kerri Donaldson, puts the Superpuff to the test.

2. The Vanmag Power 50 List

Every year, we rank the city’s most influential power players. And every year, the list itself winds up on this list. It’s like a nesting doll of content.

1. The 2023 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards

We’ll admit it: as editors, we regularly turn to the Restaurant Awards content to guide our recommendations to friends and family. And it looks like you all are, too. Bon appetit.