Vancouver Magazine
Let’s Go Out! 4 Great Spots to Grab a Big Group Dinner in Vancouver
Best Thing I Ate This Month: The Budino Caramel Pudding at Folietta
Get a Slice of This! 3 Tips for Hosting the Best Family Pizza Night
5 Winemaker Holiday Hacks Direct from Nk’Mip Cellars
The Best (Actually Thoughtful) Bottles of Wine to Gift This Year
Breaking: Vancouver Cocktail Week Will Return for a Fifth Year in March
Fairgrounds, Toronto’s Hippest Pickleball Club, Just Landed in North Van
Vancouver’s Nonprofits Were Getting Priced Out—This Building Changed That
Vancouver International Black Film Festival Returns for a 5th Year
Snowmobiles and Fondue Might Just Be the Perfect Whistler Night Out
I Tried It: Bioluminescent Kayaking on the Sunshine Coast
Why Osoyoos Is a Must-Visit in the Fall
Vancouver Designer Allison Dunne Weaves Art, Philosophy and Humour Into Dunne Cliff Knitwear
The Haul: Photographer Donnel Garcia Stocks Up on Oversized Sweaters and Tibetan Incense
The Vanmag Wish Book: What 14 Interesting Vancouverites Want for Christmas
One of two 'Contemporary' categories we're awarding this year.
We’ve shaken things up a little bit this year: thanks to the barrage of fantastic restaurants that could technically fit into a Contemporary category, we’ve decided to split it into two more specific awards—Upscale and Informal—so that even more world-class eateries could get some love.
While the definition of “upscale” has certainly shifted over the past few years (fewer white tablecloths, patrons wearing limited-edition sneakers instead of loafers), exceptional service, quality of food and a “special occasion” vibe remains the hallmark of this category. Botanist, our gold winner in the category, dazzled our judges with expertly crafted dishes like black pepper-crusted salmon with salmon roe, smoked buttermilk kohlrabi and celeriac and pan-seared scallops that takes inspiration from chef Hector Laguna’s Mexican heritage with its salsa macha, fermented jalapeno, green apple and pork jowl. Our judges said that—whether you’re partaking in the hyper-local tasting menu or dining à la carte—Laguna “spares no expense in creating an experience for the diner.”’
1038 Canada Pl. botanistrestaurant.com
L’Abattoir scores silver thanks to what one judge named as the ability “to impress time and time again.” That’s due to chef Lee Cooper’s unyielding dedication to inventive takes on French-inspired West Coast cuisine: the baked Pacific oysters with whipped garlic butter and black truffle is a perfect example.
217 Carrall St. labattoir.ca
Bronze goes to Boulevard, which, under chef Alex Chen, has continued to showcase outstanding West Coast cuisine—like the knockout seafood tower that features unique items like pastrami steelhead and mussels escabeche.
845 Burrard St. boulevardvancouver.ca
AnnaLena 1809 W 1st Ave. annalena.ca
Published on Main 3593 Main St. publishedonmain.com
Find more of the best Vancouver restaurants on our list of 2025 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Award winners.
Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox 3 times a week, and you’ll be entered to win a pair of Kanto’s newest compact desktop speakers—Uki in the colour “Chalk,” as well as a pair of SU2 stands. Prize value is $330 CAD. Each newsletter subscription = 1 entry. Giveaway closes December 12. The winner will be contacted by an @canadawide.com email. Contest is only open to Canadian residents, excluding Quebec.
