The Winter 2016 Scout 25 has just been released. It’s what you should feel confident giving to anyone who asks “Where should I eat in Vancouver?” It’s our list of Vancouver’s best, most consistent, most essential, and most representative restaurants, and a key facet of Scout’s seasonal GAMEPLAN project. It is decided four times a year by an esteemed panel of local restaurant industry veterans and food experts who each submit a list. No politics. No bullshit. If you don’t see your favourite restaurant here, check the list of honourable mentions at the bottom and note that many of the establishments therein have cracked the list in previous seasons. Either before or after ranking the results below (by picking your favourite three), explore each restaurant in detail here…
Honorable Mentions | (Multiple votes) Au Comptoir, Bishop’s, Bistro Wagon Rouge, Blue Water Cafe, Campagnolo, CinCin, Espana, Fable, Farmer’s Apprentice, Homer St. Cafe, Hy’s, Les Faux Bourgeois, Kirin, Mission, Miku, Motomachi Shokudo, Pizzeria Farina, Nicli Antica Pizzeria, Nook, Le Crocodile, Latab, Masayoshi, Minami, Juniper, Royal Dinette, Tableau, Tacofino.
—————————————————-
ABOUT THE SCOUT 25
The Scout 25 was inspired by the website Eater, which offers widely respected lists that detail the top 38 restaurants in every city it operates in. The “Eater 38” is an invaluable tool for food-loving travellers wary of online review sites. When the website closed its Vancouver outlet in 2014, we decided to develop our own version.
The Scout 25 is, of course, very different. Our list is developed in consultation with over a dozen people of prominence working in the restaurant industry – the idea being that no one is a better judge of restaurants than the people who toil in them. Our panelists are free to disclose their involvement at their leisure, but we don’t publicize or promote their identities so as to keep the focus on the restaurants rather than the individuals who judge them.
The list of restaurants – and the group that decides it – changes four times a year, on the first day of each season. How much it changes, of course, is up to the panelists. For the Winter 2016 edition, only two restaurants changed and twenty-three remained the same. The panel included two writers, two restaurateurs, two executive chefs, two sous chefs, two servers, one bartender, one general manager, and two citizen-gourmands.
Only establishments that have been open for more than 6 months are considered (new locations notwithstanding)
THE NEXT SCOUT 25 WILL BE RELEASED AT THE START OF SPRING: March 20, 2016
There are 15 comments
Popular
Vancouver's Most Racist Restaurant, Remembered
¿CóMO? Taperia and Paella Guys Popular Paella Series Returns in May
Ten Places to Steam, Soak and Sauna In and Around Vancouver, Mapped
The Coolest New Bars to Score a Cocktail in Vancouver Right Now
From Road Trip Wisdom to Laugh-Love-Language, with Bailey Hayward and Mathew Bishop
If there are no politics, and no bullshit, then Bauhaus should be on your list. Otherwise, political and bullshit are present, in spades. It’s easily one of the best restaurants in Vancouver, and far surpasses most on this list.
A fair question, Steven, as Bauhaus is pretty well universally celebrated. I’m just guessing here, but maybe Bauhaus is more of a critical darling than an industry darling. Given the make up of Scout’s voting panel, this might explain its absence.
our food is great …..our service is great ….. we are very happy with bauhaus performance. that we are not on the list is a shame for the people they make the list …but it doesn’t impact our sales so i don’t care. i care more about the gourmets from around the globe coming in and loving it and our vancouver regulars who see us as a great addition to the city.
but if you go on scout magazins a to z list….you will not even find bauhaus —- andrew …what a joke you are …..
laughable
It could be interesting one day, in Vancouver, making a list (as this one) opened to anonymous critics (the negative things, funny too) and see what happened: sometime the critics can be usufull to become better and grow as restaurants, chefs, owners, etc…(yeah, I know, there’s already Tripadvisor…)
Oh dear. I’m sorry you feel that way, Uwe. Only 25 restaurants make it on the list each season. It’s unfortunate that Bauhaus missed out again. Though I’m not responsible for the make-up of the list I often bear the brunt of the criticism that comes with it. The last time, it was your general manager who lashed out at me personally, so I’ll just take your insults on the chin and wish you the very best. Keep up the good work.
Barf house is more like it. IMO.
Osteria Savio Volpe is overrated. Food is just okay, but expensive.
Wow, Uwe. Your petty complaints are more atrocious than the poor excuse of movies that you barely conceive. I have been to your darling restaurant couple times and I choose Savio Volpe, Kissa Tanto and Bao Bei over yours any day. In fact, your hostile attitude toward Vancouver food scene as displayed from your comment gives me even less impetus to go to your restaurant in the future. Good work with this list, Scout Magazine!
Which restaurant is pictured at the top of the article? (With the blue booths and brass rails..)?
Kissa Tanto. More images here: http://scoutmagazine.ca/2016/10/01/kissa-tanto/
Being a relatively new restaurant, this was the first time they were eligible for consideration in the Scout 25. Nice to see them doing so well in the polling. Well deserved.
Stop being such a baby, Uwe. Sure your chef can cook but your front of house is amateur hour. Also, nobody likes a loudmouth braggart egomaniac who makes B movies. If you can’t figure out why nobody in the business likes Bauhaus, look no further than the mirror. It’s hardly a mystery.
Bauhaus is a good restaurant, but is it a shoe in for this list? I don’t think so. I would much rather eat at every one of the other restaurants above. Shame on the owner for whining about it.
Nomad
I still don’t think that this restaurant gets the recognition it deserves.
I have not eaten at all the restaurants…so is this a fair way to poll? I love Ask for Luigi…and my adult children always pick Bao Bei for their birthday dinners. Heard wonderful reviews about Osteria S V…so made a rez’ for 10 for a special night in December. Fixed price was high, and in conclusion…meh! I do better Italian and not a trained chef….I think a lot of restaurants over think and over do. I want a nice dinner, good service and a bit of atmosphere. Keep it simple and keep it genuine.