The Chinese Restaurant Awards (CRA) has unveiled its Top 50 Honourees, finalists for its inaugural Elite 30 Canada Awards, which will be announced live at a special awards ceremony in Vancouver at The Vancouver Club on October 29. This is the CRA’s 16th Annual Awards, but its first to rank Chinese restaurants across Canada and Asia.
Founded in Vancouver in 2008, the Chinese Restaurant Awards have become the definitive guide for Chinese cuisine in Metro Vancouver for discerning diners. For years, a diverse panel of judges have visited restaurants of all sizes anonymously to seek out their favourite dishes, eateries, hole-in-the-walls, and undiscovered talent, says the organization.
“We are excited to announce our Top 50 Honourees, and soon, our ranked Elite 30 later this month,” said Rae Kung, Managing Director of the Chinese Restaurant Awards. “It truly brings me so much joy that we are able to celebrate the cuisine of my heritage across Canada this year. This list is dedicated exclusively to Chinese cuisine, of which there are many diverse options in Canada – from Cantonese dim sum, upscale banquet spots, to contemporary Chinese and Sichuan cooking. Our mission has never changed. We still aim to uncover the finest signature dishes and to highlight the talent behind them.”
The Elite 30 Canada Awards is curated by the newly established Canada Taste Advisors Panel, chaired by founding judge Lee Man, regarded as one of the most influential voices in Vancouver’s Chinese dining scene. The panel brings together 15 people with diverse backgrounds (including food writers, healthcare professionals, finance professionals, and frequent diners), united by the belief that Chinese dining is not defined by restaurants alone, but by the signature dishes that capture their essence through flavour – creating enduring experiences.
“What sets our taste advisors apart from other accolades is these are individuals who have intimate knowledge of what Chinese cuisine is – they know its flavour, the history, and nuances because they have been eating it all their life,” said Lee Man. “They are familiar with both the regional traditions and modern applications. Every recognition decided by our panel reflects genuine care in selecting our award winners.”
Top 50 Honourees — Elite 30 Canada Awards (alphabetic order)
- A BENTO — Vancouver ｜ Taiwanese
- aKin — Toronto ｜ Modern Asian
- Bamboo Grove Restaurant — Richmond ｜ Cantonese
- Ban Bu Xian — Vancouver & Richmond ｜ Sichuan
- Car’s Dessert — Richmond ｜ Hong Kong Style Dessert
- Casa Victoria Fine Dining and Banquet — Markham ｜ Cantonese
- Cha Kee — Richmond ｜ Hong Kong Style Cafe Food
- Chang’ An — Vancouver ｜ Shaanxi / Northern Chinese
- Chengdu Street Food — Richmond & Toronto ｜ Sichuan
- Chinatown BBQ — Vancouver ｜ Cantonese BBQ
- Din Tai Fung — Vancouver ｜ Taiwanese / Shanghainese Dim Sum
- Dynasty Seafood Restaurant — Vancouver ｜ Cantonese Seafood
- Fishman Lobster Clubhouse Restaurant — Scarborough ｜ Cantonese Seafood
- Flavourful House — Richmond Hill ｜ Cantonese
- Geng Shi Ji — Richmond ｜ Hunan
- Gols Lanzhou Noodle — Manitoba / Ontario / Quebec ｜ Lanzhou Noodle House
- Gongfu Bao — Ottawa ｜ Hong Kong Style & Taiwanese
- Golden Paramount Seafood Restaurant — Richmond ｜ Cantonese / Shunde
- HK BBQ Master — Richmond ｜ Cantonese BBQ
- iDen & Quan Ju De Beijing Duck House — Vancouver ｜ Peking Duck / Northern Chinese
- Jiangnan Wok — Richmond ｜ Jiangnan
- Jumbo Lobster Restaurant — Richmond Hill ｜ Cantonese Seafood
- Kalvin’s Szechuan Restaurant — Vancouver ｜ Taiwanese / Sichuan
- Lai Wah Heen — Toronto ｜ Contemporary Cantonese
- Landmark Hotpot House — Richmond ｜ Hong Kong Style Hotpot
- Lanxuan Restaurant — Richmond ｜ Cantonese
- Long’s Noodle — Richmond ｜ Shanghainese
- Loon Fong Hotpot — Richmond Hill ｜ Hong Kong Style Hotpot
- Master Beef Hot Pot — Calgary ｜ Hotpot / Alberta Beef Specialty
- Max Noodle House — Richmond ｜ Cantonese Noodles & Congee
- May Yan Seafood Restaurant — Scarborough ｜ Cantonese
- Memory Corner — Richmond ｜ Taiwanese
- Mimi Chinese — Toronto ｜ Modern Chinese
- Miss Qu Barbecue & Restaurant — Markham / Scarborough ｜ Chongqing Jianghu
- Mott 32 — Vancouver & Toronto ｜ Peking Duck / Modern Chinese
- Nian Yi Kuai Zi — Markham / Scarborough ｜ Chongqing Jianghu
- Nouilles de Lan Zhou — Montreal ｜ Lanzhou Beef Noodles
- Oncle Lee Kǎo — Montreal ｜ Chinese
- Osmanthus Chinese Fusion Restaurant — Richmond ｜ Shanghainese
- R&D — Toronto ｜ Modern Canadian Asian
- Sang-Ji Fried Bao — Toronto & North York ｜ Shanghainese
- Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant — Richmond ｜ Cantonese
- Tai Er Suancai & Fish — Richmond ｜ Sichuan
- Takumi BBQ — Ottawa ｜ Dongbei BBQ
- The Fish Man — Richmond ｜ Sichuan / Cantonese Seafood
- The Jade Seafood Restaurant — Richmond ｜ Cantonese
- Uno Beef Noodle — Richmond ｜ Taiwanese
- Wonton Hut — Markham ｜ Cantonese Noodle House
- Xi’An Flavour — Richmond ｜ Shaanxi / Xi’an
- Yu Seafood — Richmond Hill & Yorkdale ｜ Cantonese
The Elite 30 Canada Awards will be presented alongside the Asia distinctions, including the Elite 15 Asia and a slate of individual awards. These honours include Rising Star Chef of the Year, Dim Sum Chef of the Year, and Master Chef of the Year, each conferred separately in the Asia and Canada regions.
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The Best Chinese food restaurant in Canada is not even on this list. Their eggrolls are world famous as they are shipped to over 160 countries around the globe. They are even featured at select NHL venues. They are a 3rd generation ownership right now and have been around for over 65 years. I challenge you to find out who they are and where they are located in Canada. Hint…they are not located in Toronto or Vancouver.