Restaurants

Northern Cafe and Grill was named the best-rated restaurant in Yelp’s list of the top 100 places to eat in Canada in 2023. (Northern Cafe and Grill/Special to The News)

B.C. cafe declared best place to eat in Canada in 2023

23 B.C. restaurants made Yelp’s annual list of top-rated eateries in the country

 

A tipping option is displayed on a card reader tablet at X-Golf indoor golf in Glenview, Ill., Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. Tipping fatigue, it seems, is swarming America as more businesses adopt digital payment methods that automatically prompts customers to leave a gratuity. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

Digital requests add social pressure some find difficult to bypass

 

An Uber Eats courier is pictured as they pick up an order for delivery. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)

Victoria residents ranked as Canada’s top tippers on Uber Eats

Victoria was also the fifth most polite city on the 2022 Uber Eats cravings report

 

A dish from the restaurant iDen Quan Ju De Beijing Duck House is shown in this undated handout photo. Celebrated Beijing restaurant iDen & Quan Ju De is one of eight Vancouver restaurants to receive a coveted one-star rating from the Michelin Guide, which also feted 12 eateries with Bib Gourmands, reserved for establishments offering good food for good value. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Ken Huang *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Michelin Guide lands in Vancouver with eight stars for eight eateries

No restaurants earned two stars from prestigious service, nor did any capture a rare three stars

A dish from the restaurant iDen Quan Ju De Beijing Duck House is shown in this undated handout photo. Celebrated Beijing restaurant iDen & Quan Ju De is one of eight Vancouver restaurants to receive a coveted one-star rating from the Michelin Guide, which also feted 12 eateries with Bib Gourmands, reserved for establishments offering good food for good value. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Ken Huang *MANDATORY CREDIT*
People enjoy restaurant patios in Montreal as Quebec begins easing its COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, May 28, 2021. Restaurants and bars across Canada are hoping this holiday season, the third since COVID-19 began, could finally spell recovery for the debt-laden sector. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Restaurants hope for holiday boom, but looming recession causes concern

Elevated inflation, potential recession have some worried their new normal won’t pay the bills

People enjoy restaurant patios in Montreal as Quebec begins easing its COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, May 28, 2021. Restaurants and bars across Canada are hoping this holiday season, the third since COVID-19 began, could finally spell recovery for the debt-laden sector. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Patrons dine on a patio on King Street in Toronto, Tuesday, September 28, 2021. A new report says restaurants in Canada are ushering in higher prices, shorter menus, smaller portion sizes and reduced hours in a bid to survive inflation and labour shortages.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler

Restaurants usher in higher prices, smaller portion sizes as costs rise, report says

Industry report says half the country’s eateries operating at a loss or just breaking even

Patrons dine on a patio on King Street in Toronto, Tuesday, September 28, 2021. A new report says restaurants in Canada are ushering in higher prices, shorter menus, smaller portion sizes and reduced hours in a bid to survive inflation and labour shortages.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler
Having overcome some ’supply chain’ obstacles and unforeseen renovation setbacks Dong Su and Jai Chen are patiently awaiting their first customers at the new Jas Cafe and Bakery on Fourth Avenue. The new residents to Ladysmith have been working for almost a year on getting their dream to becoming a reality. (Duck Paterson photo)

Jas Cafe & Bakery ready to debut in Ladysmith

By Duck Paterson Special to the Chronicle Starting in China then a…

  • Sep 7, 2022
Having overcome some ’supply chain’ obstacles and unforeseen renovation setbacks Dong Su and Jai Chen are patiently awaiting their first customers at the new Jas Cafe and Bakery on Fourth Avenue. The new residents to Ladysmith have been working for almost a year on getting their dream to becoming a reality. (Duck Paterson photo)
Members of the British Columbia General Employees’ Union picket outside a B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch facility, in Delta, B.C., on August 15, 2022. British Columbia’s largest public-sector union says it is standing down after more than two weeks of limited job action, following the resumption of contract talks.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Restaurant and bar group hails lifting of job action by B.C. public-sector union

Industry grateful further distress was being averted for businesses already facing a labour shortage

Members of the British Columbia General Employees’ Union picket outside a B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch facility, in Delta, B.C., on August 15, 2022. British Columbia’s largest public-sector union says it is standing down after more than two weeks of limited job action, following the resumption of contract talks.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Dining rooms are open again, but B.C. restaurants are still making 25 to 35 per cent of their revenue from delivery orders according to BC Restaurant and Food Services Association CEO Ian Tostenson. (Photo: Givex).

British Columbians still use delivery often months after restaurant dining rooms open

Better packaging maintains quality during delivery, but the plastics ban is on its way

Dining rooms are open again, but B.C. restaurants are still making 25 to 35 per cent of their revenue from delivery orders according to BC Restaurant and Food Services Association CEO Ian Tostenson. (Photo: Givex).
Big In Japan Bar (Photo/ Randall Brodeur)

B.C. given a ‘B’ letter grade for liquor policies in bars, restaurants: report

According to the latest edition of the ‘Raise The Bar” report, B.C. finds success in policy changes

Big In Japan Bar (Photo/ Randall Brodeur)
(Q Burger photo)

Vancouver Island restaurant hailed for having one of Canada’s best burgers

Q Burger owner pleasantly surprised by Top 5 kudos from readers

(Q Burger photo)
Alpina Restaurant at Villa Eyrie Resort on the Malahat was rated among the best brunch spots in Greater Victoria and even Canada, based on reviews submitted to reservation service OpenTable. (Photo courtesy of OpenTable)

Vancouver Island brunch spots voted among Canada’s best

Four area restaurants earn high marks from OpenTable users, make top 100 list

Alpina Restaurant at Villa Eyrie Resort on the Malahat was rated among the best brunch spots in Greater Victoria and even Canada, based on reviews submitted to reservation service OpenTable. (Photo courtesy of OpenTable)
Kymon and Oura Giakoumakis visit the PQB News/VI Daily studios. (Peter McCully photo)

PODCAST: Vancouver Island restaurateurs expect big summer rebound for the industry

PQBeat: Oura and Kymon Giakoumaki talk lessons learned from the pandemic, family life and more

Kymon and Oura Giakoumakis visit the PQB News/VI Daily studios. (Peter McCully photo)
Atlas’s seafood chowder is one of the star’s of the episode. Photo supplied

Vancouver Island restaurant featured on Big Food Bucket List

Food Network show’s episode filmed at the Atlas Cafe in Courtenay airs this month

Atlas’s seafood chowder is one of the star’s of the episode. Photo supplied
Darioush Diba, owner of Bubby’s Restaurant, stands outside its Menzies Street location. He questions the need for the level of traffic restrictions into James Bay as are being exercised by VicPD. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Eateries less busy, staff late since checkpoints installed for Victoria protests

Operators have mixed views on need for Victoria police controls on neighbourhood entry

Darioush Diba, owner of Bubby’s Restaurant, stands outside its Menzies Street location. He questions the need for the level of traffic restrictions into James Bay as are being exercised by VicPD. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
Food delivery company drivers wait to pick up food at a Cactus Club Cafe restaurant in a very quiet downtown Vancouver, on Sunday, April 5, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Founders of Earls, Joey Restaurants acquire ownership of Cactus Club Cafe

The Fuller family were early investors in the Cactus Club chain

Food delivery company drivers wait to pick up food at a Cactus Club Cafe restaurant in a very quiet downtown Vancouver, on Sunday, April 5, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Late 2021 saw the number of restaurant reservations and take-out orders in B.C. soar like there’d never been a pandemic. (Black Press Media file photo)

British Columbians were back to restaurants in pre-pandemic numbers in late 2021

Survey finds Labour Day weekend busier than 2019, giving operators optimism for 2022

Late 2021 saw the number of restaurant reservations and take-out orders in B.C. soar like there’d never been a pandemic. (Black Press Media file photo)
A food delivery person wears a protective face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as they do a pick up in Yaletown in Vancouver, Thursday, December 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. extends 15% cap on restaurant delivery fees for another year

Dining inside restaurants has gone down during the pandemic, while delivery services have surged

A food delivery person wears a protective face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as they do a pick up in Yaletown in Vancouver, Thursday, December 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
A notice posted on the door to Rolly’s Restaurant in Hope. The owner of the restaurant remains defiant, saying she won’t check for vaccine passports. (Eric J. Welsh/ Chilliwack Progress)

Owner of Hope’s Rolly’s Restaurant remains defiant after having business licence suspended

She said she’s done everything required by health officials up to now, but vax passports go too far

A notice posted on the door to Rolly’s Restaurant in Hope. The owner of the restaurant remains defiant, saying she won’t check for vaccine passports. (Eric J. Welsh/ Chilliwack Progress)
Victoria food service businesses such as John’s Place restaurant are still seeing patrons wearing masks, despite the lifting of mandatory mask restrictions in B.C. as part of the phase three reopening plan. (Facebook/John’s Place)

Customers still masking up at many B.C. businesses as provincial mask mandate eases

Phase three reopening plan saw change to mask rules, state of emergency declaration July 1

Victoria food service businesses such as John’s Place restaurant are still seeing patrons wearing masks, despite the lifting of mandatory mask restrictions in B.C. as part of the phase three reopening plan. (Facebook/John’s Place)