As we wrap up an unforgettable year, we’re going to take a look back at the best meals, accomplishments, and individuals that made 2022 so special.
From trendy restaurants to hole-in-the wall bistros, our explorations brought us on a gastronomic journey across Metro Vancouver, uncovering many hidden gems and sharing them to you.
It’s been an amazing year of food adventure together – join me in celebrating the moments that have made it unique with another Noms Wrapped.
If you’ve been following our Instagram, you’ll notice that this year we chose to shift our focus away from the trending, hyped spots and explore some of Metro Vancouver’s most underrated gems.
From family-run restaurants to hole-in-the wall bistros, discovered some of the tastiest dishes and most offbeat eateries. But that doesn’t mean the trendy big name spots didn’t make this year’s food adventures.
⭐️ 1. Yugafu Omakase
You wouldn’t think that Surrey would have one of the best Japanese omakase restaurants in the province. But they do – and also what I would say was my best meal of 2022.
For $80/pp you get glorious multi-course meal that will guarantee you look at your partner in wide-eyed enthusiasm thinking “OMG that was good”. And just like us, you’ll probably want to order some extra nigiri pieces since you’ll be unable to enjoy the same caliber of food for half a year.
Yep they’re now booking 6 months in advance…sigh.
📝 *Yugafu is listed on our best omakase in Vancouver list.
⭐️ 2. Tom Sushi
Tom Sushi was a rising star we discovered right before the pandemic. It wasn’t until recently they’ve reopened for dine-in and with a new renovated look. On their first week of reopening, ofcourse we had to make a visit – even if it meant waiting 45 mins for a table.
Chef Tom never disappoints with the best combo any Vancouverite will love: fresh sushi & affordable pricing. There’s a reason why we continue to recommend Tom Sushi to anyone new to the city!
📝 *Tom Sushi is listed on our best sushi in Vancouver & best restaurant in Vancouver list.
⭐️ 3. Crab Hot Lau
Although it may be pricer than other Vietnamese spots in town, it is hard not to feel the passion this join it doused in. Motivated by a longing for the tastes of her hometown of Hai Phong Vietnam, the owner decided to leave her career and open up a restaurant with no experience whatsoever. And because she cared so much about the quality of the ingredients food, she chose to have them flown from Vietnam WEEKLY.
So even with the higher price tag, we are sure you’ll singing in happiness when you try their square crab spring rolls.
📝 *Crab Hot Lau is listed on our best hot pot in Vancouver list.
⭐️ 4. My Chau
Victoria and Kingsway is home to a number of amazing, yet humble Vietnamese mom & pop shops that have been around for more than a decade.
My Chau is our pick this year that has won our hearts. It’s got the same hole-in-the-wall vibes, with checkered floors and mirrors on every wall. Their star, Pho Ga Dac Biet, has a delicate soup that is clear and won’t make you feel thirsty afterwards. Their deep fried chicken is also another winner.
⭐️ 5. Baan Lao ⭐️ 6. Dolar Shop Richmond ⭐️ 7. Zam Zam Grill
⭐️ 8. Myloveatfirstbite Cake ⭐️ 9. Sashimiya Shop ⭐️ 10. Oo La Cha
With so many food influencers today providing positive posts in exchange for free meals, it can be difficult to know who is giving an honest opinion.
Ever since we’ve drastically stopped attending media tastings years ago and rather choose what/where we eat (yes that means spending our hard earned money like you), we’ve been shortlisting foodies who we can personally trust.
Here are several that we keep an eye on to uncover the next delicious spots to visit or just thoroughly enjoy their content:
⭐️ 1. Likebyregina
She’s one of our good foodie friends and we know her stubbornness is an upside when it comes to truly picking out good food spots.
Best for the Asian palate, Regina has a low salt and sugar threshold. So her recommendations mean it’s worth getting out of the house for if you thrive on the “not too sweet (or salty), it’s just right” praise.
And if you’re into deals, she’s got you covered when the holiday season comes around.
Spots she was one of the first few to uncover:
⭐️ 2. Celia.eats
Having grown up in Vancouver and Richmond, we still find the cities of Coquitlam, Surrey, and Burnaby to be quite wild to us – that’s why we regularly peek at Celia.eats’ recommendations to create our next targets.
What makes it easy is her monthly breakdowns of the best spots she ate at. We look through that and see if there’s any we haven’t been. Bingo.
⭐️ 3. Vanfoodventures ⭐️4. Purplechives ⭐️ 5. eat.with.yan
Our Website’s Page Views in 2022:
1,796,062
That’s more than 61.79% increase from last year!
Our Total Clicks Referred To BC Restaurant’s Website/Social Media Pages in 2022:
34,996
That’s more than 314% increase from last year!
This means we’ve been able to provide local restaurants potentially more customers this year – which is important as they recover from the pandemic.
Noms Mag Was Visited By People From All Over The World:
Total of 112 countries!
We were fortunate enough to be the guide for where to eat and what to do in Metro Vancouver for many visitors. From countries like Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Taiwan, Greece, and more.
Our Community Welcomed To The Family in 2022:
10,606 new people!
We are ecstatic to have welcomed so many new and familiar faces into our IG community this year! Our community has grown stronger than ever, and we can’t wait to continue connecting with more awesome people in the future.
Before we end things off, we are so excited to SOON reveal Noms 2.0 – the next iteration of our magazine where you’ll be able to easily discover new food spots, events and attractions in the city.
After six months of hard work and development, we are thrilled to be able to bring this new version to you soon, in 2023.
That’s all from me this year. Thank YOU who for being part of this incredible journey and your ongoing support. We can’t wait to see what amazing things await us in 2023.
Let’s crush it next year together.
-Jason