Two Vancouver Island restaurants have been rated among the top 50 in Canada based on a survey of reviewers and chefs.
Tofino’s Wolf in the Fog was ranked 41 and Victoria’s Agrius was 48 in the Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants 2017 list. This is the third year for the listing, which has dozens of judges, including chefs David Hawksworth and Susur Lee, musician Geddy Lee and actor/vintner Jason Priestly.
Agrius, at 732 Yates St., opened 15 months ago. In the fall, En Route magazine named Agrius one of the best new restaurants of 2016.
“It’s exciting,” said Sam Harris, executive chef at Agrius. “We usually see a bump in interest and long-term reservations for people coming to visit, which is nice.”
Harris said it’s not easy for a restaurant to commit to being almost wholly organic and using local items. They have more than 60 small vendors to deal with, including local farms and suppliers. Most restaurants order from a few major suppliers.
“Sourcing everything and being committed to your ethos 100 per cent, it’s satisfying,” said Harris, noting this also keeps the staff engaged and interested in learning.
En Route magazine rated Wolf in the Fog one of the best new restaurants in 2014.
