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Four best Victoria restaurants for a wine-paired dinner (or lunch)

They offer the best food and wine pairings in the business.

They are the four Victoria restaurants that won 2023 Wine Program Excellence Awards at the recent Vancouver International Wine Festival.

The fest recognized the best of the best in four regions -- Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler and Alberta.

In Victoria, The Courtney Room at The Magnolia Hotel was recognized with the gold medal.

The classic French bistro-style Courtney Room is headed up by chef Brain Tesolin and specializes in modern Pacific Northwest cuisine.

</who>The Courtney Room at The Magnolia Hotel won a gold Wine Program Excellence Award for it's exceptional wine list.

The restaurant is a favourite with both locals and visitors and is located in the ground floor of the top-ranked boutique hotel two blocks from the Inner Harbour.

It's the resto where you can pair fresh-shucked oysters with Charme de I'lle sparkling Rose from Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley.

Or, enjoy roasted scallops with the 2020 Chardonnay from Tantalus Vineyards in Kelowna.

Or, order the beef striploin steak and pair it with the 2019 Petite Cuvee of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Phantom Creek Winery in Oliver.

</who>The Pier restaurant, above, at The Pier Hotel in Sidney picked up bronze, as did Fathom restaurant, below, at the Hotel Grand Pacific.

Two Victoria restaurants picked up bronze medals -- The Pier by 10 Acres in the Pier Hotel hotel in Sidney and Fathom at the Hotel Grand Pacific on Belleville Street downtown.

The Pier boasts Westcoast dining and Fathom (the word for each six feet of underwater measurement) is seafood heavy.

Fathom's sablefish or mahi mahi could be paired with either the Pinot Gris from Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley or Sandhill Rose from Kelowna.

Boom+Batten, the contemporary, curved-glass restaurant at Victoria International Marina in the Vic West neighbourhood received honourable mention.

Boom+Batten can be casual or fine dining, whichever you prefer, serving everything from pizza to wagyu beef with wines to match.

</who>Boom+Batten received honourable mention.

The 44th annual Vancouver International Wine Festival ran April 22-30 at the Vancouver Convention Centre and other downtown venues offering trade events, public tastings, seminars and wine-paired lunches and dinners.

Part of the fest every year includes four awards programs, including the aforementioned Wine Program Excellence Awards for restaurants with exceptional wine lists.

The longest list of winners is from Vancouver:

- Platinum medal

L'Abattoir, AnnaLena, Blue Water Cafe+Raw Bar, Chambar, Elisa, Hawksworth Restaurant and Nightingale

- Gold medal

Bar Gobo, Botanist, CinCin Ristorante, Dachi, Elephant, Published on Main and Yuwa Japanese

- Silver medal

Burdock & Co and Savio Volpe

- Bronze medal

Forage, Joe Fortes and Tap Urban Cafe

- Honourable mention

Ancora Waterfront Dining

For Whistler, Alta Bistro was awarded gold, silver went to Bearfoot Bistro and Il Caminetto and Araxi and Wild Blue picked up bronze.

In the Alberta category, Major Tom Bar won gold for Calgary and RGE RD was gold for Edmonton.



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