The REAL Best of Richmond?

You may have seen other publications recently put forth their list of ‘The Best of Richmond’, an annual vote of which businesses are the cream of the crop in the city of Richmond.

These polls are VERY unscientific, given they rely on voters to remember which business is actually the best in the city and not just ‘one I can recall’ or ‘the last one I went to’.,, or the one buying an ad.

This is how Panda Express managed to win ‘Best Chinese’ in a city with some of the world’s actual best Chinese restaurants, and how McDonalds won Best Family Restaurant, and how Gordon Ramsay Steak came second to nobody’s actual favourite New Restaurant Goodco, with Shawarma2Go coming in 3rd.

Cobs as best bakery in a city with some incredible award winning Asian bakeries? Come on now.

So we decided to use an actual scientific approach to what should have won, tha being who has the highest rating on Yelp.

Okay, it’s not SUPER scientific, but 176 Yelp reviews is better than ‘quick, name a local insurance company.’

Some businesses managed to win on both sides of the poll, such as Seafair Meats taking Best Butcher (can confirm) and Pajos taking Best Fish and Chips, and the perennial Italian icon Steveston Pizza winning Best Pizza.

Others reinforced our own thinking, such as The Story Cafe picking up best overall restaurant (Ramsay’s Steak is great, but its pricetag is not for everyone), and Baan Lao Fine Thai taking a few categories, while the hidden gem Fuggles and Warlock took Best Brewery off Brittania Brewing.

So here’s our list, with the original winner and our preferred option listed side by side. You be the judge of who did it better.