ALTHOUGH ST. LAWRENCE has been a runaway success since the day it opened in 2017 (including five previous placements in the C100B top 20 and a Michelin star), chef-owner J-C Poirier has continually sought new ways to present his exceptional Québécois and classical French cuisine. After experimentation with regional French menus, 2023 marked the return to a seven-course dégustation, which changes monthly to “feature the best ingredients available at that moment,” mostly from small B.C.-based purveyors. In spring and summer, the likes of lamb, fava beans, asparagus and rhubarb will enjoy some time in the spotlight. But don’t worry. Customer favourites — like éclair à la mousse de foie de canard and escargots à l’ail en bouchées de la reine — will always be mainstays. And while David Lawson’s wine list continues to offer a revelatory selection of natural and biodynamic bottles, Poirier’s recent decision to become teetotal has resulted in one of Vancouver’s most creative zero-proof beverage menus, which also helps to reduce food waste. Example: He juices fennel stalks (previously relegated to the compost bin) and mixes them with lemon and non-alcoholic gin.

A consummate professional, sommelier David Lawson is hitting it out of the park at St. Lawrence! Vanya Filipovic