The Vancouver Foodster Iced Summer Drink Challenge was a success featuring creations from cafes and restaurants around Vancouver. Each spot featured their creation from August 6-30, 2026. Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
The Winners are:
1st Place:
{108 points}
Food by Fanta
Coconut Cloud
Price: $9
Created by: Alysiah Loptson and Shontisha Mungkhun
Description: A refreshing tropical blend with creamy coconut, bright citrus, and sweet pineapple. Smooth, light, and made for summer.
Ingredients: Coconut milk, Pineapple juice, Vanilla syrup, Lime juice, Condensed milk, Roasted coconut flakes
Offered: all the time
Available: for dine-in only
Food by Fanta
20542 Fraser Hwy #107, Langley
Tel: (604) 427-0166
Web: www.FoodbyFanta.com
Instagram @foodbyfanta
2nd Place:
{98 points}
Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
Strawberry Lemongrass Basil Colada
Price: $6.50
Created by: The team
Description: Muddled strawberries with fresh basil and top with ice. Shake 1oz of Pina Colada with 1oz lemongrass syrup pour into glass with strawberries and top with sprite or soda (depending on guests preference for sweetness), Garnish with basil sprig and strawberry.
Ingredients: strawberries, basil, pina colada, lemongrass syrup
Offered: all the time
Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
20395 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge
Tel:(604) 459-8000
Instagram @banchokdeethai and @BCDThai
3rd Place (TIE):
{96 points}
Cafe Duello
Duello’s Strawberry Velvet Iced Earl Grey Hojicha
Price: $6
Created by: Nicky Dexter
Hojicha with fragrant Earl Grey rooibos, poured over ice and crowned with a thick, velvety layer of strawberry cold foam. Toasty, floral, fruity, and impossibly smooth, Duello’s Strawberry Velvet Iced Earl Grey Hojicha is a striking blend of bright and rich flavours with luxurious texture. Hojicha is the roasted Japanese green tea.
Ingredients: hojicha powder, Earl Grey rooibos tea, strawberry syrup, whipping cream, 2% milk
Offered: all the time Monday – Saturday, closed Sunday
Cafe Duello
426 W Hastings St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 568-9907
Web: https://www.academieduello.com/cafe/
Instagram @cafeduello
3rd Place (TIE):
{96 points}
Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
Ruby Breeze
Price: $8
Created by: Bar team, leading by Supa and Angie
Description: Bright, crisp, bubbly, and refreshing ofcooling mint, and zesty lime, with a touch of cream soda syrup and topped with ginger ale for a light, sparkling, and refreshing drink.
Ingredients: Fresh Raspberries, lime wedges, margarita mix, pina colada mix, pineapple juice, apple juice, and club soda.
Offered: all the time
Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
20563 Douglas Cres, Langley
Tel: (778) 278-3088
Instagram @banchokdeethai
3rd Place (TIE):
{96 points}
Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
Emerald Breeze
Price: $8
Created by: Bar team, leading by Supa and Angie
Description: Bright, crisp, bubbly, and refreshing ofcooling mint, and zesty lime, with a touch of cream soda syrup and topped with ginger ale for a light, sparkling, and refreshing drink.
Ingredients: Fresh Kiwi, lime wedges, margarita mix, pina colada mix, pineapple juice, apple juice, and club soda.
Offered: all the time
Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
20563 Douglas Cres, Langley
Tel: (778) 278-3088
Instagram @banchokdeethai
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
Cafe Duello
Duello’s Strawberry Velvet Iced Earl Grey Hojicha
Price: $6
Created by: Nicky Dexter
Hojicha with fragrant Earl Grey rooibos, poured over ice and crowned with a thick, velvety layer of strawberry cold foam. Toasty, floral, fruity, and impossibly smooth, Duello’s Strawberry Velvet Iced Earl Grey Hojicha is a striking blend of bright and rich flavours with luxurious texture. Hojicha is the roasted Japanese green tea.
Ingredients: hojicha powder, Earl Grey rooibos tea, strawberry syrup, whipping cream, 2% milk
Offered: all the time Monday – Saturday, closed Sunday
Cafe Duello
426 W Hastings St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 568-9907
Web: https://www.academieduello.com/cafe/
Instagram @cafeduello
Each media judge scored each creation with a maximum of 40 points as follows: Overall Taste 20 points, Originality and Uniqueness 10 points, Presentation and Appearance 10 points. The highest number of points a challenge creation could have been awarded is 120 points.
Our Media judges for this challenge were: Corey Lee, Jay Minter and Joyce Lam.
Thank you to all the cafes that accepted my invitation and featured the Iced Summer Drink Challenge creations on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning cafes to try their Iced Summer Drink creations! See all the Iced Summer Drink Challenge Entries Here.
By: Richard Wolak