The Vancouver Foodster 13th Annual Taco Challenge was a success featuring taco creations from restaurants around Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their taco creation from June 4-28, 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:
{113 points}
Food by Fanta
Wagyu Khau Kling Taco
Price: $18
Created by: FoodbyFanta crew; Chef Parinya, chef Bundit, chef Nat, chef Gift and chef Dream
Description:Southern Thai style dry curry stir fry with Wagyu. Topped with grated green & purple cabbages, spinach, Thai Naam Jim aioli, Gruyère and mozzarella, Avocado sauce, shredded green beans/ carrots/dill pickles; in a crispy Charcoal crepe (Khahnom Buang in Thai) and garnish with sweet peppers and edible flowers.
Ingredients:Wagyu, Khau Kling curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, Fish sauce, sugar, shallots, turmeric, lemongrass, green & purple cabbage, spinach, pickled carrots&cucumber & greenbeans , Naam Jim Aioli, avocado sauce, and house made charcoal taco shells.
Offered: Lunch and dinner
Available: for dine-in only
Takeout: Yes, but customers will have assemble themselves with instructions.
Food by Fanta
20542 Fraser Hwy #107, Langley
Tel: (604) 427-0166
Web: www.FoodbyFanta.com
Instagram @foodbyfanta
2nd Place:
(99 points)
Those Indian Guys
Chicken Curry Tacos
Price: $16 (includes the 2 tacos)
Created by: Chef Paras
Description: Shredded chicken, Paratha Taco with Guacamole, Lime, Slaw, and Mint Chutney.
Served with a mouthwatering chicken curry, Birria Style
Ingredients: Shredded chicken, Paratha Taco with Guacamole, Lime, Slaw, and Mint Chutney, chicken curry
Offered: Daily, regular hours 11 am to 9 pm
Available: Takeout and delivery.
Delivery: uberEats, Doordash.
Those Indian Guys
120-1881 152 street. Surrey BC
Tel: 778-512-9556
Website: www.thoseindianguys.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/those_indian_guys/
3rd Place:
(97 points)
Vancouver Aquarium
Wild Pacific Halibut Tacos
Price: $20 (includes the 3 tacos)
Created by: Executive Chef David Lee
Description: Crispy wild Pacific Halibut, ancho and lemon, warm flour tortillas with charred poblano crema and vibrant spicy slaw.
Available: Daily all the time
Vancouver Aquarium Courtyard Cafe and Bicyle Bistro
845 Avison Way, Vancouver
Tel:(778) 655-9554
Instagram @vanaqua
In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Taco Creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
Miso Taco
Chorizo Smash
Price: $19
Created by: Jun
Description: Our delicious crispy chorizo with melted cheese, sweet onions and fresh cilantro — then brightened with crunchy fukujinzuke pickles and your choice of salsa.
Ingredients: Chorizo, Cheese, Sweet Onions, Cilantro, Fukujinzuke Pickles, Corn Tortilla
Offered: All day every day for the duration of the challenge
Takeout/Delivery: yes while quantities last
Miso Taco
1080 W Pender, Vancouver
instagram @misotacoco
2nd Place People’s Choice:
Those Indian Guys
Chicken Curry Tacos
Price: $16 (includes the 2 tacos)
Created by: Chef Paras
Description: Shredded chicken, Paratha Taco with Guacamole, Lime, Slaw, and Mint Chutney.
Served with a mouthwatering chicken curry, Birria Style
Ingredients: Shredded chicken, Paratha Taco with Guacamole, Lime, Slaw, and Mint Chutney, chicken curry
Offered: Daily, regular hours 11 am to 9 pm
Available: Takeout and delivery.
Delivery: uberEats, Doordash.
Those Indian Guys
120-1881 152 street. Surrey BC
Tel: 778-512-9556
Website: www.thoseindianguys.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/those_indian_guys/
3rd Place People’s Choice (tie):
Food by Fanta
Wagyu Khau Kling Taco
Price: $18
Created by: FoodbyFanta crew; Chef Parinya, chef Bundit, chef Nat, chef Gift and chef Dream
Description:Southern Thai style dry curry stir fry with Wagyu. Topped with grated green & purple cabbages, spinach, Thai Naam Jim aioli, Gruyère and mozzarella, Avocado sauce, shredded green beans/ carrots/dill pickles; in a crispy Charcoal crepe (Khahnom Buang in Thai) and garnish with sweet peppers and edible flowers.
Ingredients:Wagyu, Khau Kling curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, Fish sauce, sugar, shallots, turmeric, lemongrass, green & purple cabbage, spinach, pickled carrots&cucumber & greenbeans , Naam Jim Aioli, avocado sauce, and house made charcoal taco shells.
Offered: Lunch and dinner
Available: for dine-in only
Takeout: Yes, but customers will have assemble themselves with instructions.
Food by Fanta
20542 Fraser Hwy #107, Langley
Tel: (604) 427-0166
Web: www.FoodbyFanta.com
Instagram @foodbyfanta
and
Vancouver Aquarium
Wild Pacific Halibut Tacos
Price: $20 (includes the 3 tacos)
Created by: Executive Chef David Lee
Description: Crispy wild Pacific Halibut, ancho and lemon, warm flour tortillas with charred poblano crema and vibrant spicy slaw.
Available: Daily all the time
Vancouver Aquarium Courtyard Cafe and Bicyle Bistro
845 Avison Way, Vancouver
Tel:(778) 655-9554
Instagram @vanaqua
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: David Grange, Rick Green and Shelley Hayashi
Thank you to all the restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured the Taco Challenge creations on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Taco creations!
By: Richard Wolak