What a year! Despite media gloom, more new restaurants came than went, and the economy might be shot but we all lived to rant about it. (And, actually, in January’s issue, we’ll run a surprisingly positive economic forecast). But yes, more than is normal, no one seems sad to see 2016 go.

Below are the 10 most viewed stories to have appeared online here on TheOvercast.ca in the year that was 2016. Click the red subheaders to read the articles. In alphabetical order, by title, they are …

1.) “Bernard Stanley Gastropub: Where They Want to Know Your Name”

Our first food story of the year was a feature on this new gastropub, that stepped in to fill the location — and gap in pub grub — once occupied by The Club. Between the loss of The Club, and then Nautical Nellie’s, these two ex-Nellie’s employees brought St. John’s exactly what its food scene was missing. They also took Runner-up status for “Best New Restaurant” in the 2016 Overcast People’s Choice Awards.

2,) “Boys Will Be Boys is a Dated Excuse for Not Letting Girls Be Women”

It was shocking to see women and children holding signs declaring Brenda Seymour to be a troublemaker this year. Which must be why this epitome of sexism in the workplace went viral across the country.

3.) “Death, Mergers, and Extinction: The Storied History of Black Horse Beer”

The very storied history of how a craft beer from Quebec came to be a Molson macrobrew available only in Newfoundland is as full of twists and turns as any good book or movie.

4.) “Mallard Cottage is Creating Culture, Not Congestion”

Places like Mallard Cottage, Georgestown Cafe, and Petty Harbour’s Watershed Cafe go through hell to make our neighbourhoods whole and happening. This piece was a plea to get out of their way and welcome them for the sake of the future of our province.

5.) “Moving Forward in Hard Times”

Ed Riche’s rumination on how The Liberals mishandled rolling out their austerity budget, with thoughts on how to, as the title implies, move forward.

6.) “Plenty of Fish: St. John’s Fish Exchange Open on Water Street”

How weird was it that until this place opened, there wasn’t really a fish-focussed restaurant in St. John’s? You can get it all here, even hake and swordfish. Fittingly, the restaurant is named for the empire of fish merchant Edwin Duder (namesake of Duder’s Lane, where the restaurant is located).

7.) “Rejuvenating George: Are We Wasting Our Only Pedestrian Street?”

September’s cover story compared George Street to other pedestrian streets worldwide, and asked if, and why, we’re wasting ours.

8.) “Soul Azteka: Authentic Mexican Food in a Town Starving for It”

Emily broke this story for us before Soul Azteka even had a storefront. Since opening, they’ve become the talk of the town, ever-evolving and filling a niche in our food culture AND Rabbittown dining options. Spoiler: they’re featured in an upcoming January issue article called Local Restaurants to Watch in 2017.

9.) “The Story of Sandy Morris (So Far)”

You know he’s a legend, but this amazing biography in 1000 words highlights a life worthy of a bestselling book. This must-read article was written as a tip of the hat to Sandy after he snagged MusicNL’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2016.

10.) “The Townie Taco Challenge”

Back in February, we asked some of the city’s best restaurants to make a temporarily available taco, and had the city go and try as many as they could, rating and raving as they went. In the end, Merchant Tavern took home the critic’s pic, Mallard took editor’s pic, and The Hungry Heart took people’s choice.