146 Best Restaurants in Canada

Stop for an espresso on the airy enclosed patio at the West 4th location of this local coffee roaster, where delicious doughnuts are made on-site. 

No late-night craving goes unsatisfied at this longtime 24-hour spot. The menu’s packed with cozy classics—carbonara, ravioli, sloppy joes, and hearty sandwiches that hit the spot. Swing by on the weekend for a solid brunch line-up that’s just as satisfying.

Slide into a well-worn wooden booth or sit at a checkered table at this low-key steak house, complete with oak bar and pressed-tin ceiling. The steaks and Guinness-braised lamb shanks get rave reviews, but the hamburgers—from meat that is ground in-house—might be this spot's secret weapon.

Pick up a frosty treat—and some truffles or chocolate bars to take home—at this ice cream shop and chocolatier just off the main Danforth drag.

The lines might be long at this ice cream shop specializing in artisanal options like "Cinnamon Toast" (malted cinnamon ice cream) and "London Fog" (Earl Grey tea)—but oh is it worth the wait. The flavors are good on their own, but the queues form for their incredible ice cream sandwiches made with freshly baked cookies, Hong Kong waffles, carrot cake, and cinnamon buns.

This stone cottage offers a bright interior with both sofa and table seating and a view of Random Island in Trinity Bay. In finer weather, you can enjoy your coffee from an Adirondack chair on the patio overlooking the water. Enjoy coffee from small batch roasters in the province, as well as a light meal or baked treats that include gluten-friendly options.

This cozy downtown bakery is a great stop for a breakfast of tasty muffins and other confections or a lunch of sandwiches and wraps. Freshly baked cookies, cakes, and artisanal breads are also available, along with a wide variety of coffees and teas. Popular with locals and visitors, this place with just a few tables for dining inside can be packed during peak times. The owners also run the Other Paw, two blocks away. And, at night, the place turns into Ursidae Lair, a scotch-tasting lounge.

Run by the same team that oversees the adjacent Hawksworth Restaurant, this upscale little café at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia serves fine coffee, a few salads and sandwiches, and exquisite pastries, from colorful macarons to beautifully crafted fruit tarts. Downtown business types like to meet here, and both shoppers and sightseers stop in to recharge. It's opposite the Vancouver Art Gallery and just a short stroll from Robson Street's boutiques.

Opened in 2020, this luminous, inviting bakery in St-Henri has made a name for itself with its old fashioned layer cakes, cookies, and loaves that transport you back to Grandma's kitchen.

If you're craving a specific ice cream flavor or topping, chances are this long-standing ice cream parlor will have it ready to go.

This patisserie serves up decadent French pastries and baked goods with surprising savory flavor combinations from its bright, Art Deco--style shopfront on Water Street. 

Offering seafood, steaks, pasta, and pizza, the food at this dinner-only spot is consistent and delicious, with many ingredients locally sourced. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and the service is top-notch. 

With espresso, baked goods, bar snacks, beers, and cocktails on offer, this colorful café/bar (look for the neon pegasus sign) serves as a reliable local hangout from morning 'til night.

A locals’ favorite, Block 1912 Cafe has the same ambience as the infamous coffee shop, Central Perk, in the TV show Friends, which makes it a great place to hang out with friends or work on your laptop. There’s even a nook where you can read a book and munch on cakes and pastries as well as tasty sandwiches, soups, and salads.

This is where the culinary students of the adjoining Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts strut their stuff.  Standards are high and the artisanal breads, soups, wraps, and gourmet desserts are outstanding.

There's a harbor view from every table in this converted boatbuilder's workshop—which explains not only its waterfront location but its oversized windows and soaring ceiling—and the seafood doesn't come any fresher. The traditional fish-and-chips is outstanding here, with succulent fish encased in a flavorsome and crispy beer-batter. Time your visit right and you may be able to see fishermen unloading the catch of the day and graceful blue herons angling for their own dinner. Patio seating is available on fine days.

Known for making Pinterest-perfect cakes for some of the city's splashiest fetes, this charming bakery also offers bite-sized baked goods for a spot of on-the-go luxury.

This casual fine-dining restaurant serves a variety of dishes, all with fresh ingredients (some grown right on the front patio) along with a small but balanced selection of wine and craft beers. Salads are excellent, and they serve some of the best pies and baked goods in the area. Boreal not only sources from local farms but from local individuals to support backyard farming.

This neighborhood watering hole offers year-round beach-town atmosphere. The kitchen mostly deals in pub food, but (as the name suggests) the thing to get here is the BBQ—brisket, moist pulled pork, chicken wings, and tender ribs, available in sandwiches or hefty platters. Breakwall stays open late—a rarity in this sleepy part of town—in case you’re looking for somewhere to grab a pitcher in the wee hours.

This casual and attractive café right on the corner of scenic Place Royale is a great place to stop for an afternoon pick-me-up, be it coffee or various indulgent sweets. For a light lunch, there are yummy sandwiches, quiches, and soups. There are other branches elsewhere in the city that are just as good, just not as scenic.  On sunny days, make sure to enjoy the sun-drenched patio.

The Packwood is a charming, intimate café-boutique that hosts over 50 handpicked artisans from various regions of Québec. Set in a former general store, the café offers homemade sandwiches and salads at very affordable prices as well as excellent third-wave coffee.

This bright little café just outside of Chéticamp serves perfect bacon, egg, and cheddar breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and delicious sandwiches—the chicken banh mi is excellent. They also have great coffee, yummy baked goods, and a small selection of local beers and wines. 

Aficionados are willing to wait for a seat at this small café, where the foam on your latte or café au lait is artfully arranged in waves, hearts, or curlicues. The gastro coffee is imported from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, and elsewhere via the famed 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters in Vancouver. Patrons can choose alternatives to dairy milk, such as soy, almond, and oat. Don't drink coffee? Try the molten hot chocolate or the homemade iced tea. 

Sure, you go to Café Olimpico for the Italian coffee. But you also go for for the sense of history and community. Founded in 1970 by Rocco Furfaro, the original Mile-End location's concept was simple: a place where Italian gents could drink Italian blend coffee, watch Italian football together on TV, and engage in a game of pool or cards. Five and a half decades and three generations later, Olimpico is a veritable institution in Montréal--and even beyond Québec and Canada. The fourth--and likely last--outpost of this family-owned and operated business opened in Westmount to great fanfare in September 2024. The seats in the small space are usually all occupied and there are long queues at the bar as Olimpico devotees wait to order coffee from the affable baristas. The authentic Italian dolci like tiramisu and bomboloni (like a doughnut) are certainly worth the wait, too.

Discover Café Olive, a charming hole-in-the-wall on Avenue Cartier, beloved for its dedicated service and exquisite Scandinavian pastries. Grab a coffee to go and savor these delights while enjoying a stroll on the nearby Plains of Abraham.

Students, freelancers, and local hipsters flock to this understated Turkish café for two reasons: the gourmet coffee and the food. Between the Nutella-and-sea-salt cookie, the feta-and-sausage omelet, and the borek (a traditional flaky pastry sprinkled with sesame seeds), it’s hard to pick just one thing off Replika’s menu. But what really keeps people coming back is the genuine friendliness of the owners, a Turkish couple that’s always eager to chat.

Tempting aromas fill this inviting vegetarian restaurant, emanating from the world of flavors offered on the menu. Specialties include Oaxaca deep dish (black beans, grilled veggies, and spicy tomato sauce, baked with cheese), a classic vegetarian lasagna, and vegan desserts.

One of the newer additions to the St-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood, Cantook is a micro-roaster that is more traditional than trendy, but no less excellent. Visit for a cappuccino, a good conversation with the owner, or maybe even both.