1031 Best Restaurants in Canada

The salmon and avocado tartare is a must at this surprisingly affordable Japanese tapas restaurant and lounge. Vegans and vegetarians will appreciate plates like the shiitake lettuce cups, avocado tacos, and black truffle mushroom dumplings. Carefully selected wines and classic cocktails combine with sleek lighting (the dragon changes color throughout the night) for a memorable dining experience. There are also locations in Griffintown and Westmount.

This authentic German bakery and café is much loved for its delicious strudels, cookies, and other European-style baked goods. It’s also a great spot for lunch or early dinner of bratwurst, schnitzel, and other German specialties (or just a pretzel or sandwich if you're looking for something lighter). Seating is inside or on a large patio overlooking the fort. 

For an unforgettable journey into Indigenous culture, Sagamité restaurant offers a truly authentic dining experience. Explore the rich, robust flavors of First Nations cuisine with hearty, compelling dishes like elk terrine and smoked bison ravioli. The cozy ambiance and deep cultural immersion make Sagamité an essential, unique culinary destination in the heart of historic Québec.

The longtime favorite for students and shoppers seeking an affordable meal occupies a second-floor dining room above Yonge Street. The menu features a wide range of curries and stir-fries, with favorites including classic pad Thai and Islamic noodles—a secret menu item made with coconut Panang curry sauce poured over a generous platter of noodles and vegetables.

This bright and fun dining room with a huge deck atop the Charlottetown Yacht Club is perfect for sipping on cocktails and enjoying a sharing plate or two as you watch the boats go by, but their mains are excellent as well—PEI standards like seafood chowder, fish-and-chips, and lobster rolls are all there, but there's also kale Caesar salad and coconut curry salmon noodle bowls. 

The Ganges location of this popular local organic coffee, which is sold all around Vancouver Island and Vancouver, is the flagship café and roastery where it all began in 1996. Stop by for an organic brew and tasty treat. A bag of their fair trade coffee also makes a thoughtful gift to bring home.

If your idea of a perfect light meal revolves around fine cured meats, artisanal cheeses, and a glass of wine from a wide-ranging list, find your way to this sleek cellar space beneath the Irish Heather Shebeen gastro-pub in Chinatown. Salt's concept doesn't involve a kitchen, per se; it's all about assembling the selection of top-quality provisions—perhaps smoked beef tenderloin or British Columbian–made Camembert, with accompanying condiments—into artfully composed delights. The whole shebang is more like an upscale picnic than a full meal; however, a three-course set menu is well-priced. 

Overlooking Privateer's Wharf on the harbor, Salty's wins the prize for best location in Halifax. Steaming bowls of shellfish stew and curried scallops crown a menu sure to satisfy seafood lovers, though there are also meat and pasta options. There is a less expensive Bar & Grill on the ground level. Salty's serves meals outside on the wharf in summer, but be warned that it can be very windy.

In a city filled with independent "third wave" coffee bars, competition-trained espresso guru Sam James is a pioneer of lovingly made cappuccinos and lattes. The big, open, black-and-white styled Parkdale shop is filled with friendly local characters, a laid-back vibe, and an on-site bakery with freshly baked bread and pastries.

Avonlea Village may be all about Anne of Green Gables, but the branch of Samuel’s Coffee House in this historic setting is all about good coffee and house-made treats such as muffins, scones, soups, salads, and a delectable raspberry cream cheese pie. 

Everything is made in-house at this artsy converted space inside a handsome 1895 building, with locally sourced and organic ingredients creating the tasty house-made soups, sandwiches, and panini. Tempting sweet treats and baked goods are also available. It's become a popular gathering place for discerning locals and visitors.

The menu at this Italian-leaning restaurant with a laid-back, industrial-cool feel is satisfying, with a number of imaginative pizzas, pastas, salads, and such. Try the fried mozzarella or the chef's risotto, which changes daily. The space, which features stone walls and steel chairs as well as a great, somewhat secluded terrace in the summer, is open late for drinks and snacks. A second location has recently opened in Petit Champlain.

Bringing Southeast Asia to southwest Montréal, Satay Brothers is operated by two brothers obsessed with the street foods found in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. The eclectic and oddly charming space—think red walls, illuminated Chinese lanterns, a mishmash of Asian patterns and décor—features communal seating and a long bar facing the kitchen, which fires out steamed pork buns, laksa soup, papaya salad, and, of course, satays to keep the constant and lively crowd fed. Several vegetarian and vegan options are also available.  If the restaurant is closed or too busy, try its original stand at nearby Atwater Market.

Tucked just behind its big-brother restaurant Fat Pasha, Schmaltz is a love letter to the Jewish appetizing shops of yore, turning out fresh bagel sandwiches with traditional toppings like smoked lox and whitefish salad.

New owners took over this village staple and gave it a new look with a retro vibe. They serve premium ice cream products, including banana splits, milkshakes and cones, innovative sweet and savory crepes, and $5 hot breakfast options.

This much-loved-by-locals café serves up hearty chowders, soups, and salads. 

Conveniently located at the entrance to Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line, this upscale Chinese restaurant serves first-rate Hong Kong-style seafood, often plucked live from the tanks and cooked to the specifications of its well-heeled clientele. Ask for whatever fish is freshest, and try the distinctive pork with chayote squash. This is also a popular spot for lunchtime dim sum, both traditional and more contemporary. Although you won't be out of place in jeans, you could dress up a bit, particularly in the evening. Reservations are recommended.

The perfect seafood spot for the summer with impeccable views of the Old Port, SeaSalt is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner while walking around Old Montréal. Its bright and clean interior, along with its large covered terrace, makes this restaurant feel as if it belongs on the coast of Southern France.

Specializing in charcuterie, grazing boards, and beautifully prepared seafood, this popular restaurant is perfect for a special night out. Housed in a carefully restored heritage home, this spot is also known for fabulous cocktails and has a range of local wines to sample. 

The chefs at this two-story restaurant overlooking the ocean prepare fresh seafood in traditional, innovative, Newfoundland style. Their menu spans local varieties of fish and shellfish, plus some in-season delicacies. Cod tongues—a secret recipe—are popular and offered throughout the season, and the ocean catfish is also highly recommended. The boardwalk is delightful for a stroll before or after you eat, and you can watch the sunset from the upper deck.

Stop by this cozy spot for breakfast or lunch, or grab a picnic box. Everything is made in-house and delicious. 

In operation since 1948, this diner holds the distinction of being Toronto’s oldest continuously operating restaurant. It’s a go-to spot for the pre-theater crowd, families, mildly hungover locals, and everyone in between. The menu features classic staples such as Caesar salad, chicken pot pie, and freshly squeezed juices at brunch.

The cozy main-floor lounge serves casual comfort food. The top-level restaurant serves more elaborate dishes—perhaps maple-rosemary braised short rib with Saskatoon berry sauce or grilled arctic char with beetroot risotto—in a modern dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, wood-plank walls, and dark-wood tables. The nightly, three-course, "trust me" menu is a good value for adventurous eaters who don't mind letting the chef decide what's for dinner. There's a nice selection of reasonably priced wines (by the glass or bottle), cocktails, and craft and draft beers.

A brigade of chefs is at work in the open kitchen of this popular restaurant that specializes in Shanghai-style fare, which is richer and slightly sweeter than more delicate Cantonese dishes. They're prepping the handmade dumplings, including the soup-filled xiao long bao and the panfried pork buns that are among the specialties here. Hand-pulled noodles, saucy braised eggplant, and fresh stir-fried greens are other good options. Book in advance or prepare to wait.

Opened in 2021 by Chef Stephane Provost, this is Banff’s first Japanese izakaya, a type of informal Japanese bar that serves drinks and food. This friendly and fun restaurant serves small plates and snacks with an extensive selection of saki, Japanese-inspired cocktails, and beers. The space is decorated in dark colors with a wood beam ceiling, a long bar, well-spaced tables, and minimalistic Japanese art and adornments. The creative menu is made for sharing and includes a variety of skewers, sushi and maki rolls, sashimi, and other yummy snacks like sweet-and-spicy Korean fried chicken, steamed bao buns, pork-kimchee gyozas, and Tokyo fries with smoked bonito shavings. Maple miso crème brûlée and black sesame ice cream make uniquely delicious dessert choices.