1030 Best Restaurants in Canada

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.

Beautiful views of Pyramid Lake and Pyramid Mountain are complemented by a menu of gourmet comfort food with a Canadian twist. Breakfast options include brioche French Toast with a haskap berry compote and maple syrup, while dinner offers a five-course carnivore tasting menu or a five-course vegetarian tasting menu; you can also order à la carte. Other dinner specialties include duck breast with sweet potato fondant or Rocky Mountain Trout with roasted fennel.

This upscale modern Italian eatery uses the freshest local ingredients to create hearty dishes like fettuccine with wild mushrooms; sweet onion, pancetta and Italian sausage; and perfect pizzas. The luxe, open-plan dining room with its peacock-blue velvet-lined booths and high-end finishes is a treat to dine in, and the place is buzzy and fun, especially on weekends. 

Vancouver's first upscale vegetarian dining room, this barely bigger-than-an-acorn restaurant serves imaginative plant-based fare that does its vegetables proud. With a hyper-seasonal menu, dishes rotate weekly following shipments from local organic farms. Many menu items are vegan or gluten-free. If you have to wait for a table, pass the time with one of their signature cocktails.

Not surprisingly, chocolate features heavily on the menu here, including hot chocolate drinks, and there’s good coffee, too, including latte and iced coffee. They also serve freshly baked croissants and chocolate treats containing nothing but healthy natural ingredients. You can buy handmade chocolates to go, too.

Over-the-top appetizers, modern sushi rolls, and classic steaks pair perfectly with views from the 38th floor that overlook Toronto's downtown and harbor. Top picks from the menu include an unforgettable, umami-rich whipped truffle parfait, and crispy mushroom brochettes dressed up as a wild, edible forest display. Book a table before sundown on a clear day for a stunning sunset and glowing city by night. 

This minimalist café is clean and intentional, serving up coffee and wellness-driven drinks as well as tasty, nutritious snacks. Think ceremonial matcha lattes, adaptogenic mushroom broths, and other nutrient-packed bites made with health in mind. Their superfood smoothies are on the pricier side, but where else can you get a delicious strawberry drink filled with vegan vanilla collagen, sea moss gel, and hyaluronic acid? 

This hidden Parkdale gem serves up West African dishes rooted in tradition and full of bold, spicy flavor. The jollof rice is rich and fragrant, the fried cauliflower is a party in your mouth, and the miso mafe stew—a plant-based peanut dish with jackfruit and coconut rice—is the perfect balance of creamy, hearty, and satisfying. Don’t forget to wash it all down with an effervescent palm wine.

Like the art gallery in which it's located, this bistro was designed by starchitect Frank Gehry, whose touches are seen in the minimalist decor and geometric ceilings. The dishes themselves—including tenderloin steak and eggs with brandy peppercorn sauce, and crispy Italian artichokes on braised cannelini beans—are plated like works of art.

This second-floor restaurant in downtown Jasper has an open kitchen, a terrace, and plenty of windows with lovely mountain views. The decor isn't fancy, but the food is excellent, featuring crispy calamari, beef carpaccio, baked meatballs, and house-made pasta dishes served alongside beef, salmon, lamb, and duck entrées. There's a nice selection of wines by the glass or bottle, cocktails, and domestic and imported beers on the drinks menu.

Nearly every menu item here is kissed by the flames of the wood-fired oven that makes up the hearth---aka, the heart of the kitchen. Gigantic shareable cuts of porterhouse steak, creamy grilled horseradish beets, and house-made pull-apart brioche buns are some of the heartiest dishes on order. Executive chef Patrick Kriss is known for catching diners off guard with seemingly modest but stunning experimental dishes like a grilled habañero sea bream or a hydrating cucumber and fennel slaw that merges stringent vinegar, salty and crumbly feta cheese with earthy and crunch hazelnuts. 

On the edge of a small plaza—a gathering spot for Danforth locals—sits this venerable hole-in-the-wall spot, known for serving hot, fresh gyros, souvlaki, and burgers into the wee hours.

Most of the mom and pop places like this have moved out to the suburbs, all the more reason to seek out this gem if you are in the neighborhood.

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.

This sun-drenched corner bistro, with its wraparound windows letting in splendid light year-round, now calls a former bank home—its past echoed in the safes woven into the decor. Black and dark wood accents lend a profoundly Parisian flair, while the menu serves local fare in a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. From game meat and seafood to fresh pasta and revisited classics (don't miss the Brussels sprouts Caesar), alongside a strong selection of vegan options, Alphonse certainly aims to please. Its cocktail menu is an absolute must.

Named for the now defunct 27th letter of the alphabet, this Whyte Avenue restaurant is a local favorite. The creative menu is varied and contains lots of vegetarian and vegan options that even meat lovers will enjoy. Great for a date night or special occasion, ask to sit on the charming and private patio, and don't miss half-price bottles of house wine and 2-for-1 appetizers on Thursdays.

Like its counterpart in Calgary, Anejo Edmonton serves up delicious Mexican food and outstanding margaritas in a hip and gorgeous setting. Happy hour is even better, when your tequila and tacos are half-price.

This tried-and-true Mexican restaurant is the place to go in Banff for great margaritas and inexpensive tacos that run the gamut from pork carnitas or chicken to crispy fish and mushroom tacos; the premium taco menu features duck carnitas, shrimp tacos, and grilled mahi mahi tacos. The tableside guacamole and house salsa are delicious, and the extensive tequila menu creates a variety of margaritas and other mixed drinks. The churros are a great choice for dessert. There are two locations in Toronto and new locations in Calgary and Edmonton.

Everything on the menu at this stellar restaurant is fantastic—from inventive dishes that utilize local ingredients, such as lobster bao or Margaree rainbow trout with scalloped potatoes, to perfectly cooked risotto, handmade pastas, and short ribs. There are plenty of vegetarian options and a kids' menu. 

Well-chosen antiques and original artwork create a vibrantly chic atmosphere for what has always been one of Whistler's top fine-dining restaurants. Local farmers grow produce exclusively for Araxi's chef, who also makes good use of regional cheeses, game, and fish. The food is fresh and innovative, best described as Pacific Northwest cuisine. Seafood is a specialty, so while you can certainly order a superbly prepared beef tenderloin, it's dishes like alder-smoked Arctic char or handmade pasta with wild prawns, scallops, and mussels that steal the show. The two-tier seafood tower is a must-try for seafoodies who love to graze and share. Wine aficionados take note: the wine list is 43 pages long. A heated patio is open in summer, and the lounge is a popular afternoon and après-ski spot, especially for its oyster bar.

This relatively new eatery on Whyte Avenue has quickly become a local favorite with its creative shared-plate menu that includes flavors from all around the world. Excellent cocktails and a quiet patio out back only enhance the dining experience.

The first thing you notice upon entering is the bright, cheery decor and welcoming atmosphere. In addition to standard pub fare, you'll find menu items inspired by traditional Newfoundland cooking like the Jiggs (a traditional meal of corned beef, potatoes, and vegetables) and turkey pot pie. Vegetarian options are available. With regular events like live music and trivia nights, it's a great place to experience the local energy.

Locally sourced, west coast cuisine is paired with wines from neighboring vineyards at this lovely ocean-view restaurant in the Brentwood Bay Resort. Start with beet and asparagus salad, then opt for halibut with a touch of ginger or one of the beef, lamb, poultry, and vegetarian dishes. The resort's well-known sushi bar is a destination unto itself offering Dynamite Rolls (tempura prawn based) and a Westcoast Roll (tuna and salmon with avocado) among others. Liquid desserts, as in a Mocha Expresso Martini, are hot favorites among traditional choices of pies, mousses, and sorbets. A big fireplace, two-story-high windows, and a wonderful array of Canadian art warm the interior; outside, a heated patio takes in views of Saanich Inlet. A more casual marina-view pub offers burgers, pizzas, and craft beers at lunch and dinner.

This artisanal bakery specializes in French-style pastries, sourdough bread, and excellent coffee. It's name comes from the previous designation of the beautiful heritage building the bakery is housed in: Annapolis Royal Customs House and Post Office. 

Named after the gourmand father of one of the owners, this all-day breakfast spot quickly became a favorite breakfast/brunch destination for Montrealers. The luminous green and white eatery with terracotta brown banquettes and bar seating, serves up Eastern European Jewish fare with Middle Eastern influences. A wine list of mostly private imports and classic brunch cocktails like mimosas, Caesars, and peach Bellinis round out the weekend brunch experience.

The trek to Limoilou is unequivocally worth it for ARVI, a restaurant that has earned a coveted Michelin star and been hailed by local critics as an unforgettable gourmet experience. Here, Chef Julien Masia orchestrates a culinary ballet in a contemporary, open-plan space where urban edginess meets sleek design, featuring exposed bricks and concrete. Diners enjoy unobstructed views of the chef at work, thanks to the signature open kitchen nestled right in the middle of the tastefully designed space. Food-wise, the prix-fixe, five-course tasting menu is a steal at just C$98, with underappreciated ingredients like turnip, lovage, wild garlic, verbena, and agastache given star treatment.

Not for the timid, the menu at this famous bistro—one of the late Anthony Bourdain’s favorites—is an ode to gluttony. Wild restaurateur and chef Martin Picard serves pickled bison tongue, guinea hen liver mousse, duck in a can, a whole pig's head for two, and pork hocks braised in maple syrup. However, his obsession with foie gras is what truly sets him apart; he lavishes the stuff on hamburgers and, brace yourselves, poutine. Come summer, book a picnic experience in the orchard of Au Pied de Cochon's Cabane d'à Cóté in St-Benoît de Mirabel. In winter and spring, "pig out" on pork and maple syrup creations at one of two Au Pied de Cochon sugar shacks, also in St-Benoît de Mirabel.  Reserve via website or by email at [email protected].

Five minutes from the ski slopes and right on Lac Moore, this rustic restaurant, which opens onto a terrace during the summer months, looks a bit shabby from the outside but has garnered much praise for its Italian dishes. These include tried-and-true favorites such as veal marsala and veal fiorentina (cooked with spinach and cheese). Hosts Nino and Kay are reputed to be some of the friendliest folks you'll ever meet.