14 Best Restaurants in Canada

There's no need to cross the pond to find perfectly battered fish and delicious chips, as they can be found right here in Old Montréal. The cod is a staple, but the salmon dipped in beer batter is also a menu favorite, and for a Canadian touch, try the haddock covered in golden maple syrup batter. Vegetarians will appreciate the tofu in chipotle batter and the veggie samosas. There's gluten-free available as well. Polish off your jolly ol' British experience at the chippy with sticky toffee pudding. Wine and a range of beers are also served. 

Lots of warm woods, booths, and faux antiques here and there create a modern, pub-like atmosphere where comfort food is the name of the game. Think shepherd's pie, chicken pot pie, beef bourguignon, jambalaya, and a perennial favorite: mac and cheese. Big bowls of soup and sandwiches are also on the menu. A great place for early family suppers and for livelier crowds as the evening progresses. Service is friendly and efficient.

The dining room at The Butchart Gardens, in the Butchart family's former residence, serves traditional teas daily, year-round. Afternoon tea (C$50), with sandwiches and baked treats, is served noon to 4:30 pm from April through September. Gluten-free teas require 24-hour notice.

Victoria's "big production line" and most elaborate afternoon tea (C$89) is served, as it has been since 1908, in the ornate lobby of the Fairmont Empress. The tea is the hotel's own blend, and the cakes, scones, and crustless sandwiches are prepared by some of Victoria's finest pastry chefs. As you face the bill, remember that tea here is more than a snack; it was, historically, a way to keep civilization alive in this farthest outpost of the empire. Seatings are daily from 11 am to 5:30 pm. Children under 12 pay half price.

This spot resembles an old English pub in every way, including having a red phone booth and the best fish-and-chips in town. Other British pub classics like Scotch eggs, bangers and mash, stuffed Yorkshire pudding, shepherd's pie, and beef Wellington are on the menu alongside Canadian favorites like salads, burgers, poutine, and steak sandwiches. The breakfast menu is also very good. The bar is one of the biggest in Canmore with more than a dozen beers on tap as well as a nice selection of cocktails, spirits, ciders, and wines. FYI: The Georgetown is named after a ghost town not far from Canmore.

At this pub in what was once the house of a prominent Canadian politician, Haligonian brewers uphold beer-making traditions dating back to 1754, and you can sample the results, along with craft and bottled beers from beyond the city. The food is impressive, too—especially the Nova Scotia salt cod fish cakes and beer-battered fish-and-chips. In winter fireplaces keep the ironstone building toasty.

You can request a Yorkshire pudding to accompany any meal at this tavern just off Queen Street, which should tip you off to its British leanings, played out further in the decor: a warren of rooms with creaky floors and well-used wooden tables and chairs, low ceilings and exposed beams, and convivial chatter throughout. Ontario's oldest operating inn sets out pub fare such as shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and steak-and-kidney pie. Entrées change periodically but always include the house specialty, prime rib of beef au jus.

Head here for British-style pub grub classics—fish-and-chips, bangers and mash, curry, liver and onions, burgers, and seafood. They also serve plenty of appetizers to pair perfectly with a pint or two. You won't leave hungry, and you'll be raving about how great everything tastes. 

This Scottish-inspired restaurant is decorated in dark wood and has a long granite bar and cozy private booths with a wall of TVs playing various sports games. There are a wide array of nibbles on the lounge menu and a great bar menu---burgers, fish-and-chips, stuffed Yorkshire pudding---with 10 beers on tap, local canned craft beers, and ciders, cocktails, spirits, and wine by the glass or bottle. Happy hour is from 3--6 pm daily. On Friday and Saturday evenings, the Stirling Grill, adjacent to the lounge, is open for fine dining with a full gourmet menu including a three-course "Trust the Chef" menu that can also include sommelier chosen wine pairings.

Afternoon teas (C$54), with fresh-baked scones and cream, mini-quiches, cucumber sandwiches, and seasonal treats featuring produce from the garden, are served in the living room of the Abkhazi Garden. Late-morning snacks (called "elevenses") and light lunches are also available at this romantic garden setting.

Everything, including the jam, is homemade with exceptional creativity for the Scottish-style teas served in the White Heather Tea Room, a lovely place with big windows. Go for the gusto with its Signature Muckle (C$60). Teas are served from 10 am to 3 pm, Thursday through Sunday. Gluten-free selections are available as are take-out boxed teas.

This multilevel restaurant filled with young professionals lures in patrons with its lively atmosphere and deliciously updated English food. The signature fish-and-chips is deservedly popular, as are other classics like bangers and mash and shepherd's pie. The Burgundy Lion can get boisterous with good cheer in the evening, fueled by the extensive beer list and the 200-plus varieties of whiskey. It's a popular spot to watch football (that's soccer to North Americans) and hockey. Classic British breakfasts like "bubble n' squeak" (cabbage, eggs, onions, and smoked meat) and French toast made with crumpets make for busy weekend mornings.