43 Best Restaurants in Canada

This cozy cafe set up to look like a farmhouse is famous for gooey caramel sticky buns, crusty sourdough wheels and to-die-for breakfast sandwiches using locally sourced grains and produce grown on the farm of their international powerhouse of a big brother, Restaurant Pearl Morissette. The wraparound patio on Jordan Station's Main Street makes for perfect people-watching.

The dozen or so petite tables are set with blue-willow-pattern china in this quaint teahouse serving traditional English fare on the Muskoka Wharf. High tea—a three-tier platter of shortbread, scones with Devonshire cream, petit fours, and classic (crustless) cucumber sandwiches (with gluten-free options), plus a pot of tea per person—is served every afternoon.

The seasonal menu is filled with sensational farm-to-table and foraged ingredients making this one of Cape Breton's best dining experiences. Seafood dishes include lobster salad and lobster risotto, and you cannot go wrong with the steak or pork tenderloin that are both cooked to perfection. Be sure to try the crab cakes as an appetizer, and save room for one of their wonderful desserts.

This fabulous bakery opens at 7:30 am for breakfast, great coffee, and tasty treats. Their sandwiches and soups are excellent, and stocking up on cookies and oatcakes to take with you is highly advised. At peak times there can be long lines, but it is worth the wait. 

Named for a street in Bangkok bursting with nightlife and excellent street eats, Khao San Road lives up to its moniker. The squash fritters are a head-turning crispy delight that you'll want to order when you see them show up at another table. For heartier dishes, try for the khao soi, a dish of egg noodles in a rich coconut milk sauce, or try the warming massaman, a tamarind-infused curry with peanuts, potatoes, and deep-fried shallots.

Classic French cuisine with an Acadian heart, this beautiful restaurant is filled with antiques and raw wood, with views over the crashing ocean. Every carefully prepared dish is spectacular, from Acadian fricot to salt cod gratin to their upscale burger. L'Abri has a well-stocked selection of Nova Scotia wines and beers and a great cocktail list. Bookings highly recommended. 

This little eatery right on the water serves up huge portions of absolutely perfect seafood dishes—the lobster rolls, scallop rolls, and chowder are such great value—and they do excellent breakfasts, too. 

An influx of immigrants in recent years has led to a boom in international dining options in town, including this first-rate Indian restaurant that serves fresh and well-seasoned garlic and butter naan, curries and stews, and paneer and kofta dishes. Don't let the unassuming outside fool you—the inside is cozy with friendly servers and aromas that will whet your appetite. 

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. 

Head here for upscale mains like seafood linguine and lobster risotto, but also because they do fantastic upscale burgers, sandwiches, and wraps (everything from classic patties to Nashville chicken burgers to haddock wraps). Be sure to save room for dessert—the delicious Death by Chocolate milkshake complete with a brownie on top is superb.

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. 

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.

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.

This bustling, light-filled café on Main Street dishes out excellent pastries, soups, sandwiches, espresso drinks, and a full slate of alcoholic beverages, including beer, cider, and wine. The seating area often fills up, but you can wander among the cool shops down the hallway while sipping your coffee.

Experience sustainable dining at this Old Québec gem, where many herbs and vegetables are harvested directly from its green roofs, making their way straight to each plate. Indulge in an entirely organic, nut- and gluten-free menu, with ingredients almost entirely sourced within single-digit kilometers. Its elegant interior, with stone walls and wooden ceilings, is beautifully illuminated by abundant windows. Note that each service features a "farm to table" daily special, changing with market finds and seasonal flavors, while the lunch prix fixe offers exceptional value for budget-conscious visitors.

It's worth making the 6 km (4-mile) drive from Georgetown to Cardigan to this restaurant in a lovely waterside location, where the big dining room has windows all around with great views over the water. There's a patio, too. The lengthy menu features plenty of local seafood, including lobster, scallops, clams, and more, and also has steaks, chicken, and other options, all sourced locally. 

More than 80 varieties of loose-leaf teas, craft beverages, and artisan coffees are served alongside fresh, healthy, and local food at this downtown café. Look for pad Thai noodle bowls, rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, and delicious wraps. There are many vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options on the menu as well.

Overlooking False Creek and Yaletown, the Dockside's patio is the big draw, especially for owners of chic yachts moored alongside. Because it faces east, sunsets are behind the building, and cool shadows come early, so grab a table beneath a heater. Floor-to-ceiling windows make the inside feel like the outside with decor that exudes a modern vibe and includes a 50-foot aquarium. House-brewed ales and lagers are served from the adjoining casual brewpub.

With a casual, upscale ambience and a tried-and-true menu, Earls is always a good choice for dinner or drinks. Steaks, pasta, salads, seafood, and Thai options provide something for everyone.

This quintessential Commercial Drive spot sells all-organic groceries and vegan food in a small café. Their smoothies, bowls, and sweet treats are all must-tries. We recommend the Incredi-bowl. Choose pan-fried tempeh or roasted veggies, and quinoa or brown rice, and it'll come mixed with miso ginger dressing, avocado, sprouts, and sesame seeds. Perfect for a quick bite or yummy picnic fare.

Everything here is farm-to-table or items come from local bakeries and orchards. Sandwiches are piled high with flavor, pizzas come directly from the brick oven, and shelves are stacked with produce such as jams, jellies, canned fruit, and veggies. The farm of this outfit is in North Saanich at 1780 Mills Road where meals are a bit more leisurely in a very bright bistro. As you might expect, we're talking pasture raised, non-gmo ingredients from start to finish.

This sweet coffee shop serves perfectly poured espresso drinks, breakfast sandwiches, and fresh-baked treats. It's worth diverting from the highway for this spot. 

Banff's newest sushi restaurant was designed to feel like a mix between a 1970s ski lodge and a traditional Japanese restaurant with wood paneling in the main dining area and a long sushi bar; private karaoke rooms are in the back. The menu has classics like miso soup, tempura, and a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, and ramen alongside more inventive fare like cheeseburger gyoza, oshi (press) sushi, hand roll tacos, and build-your-own bao buns. The Japanese BBQ menu highlights Alberta beef and chicken. This restaurant celebrates happy hour daily, with the exception of holidays and long weekends, between 4-5 pm with half-price sushi and discounted drinks and ramen.

A local institution in the heart of town, Honeybeans serves coffee so good that there’s a regular early morning line of locals stretching out of the door. 

In addition to the excellent oysters, this nice little restaurant has an eclectic menu that includes other seafood such as charred haddock, lobster rolls, and scallop dogs—as well as salads, sticky ribs, and jerk chicken. The caveat is that the little Landmark fills up quickly, so having reservations (or patience) helps.

This little restaurant serves authentic French cuisine—the chef is from France—on a well-balanced menu based on organic and natural ingredients. The menu changes with the season, but if you're looking for a classic escargots à la bourguignonne (snails in garlic butter) or local specialties like Magdalen Islands charcuterie or scallops, you won't be disappointed.

Alexandra and Axel Leonhard have gone from humble beginnings selling homemade bread at a local farmers' market to running a full-fledged café where food is made from scratch without additives, preservatives, or artificial flavorings. The room is bright and cheerful, and the devoted clientele keeps coming back for breakfast, casseroles, hearty gluten-free soups, sandwiches, and delicious desserts. Organic teas and freshly roasted coffee are served as well. Wait times for a seat are not usually an issue—but you can always grab something to go. 

Delicious African stews—beef, goat, curry chicken, eggplant—with tasty sides such as jollof (a mix of rice, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and other seasonings) and enjera (Ethiopian flatbread) are served in Mary's friendly downtown restaurant.

This good ol’ Canadian steak-house chain always gets top marks from its regular customers. There’s two options: a family-friendly restaurant with a laid-back vibe and the more adult urbanLODGE that serves the same great steaks in a more festive atmosphere.

A five-minute drive from Clifton Hill, this local joint manages to be both casual and refined. Sit in the back room where exposed-brick columns and black-and-white photos of Naples on the walls set the scene for the southern Italian pasta dishes and thin-crust pizzas. The extensive menu includes 10 pizzas with wafer-thin crusts and generous dollops of tomato sauce, and plenty of pasta dishes and hearty meat dishes to choose from.