13 Best Restaurants in Canada

With a 5,000-square-foot, year-round patio and striking floor-to-ceiling murals, this is one of the most popular spots in the Distillery District. Highlights include traditional tacos al pastor with shaved pork and pineapple salsa, ceviche, a 24-hour-braised short rib in mole sauce, and guacamole prepared tableside. End the evening on a sweet note with churros rolled in sugar and served with a trio of chocolate, strawberry, and dulce de leche dipping sauces.

With only 10 seats, this taco joint almost always has long lines, but it's worth the wait. The menu brings the best of SoCal and Tijuana seafood together, featuring taco options like the gobernador (smoked marlin and shrimp), and a vegetarian option with corn fungus (trust us, it tastes better than it sounds).

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.

Meals at this rare higher-end Mexican restaurant in Kensington Market start off with a basket of blue corn tortillas, grilled in-house, emerging like prehistoric mushroom caps paired with a trio of sauces. A strong selection of innovative starters marry classics with modern culinary trends like a pair of drippy brie and succulent chorizo empanadas, earthy mushroom sopes with just the right amount of crisp and raw shrimp aguachile in a lavalike red sauce. The lamb shank barbacoa steamed in a banana leaf is the real show-stopper, unwrapped table side by Chef Felipe. 

The Prestige Radium Hot Springs Hotel houses both these restaurants, with the added bonus that you can order from either menu in both the cantina-style Don Agave Mexican-theme room with a long bar, or the large, airy Conrad's Kitchen & Grill side with its magnificent mountain views. Conrad's dinner menu features favorites like pizza, pasta, and burgers, while the Don Agave menu is all about Mexican food, from tacos to fajitas. The breakfast menu is extensive, including dishes with a Mexican flair, like huevos rancheros and a Mexican omelet. The outdoor patio overlooking the Sinclair Creek Canyon is a locals' favorite hangout spot to indulge in appetizers and Mexican-themed cocktails on long summer evenings.

Escondite's young, ambitious, and talented owners know a good idea when it comes to them. So much so that they now have seven branches across the city since the avenue Union location opened in 2015. Each of their Mexican restaurants (they're also behind a handful of funky Japanese izakaya and Hawaiian poke eateries) crackles with energy and eclectic style, a mishmash of neon signs, portraits of Frida Kahlo, bright murals of saints, Día de los Muertos skulls, turquoise banquettes and barstools, and mismatched press-back chairs. On the menu is inventive Mexican-inspired cuisine—think Mexican General Tao cauliflower with tamarind, agave, and coriander; Monterey Jack and jalapeño gyoza nachos with pomegranate pico de gallo, serrano chili and black pepper cream; and Korean steak with Oaxaca cheese, grilled cactus, pickled jalapeño, and orange crush sauce—and delicious tequila-based cocktails.  There is a second Downtown location on rue Drummond.

The kitschy décor at this cute little Mexican joint includes a display of religious icons as well as vibrantly colorful furniture, while the menu is haute Mexican street cuisine at its best. The food here is simple, but everything is fresh and delicious. Start by ordering the housemade tortilla chips with chunky and perfectly seasoned guacamole, local and flavorful tomatoes, and pungent onions. Follow with the Baja tacos with shrimp and coleslaw, or the classic tacos al pastor with pork, onions, and chunks of pineapple. On weekends, La Tamalera serves a Mexican-inspired brunch that includes huevos rancheros and molete, an open-faced sandwich with black beans and queso fresco (fresh cheese).

With an eclectic assortment of knickknacks on every brightly painted wall, this fun, fast-food taco place grabs your attention as soon as you walk through the door. Here you can also play a game of mini-golf, indulge your sweet tooth with some house-made gelato, or order a bag of movie theater–style popcorn from the popcorn machine.

Run by chef Francisco Higareda, this modern and stylish Mexican restaurant in the heart of Gastown is serving up everything from ahi tuna tostadas to chicken enchiladas to prawn tacos and more. A must-try is the eatery's signature Monarca margarita, complete with tequila, Curaçao, Valencia orange, and lime.

Expect great food and lively ambience at this small Mexican restaurant. The outdoor patio is the perfect place to imbibe a margarita and watch the world go by in the summer, and in winter you can reserve an igloo for a unique experience. It's first-come first-served, and this place gets busy, so get there early, or be prepared to wait (or order take-out).

Heading to the beach? Follow the surfers to this orange catering truck at Outside Break, a cluster of driftwood- and cedar-sided shops just south of town. Dubbed “slow food fast,” the quick, cheap, and wholesome eats here include burritos, gringas (flour tortillas stuffed with meat or beans), and Baja-style fish tacos. Everything, including the salsa, is made from scratch. This is the original; there are now outposts in Vancouver and Victoria. Open until 6 pm.

This fun, lively counter-service joint serves up Southern California–style Mexican street food like burritos and tacos. It's more than the average fast-food joint, though, and patrons like to linger with friends over beers.

With only 20 seats, this colorful family-run neighborhood spot showcases the delicious nuances of classic Mexican cuisine. Dishes here are rich in flavor and composed with care, from duck confit and grilled octopus to a mole that's been slow-simmered over eight hours.