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The North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 List is Out

30 September 2025

On September 25, 2025 at Wynn Las Vegas, the inaugural North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list debuted with Atomix (New York) crowned No. 1. Junghyun “JP” and Ellia Park’s intimate, design-driven counter marries Korean flavours with meticulous technique and hospitality, setting the tone for a ranking that celebrates both heritage and innovation across the continent.

Canada made a powerful showing — Mon Lapin (Montreal) landed at No. 2, Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Lincoln, ON) at No. 3 and Tanière3 (Québec City) at No. 5 — while the broader lineup highlights a vibrant mix of tasting-menu temples, neighbourhood gems and destination dining from the U.S. and the Caribbean. Pictured above? Le Violon in Montreal, No. 29 on the list, where Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau were spotted having dinner this past July.

Atomix (Photo by Evan Sung)

The List

  1. Atomix — New York

  2. Mon Lapin — Montréal

  3. Restaurant Pearl Morissette — Lincoln

  4. Smyth — Chicago

  5. Tanière3 — Québec City

  6. Dakar NOLA — New Orleans

  7. Kalaya — Philadelphia

  8. SingleThread — Healdsburg

  9. Le Bernardin — New York

  10. Le Veau d’Or — New York

  11. Quetzal — Toronto

  12. Baan Lao — Richmond (Steveston)

  13. Benu — San Francisco

  14. Californios — San Francisco

  15. The Four Horsemen — New York

  16. Friday Saturday Sunday — Philadelphia

  17. Moon Rabbit — Washington, DC

  18. Via Carota — New York

  19. Chubby Fish — Charleston

  20. Locust — Nashville

  21. Saison — San Francisco

  22. Montréal Plaza — Montréal

  23. Kono — New York

  24. Aska — New York

  25. Lazy Bear — San Francisco

  26. Kato — Los Angeles

  27. Kann — Portland

  28. Published on Main — Vancouver

  29. Le Violon — Montréal

  30. Emeril’s — New Orleans

  31. Kasama — Chicago

  32. Royal Sushi & Izakaya — Philadelphia

  33. Saga — New York

  34. Albi — Washington, DC

  35. Jungsik — New York

  36. Corima — New York

  37. Dōgon — Washington, DC

  38. César — New York

  39. Café Carmellini — New York

  40. Penny — New York

  41. Buzo Osteria Italiana — Bridgetown

  42. Holbox — Los Angeles

  43. Alma — Montréal

  44. Mhel — Toronto

  45. Alma Fonda Fina — Denver

  46. Atelier Crenn — San Francisco

  47. Providence — Los Angeles

  48. Quince — San Francisco

  49. Stush in the Bush — St. Ann

  50. Beba — Montréal

A Fall Classic: Homemade Apple Strudel

30 September 2025

Apple-picking season is in full swing across Canada, which means baskets of crisp fruit just waiting to be transformed into something special. Enter apple strudel: layers of flaky pastry wrapped around tender apples, sweet raisins and a buttery crunch. It’s easier than you think with this recipe, which keeps things simple using store-bought puff pastry. 

Apple Strudel Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

  • ½ cup raisins

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 225 g), thawed

  • 2 tbsp butter, melted

  • ¼ cup bread crumbs

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. In a large bowl, combine apples, raisins, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Toss to coat.

  3. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle, about 12 x 14 inches.

  4. Brush pastry with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs.

  5. Spoon the apple mixture along one long edge, leaving a 1-inch border. Carefully roll up the pastry over the filling, tucking in the sides as you go, to form a log. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.

  6. Brush the strudel with remaining melted butter.

  7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

  8. Let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar, alongside whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

 

Atlas Ocean Voyages Just Announced an Impressive New Dining Experience

30 September 2025

Atlas Ocean Voyages is raising the bar on culinary travel with a newly enhanced dining program designed to immerse guests in the flavours and traditions of the destinations they explore.

Under the leadership of Corporate Executive Chef René Afleñzer, who recently returned from a sourcing journey across Argentina, the luxury cruise line has unveiled menus that spotlight locally inspired dishes and seasonal ingredients sourced directly from regional farmers, vintners and artisans.

“Food is an integral part of exploration,” said Chef Afleñzer. “Guests deserve a culinary journey as rich and inspiring as the destinations we visit. Our menus are designed to surprise and delight, blending creative presentation, exceptional quality and fresh regional flavours.”

A Taste of the World on Board

Guests can now enjoy Chef Afleñzer’s creations across all dining venues, including the elegant main restaurant, the alfresco 7Aft Grill, casual Paula’s Pantry, and 24-hour room service. Highlights range from raw Hamachi with soya-parsley and dill salad, to lobster ravioli with garlic butter sauce, to plant-based options such as roasted white onion with wild mushroom ragout and hazelnut cream.

The curated menus also include a standout dessert program featuring treats like infinity chocolate peanut butter cake and pistachio caramel sauce crumble. Beverage pairings, sommelier-led wine tastings and market-to-table dinners round out the expanded offering, creating a holistic dining experience designed to connect travellers to the culinary traditions of the regions they visit.

Expanding the Epicurean Experiences

Atlas Ocean Voyages has also announced the return of its popular Epicurean Expeditions for 2026 and 2027, sailing the Mediterranean with a line-up of guest chefs, wine pairings, market-to-table excursions and shoreside tastings.

“As one of the cornerstones of the Atlas experience, our culinary program continues to evolve,” said James A. Rodriguez, President & CEO of Atlas Ocean Voyages. “Our guests’ feedback and strong ratings confirm that dining with Atlas is truly exceptional.”

With its expanded menus, expert-led experiences and commitment to sourcing sustainably, Atlas Ocean Voyages is charting a course to make dining at sea as memorable as the destinations themselves.

Bon Appétit Just Released Its List of the Best New Restaurants in the US for 2025

15 September 2025

Every September, food media rolls out its picks for the year’s most exciting places to eat — and Bon Appétit has just dropped its 2025 Best New Restaurants list. While it’s not the only voice in the conversation, the roundup offers a useful snapshot of how dining in America is evolving. This year’s collection of 20 restaurants leans heavily into storytelling: chefs using their menus to explore identity, migration, and memory.

Instead of headline-grabbing gimmicks, the restaurants Bon Appétit highlights are rooted in personal history and a sense of place. In San Francisco, Fernay McPherson’s Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement feels like a homecoming, with soulful plates that link her family’s past to the present-day Fillmore district. In Seattle, Lenox channels chef Jhonny Reyes’s Puerto Rican roots into dishes that also celebrate the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. His crackling lechon with farm-fresh mustard greens bridges San Juan, New York, and Seattle in a single dish.

Lenox in Seattle

The list also celebrates bold expressions of cultural fusion. In Atlanta, Avize looks like a traditional Alpine restaurant until a plate of frog legs dusted with Atlanta’s own lemon-pepper seasoning lands at the table. The dish captures the dual identity of chef Jason Paolini’s project: European at first glance, Southern at its core. Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, Dōgon marks the triumphant return of star chef Kwame Onwuachi, who pays homage to the city’s Ethiopian and Trinidadian communities with Wagyu short ribs in smoky awaze sauce and fried lamb surrounded by curried chickpeas.

Not every entry is high-profile. In Pittsburgh, Fet-Fisk has transformed a Little Italy bar into a Nordic-leaning hotspot where diners sip marigold schnapps alongside pickled mackerel. In New York, Ha’s Snack Bar (pictured above) has become the city’s buzziest reservation, serving Vietnamese-French small plates from a chalkboard menu that changes nightly — a place so coveted that reservations vanish as soon as they’re posted.

What unites these 20 restaurants isn’t cuisine or geography, but intimacy. Bon Appétit’s editors describe them as meals you won’t experience anywhere else, each one shaped by the specific journey of the chef who created it. In a year where dining out has to be more than just dinner, this list proves that the most exciting restaurants in America are memoirs you can eat.

Pasta alla Norma

Celebrate your Last Vegetable Harvests with a Sicilian Classic: Pasta alla Norma

2 September 2025

Late summer in Italy is a sensory feast. Markets overflow with tomatoes that practically glow from within, basil perfuming the air in bunches, and eggplants so glossy they look lacquered. In Montefollonico, where Tuscan Women Cook welcomes guests for immersive culinary adventures, these ingredients star in seasonal favourites like tomato bruschetta and panzanella salad. But when the eggplants ripen, the program takes its inspiration southward — to Sicily, home of the iconic Pasta alla Norma.

Named in honour of Vincenzo Bellini’s beloved opera Norma, the dish has long been considered a masterpiece of Sicilian cuisine: a perfect harmony of fried (or roasted) eggplant, bright tomato sauce, torn basil, and a snowfall of ricotta salata. “The secret to a memorable Pasta alla Norma is in the eggplant,” says Coleen Kirnan, owner of Tuscan Women Cook. “Frying transforms eggplant into something almost meaty, while roasting provides a lighter, equally delicious version.” Either way, it’s a dish that captures Sicily at its peak — humble ingredients, handled simply, creating something that tastes like the last few days of summer.

Recipe: Pasta alla Norma

Yield: 4 first-course servings
Recipe and photo reprinted with permission of Tuscan Women Cook.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil as needed, at least ½ cup

  • 2 medium eggplants (about 1½ pounds)

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tbsp chopped garlic

  • 2 lbs tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (or 2–3 cups tomato sauce)

  • 2 tbsp tomato paste

  • 1 dried hot chili pepper (optional)

  • Pinch dried oregano or 1 tsp fresh

  • ½ lb penne rigate or rigatoni

  • Several large basil leaves, torn into small pieces

  • Grated ricotta salata or pecorino romano

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush generously with olive oil.

  2. Remove stems from eggplants; cut into ½-inch slices. Brush slices with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes. Flip, brush again if dry, and continue roasting until browned and tender (about 40 minutes total).

  3. While eggplant roasts, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Soften garlic, then add tomatoes (or tomato sauce), tomato paste, chili pepper, and oregano. Simmer until reduced, about 15 minutes (10 if using sauce).

  4. Cook pasta in abundant salted water until al dente. Toss pasta with tomato sauce, a splash of cooking water, and basil. Adjust seasoning.

  5. Divide half the pasta into four bowls. Scatter with ricotta salata, tuck in eggplant slices, then repeat with remaining pasta, cheese, and eggplant.

Variation: Fry eggplant slices in ⅓–½ cup olive oil until golden on both sides; drain and keep warm. Prepare the sauce in the same pan.

Where Celebs Will Be Dining During TIFF 2025

2 September 2025

When TIFF rolls into town (September 4–14), Toronto transforms into Hollywood North — not just on the red carpet, but at the dinner tables too. For ten glittering days, restaurants become backdrops for industry deals, stolen moments, and the occasional paparazzi flash. Here’s where the style icons and film legends are most likely to dine, toast, and perhaps be caught mid-laugh.

The buzz is loud at Nobu Toronto (pictured), the long-awaited Mercer Street outpost of the world-famous brand. Since opening, it has quickly become a celebrity staple. Drake and Pharrell Williams have already been spotted, and the lively bar is just as star-studded as the upstairs omakase. 

A few blocks away, Enigma Yorkville is a jewel box of the scene: tucked away on St. Thomas Street, it serves a refined seasonal tasting menu that blends Japanese precision with Nordic minimalism. It’s no wonder Toronto’s power set — and TIFF’s visiting stars — gravitate here when they want a little quiet luxury with their culinary artistry

Yorkville also shines at Adrak, where Michelin-level Indian cuisine and plush interiors have hosted everyone from the Jonas Brothers to Jessica Alba. It’s the kind of room where rich curries and glittering company go hand in hand.

On King West, the energy shifts into high-octane glamour. Minami (above) delivers with its A5 wagyu and cocktail craft, while just down the street, the Ace Hotel’s Evangeline rooftop lures festival crowds with ’70s-inspired share plates and that golden-hour glow perfect for selfies.

Meanwhile, Ossington keeps its cool edge with Lunch Lady, the Vietnamese comfort-food spot that turns into an industry hangout during TIFF, thanks to its vibrant cocktails and come-as-you-are charm. And for late-night escapades, Vinny Restaurant & Vinyl Bar is pure retro glitz — shrimp toast, disco lighting, DJ sets — the kind of place where you might bump into Dakota Johnson on the dance floor or Jude Law leaning against the bar.

This year, two new contenders are jostling for the after-hours crown. Bar Clams, Matty Matheson’s rollicking seafood diner, and Tha Phae Tavern, a riot of karaoke and claw machines, bring the kind of chaotic fun that even celebs can’t resist. They’re buzzy, unpolished, and all the more irresistible for it.

And finally, Abrielle (pictured) has emerged as another chic contender. With Mediterranean-inspired plates and a stylish room that straddles polished dining and easygoing warmth, it’s poised to host plenty of quiet tête-à-têtes between screenings.

TIFF is celebrating its 50th edition this year, and Toronto’s dining rooms are ready for their own close-ups. Whether you’re chasing star sightings or simply soaking in the atmosphere, these restaurants prove that the real festival often happens long after the credits roll.

Here’s How to Make Ina Garten’s Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls

16 August 2025

For most of New England, the lobster roll is a summertime staple: cold lobster salad dressed in mayo, tucked into a buttered bun. But for Ina Garten, the celebrated Barefoot Contessa and beloved cookbook author, there’s only one way to do it — Connecticut-style.

“When I first discovered a Connecticut lobster roll, there was no going back,” Garten confessed recently, sharing her go-to recipe on Instagram. The hot version swaps mayonnaise for melted butter and serves the lobster meat warm, creating what Garten calls “a roll worthy of a celebration.”

The method is as straightforward as it is decadent: She melts butter in a pan, tosses in chunks of cooked lobster with celery, salt, and pepper, and lets it gently heat through. A squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of dill brighten the mix before it’s spooned into toasted buns, then finished with more dill and lemon for a summery kick. The result? A roll that’s luscious, lemony, and deeply satisfying.

Unlike its chilled cousin, the Connecticut-style lobster roll traces back to the 1920s, when it was first served at Perry’s in Milford, Connecticut. Today, it remains a regional favorite — and Garten’s version proves just how simple it can be to recreate at home.

Her recipe appears in Cook Like a Pro: Recipes & Tips for Home Cooks, one of the many cookbooks that have made Garten a trusted voice for home cooks who want elegance without intimidation. And as she notes, these rolls aren’t just for the Fourth of July. They’re a fast track to bringing coastal New England flavor to any summer table.

Whether you’re perched seaside or simply dreaming of the shore, Garten’s lobster rolls deliver all the charm of a beach shack classic — with a Barefoot Contessa upgrade.

The Breakwater Inn Reopens with Maine’s Ultimate Foodie Escape

16 August 2025

Fresh off a top-to-bottom renovation, The Breakwater Inn in Kennebunkport is welcoming guests back with a splash — and a feast. One of Maine’s oldest inns, originally a boarding house for sailors, the storied 35-room property has been reimagined by Maine-based First Serve Hospitality. The result: a seamless blend of preserved historic architecture and contemporary coastal sophistication.

Perched on the Kennebunk River just 90 minutes from Boston, the Breakwater has long drawn celebrity clientele — from Martha Stewart to Patrick Dempsey and Seth Rogen — who come for its waterfront charm, timeless hospitality, and proximity to some of Maine’s best seafood spots. Now, guests can experience it all in a new way with the Ultimate Maine Food Tour, a curated culinary journey launched to coincide with the inn’s reopening.

The two-night package unfolds like a greatest-hits menu of Maine’s coastal cuisine: lobster risotto and blueberry pie at Mabel’s Lobster Claw, golden fried clams at Bob’s Clam Hut, a surf-meets-turf burger and whoopie pie milkshake at Harbor Burger Shack, and clam chowder or beer-steamed steamers at The Maine Catch in Ogunquit. Back at the inn, the day ends with sunset cocktails on the lawn and a finale of baked stuffed lobster at Port Fish & Chop House. VIP treatment is guaranteed at every stop — think best waterfront tables, signature dishes and drinks, and car service throughout.

After a day of indulgence, guests retreat to redesigned harborside suites dressed in serene coastal décor, luxe linens, and balconies overlooking the Atlantic.

The Maine Food Tour Package (from $2,500 USD for two, available through October 12) includes two nights in an oceanview suite, all culinary experiences, and transport. Whether you come for the food, the history, or simply the view, the Breakwater’s next chapter is already making waves.