Tag: Lists

Air Canada has just released its Top 10 Best New Restaurants for 2025, offering a snapshot of the openings that made an impression across the country this past year. If you’re curious about where Canadian dining is heading — or looking for ideas for your next food-focused trip — this list gives a clear sense of the restaurants worth having on your radar right now.

From intimate omakase counters to coastal tasting menus and modern neighbourhood rooms, the Top 10 reflects a range of perspectives and regional stories. Here’s a look at this year’s selections.

Canada’s Best New Restaurants: Top 10 for 2025

1. Mystic — Halifax, NS
A maritime tasting-menu restaurant anchored in East Coast ingredients and coastal flavours.

2. Le Violon — Montréal, QC
A refined, seasonal dining room informed by French technique and Québec’s culinary traditions (and yes — the one where Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry were famously spotted at dinner).

3. aKin — Toronto, ON
A globally influenced restaurant reflecting the city’s multicultural food culture.

4. Sushi Hyun Omakase — Vancouver, BC
An intimate omakase experience built around precision, craft and West Coast seafood.

5. Maven — Toronto, ON
Modern neighbourhood cooking inspired by Eastern-European and Jewish culinary roots.

6. Nero Tondo — Vancouver, BC
Contemporary Italian dining with a focus on handmade pastas and bold, expressive sauces.

7. Yan Dining Room — Toronto, ON
Chef Eva Chin’s set menu exploring neo-Chinese cooking through local, seasonal ingredients.

8. Sumibiyaki Arashi — Vancouver, BC
A small charcoal-grill restaurant serving seasonal fish and vegetables prepared over binchotan.

9. Pasta Pooks — Montréal, QC
Casual, youth-driven pasta with strong technique and creative flavour combinations.

10. Niwa — Vancouver, BC
A calm, nature-inspired dining room where Pacific Northwest ingredients meet Asian influences.