Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2023 unveil their Longlist

On September 14, Air Canada announced the 30 finalists for the Best New Canadian Restaurants 2023. The country’s longest-running culinary talent contest (and yes, remember that Air Canada has been showcasing the Canadian culinary scene since 2022 through its iconic program that celebrates new restaurants, chefs and emerging talent) welcomes a new group of restaurants once again this year. This 22nd edition of Canada’s Best New Restaurants kicks off with the release of the long-awaited shortlist!

Air Canada Unveils Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2023 Longlist, Showcasing the Best of New Canadian Cuisine

Did you know that one adult in ten chooses holiday packages based on culinary experiences? That’s why Air Canada and the Canada’s Best New Restaurants program have come up with this list of 30 excellent restaurants to discover across the country (not to mention past finalists). The shortlist, which covers 15 cities in seven provinces, features restaurants that are well worth a visit for both domestic and international travellers. The establishments on the list benefit from increased visibility both at home and abroad.

“Canada’s Best New Restaurants is a celebratory guide for discovering the best of dining as you explore Canada, which is incredibility meaningful for us at Air Canada. The regionally diverse list spans 15 cities across seven provinces, proving there’s plenty of Canada to explore when planning your next reservation,” said Andy Shibata, Vice President, Brand, Air Canada. “Whether it’s a restaurant overlooking a marina on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, dining on the shores of Lake Erie, or upscale casual cuisine in St. John’s Harbour, there are 30 new reasons to explore Canada.”

The Best New Canadian Restaurants competition is the only pan-Canadian restaurant ranking that uses a single anonymous food critic to taste the creations of these new establishments. On the recommendation of their national committee of food experts, Air Canada sends a staff member on a discreet, month-long food marathon in search of the 30 most remarkable new restaurants in the country, all of which are vying for a place on the coveted final list.

Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2023 celebrate the most innovative restaurants that opened across the country between late spring 2022 and May 31, 2023, and offer outstanding experiences through the quality of their products, their service and their sense of culinary creativity.

The 2023 nominees for Canada’s Best New Restaurants are:

Find out about all the restaurants in the top ten now and support them if you can!

• 9 Tail Fox, Montréal
• Acre Through the Seasons, Richmond
• Anemone, Montréal
• Bar Accanto, Winnipeg
• Bar Chouette, Calgary
• Bonheur d’occasion, Montréal
• Brassica, Gibsons
• Cabaret l’Enfer, Montréal (That’s our favourite at Gentologie)
• Casa Paco, Toronto
• Darlings, Bloomfield
• Dotty’s, Toronto
• Espace Old Mill, Stanbridge East
• Fawn, Halifax
• Folke, Vancouver
• Fortuna’s Row, Calgary
• Kappo Sato, Toronto
• Lao Lao Bar, Toronto
• Le Molière, Montréal
• Les Mômes, Montréal
• Marilena Café, Victoria
• Melba, Québec
• Milpa, Calgary
• Petit Socco, Winnipeg
• Portage, St. John’s, Newfoudland and Labrador
• Rizzo’s House of Parm, Fort Erie
• Salt + Ash, Halifax
• Simpl Things, Toronto
• Suyo Modern Peruvian, Vancouver
• Ugly Duckling, Victoria
• Wild Blue, Whistler

The Top 10 will be announced at a gala event in Toronto on November 1, 2023. The winners will also be featured on the website and in the November issue of Air Canada enRoute magazine.

Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2023 is generously supported by returning gold sponsor Diageo Canada. The team extends a special thanks to Diageo Canada (behind Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Aviation Gin, and many other products) for its ongoing commitment to enriching the Canadian culinary landscape.