Last night in downtown Toronto, Air Canada and DINR revealed the Top 10 rankings for the prestigious 2025 Air Canada Best New Restaurants list, celebrating Canada’s hottest new dining destinations.

The long-list of nominees (dubbed "finalists") was officially announced in September 2025 and included an impressive roster of 30+ restaurants from across the country. Among the contenders were stand-out spots such as Janevca and Rabbit Rabbit Wine Bar in Victoria, BC, Vancouver's ELEM, DOPO in Calgary, and BabyBaby in Winnipeg—to name just a few. You can read the full finalists announcement on the Air Canada media site.

The final Top 10 list was determined by this year’s travelling writer, Tara O’Brady. It's no easy feat to complete an intense, cross-Canada tasting, and something that's typically done in under a month. Holy moly!

The always-charming Chuck Hughes once again seved as this year's host at last night's event in downtown Toronto where the Top 10 restaurants discovered their final rankings while serving small bites from food stations scattered throughout the event space.

1. Mystic (Halifax, NS): Coastal warmth meets elegant, seafood-focused dining.
2. Le Violon (Montreal, QC): French-inspired, bold Quebec culinary traditions.
3. aKin (Toronto, ON): Multicultural dishes with unexpected, bold flavours.
4. Sushi Hyun Omakase (Vancouver, BC): Sustainable Omakase showcasing Pacific Northwest seafood.
5. Maven (Toronto, ON): Nostalgic and modern Jewish-European food.
6. Nero Tondo (Vancouver, BC): Fresh pastas, bold sauces, curated wine pairings.
7. Yan Dining Room (Toronto, ON): Exclusive eight-course banquet by Eva Chin.
8. Sumibiyaki Arashi (Vancouver, BC): Yakitori perfected with traditional binchotan charcoal grilling.
9. Pasta Pooks (Montreal, QC): Handmade pastas reimagined with a youthful edge.
10. Niwa (Vancouver, BC): Pacific flavours meet Asian sophistication in a nature-inspired setting.

 

 

 

 

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For the full list of finalists, along with profiles of each restaurant and details on the judging process, head over to Air Canada's Best New Restaurants site.

This recognition isn’t just about a trophy or plaque—it’s about passionate restaurateurs, chefs, GMs, and their hardworking teams creating something that genuinely stands out from the crowd. These days, when most major city food scenes are bursting at the seams, even landing on the Air Canada Best New Restaurants long list (aka just being a nominee) is no small feat.

Much like how I would absolutely go on a date with any Olympian—and not just the ones with hardware (a guy can dream!)—I’d say this: as a well-travelled panelist for ranking systems like this highly regarded one, most of the spots on that long list are absolutely worth a dinner date.

A few quick takeaways from the Air Canada's Best New Restaurants Top 10 for 2025

• Toronto leads in representation with three spots in the Top 10. This is not uncommon, but continues to reconfirm the city as the most diverse and dynamic restaurant scene in the country.
• This is the first time a Halifax restaurant has claimed the number one spot on this famous list. Bravo to Mystic!
• This is the first year the list is not presented by way of enRoute Magazine. The long-time Air Canada in-flight publication folded at the end of 2024, via a media contract severing with SpaFax. Partially RIP, of course, but also, times change!

What spots do I think are missing? (I'm so happy you asked!)

 

 

 

 

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Ask any passionate panelist for a restaurant-ranking system like this (Air Canada, Canada's 100 Best, North America's 50 Best, et al.) and you'll always hear about a proposed injustice or two. So take my thoughts with a grain of salt (and remember that any restaurant can have an off night), but here are four Canadian spots I was genuinely surprised not to see on this year's Best New Restaurants list:

• ELEM (Vancouver, BC) – I would have happily bet cold, hard cash that ELEM would land in the Top 10. Its modern, minimalist design—drawing abstract inspiration from the four elements—paired with thoughtful cocktails and an imaginative menu that blends chef Vish Mayekar’s Indian family roots with coastal ingredients and global influences makes it a true Western Canadian standout. To me, this omission is glaring.

• BabyBaby (Winnipeg, MB) – This restaurant has been a long time coming for the Winnipeg dining scene, and for me, the vibe and the quality both lived up to the anticipation. The dining room is a unique blend of vintage, quirky, modern, and artsy—basically, it feels like Winnipeg in restaurant form. You either get it and fall in love immediately, or you don’t.

• Janevca (Victoria, BC) – After two stellar visits this past year, I assumed if any Vancouver Island restaurant would crack the Top 10, it would be Janevca. Yes, they serve pizza and pasta—both delicious—and while that might not scream “unique,” there are glimmers of chef Andrea Alridge’s heritage throughout the menu. Her scallop crudo with pyanggang sauce (a funky Southern Filipino burnt coconut sauce) is one of the tastiest crudos I’ve ever had. And don’t get me started on the dining room: wildly ornate, Bridgerton-level opulence that feels like you’ve stepped into a lavish period drama feast.

• Reta's (Halifax, NS) – I’m not sure how this new venture from celebrated Nova Scotia chef Stephanie Ogilvie was overlooked. With 31 total finalists, you can’t tell me there wasn’t room for a cool, cozy restaurant rooted in true seasonality and East Coast ingredients. This felt like a big Atlantic miss.

Whether you’re nodding along with Air Canada's Best New Restaurants Top 10 for 2025 or screaming into the void about your own favourite being snubbed, that’s the true magic of lists like these. They get us talking and tasting...and hopefully planning a new dinner reservation or two.

Thoughts? Drop me a line on social - @dansgoodside