Must-see restaurants in Canada

  • Golden Diner Family Restaurant

    Toronto

    This good old-fashioned basement-level greasy spoon has some natty booths and one of the best-value all-day breakfasts in the city. The $6.95 breakfast…

  • Wildside Grill

    Tofino

    Catching the après-surf crowd at the Beaches Shopping Centre, the Wildside looks like it grew out the surrounding trees. Not surprisingly, the wooden…

  • Tinkers Ice Cream Shop

    Newfoundland & Labrador

    Every summer holiday escape deserves a great ice-cream place, and Tinker's is the spot in Petty Harbour. The house specialty is an iceberg – of course – a…

  • Brownstone Restaurant

    British Columbia

    Top-notch dining at its own historic site, the atmospheric 1904 Canadian Bank of Commerce building, said to have once been the workplace of poet Robert…

  • Sushi on Bloor

    Toronto

    Among the countless sushi restaurants on Bloor, this one stands out, its wooden booths and long tables always packed with customers enjoying platters of…

  • MajesThé

    Montréal

    Fusion numbers are presented on large dishes at this lower-level bistro. The brown-butter-miso-chicken spaghetti and kimchi and braised pork pasta dishes…

  • Country Style Hungarian Restaurant

    Toronto

    This delightful Hungarian diner, with its checked tablecloths and friendly family staff, hasn't changed a bit in at least a generation. The enormous…

  • Mr Tonkatsu

    Toronto

    Asking you to grind up your own sesame-seed rice topping might just be a trick to show you how authentic this place is, but it works. The crumbed pork (or…

  • Chowder House

    Cape Breton Island

    This establishment, out beyond the lighthouse at Neil's Harbour, is famous for its chowder, but it also serves great-value suppers of snow crab, lobster,…

  • Ceylonta

    Ottawa

    Locals recommend this friendly neighborhood Sri Lankan restaurant, serving fresh and zingy dishes. Go for the fish thali or the chicken or mutton kothu…

  • Shoreline Restaurant

    Annapolis Valley

    This is the spot in Digby for top-notch scallops – and clams, crab, lobster, haddock and pretty much every other fish you care to mention – along with…

  • Wooden Monkey

    Halifax

    A cross between a neighborhood diner and a city pub, the Monkey is a good stop if you're just looking for a simple supper and pint of something local and…

  • Moon Over Naikoon Bakery

    Haida Gwaii

    Embodying the spirit of its location, on a road to the end of everything, this tiny community center and bakery is housed in an old school bus in a…

  • Beauty’s

    Montréal

    This sleek, retro '50s diner serves what some consider Montréal’s best breakfast – all day long. Ask for ‘the Special’ – a toasted bagel with lox, cream…

  • Porchetta

    Montréal

    We love Porchetta for its single-minded focus on, basically, one thing: beautiful Italian street food. The signature dishes are porchetta-and-mortadella…

  • Wildcat Café

    Yellowknife

    A beloved local landmark, this refurbished Old Town log cabin has been churning out food since 1937, though today's fare is more sophisticated, ranging…

  • Mon Ami Korean Restaurant

    Montréal

    One of the latest additions to Montréal's 'second Chinatown,' this vibrant Korean restaurant offers classic dishes such as pork-bone soup and kimchi…

  • Highwheeler Cafe

    Cape Breton Island

    Everyone's choice for lunch, this Baddeck cafe ticks all the boxes: grilled sandwiches, delicious quesadillas, homemade soups, and delicious muffins and…

  • Sunnyside Natural Market

    Calgary

    This cheery, family owned organic and natural market is a bit of a hike from downtown but well worth it, with biodynamic meats, fresh-picked veggies and…

  • Beer Bros. Gastropub

    Regina

    It's hard not to love this downtown pub in the heritage Northern Bank building. Think hearty – sandwiches, burgers, cheese plates – but with a gourmet…

  • Paturel's Shore House

    New Brunswick

    Locals have been hauling themselves out to this seafood restaurant located on the seashore, 7km east of Shediac, for years. It's hard to know if it's the…

  • Patati Patata

    Montréal

    This matchbox-sized, bohemian-style eatery is known for its good-value poutine, borscht and miniburgers. It’s a Montréal classic with rocking music and…

  • Village Idiot Bar & Grill

    British Columbia

    Pasta, pizza and poutine meet burgers, sandwiches and salads in this relaxed, friendly place that is much beloved of skiers and snowboarders and even…

  • Avenue Open Kitchen

    Entertainment & Financial Districts

    This cozy, old-school diner off Spadina Ave feels as though it's been here forever, but it's spotlessly clean and great value. Go on, have a BLT with…

  • Old Station

    Muskoka Lakes

    On summer evenings this is the most happening place in town. The patio overlooks the main drag – perfect for postkayak recovery sessions. Dig into a…

  • Helna's Stube Restaurant

    British Columbia

    For something a tad different in the Canadian west, try Helna's, specializing in Austrian casual gourmet dining. Enjoy the stube-style with authentic…

  • Potato Country Kitchen

    Prince Edward Island

    Lobster baked potatoes, potato soup, chili cheese fries and classic poutine are just a few of the spud-themed dishes offered by the restaurant at the…

  • Bijou

    Southwestern Ontario

    Classy and delightful, this French joint has a different prix-fixe menu written on the chalkboard each evening. The locally sourced meals might include…

  • Wvrst

    Entertainment & Financial Districts

    Like sausage? If Wvrst's phenomenal success is any indication, then Toronto's hipsters do, too. With more bangers and snags than you can poke a stick at,…

  • Alma Lobster Shop

    New Brunswick

    Get your seafood straight from the source – this is where local fishing boats unload. Dine on the beach or buy it to take away, but either way check out…

  • Pow Wow Café

    Kensington Market & Chinatown

    A cozy, boho eatery with street-front seating, Pow Wow serves Ojibwe dishes, mostly fry-bread tacos with a choice of fillings such as beef chili, veggie,…

  • Rocket Bakery

    St John's

    Cheery Rocket is the perfect spot for a cup o' joe, a groovy sandwich or a sweet treat. Try the hummus on crusty homemade multigrain bread, or maybe a…

  • BC Tree Fruits Market

    Kelowna

    Run by BC's fruit-packing cooperative, BC Tree Fruits Market has dozens upon dozens of the Okanagan's freshest fruits and vegetables for purchase at…

  • Flavor Downtown

    Cape Breton Island

    If you can't make it to the main Flavor on the waterfront, this downtown diner is the next best thing: an urban-style cafe serving sandwiches, soups and…

  • 21 Breakwater

    Prince Edward Island

    Owners Pedro and Betty have made their little restaurant in Souris a destination for casual fine dining. Yes, you'll find mussels and fish chowder on the…

  • Maple Leaf Restaurant

    Thousand Islands

    As quintessentially Canadian as this old-school family diner can be, its name belies the European gems found inside: golden breaded schnitzel, goulash,…

  • Blue Moose Coffee House

    Hope

    The Blue Moose is about to hit two decades of keeping smiles on the locals in Hope with its hearty menus and selection of coffees, beers, wine and liquor…

  • Nanny's Root Cellar Kitchen

    Newfoundland & Labrador

    This excellent restaurant dishes out traditional Newfoundland foods in the setting of an old Orange Hall. Specials are always on point, and the brewis …

  • Hungry Heart

    St John's

    Eat in this warm-toned cafe and you're helping abused women and others in need to train in food service. Try the curry mango chicken or pulled-pork…

  • Chafe's Landing

    Newfoundland & Labrador

    A lot of folks here day-trip from St John's specifically for the fish-and-chips, which are quite good (if not particularly mind-blowing). Lines get long…

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