The long wait is over, and we finally know which rising dining stars are on enRoute's 2018 Canada's Best New Restaurants list.
The finalists--and impressive roundup of 30 restaurants from coast to coast--were revealed back in August, and on Thursday night at a Toronto ceremony enRoute named their ranked top ten.
St. Lawrence. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
One Vancouver restaurant, St. Lawrence, landed in the number four spot. Also on the list was Victoria's The Courtney Room in the tenth spot. A third B.C. contender, Tofino's terrific 1909 Kitchen, did not make the top 10.
Despite an excellent presence of three restaurants on the shortlist, Calgary ended up totally shut out of the final 10. Overall, four Ontario restaurants (including two in Toronto), and two Montreal restaurants on the top 10 show that while there is room for small town operations, Canada's eastern urban centres still rule the country's restaurant scene.
The winners are decided by one writer, who is sent on an anonymous, month-long, cross-country dining marathon to determine the most notable new openings that become contenders for the coveted annual Top 10 list.
Vancouver's St. Lawrence has been a critical and customer darling, thanks to their unapologetic take on classic French-Canadian fare, serving up rich, decadent, and beautiful plates. While so many restaurants have been veering towards veg, St. Lawrence is full-throttle with meat, butter, and bread.
The Courtney Room in Victoria. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver is Awesome
Over in Victoria, The Courtney Room at the Magnolia Hotel offers a fresh take on bistro fare. The all-day restaurant has a lovely local-centric cocktail menu, too.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to make your reservations. Here's the full list of this year's winners.
Canada's Best New Restaurants 2018
1. The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette, Jordan Station, ON
2. Vin Mon Lapin, Montréal
3. Elena, Montréal
4. St. Lawrence, Vancouver
5. Giulietta, Toronto
6. Aloette, Toronto
7. Avenue Restaurant, Regina
8. Bündok, Edmonton
9. Sand and Pearl, Picton, ON
10. The Courtney Room, Victoria
