Air Canada has released its much-anticipated 2024 Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada list. This year, the top spot is Sabayon, an intimate dining experience in Montreal.
Sabayon, the 14-seat restaurant, is led by renowned pastry chef Patrice Demers and sommelier Marie-Josée Beaudoin, known for their attention to detail.
Each dish at Sabayon celebrates the essence of locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Guests can enjoy intentionally designed afternoon tea and dinner services.
Every aspect here reflects a dedication to quality—from cobalt blue cutlery rests handmade by the couple to dishes bursting with flavor. Sabayon’s signature dish, grilled oyster mushrooms with caramelized arlette and sabayon sauce, even won Air Canada’s Dish of the Year award.
Toronto’s restaurant scene also made a strong showing. Mhel, a Korean-Japanese fusion restaurant in the city, ranked second. Co-owners Seung-min Yi and Young Hoon Ji blend distinct cuisines to create familiar and entirely new dishes.
Guests can enjoy an open kitchen where six burners and two charcoal grills perform culinary alchemy. Mhel is also home to Air Canada’s Dessert of the Year—purin, a Japanese take on crème caramel. This dessert perfectly balances sweet and creamy flavors, making it a memorable end to any meal.
In third place, Maison de Soma in Mont-Tremblant takes farm-to-table dining to a new level. The 600-acre property, run by Édith Foliot and Didier Lortie, provides nearly every ingredient on the menu.
Dishes are vibrant, fresh, and packed with flavors inspired by the surrounding Laurentian Mountains. The Somananas sour, a tropical cocktail on their menu, earned the title Cocktail of the Year from Air Canada. It captures the spirit of Maison de Soma’s playful approach to mixology, leaving a lasting impression.
For over 20 years, Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants program has spotlighted Canada’s best dining experiences. This year’s judge, award-winning cookbook author Tara O’Brady, visited more than 30 restaurants across 16 cities. She traveled coast to coast, judging based on quality, service, and overall experience.
O’Brady’s journey took her from a cliffside bed and breakfast in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, to a bustling kitchen in Victoria, British Columbia. She was particularly struck by the trend of couples co-owning restaurants, with half of the Top 10 restaurants led by couples sharing business and personal lives.
In addition to the top three, seven other restaurants made this year’s list. Each offers unique flavors and experiences, highlighting Canada’s diverse culinary landscape.
Takja BBQ House in Toronto secured the fourth spot. Known for its high-end Korean BBQ, Takja offers a menu centered on dry-aged meats and seasonal vegetables.
The restaurant won Sides of the Year for its banchan selection, including kimchi, mustard greens, spicy jalapeño, and scallion salad. These sides add extra layers of flavor and excitement, making Takja a standout in Toronto’s dining scene.
Over on the West Coast, Café Malabar in Victoria serves authentic Keralan cuisine in a lively public market setting. Diners press a button for service, and moments later, fragrant Keralan dishes like fish chatty choru, flaky egg puffs, and rice hoppers arrive. The setting and service style adds a touch of drama, making Café Malabar an engaging, unforgettable dining experience.
Parapluie, a French-inspired bistro in Montreal’s Mile End, took the sixth spot. This white-tablecloth restaurant brings French culinary classics to life. Each meal comes with perfect boulangerie bread and crispy fries.
Signature dishes include eight-minute-20-second eggs in tarragon emulsion and delicate trout served with horseradish dill cream. Parapluie’s commitment to refined flavors and thoughtful preparation elevates every dish.
Bar Prima, also in Toronto, combines elegance with a hint of vintage glamor. Its design won Design of the Year in Air Canada’s awards. The restaurant brings a sense of sophistication to its dishes, like beef tartare with fermented chili and sardine accents.
Each bite has been thoughtfully crafted, fitting the restaurant’s chic, timeless decor.
Fat Rabbit, located in St. Catharines, isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a full-time grill house, zero-waste butcher, and live-fire caterer. Led by chef and co-owner Zach Smith, Fat Rabbit earned Concept of the Year for its multifaceted approach.
Vancouver’s South Granville neighborhood is home to Gary’s, a restaurant that brings supper club vibes to Canada’s West Coast. Run by industry veterans Bailey Hayward and Mathew Bishop, Gary’s offers a variety of dishes, such as crudo, gem salad, and Rabbit.
Rounding out the list, Crumb Queen/Andy’s Lunch in Winnipeg brings together two distinct concepts. It’s Crumb Queen by morning, serving Cloe Wiebe’s naturally leavened bread and viennoiseries.
By noon, it transforms into Andy’s Lunch, with Andrew Kirkpatrick dishing out sandwiches on split house-made pizza bianca, pasta, and salads. This one-two-punch approach keeps the menu fresh and versatile.
Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants program celebrated these top 10 with various special mentions. In addition to Dish, Dessert, and Cocktail of the Year, they recognized sides, design, and concept.
Each award reflects the creativity, skill, and hard work put into creating memorable dining experiences. This year’s program encourages Canadians to explore these destinations and experience the richness of the country’s culinary scene.
Tara O’Brady’s journey across Canada gave her a deep understanding of the country’s culinary diversity. She discovered how each restaurant celebrates its local ingredients and culinary heritage uniquely.
From traditional techniques to inventive concepts, these chefs are redefining what it means to dine out in Canada.
Air Canada’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants of 2024 guide Canada’s new dining spots: travelers, food lovers, and locals. As Air Canada continues celebrating the country’s culinary talent, this list promises exciting new Canadances for those ready to explore Canada’s best restaurants.
For those seeking unforgettable meals and moments, Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants of 2024 offers a roadmap to some of Canada’s finest culinary gems.