The Top 10 Best New Restaurants by Air Canada

Last September, Air Canada unveiled its list of finalists for the country’s Best New Restaurants of 2025 — a ranking eagerly awaited each year by food lovers. Montreal shone particularly bright: nine local establishments were among the thirty selected, confirming the vibrancy and maturity of its culinary scene (Sushi Nishinokaze, Panacée, Le Violon, Pasta Pooks, Molenne, Claire Jacques, Limbo, Bona Fide, and Rôtisserie La Lune).

Last night, Air Canada finally revealed its Top 10 — a closely watched selection that highlights the most influential tables of the moment, the ones actively shaping the national culinary conversation. Once again, Quebec stands out: Le Violon takes second place, while Pasta Pooks lands ninth — two of our absolute favourites!

Here is the list of the Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada according to Air Canada:

Mystic (Halifax)
Mystic works almost exclusively with Nova Scotia’s maritime terroir: ultra-fresh fish, shellfish, and seaweed. Their cuisine is mastered, thoughtful, and never overwhelms the ingredient. The tasting menu focuses on precision, balance, and a depth of flavour rarely associated with such humble products.

Le Violon (Montreal)
Led by chef Danny Smiles, Le Violon presents French-inspired cuisine, high-quality ingredients, and a charismatic service style. It is one of Montreal’s finest addresses and already an essential destination despite its young age.

aKin (Toronto)
At aKin, Asian influences (primarily Chinese) are reinterpreted through a cuisine centred on concentration of flavour and technical refinement. Each plate shows remarkable precision, with every element clearly defined within the dish.

Sushi Hyun Omakase (Vancouver)
Hyun stands out with an omakase executed with exceptional rigour: slicing, aging, and seasoning come together with rare consistency. A counter that proves high-level Japanese cuisine can take deep root on Canada’s West Coast.

Maven (Toronto)
Maven returns to the roots of Jewish cuisine through a contemporary lens. The careful use of spices, pickles, and fat creates a warm aromatic palette, yet always controlled. A place where culinary heritage is revisited with expertise and nostalgia.

Nero Tondo (Vancouver)
Nero Tondo takes Italian cuisine seriously: fresh pasta made daily, slow-reduced sauces, and local ingredients treated with finesse. The result is a pared-down, disciplined interpretation of Italian cooking — not meant to impress with complexity, but with precision.

Yan Dining Room (Toronto)
At Yan, Chinese cuisine is reimagined with brilliance. Chef Eva Chin refers to her approach as “neo-Chinese.” Everything lands exactly where it should, when it should — like a perfectly rhythmic culinary sentence. A restaurant that tells a story, Eva’s, and creates a deeply personal experience.

Sumibiyaki Arashi (Vancouver)
Sumibiyaki Arashi is the new king of charcoal cooking. The address offers Japanese-Taiwanese fusion dishes in a vibrant and creative omakase format.

Pasta Pooks (Montreal)
At Pasta Pooks, Luca Vinci prepares fresh, handmade pasta served in simple but intensely flavourful dishes. Authentic Italian flavours with strong inspiration from Sardinian classics. Proof that a neighbourhood restaurant can reach a level of precision usually reserved for fine dining establishments.

Niwa (Vancouver)
Niwa closes the ranking with minimalist Japanese cuisine where every element, every contrast, seems carefully weighed. The balance of textures and flavours evokes a culinary calm — nothing is there to fill space; everything serves taste.

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery