Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants List has officially just dropped for 2026, and it features 30 extraordinary culinary destinations across the country that it considers are well worth booking a flight for.
Toronto leads the nation this year with a whopping nine finalists, stretching everywhere from Harbord Village and Bloorcourt over to Little Italy and the Beaches.
From “ambitious tasting menus and intimate counters to true neighbourhood favourites”, here are the nine Toronto spots that were nominated for the coveted national title:
- Antylia (Bloorcourt): A stunning collaboration between chefs Aldo Camarena and Ashley McKay, bringing a unique fusion of Mexican and Ecuadorian flavours to Bloor Street West.
- Bar Eugenie (Harbord Village): Brought to life by a team of Alo alumni, serving up refined plates in a cozy neighbourhood setting.
- Liliana (Queen West): Marvin Palomo’s 30-seat hotspot where Italian staples are reimagined with distinct Asian influences.
- N.L. Ginzburg (Little Italy): An Italo-Jewish trattoria on College Street crafting fresh daily handmade pastas and charcoal-grilled delights.
- OLDESEOUL TAVERN (The Beaches): Leemo Han’s lively Korean tavern bringing elevated comfort food and energy to the east end.
- Radici Project (Little Italy): An inventive tasting-menu concept seamlessly bridging the flavours of Italy and Japan.
- SAMMARCO (St. Lawrence): A grand Italian bisteccheria on Front Street East from the acclaimed team behind Piano Piano.
- Seahorse (Summerhill): A chic Yonge Street seafood bistro dedicated to wood-fired cooking built around singular fresh ingredients.
- Zia’s Place (Brockton Village): Jess Maiorano’s comforting homage to Southern Italian home cooking in the west end.
An anonymous panel of culinary judges partnered with reservation app DINR to select the 30 contenders based on their food, service, and contribution to Canada’s dining culture. The ultimate top 10 rankings will be revealed this November, so make sure to grab a reservation at these standout spots while you still can!
You can check out the full list of nationwide nominees on their website.
