From coast to coast, Canada’s top fine dining spots serve unforgettable flavours, stories — and once-in-a-lifetime meals

Each year, Canada’s 100 Best releases its list of the top restaurants nationwide — and Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver all have restaurants in the top 10 — but to get the most out of any meal, you need to have a plan.

Get the most out of your fine dining experience

Whether you’re splurging at one of these restaurants to celebrate an occasion or you’re a self-proclaimed foodie, you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of every dining experience.

Here are five tips to help.

Ask for recommendations

With high-quality food, you can expect service to match, so don’t be shy to ask the waiters for their opinion or ask questions about the menu. By asking your server — who knows the chef's strengths — you can get their take on menu favourites as well as off-menu suggestions.

Book ahead

Top restaurants in Canada often book up weeks (and months) in advance. Use platforms like OpenTable or Resy for the best availability. If that doesn't work call the restaurant directly to reserve with as much advance notice as possible.

Use a high-reward credit card

Earn while you indulge. Consider cards that offer top-tier rewards for dining out.

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Consider set menus or chef's tasting menus

Often, this is the best way to explore a restaurant's philosophy, with courses curated to showcase seasonal ingredients and culinary creativity.

Splurge on dessert

If fine dining is a once-a-year type of event for you, don’t hold back! You won’t blow your budget by indulging in dessert and a glass of wine or a cocktail.

The best fine dining experience from coast to coast

Each year, Canada’s 100 Best releases its list of the top restaurants nationwide. In the 2024 edition, Toronto’s Alo retained its crown as the No. 1 restaurant in Canada — for the seventh year running. Montreal’s Mon Lapin jumped to No. 2, reflecting the city’s growing wine and small-plate movement. Vancouver’s St. Lawrence rounded out the top three.

Here are some of the best restaurants in major Canadian cities and areas, according to Canada’s 100 Best.

The best fine dining in Toronto

Alo is currently ranked the number one restaurant in Canada, and with good reason. Their internationally-inspired menu blends together French, Japanese, and North American cuisine in dishes that include Malpeque oysters, stuffed pastas, and prime meats. The restaurant is also known for its three-hour long tasting menu, so be sure to clear your schedule and come hungry.

Another popular Toronto option is Giulietta, headed by Chefs Rob Rossi and David Minicucci. In case you couldn’t already tell, this is the best choice in the city for authentic and inspired Italian food, like their Pizza Giulietta, made with Sicilian pistachio, lardo di Modena, and smoked scamorza. The wildflower honey and pine nut tart are another customer favorite.

Husband-and-wife chef duo Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth run Edulis, an understated bistro with a loyal customer base. The Western European cuisine features the freshest in-season vegetables, seafood, wild mushrooms, and truffles.

For those who want to venture outside of Toronto, Langton Hall in Cambridge, Ontario is an excellent choice. Set in a picturesque country house hotel and spa, this restaurant led by Chef Jason Bangerter features ingredients fresh from their on-site garden.

Top 3 fine dining restaurants in Toronto:

• Alo remains at No. 1.
• Mimi Chinese — a modern take on regional Chinese cuisine (No. 6)
• Quetzal — one of the few fine-dining Mexican restaurants in the country, specializing in open-fire cooking (No. 11)

The best fine dining in Montreal

The small yet humble Montreal staple, Joe Beef, comes in third overall on the list of best restaurants in Canada. While it may look like an understated eatery, this restaurant serves up some of the best food in Montreal. Their changing menu often includes favourites like lobster spaghetti, foie gras, and generous portions of shellfish.

Restaurant Toqué! sources the finest ingredients from around Quebec and brings them together in French and Asian cuisine with a Québécois twist in dishes like duck magret and razor clams. The best way to experience the menu here is with the seven-course tasting menu with selected wine pairings.

Montreal Plaza offers up quality food with a quirky presentation. Sashimi is draped and served over a plastic dinosaur, and the restaurant’s mood reflects this playful tone.

Another unique restaurant to visit is La Cabane Pied De Cochon. Run by Chef Martin Picard, you’ll find a traditional sugar shack fare with an Asian twist at this restaurant outside the city. Expect tons of maple syrup, lard, smoked meats, and more.

Top 3 fine dining restaurants in Montreal:

• Mon Lapin at No. 2 — a natural wine bar with inventive share plates
• Joe Beef — still iconic, but more focused on sustainability and Quebec terroir (No. 5)
• Cabaret L’Enfer — known for its moody decor and dramatic French dishes (No. 19)

The best fine dining in Vancouver

Chef Jean-Christophe Poirier did his training at Montreal’s Toqué!, so it’s no surprise that his restaurant, St. Lawrence, brings Québécoise cuisine to the West Coast. You’ll find Oka cheese melted over pork chops, along with venison tourtière and maple mille-feuilles.

Some honourable mentions go to: Kissa Tanto (Michelin-starred, Japanese-Italian fusion) and Burdock & Co. (Michelin-starred, organic-focused dining).

Top 3 fine dining restaurants in Vancouver:

• St. Lawrence at No. 3 — Québec cuisine with West Coast polish
• AnnaLena — an innovative and playful tasting menu (No. 9)
• Miku — known for its high-end sushi and aburi (flame-seared) sushi and modern Japanese

The best fine dining in Calgary

Despite the restaurant’s small size, Bar Von Der Fels still delivers on big flavour. The menu features a lot of seafood, like the customer-favourite Hasselback potatoes with fogo Island crab, as well as quality meats like lamb shoulder and charcoal-grilled pork toro.

Chef Darren MacLean, a contestant on Netflix’s The Final Table, heads Shokunin, a Calgary favourite. The menu displays the chef’s love of Japanese cuisine, featuring yakitori, eggplant and goat cheese tempura, bison tataki, and sake-infused cocktails.