If you’re a foodie, then you’ll want to pay attention to enRoute magazine’s shortlist of the best new restaurants in Canada for 2016. In the coming months, the contenders will be whittled down to a final list of the 10 best spots for folks to dine at from coast-to-coast.
This year, 35 restaurants were deemed eligible for a Top 10 title, including eateries offering fire-stoked feasts in P.E.I., Spanish-inspired dishes in Halifax, and local seasonal and wild foods at a Toronto hot spot.
The list was crafted by a panel of food and hospitality industry leaders especially for the competition. Eateries that opened between June 2015 and June 2016 were considered.
READ MORE: Canada’s best restaurants: Toronto dominates, Montreal earns top spot
“Since the launch of Canada’s Best New Restaurants program 15 years ago, we’ve assembled a panel of food experts – including some of Canada’s leading culinary professionals from coast to coast – to recommend the most interesting restaurant openings in their area from the past year,” enRoute said via a statement on its website. “Based on their tips, we come up with a long list of nominated restaurants that make it onto our writer’s itinerary. Our writer has already travelled to each of the restaurants on a cross-country eating marathon, dining under a fake name.”
Canadians can even help choose one winner in the people’s choice category by visiting eatandvote.com.
The final results for the contest come out in November.
The 2016 nominees are:
St. John’s, N.L.: Seto Kitchen + Bar
Bay Fortune, P.E.I.: Fireworks
Halifax: Highwayman
Quebec City: Kraken Cru
Montreal: Agrikol, Candide, Le Fantome, Foxy, Hoogan and Beaufort, Hvor, Le Mousso, Montreal Plaza
Ottawa: Datsun, Fairouz
Toronto: Alo, Antler, Chabrol, Commodore, Noorden, Piano Piano
Kitchener, Ont.: The Berlin
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.: Backhouse
Winnipeg: Maque
Saskatoon: Little Grouse on the Prairie
Calgary: Charbar, Whitehall
Edmonton: Uccellino
Vancouver: Ancora, Kissa Tanto, Mission, Osteria Savio Volpe, Royal Dinette, Torafuku
Whistler, B.C.: Bar Oso
Victoria: Agrius
With files from The Canadian Press