Canada's 100 Best

20/08/2024

A sober-curious cohort of moderate modern drinkers might just be strengthening, not diluting, the rituals and cultural traditions of imbibing. Everything you need to know about the neo-temperance movement at link in bio.

19/08/2024

London’s Connaught Bar opened in 2008 and has twice since held the number 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. The bar has become synonymous with its theatrical tableside Martini service. According to Connaught director of mixology Agostino Perrone, “The Martini is a lifestyle. As soon as you hold a martini glass in your hand, you already feel better.”

So, how does Perrone take a simple recipe and keep it fresh after serving approximately 20,000 Martinis a year (“without counting events”) at the bar? In Toronto for a sold-out guest appearance at the Fairmont Royal York’s Library Bar, Perrone shared his essential ingredients for a perfect Martini with Best Bars editor Alex Gill. Get the scoop at link in bio.

Fairmont Royal York Library Bar The Connaught The World's 50 Best Bars

17/08/2024

Civil Works, the stylish new cocktail bar from the team behind Civil Liberties, is officially open for business at newly launched Waterworks Food Hall. According to Civil Liberties’ Nick Kennedy, “Civil Works feels like a world-class hotel lobby that the barbacks and kitchen porters took over. It will be jovial and sincere. And as always, we serve up really (really!) good cocktails.” The menu, created by Kennedy and Elise Hanson, features narrative-driven cocktails, martinis, alcohol-free drinks, a curated selection of wine and beer and a special menu of spirits paired with Civil Works custom water. Their demineralized and rebalanced Toronto tap water (when does the home version come out?) creates region-specific flavours to complement the cocktails. Seating is dynamic (you can dine, lounge or stand) and includes a 25-foot-long communal bar with guests seated next to the bartenders, offering a bar experience that falls somewhere between Great Gatsby and W***y Wonka.

15/08/2024

From the legendary Bar Diana to newer, hipper spots, Montreal’s bar scene has always been a reflection of its vibrant spirit. Barroom historian David Wondrich defines dives as “The kind of bar where nobody judges you — and you don’t get to judge them either.” Sadly, many of these cherished dives are disappearing, and in Montreal, the loss hits harder because these seedy joints are such a big part of our identity. Read more on Montreal’s dive bar scene at link in bio.

12/08/2024

Chef David Hawksworth's recent dinner atop Whistler Mountain had it all: quality food and wine, an exquisite setting, and the perfect vantage for watching the sunset over the Coast Mountains. Find out what was on the menu at link in bio.

08/08/2024

Headed to Montreal? Set the bar for your gastronomic journey high with our highest-ranking Montreal restos. At Mon Lapin, co-owners and chefs Jessica Noël and Marc-Olivier Frappier produce dishes that are always delightfully surprising. At BEBA, co-owner brothers Ari and Pablo Schor are doubling down on who they are, making food fuelled by their Argentinian-Jewish history. Then there's Monarque, where you can indulge in classic French flavour profiles with contemporary touches. Or Montreal Plaza, where the cuisine leans on French tradition while embracing Japanese. Last but certainly not least, there's Toque!, where Chef Normand Laprise is committed to cooking seasonally and showcasing the finest imaginable local products. Dream on at link in bio.

Mon Lapin Restaurant Beba Monarque Montréal Plaza Restaurant Toqué!

06/08/2024

Indulge your sweet tooth with this exquisite recipe for Bouchon cake sweetened with maple syrup from Langdon Hall chef Jason Bangerter. Paired with the velvety-smooth Nespresso Nepal Lamjung, this is one elevated indulgence. Find the recipe at link in the bio.

Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa Nespresso

03/08/2024

Suddenly, serious bars all have “ice programs,” and the trifecta of clear blocks, cubes and nuggets are now basic essentials in upscale mixology. Canadian ice king and bar owner Cam Bogue helps us drill down into the history of cocktail ice. Grab a drink and read all about it at link in bio.

31/07/2024

There are only so many hot, lazy summer evenings left before Labour Day, and a hectic fall, so there is no time like the present to get on top of your indulgent reservations. Here's a spotlight on the five highest-ranking Toronto restos to get the culinary juices flowing. Think ultra-refined, unpretentious European dining at Edulis. Luxurious and technically perfect Alo tasting menus. 20 Victoria's exquisitely inventive contemporary cooking. The open-fire new Mexican delights of Quetzal. Inventive French-inspired cooking at Dreyfus. Decisions, decisions. More at link in bio.

29/07/2024

C100B is going fishing with some of Canada's best chefs. The West Coast Fishing Club offers great fishing and spectacular dining. In-house chef Blaine Robinson runs a tight ship - and starting with David Hawksworth, the guest chef program exceeds reasonable expectations. Normand Laprise has served Princess scallops in rhubarb water with tarragon-strawberry foam. Marc Thuet’s civet of wild game with mascarpone-and-fingerling-potato gnocchi with bear prosciutto was unforgettable. Other visitors have included Kentucky-based Korean chef Ed Lee; Tuffy Stone, a.k.a. “The Professor of Barbecue”; Anthony Walsh; John Horne and Ron McKinlay from O&B; Charles-Antoine Crête and Cheryl Johnson; Derek Dammann; Justin Leboe; and many more. For the end of the 2024 season, this uniquely culinary-minded fishing resort in the wilderness has decided to ratchet up its gastronomic program still further. Canada’s 100 Best will collaborate on two pop-ups this September from two of the country’s most captivating restaurants. Restaurant Pearl Morissette’s chef Daniel Hadida and his estimable team will be taking over the Clubhouse dining room for one night, over a four-day trip, from September 1 to 5. Next, on the final four-day trip of the season, September 8 to 12, the Clubhouse will welcome Steve Molnar and his team from Quetzal. Find out more at link in bio.

The West Coast Fishing Club

26/07/2024

Lucky Etobicoke! Burger's Priest founder Shant Mardirosian returns to the burger scene with Elijah’s Automatic Flame Broiled. What's on offer? Smokey flame-broiled burgers (butchered in-house) with classic sides like Beef Fat Fries with Chili and Cheese, Charred Hot Dogs, Chili Cheese Dogs, a charred Chicken Sandwich, and Fried Sweet Potato featuring flame-broiled sweet potato filled with gooey cheddar cheese. It's all served in a room (and patio) that channels the vibe of a classic 80s burger spot. Doors open at 9 am for Harry and Heels Donuts. Opens today at 821 The Queensway, Etobicoke.


📸 Daniel Neuhaus

24/07/2024

Travel Florence: Dreamy Florence is the perfect gateway to Tuscany’s magnificent wine regions. Once you’ve done the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries, gazed at Brunelleschi’s awe-inspiring duomo, ambled over the Ponte Vecchio...what to do next? Find what wine expert John Szabo recommends at link in bio.

John Szabo ms

12/07/2024

The Canapé — defined as a small cracker or piece of bread garnished with a decorative savoury topping — was a fixture of mid-century entertaining before falling out of vogue for a few decades. Now, ascendant cocktail and wine bar culture has thrust the canapé back into the spotlight as the perfect finger food. “It’s an exciting format,” says Evan Davis, chef at Toronto’s La Banane and Bar Banane. “Each item is only one or two bites, which allows us to develop dishes with more breadth and intensity of flavour.” Read our cross-country sampling with canapes from Major Tom, Beba, AnnaLena and more at https://ow.ly/L5Yi50SovOm

09/07/2024

After leaving Clive’s Classic Lounge, Shawn Soole returned in 2020 — with a new focus on training and education for his team. As a mentor, educator and cheerleader to a whole generation of Victoria bartenders, the genial, bearded Aussie is a powerhouse. As many bars struggle to keep the lights on, this investment of energy, time and resources in hands-on mentoring at Clive’s sets Soole apart: “The key for me is that I work for my team, not the other way around. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to achieve the things we achieve." That's why he's the winner of our 2024 Innovator Award. More at canadas100best.com.

Sponsored by Fever-Tree Canada
Clive's Classic Lounge

05/07/2024

Miniature croissants. Green tea crepes. A Pavlova with velvety swirls and a shatteringly crisp exterior — and in ever-evolving presentations ranging from deconstructed to fantastical. Delightful creations emerge continually from Kenta Takahashi's sweet kitchen at Vancouver’s Boulevard. Our only three-time Best Pastry Chef, Takahashi’s dessert tasting menus celebrate the seasons through six exacting, exquisitely indulgent courses — providing guests as much adventure, innovation and surprise as any succession of savoury plates. Read more on our Best Pastry Chef 2024 at canadas100best.com

Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar

04/07/2024

Bar menus are cheekier, wackier and more creative than ever. From Electric Bill’s design featuring a speed date with Australian lingo to Proof Calgary's literary-themed menu to Laowai's tribute to the vintage video game Dynasty Warriors, each menu offers irresistible eye candy. Even before the drinks arrive. Read more at https://ow.ly/lAIH50SpqLA

01/07/2024

All pastry is good pastry. But it's great when it comes from our country's most inventive pastry chefs. Oliver Bernardino at Vancouver’s L’Abattoir, Celeste Mah at Portage’s Newfoundland, Masami Waki from Club Chasse et Pêche in Montreal, Lisa You at Monarque, and Shuning Tang of Osteria Giulia talk about favourite desserts, their best techniques and what makes the perfect dessert. Indulge your sweet tooth at canadas100best.com

L'ABATTOIR Portage Restaurant Le Club Chasse et Pêche Monarque Osteria Giulia

29/06/2024

For the first time ever and one night only, Vancouver will host an all-Canadian three-Michelin-star kitchen! Join us on July 11th as Published on Main's Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson welcomes Michelin-starred chefs Mike Robbins (AnnaLena) and Steve Molnar (Quetzal, Toronto), along with 2021 Top Chef runner-up Billy Nguyen. Each chef will contribute at least one signature dish to an eight-course meal that promises to be summer’s best collaboration dinner.

📅 Mark your calendars: July 11
🍸 Cocktails at 6 PM
🍽️ Eight-course menu starts at 6:30 PM
Menu includes:
Chef Stieffenhofer-Brandson’s Dungeness crab with almond dressing and caviar.
Chef Molnar’s octopus with salsa macha and corn miso.
Chef Robbins’ aged duck with peas and scallop-stuffed morels.
Chef Nguyen’s sake kasu pork jowl with sauce soubise.
💵 $575 all-in, including cocktails, wine pairings. gratuities and taxes.

Tickets are selling fast! Click link below for tickets.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/c100b-10th-anniversary-dinner-published-on-main-tickets-936528310387?aff=oddtdtcreator

Published on Main AnnaLena Quetzal Toronto

28/06/2024

Langdon Hall Chef Jason Bangerter’s recipe collab with Nespresso includes this delicious Galapagos Coffee Panna Cotta with Kahlua Sabayon. This perfect-for-summer panna cotta features intense coffee notes, hints of cacao powder and French vanilla and is topped with a best-of-both-worlds Kahlua Sabayon. Best of all? It's easy to make. Find the recipe at canadas100best.com

Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa Nespresso

26/06/2024

From the outside, Bar Prima is about as nondescript as any of the dives and dodgy spots along Toronto’s Queen West strip. Inside, it’s a glamorous ode to a time when diners dressed up for a long and luxurious meal, a time when décor and design played a vital role in the dining experience. There’s glitz here — deconstructed mirrors reflecting the dim lighting, flowy deep-hued curtains and a vaulted ceiling lined in gold leaf — but somehow, it all feels elegant and refined. Chalk that up to the careful direction of Ali McQuaid at Future Studio, who has a keen eye for balance and colour. Read more on our Best Design Award winner for 2024 at https://ow.ly/swsL50SouVM

24/06/2024

For lovers of fine wine, there’s nothing like those electric currents of anticipation that tingle in the presence of truly outstanding wine service. It’s the personal connection, to be sure, that forms between sommelier and diner. That’s what it’s like dining at Mon Lapin and putting yourself in the capable hands of sommeliers and co-owners Vanya Filipovic and Alex Landry. Since Mon Lapin opened, they have established a dynamic and progressive wine program that is uniquely and intensely personal. Landry is drawn to more textural wines, while Filipovic tends toward elements of crispness and acidic austerity. Pairing decisions are made on the fly every night, reflecting the seasonal proclivities of the ever-changing menu. The surest thing about wine service at Mon Lapin is that the diner will learn something new and, perhaps, fall in love. This is why Filipovic and Landry are the best sommelier team of the year. Read more at https://ow.ly/YibV50SmI6E

Sponsored by Lingua Franca Mon Lapin

22/06/2024

Rob Feenie is back on the pass at Le Crocodile – where he started cooking at age 23. The re-launched restaurant’s new name says it all: Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie. “It's Alsatian French with a contemporary side. The essence of Le Crocodile will be there, but it’ll be my version, with some Lumière standards.” Feenie says. Some of the dishes he’s eager to debut… A savoury kugelhopf with sea-salted herb butter. Tarte flambée with double-smoked bacon, onions and fromage blanc. “I’m back doing what I love to do,” Feenie says. Reservations open on June 25th. Read more on Le Crocodile at canadas100best.com

Le Crocodile Restaurant

21/06/2024

Long before he even had a lease, Massimo Zitti, Mother Cocktail Bar’s founder, was making plans for a space rooted in eco-friendly practices that included foraging, local sourcing, seasonal cocktail programs and finding a second, third or even fourth use for anything and everything. His Corn’n’oil cocktail is a perfect example: a cocktail in which every flourish and flavour is a product of the bar’s sustainability program. Read more about our sustainability award at canadas100best.com

Sponsored by Flor de Caña
Mother Cocktail Bar

19/06/2024

Meet funky and feisty Juliette Plaza, from the team at Montreal Plaza. “This new restaurant is just like she was — fun, funky and classy,” says Juliette Plaza co-owner Cheryl Johnson. The woman she’s referring to is her late “second mother” and the mom of business partner and co-chef Charles-Antoine Crête. Montreal Plaza regulars will recognize the signature motifs — Smurfs, Asterix, Legoflowers and an upside-down boat spinning like a disco ball. The menu showcases the same top-notch ingredients as Montreal Plaza, though it works in a different way, says Johnson. It’s a little more Asian — for example, cervelles chawanmushi and a radish dish inspired by dim sum luo bo gao. Read all about Juliette Plaza at canadas100best.com

Juliette Plaza

18/06/2024

"Where the allure of the past meets the promise of tomorrow” - Vancouver’s hot new cocktail bar, Prophecy, invites imbibers to descend into the historic basement of the iconic Hotel Georgia for a storied sip of liquid lore. Botanist alumni turned gleeful beverage bard, Jeff Savage, heads up a menu of eye-catching serves replete with a rich backstory. Read more at canadas100best.com

Prophecy at Hotel Georgia

17/06/2024

At Bar Pompette, bar manager and co-owner Hugo Togni’s exquisite cocktails have a chance to take their rightful place. While there are some delicious snacks to be had, the cocktails are the undisputed stars of the show. Almost 95 percent of the drinks ordered are cocktails. That’s a testament to an expertly designed list featuring the bar’s famed nitro cocktails on tap, oddball drinks made with micro-distilled flavour bombs and perfected modern takes on classics. Read more on Canada's Best Bar for 2024 at canadas100best.com

15/06/2024

Fairmont Royal York in Toronto has long tried to be a friend of nature — as demonstrated by its pioneering rooftop honeybee project launched in 2008. This year, their eco-conscious commitment reached new heights. Following a $65 million retrofit, it was awarded the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building certification. The project marks the largest heritage hotel retrofit of its kind in North America. Read more on Fairmont’s sustainability efforts at canadas100best.com
Fairmont Royal York

13/06/2024

When Paul Toussaint was growing up in the port town of Jacmel, in Haiti, the dinner table was always full. “Every family member had a specialty,” he says. When he moved to Canada in 2007, Toussaint started out in law school but found that it was not for him. So, he signed up instead for culinary studies at Montreal’s LaSalle College and graduated top of his class. He landed at Toqué!, where he quickly rose through the ranks, from intern to chef garde manger to saucier. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Toussaint moved back to Port-au-Prince to help with reconstruction efforts, train culinary students and run Asú at the Karibe Hotel. Haitian soul has remained a constant in Toussaint’s cooking — which is crucial and poignant as the country remains in crisis. At Kamúy, his jewel-box Caribbean restaurant in the Quartier des Spectacles, his dishes are designed to feed families and warm the soul. “I am Canadian. I will ride for this country just as I would for Haiti.” Read more of Paul Tousssaint’s story at canadas100best.com

Presented by Amex Canada
Chef Paul Toussaint

12/06/2024

Whether she’s doing a sold-out guest shift at Singapore’s Gibson Bar or working on a local fix for a missing cocktail ingredient at Pigeon in Mexico City, Kate Boushel commands the room. And when you see her do it in action, one thing is clear: She was born to do this. Her gift for making people feel welcomed and loved is what really sets her apart. It’s a talent that extends not just to her guests but also, increasingly, to global colleagues. Read more on our 2024 Best Bartender at canadas100best.com

Sponsored by Altos Tequila

10/06/2024