The Air Canada Best New Restaurant Top 10 List Is Here, Spotlighting the Country's Fresh and Innovative Culinary Talent
- Halifax restaurant Mystic takes top spot, with Montreal's Le Violon and aKin from Toronto in second and third place
- More than 30 restaurants were visited by an anonymous culinary expert and the top 10 were determined based on a rigorous assessment of every aspect of the dining experience
- Celebrating 24 years, Air Canada's Best New Restaurants is the longest-running new restaurant ranking in Canada
MONTRÉAL, Nov. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Canada unveiled its 2025 Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada today at a Toronto celebration, with Halifax restaurant Mystic earning first-place honours. Led by Chef Malcolm Campbell and his team, Mystic’s immersive tasting menus marry local Maritime terroir with global technique in a beautiful waterfront setting.
In second, Montreal’s Le Violon, led by chef Danny Smiles, pays homage to the city’s French culinary heritage with a hyper-seasonal menu fusing bold flavours and refined plating. Taking third place, Toronto’s aKin celebrates the city’s multicultural identity with globally inspired dishes pushing the boundaries of modern Canadian dining.
“This year’s winners remind us of the bold creativity shaping the Canadian culinary scene today,” said Andy Shibata, Vice President, Brand at Air Canada. “Whether it is the reinvention of Canadian classics or a chef pouring their heart into an omakase experience, each restaurant reflects its community in a different way. And together they show the incredible range of flavour and culture across the country. We are proud to shine a spotlight on their work and inspire more people to explore Canada through its food.”
The Top 10 Air Canada Best New Restaurants of 2025 are:
- Mystic (Halifax, NS): This waterfront gem blends coastal warmth with refined elegance, delivering a seafood-forward menu rooted in Nova Scotia’s rich waters. Signature dishes highlight sustainable, locally sourced ingredients and maritime-inspired flavours, marrying inventive technique with timeless tradition.
- Le Violon (Montreal, QC): A maestro of Quebec’s culinary traditions, Le Violon pays homage to Montreal’s French influence while carving out its own bold identity. This intimate fine dining destination presents a hyper-seasonal menu built on locally sourced ingredients, with artful plating and bold flavour combinations that reflect the province’s rich gastronomic heritage.
- aKin (Toronto, ON): Celebrating Toronto’s multicultural identity, aKin presents globally inspired dishes with bold, unexpected flavour combinations. From its vibrant atmosphere to its chef-driven dishes, aKin creates an experience that redefines modern Canadian dining.
- Sushi Hyun Omakase (Vancouver, BC): Known for its meticulous preparation, Sushi Hyun Omakase offers a masterful omakase experience featuring sustainable Pacific Northwest seafood. Each course pays tribute to Japanese culinary craftsmanship with a distinct West Coast twist.
- Maven (Toronto, ON): Maven blends nostalgia and modernity by drawing inspiration from traditional Jewish and Eastern European dishes. Chef Shauna Godfrey’s recipes create a warm, neighbourhood vibe with a sophisticated twist, inviting diners to feel at home while enjoying her take on comforting flavours.
- Nero Tondo (Vancouver, BC): Handmade pastas, bold sauces, and curated wine pairings define Nero Tondo’s contemporary spin on Italian cuisine. Infused with regional influences, the restaurant’s menu offers a seamless balance of traditional techniques and innovative flavour profiles.
- Yan Dining Room (Toronto, ON): “Yan,” meaning banquet feast in Chinese, inspires this exclusive eight-course dining experience created by Chef Eva Chin. Neo-Chinese cuisine comes to life through local, seasonal ingredients and elevated reinterpretations of traditional culinary techniques.
- Sumibiyaki Arashi (Vancouver, BC): This 14-seat omakase spot elevates the art of yakitori, with each skewer cooked over binchotan charcoal for precise, clean flavours. Seasonal fish, vegetable-forward plates, and innovative textures add depth to the menu, while respecting the practice of balance and restraint.
- Pasta Pooks (Montreal, QC): A counter-service eatery with a youthful edge, Pasta Pooks combines the comfort of handmade pastas with creative twists. Bold flavours and playful presentation make this Montreal hotspot a must-visit for food lovers.
- Niwa (Vancouver, BC): Niwa merges the elegance of nature with culinary sophistication, offering dishes inspired by Pacific Northwest ingredients and Asian techniques. From serene plating to refined flavour combinations, Niwa creates a memorable dining experience that embraces simplicity and artistry.
Celebrating Canadian Culinary Excellence
This year’s Top 10 restaurants were revealed at a special event held in Toronto on November 17, 2025. Chefs and teams from the Top 10 restaurants were invited to receive their awards and share dishes from their winning menus with industry professionals, Air Canada guests and invited members of the public.
The Air Canada's Best New Restaurants Top 10 event is generously presented by Amex, a multi-year National Partner of the program. Air Canada thanks Amex for their ongoing commitment to enriching Canada's culinary landscape.
“Our collaboration with Air Canada continues to champion the creativity and innovation that define Canada’s culinary landscape,” said Kim Kuzmak, Vice President of Lifestyle Benefits, Partnerships and Brand at American Express Canada. “At American Express, we’re passionate about connecting Cardmembers with experiences that highlight Canada’s culinary talent. We’re proud to support Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants program and the chefs who make Canada a world-class dining destination.”
Culinary Tourism and Beyond
Now in its 24th year, Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants program continues to inspire Canadians to explore through food. From Mystic in Halifax’s flourishing dining scene to the artistry of Sushi Hyun Omakase in Vancouver, the list highlights destinations worth visiting as much for their unforgettable meals as for the journeys themselves.
For more details about the 2025 Best New Restaurants program and the Top 10 winners, visit .
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada’s climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see . Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US.
About American Express
American Express (NYSE: AXP) is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by technology. Our colleagues around the world back our customers with differentiated products, services and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.
Founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, American Express’ brand is built on trust, security, and service, and a rich history of delivering innovation and Membership value for our customers. With over a hundred million merchant locations across our global network, we seek to provide the world’s best customer experience every day to a broad range of consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, and large corporations.
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