Halifax 
Air Canada has released its 2025 Best New Restaurants list, naming Halifax’s Mystic as the top new dining destination in the country.
Credit: George Pimmentel.
The ranking marks the 24th year of the national program, which evaluates emerging culinary talent through anonymous expert visits and a detailed assessment of the full dining experience. The winners were chosen from a list of 31 finalists.
Mystic, led by Chef Malcolm Campbell, earned first place for its tasting menus that combine Maritime ingredients with international techniques in a waterfront setting.
Montreal’s Le Violon, headed by Chef Danny Smiles, placed second for its hyper-seasonal menu rooted in the city’s French culinary heritage. aKin, a Toronto restaurant blending global influences to reflect the city’s multicultural identity, ranked third.
The full Top 10 list includes:
- Mystic (Halifax, NS) – Seafood-focused tasting menus emphasizing Nova Scotia’s coastal ingredients.
- Le Violon (Montreal, QC) – Quebec-inspired fine dining with French flavours and seasonal sourcing.
- aKin (Toronto, ON) – Globally influenced dishes highlighting modern Canadian dining.
- Sushi Hyun Omakase (Vancouver, BC) – Omakase built around Pacific Northwest seafood.
- Maven (Toronto, ON) – Interpretations of Jewish and Eastern European dishes.
- Nero Tondo (Vancouver, BC) – Contemporary Italian cuisine with handmade pastas.
- Yan Dining Room (Toronto, ON) – An eight-course neo-Chinese menu by Chef Eva Chin.
- Sumibiyaki Arashi (Vancouver, BC) – A 14-seat yakitori-focused omakase using binchotan charcoal.
- Pasta Pooks (Montreal, QC) – Counter-service handmade pasta with playful variations.
- Niwa (Vancouver, BC) – Pacific Northwest–inspired dishes influenced by Asian techniques.
Andy Shibata, Air Canada’s Vice President of Brand, said the selected restaurants demonstrate the creativity shaping Canadian cuisine and represent the diversity of communities across the country.
