Toronto who? Montreal dominated Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list for 2025

Two local spots cracked the top 10!

A fancy dish of beef and peas. Right: An Anthony Bourdain mural in Montreal.

Toronto landed 23 spots and Vancouver claimed 16 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list for 2025.

Senior Writer

Montreal just proved it's still the food capital of Canada.

Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2025 is out, and 26 Montreal restaurants made the cut — more than any other city in the country. For comparison, Toronto landed 23 spots and Vancouver claimed 16. Compiled by culinary writers and industry insiders, the annual ranking highlights the best places to eat across Canada right now.

While the top spot in the country went to Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Ontario's wine country, Montreal's Mon Lapin — last year's winner — took #2 nationwide. The Plateau wine bar was praised for being the "elusive sweet spot between casual and special-occasion restaurants," according to the culinary experts behind the annual ranking.

Dishes like habanada peppers stuffed with fried baccalà or strudel with confit shallots and a slice of Samuel le Bleu from the Eastern Townships were described as "delightfully surprising."

Mon Lapin wasn't the only Montreal spot to crack the top 10. At #7, Verdun's Beba was praised for its "ostensibly simple, unfussy, unrepentantly meaty offerings."

Menu staples at the tiny family-run joint include gnocchi alla veneta, served with brodo-braised meat, beef tongue with chile verde, foie gras and truffle terrine, and golden knish topped with Imperial Osetra caviar.

Other top-placing Montreal spots include Le Violon (#11), which was also named Best New Restaurant of the Year for its stripped-down, product-driven menu, Monarque (#17) with its luxe brasserie-meets-fine-dining split, and Montreal Plaza (#20), known for its quirky charm and top-tier technique.

Here are all 26 Montreal restaurants that made the 2025 list:

  • Mon Lapin (#2)
  • Beba (#7)
  • Le Violon (#11)
  • Monarque (#17)
  • Montréal Plaza (#20)
  • Cabaret l’Enfer (#22)
  • Alma (#24)
  • Pichai (#25)
  • Bar St-Denis (#27)
  • Casavant (#31)
  • Parapluie (#35)
  • Mastard (#40)
  • Salle Climatisée (#44)
  • Joe Beef (#46)
  • Sabayon (#48)
  • L’Express (#61)
  • Gia Vin & Grill (#64)
  • Toqué! (#67)
  • Au Pied de Cochon (#76)
  • Juliette Plaza (#77)
  • Heni (#83)
  • Kitano Shokudo (#85)
  • Nora Gray (#90)
  • Damas (#91)
  • Claire Jacques (#100)

For the full list and more info, visit canadas100best.com.

AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.


  • Al Sciola
  • Born and raised in Montreal, Al Sciola is a Senior Writer for MTL Blog. With a background in covering sports and local events, he has a knack for finding stories that capture the city’s spirit. A lifelong Canadiens fan and trivia enthusiast, Al spends his downtime sipping espresso and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

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