Air Canada Unveils the 30 Finalists for Its Best New Restaurants 2026


Air Canada released the list of 30 finalists for its Best New Restaurants ranking on September 17. The program turns 25 this year, and the Top 10 will be revealed on November 16 in downtown Toronto.
For travellers who pick a destination for its dining scene, this is one of the most closely watched lists in the country. To qualify, restaurants had to open between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026. They were selected independently by a panel of culinary tastemakers who travelled across Canada, in collaboration with the reservation app DINR.
Last year, the 2025 ranking followed the same format with 30 finalists.
Ontario leads with 14 addresses, nine of them in Toronto. Quebec and British Columbia have six finalists each, Alberta three and Manitoba one.
The finalists are also featured in DINR, the program's partner app, with editorial content and access to reservations and culinary events.
To mark the milestone, Air Canada is adding three components to the program.
First, Air Canada's Best New Restaurants Icons, a hall of fame honouring chefs whose restaurants first earned national recognition through the ranking. The inaugural class will be announced at the Top 10 celebration in November. A searchable guide to every finalist since 2002 is already online.
Second, Air Canada's Best New Restaurants Dining Series, presented by DINR, which brings program alumni together for one-night-only menus. Air Canada is also partnering with food festivals for tailored events.
Third, in partnership with the Air Canada Foundation, the program is giving $25,000 to La Tablée des Chefs' Kitchen Brigades, which teach cooking to high school students. Combined support from Air Canada and its foundation for the organization now exceeds $500,000.
For 25 years, Air Canada has celebrated the people and plates defining Canadian dining.
That is Andy Shibata, Vice President, Brand at Air Canada. He adds that the anniversary edition is not only about the chefs who reshaped the country's food culture, but also about backing the next generation — from this year's 30 finalists to the students stepping into a kitchen for the first time.
Working through these addresses adds up, and two Canadian cards pay 5 points per dollar spent at restaurants. The American Express Cobalt Card earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar at restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores, for a $191.88 annual fee. The National Bank World Elite Mastercard also earns 5 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores, for $150 a year, waived in the first year.
Most of the finalists sit in cities Air Canada serves: Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. The others — Revelstoke, Collingwood, Val-David, St. Catharines, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré — call for a car from the nearest airport.
If you plan to work through this list, a credit card that earns Aeroplan points or cash back on restaurants trims both the cost of the trip and the cost of the bill. And to catch the November 16 reveal along with the next points offers, sign up for the Milesopedia newsletter.
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