Montreal has 9 of Canada’s ‘best new restaurants’ & one hosted Trudeau & Katy Perry’s date

Montreal’s dining scene just earned serious bragging rights.

Air Canada just released the finalists for its Best New Restaurants 2025 list, and our city is on full display. Every year, anonymous experts visit and evaluate new restaurants across the country, weighing everything from food quality and creativity to service and cultural impact, making it one of the country’s most respected food rankings.

This year’s edition features 31 trailblazing spots from coast to coast, and Montreal came out on top with nine finalists (more than any other city).

The finalists were chosen from restaurants that opened between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. Each was nominated by a national panel of culinary experts, then visited anonymously to be judged like any regular guest.

One standout example from Montreal is Le Violon, an intimate 50-seat dining hotspot that’s already been recognized by the Michelin Guide. The restaurant, owned and operated by celebrity chef Danny Smiles, also made headlines over the summer after hosting Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry for dinner.

Here are the nine Montreal restaurants that made the cut:

The top 10 winners will be announced at a Toronto event on November 17, 2025, hosted by Montreal chef Chuck Hughes. Until then, Montreal can claim the crown as the most represented city on the list — and locals have nine very good reasons to make reservations now.

You can explore the entire list of finalists here.