Air Canada enRoute has released its longlist of Best New Restaurants 2022, and the 30 nominees span a diverse range of cuisines from modern Iranian to roadside tavern. Five Toronto restaurants are in the running to take home one of the top ten spots which will be announced in November.
To compile the list of restaurants, enRoute’s panel of experts, which includes acclaimed Toronto-born chef Suzanne Barr, CBC Radio Edmonton’s food columnist Twyla Campbell, and restaurateur Vikram Vij nominated notable openings in their regions. Any food establishment that opened between late spring 2021 and May 31, 2022 was up for consideration.
Under the cover of a fake name, writer Nancy Matsumoto anonymously visited more than 30 restaurants in 17 cities over the course of one month, which included stops at a Chinese grocery store in Montreal, and a steakhouse perched 40-storeys above downtown Calgary.
Here is a look at the five Toronto establishments on the list.
Fonda BalamÂ
This new Dundas Street West restaurant serves up Mexican comfort food from tacos and quesabirria (corn tortillas filled with birria — a beef stew —along with cheese, onion, and cilantro), to housemade salsa and guacamole, which delivers a flavour-packed symphony for your palette.
Mimi Chinese
Yorkville’s Mimi Chinese, is an upscale dining experience that focuses on dishes from the Guangdong province located in southeast China. Prepare to be dazzled by servers smartly dressed in starched white dress shirts and black bow ties who deliver dramatic show-stopping dishes like the Four-Foot Belt Noodle in house chilies oil, and the Hidden Crispy Chicken that’s actually hidden behind 100 haven facing chilies.
Osteria Giulia
Another Yorkville gem, Osteria Giulia is a luxurious dinner spot. The 66-seat interior yields a contemporarily rustic vibe with honeyed tones, limestone and wood-panelled walls and folded ceilings. Here, chef Rob Rossi and company serve up elevated pasta dishes and ambitious desserts, like the well-conceived Millefoglie alla Fragola, a strawberry and white chocolate mille-feuille.
Prime Seafood Palace
Prime Seafood Palace is a Queen West hotspot owned by restaurateur extraordinaire Matty Matheson. In the works for the last six years, the must-order items include a 40 oz Côte de Boeuf and the caviar served with chives, shallots and crème fraiche.
Restaurant 20 Victoria
Since opening in the summer of 2021, people have been going wild for Restaurant 20 Victoria, an intimate 20-seat dining area located in Toronto’s financial district. The beloved new restaurant marks the much-anticipated return of Chris White and Jonathan Nicolaou, who closed their critically acclaimed restaurant Brothers Food & Wine during the pandemic. They offer a rotating menu with a focus on seasonal ingredients, including the recent addition of a squash & pistachio cake.
Below is the full list of 2022 Best New Restaurant Nominees. We suggest you book a reservation before the winners are announced on November 1.
Bar Susu – Vancouver, BC
Le Clan – Quebec City, Quebec
Delara – Vancouver, BC
Drift – Halifax, Nova Scotia
Elephant – Vancouver, BC
Fonda Balam – Toronto, Ontario
Fox & Monocle – North Saanich, BC
Fu’s Repair Shop – Edmonton, Alberta
Gia Vin & Grill – Montreal, Quebec
Hayloft Steak + Fish – Edmonton, Alberta
Heart’s Tavern And Bar – Kimberley, Ontario
J’ai Feng – Montreal, Quebec
Jeju – Tofino, BC
Major Tom – Calgary, Alberta
Mastard – Montreal, Quebec
Mimi Chinese – Toronto, Ontario
Mokili – Montreal, Quebec
Một Tô – Calgary, Alberta
Namjim – St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Nola – Winnipeg, Manitoba
Osteria Giulia – Toronto, Ontario
Parcelles – Austin, Quebec
Pei Pei Chei Ow – Edmonton, Alberta
Perch – Ottawa, Ontario
Pichai – Montreal, Quebec
Pop Wine Bar – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Prime Seafood Palace – Toronto, Ontario
Restaurant 20 Victoria – Toronto, Ontario
Restaurant Alentours – Quebec City, Quebec
Roy’s Korean Kitchen – Calgary, Alberta