Montreal’s Toqué! named Canada’s best restaurant

Montreal is a foodie paradise, serving as home to an eclectic range of dining options, from upscale eateries to laid-back restaurants. So it will come as no surprise to Montreal locals that Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants has named Toqué! as the No. 1 restaurant in the nation.

Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants, a magazine new to the culinary scene, selected the Montreal restaurant by surveying 70 of the top chefs, gourmands and other foodies in the nation (none of whom could vote for their own establishments).

The mastermind in the kitchen was the main reason Toqué! topped the list. Chef Normand Laprise began the restaurant with a clear vision in mind, introducing a new culinary style that he dubbed “un cuisine de produits,” or “ingredient-driven cuisine.” But he takes many traditional plates, such as foie gras, roasted duck and lamb tartare, and applies unique approaches to flavor pairings. Think ingredient couplings such as pear water-soaked foie gras and lamb tartare alongside melon sorbet.

Other top contenders
While Toqué! is considered the best of the best restaurants in Canada, other noteworthy establishments also made the list. Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s Hawksworth Restaurant in Vancouver was the runner-up thanks to its vibrant, multi-ethnic cuisine and elegantly modern decor. Toronto’s Buca was named No. 3 for its contemporary spin on traditional Italian food, while St. John’s Raymonds took fourth with its simple yet sumptuous seafood. Splendido sits in the fifth spot and is lauded for its multicultural approach to Canadian cuisine.

Here are the top 20 restaurants in the nation according to Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants:

1. Toqué!
2. Hawksworth Restaurant
3. Buca
4. Raymonds
5. Splendido
6. Canoe
7. Edulis
8. Bar Isabel
9. Nota Bene
10. Joe Beef
11. Maison Publique
12. Model Milk
13. Park
14. Scaramouche
15. Hotel Herman
16. Langdon Hall
17. L’Abattoir
18. Cioppino’s
19. Atelier
20. Initiale