Air Canada’s 2024 Best New restaurants list was just revealed

September 6, 2024 No Comments

The 30 nominees for Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2024 were unveiled today, celebrating new culinary talent across Canada. Since 2002, Air Canada has championed the country’s distinct culinary scene through the longest running Canadian restaurant ranking and its signature program, Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants.

The 2024 highly anticipated longlist is out today on CanadasBestNewRestaurants.com.

Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants is the only cross-country restaurant ranking to use a single, anonymous reviewer who sets out to dine across Canada. Based on the recommendations of a coast-to-coast panel of food experts, Air Canada sends one undercover writer on a month-long culinary marathon to sample the offerings from notable openings across the country, all of which are now contenders for the coveted Top 10 list.

Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2024 highlights the top restaurants that have opened across the country between late spring 2023 and May 31, 2024, and deliver exceptional experiences through the quality of their food, level of service and commitment to culinary creativity.

2024 nominees for Canada's Best New Restaurants

The following restaurants have been nominated:

  • Ancestor Café, Fort Langley;
  • Bar Gigi, Calgary
  • Bar Henry, Edmonton
  • Bar Prima, Toronto
  • Bernadette’s, Edmonton
  • Black Cat Pizzeria, St. John’s
  • Bravo, Vancouver
  • Bread & Cheese Inn Restaurant, Bay Bulls
  • Buvette Daphnee, Ottawa
  • Café Malabar, Victoria
  • Caméline, Gatineau
  • Casavant, Montreal
  • Conjeo Negro, Toronto;
  • Contrada, Toronto
  • Crumb Queen/Andy’s Lunch, Winnipeg
  • Dovetail Restaurant, Vancouver
  • F&B Restaurant, Saskatoon
  • Fat Rabbit, St. Catherine’s
  • Gary’s, Vancouver
  • Heni, Montreal
  • Juliette Plaza, Montreal
  • Lila Restaurant, Vancouver’ Maison de Soma, Mont-Tremblant
  • Martine’s Wine Bar, Toronto
  • Mhel, Toronto
  • Osteria Elio Volpe, Vancouver
  • Parapluie, Montreal
  • Sabayon, Montreal
  • Takja BBQ House, Toronto
  • The Starlight, Stratford

This year’s Top 10 ranking will be unveiled in Toronto on Nov. 4, 2024. The winners will also be showcased on CanadasBestNewRestaurants.com and in the November issue of Air Canada enRoute magazine.

The 2024 edition of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants is generously supported by Diageo Canada, our returning gold level sponsor. A special thank-you to Diageo Canada for their ongoing commitment to enriching Canada’s culinary landscape.

Air Canada offering free wine & beer on North American flights

June 5, 2024 No Comments

Air Canada is introducing premium complimentary snacks, featuring homegrown Canadian favourites, to all customers on all flights.

The airline is also expanding its complimentary beer and wine offering to customers on flights within Canada and the U.S., alongside a selection of $5 spirits, through the end of this year.

Complimentary premium snacks are now offered to Economy customers on all Air Canada flights.

Whether travelling in Canada or across the globe, all customers on all flights can enjoy free sweet or savoury bites, including two Canadian favourites: buttery herb and garlic pretzels from Alberta’s family-owned and female-led TWIGZ, and Quebec-based Leclerc’s Célébration Cookie, a crafted sweet treat made with real milk chocolate and butter.

Free wine & beer on board

Air Canada has also extended its complimentary beer and wine offering to Economy customers flying within Canada and the U.S. just in time for summer, and through to the end of this year.

This adds to the existing complimentary offering in all International Economy and Premium cabins. Beer, wine and spirits remain available for purchase from the Air Canada Bistro menu on Economy flights to and from the Caribbean and Mexico.

Customers will enjoy a curated selection of exceptional beers, French wines, and customer favourite spirits. Featured flavour-forward craft beers include Hop Valley and Creemore Springs Premium Lager, as well as crisp and refreshing Molson Canadian and Coors Light. Two French wines from Paul Mas include a robust red or a fresh, dry white.

For cocktail aficionados, $5 spirits on offer include Baileys Original Irish Cream, Canadian Club rye, Bacardi Superior rum, Bombay Sapphire gin, Smirnoff vodka, Tromba Tequila Blanco, or Campari. There’s something everyone can cheers to with the largest bar offering of any airline in North America.

Additional information on Air Canada’s new drinks and premium snacks, and more, is available at: aircanada.com/bonappetit

You can now fly directly to Osaka, Japan from Toronto

February 7, 2024 No Comments

Air Canada has unveiled a new seasonal, direct service between Toronto and Osaka.

Flights between Pearson International Airport and Kansai International Airport will run three times a week from June 17 to Oct. 25, 2024, onboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Paired with increased frequency on their popular Vancouver-Osaka flight, this will more than double Air Canada’s capacity to Osaka, compared to the previous summer.

Direct service to Japan

Japan continues to be an expanding market for the airline, which has steadily increased both their capacity and number of direct routes to accommodate the demand.

During peak summer season this year, Air Canada will offer more than 12,000 seats a week between Canada and Japan, resulting in an overall capacity increase of approximately 20 per cent compared with last summer.

Air Canada currently runs direct flights between:

  • Toronto-Osaka (KIX) *Seasonal
  • Toronto-Tokyo (HND)
  • Toronto-Tokyo (NRT)
  • Montreal-Tokyo (NRT)
  • Vancouver-Osaka (KIX) *Seasonal
  • Vancouver-Tokyo (NRT)

A vibrant city

Thanks to its continual growth and development, Japan is now more accessible than ever for Canadian tourists, opening a direct gateway for visitors to experience the land of the rising sun for themselves.

Osaka is a vibrant city best known for its food, fun and nightlife.  A convenient 30-minute train ride from Kansai International Airport, it is a gateway not only to the Kansai region but to the rest of Western Japan, with convenient access to the many attractions in Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki and beyond.