VineRoutes recognizes 22 dining destinations across Canada with its top honours for outstanding food and wine experiences
Exceptional food and wine experiences are a testament to the dedication of chefs, wine directors, sommeliers, and restaurateurs. Delivering a memorable evening requires far more than great cooking—it’s about balance: thoughtful pairings, refined service, atmosphere, and a wine program that elevates the entire experience. Achieving this standard demands commitment, expertise, and passion.
This year, 22 outstanding dining destinations have earned national recognition through our inaugural VineRoutes Restaurant Awards, celebrating Canada’s most distinguished restaurants for their excellence in food and wine. Spanning from Vancouver to Halifax, Toronto to Montreal, Ottawa to Hamilton, and beyond, the class of 2025 honourees represent 13 cities and towns nationwide—proof that Canada’s culinary and wine culture continues to thrive from coast to coast.
The awards are presented in three tiers: Award of Distinction, Regional Excellence Award, and the prestigious Vine Award – For Best in Distinction.
The Vine Award is reserved for Canada’s elite dining experiences. These select establishments check all the boxes, including creative presentation, flawless customer service, comprehensive wine knowledge and an ambiance that complements the overall experience.
With 300-plus selections, deep vintage breadth, and a dedicated focus on Canadian wines alongside the world’s best, Vine Award winning wine lists demonstrate exceptional curation, perspective, and finesse. This year, five restaurants earned this distinction, standing as true leaders in Canadian dining.
Explore the list of winners below, with full profiles of each award-winning restaurant available by clicking on their image. Continue scrolling for access to the entire Class of 2025 Restaurant Award winners:
Step into a world of glamour at H Tasting Lounge, where the golden age of early 20th-century Hollywood meets Vancouver’s contemporary culinary spirit. Located on the waterfront, the lounge is renowned for its handcrafted cocktails, curated by a team of expert bartenders, and globally inspired tasting plates that highlight the freshest Pacific Northwest ingredients with inventive, seasonal flair.
Elora Mill offers a refined countryside escape perched above the dramatic Elora Gorge. Housed in a restored mill, the dining experience blends historic charm with modern elegance, where sweeping views of water and wood meet serious culinary craft.
Located within Toronto’s historic Fairmont Royal York Hotel, REIGN redefines luxury dining with a distinctly Canadian spirit. A tribute to the country’s landscapes and culinary traditions, the restaurant blends grandeur with warmth, featuring interiors of Canadian Walnut, crushed velvet finishes, and striking murals that evoke the beauty of the natural wilderness.
Set within a beautifully restored historic bank in Toronto’s vibrant Palmerston–Little Italy, DaNico has quickly established itself as one of the city’s most exciting fine dining destinations. A collaboration between hospitality visionary Nick Di Donato of Liberty Entertainment Group and Michelin-starred Executive Chef Daniele Corona, the restaurant reimagines Italian cuisine through a contemporary, globally inspired lens.
Housed inside Toronto’s legendary Casa Loma, BlueBlood Steakhouse delivers a luxurious and modern interpretation of the classic steakhouse. The grandeur of its castle setting pairs seamlessly with edge and style—antique heirlooms share space with striking contemporary works by Warhol, Mr. Brainwash, and Dalí—making every visit as much a feast for the eyes as for the palate.
Treadwell Cuisine in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario is the only restaurant to earn the Regional Excellence Award in 2025, recognized for its extraordinary commitment to Canadian wines. With more than half its list devoted to local selections, Treadwell exemplifies the marriage of seasonal menus and regional terroir.
Award of Distinction
Sixteen restaurants have earned the Award of Distinction for carrying extensive wine selections that showcase multiple regions and varietals. These programs typically feature 100 or more labels, though exceptions are made for smaller lists that highlight Canadian producers with particular strength.
