Latest news with #Richler
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Saudi Arabia is opening up its economy and its society. Why has Canada been so slow to capitalize on that?
There are many ways to measure just how much Saudi Arabia has changed in recent years. Bumping into Montreal businessman Sruli Richler at an ancient historic site is one of them. Richler is an observant Jew, who has a beard and wears a yarmulke under his ball cap. He stopped for a visit at the country's former capital Diriyah, just outside Riyadh, which is in the midst of an immense $63-billion US restoration project. Just in case the presence of an overtly Jewish man in the staunchly conservative Islamic kingdom caused any friction, Richler jokingly pulls out a "Make America Great Again" cap from his bag — a precaution, he says, in case he wants to blend in quickly with the numerous U.S. visitors. But by and large, he says he was welcomed graciously throughout Saudi's capital. "I honestly thought it would be much more hostile," he told CBC News in Riyadh. "Everyone is very calm and very relaxed and it was pleasant to do business." Richler — a distant cousin to the famous Canadian writer Mordecai and his journalist son Noah — is in what he calls the "reverse logistics" business. That is, his company finds money-making uses for items people return to stores that can't be resold. "I'm looking to do business in Saudi. It's an up-and-coming country," he said, of his reconnaissance trip. "When you land here, you are pleasantly surprised. I believe that when you bring businesses together, it brings people together. It's a road to the future." But that's not how many other Canadians — including senior members of the current Liberal government — have always viewed the world's second-largest oil producer. In 2018, Canada's Global Affairs Department, overseen by then-foreign minister Chrystia Freeland, sent out a series of tweets criticizing Saudi Arabia's human rights record and calling for the release of an activist with ties to Canada. An enraged Saudi government accused Canada of meddling in its internal affairs. It expelled Canada's ambassador in Riyadh and took the unusual step of freezing trade links between the two countries and ordering thousands of Saudi university students studying in Canada to return home. Later that same year, Canada imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis linked to the murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. As the deep freeze in relations set in, trade, cultural and political contacts between the two countries became casualties. Things only resumed five years later in 2023, when both sides finally agreed to appoint new ambassadors and resume full contacts. Canadian mining executive Jeffrey Steiner, who heads up the Canada-Saudi business council, says he visited Saudi 28 times over a four-year period, in part to try to help mend fences. "We really worked behind the scenes and we encouraged both sides to see what advantages there are to co-operate. It took a couple of years, but the situation is now very good," he said in an interview in Riyadh. "We are playing catch-up, but very rapidly making progress." In a statement to CBC News, Global Affairs Canada acknowledged the improved situation. "Canada is enjoying an increasingly healthy and productive bilateral relationship with Saudi Arabia," it said. On the issue of human rights, the statement noted that Saudi Arabia participated in a UN-sponsored review of its human rights record and that Canada was "pleased" with the collaboration. "Canada also welcomes the progress brought on by Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, notably the empowerment of women and their increasing participation in society and the economy." Vision 2030 is an immense effort by bin Salman to change practically every aspect of Saudi's society and its economy, to help the kingdom transition away from relying so heavily on the production of fossil fuels. On the social side, the change has been dramatic. Many of the onerous restrictions on women have been removed, and now more than 36 per cent of the workforce is female, with women holding top jobs in public corporations and the private sector. Following the restoration of political ties, between February 2024 and February 2025, trade between the two nations surged 82 per cent. Canada's largest export to Saudi Arabia, valued at $1.1 billion in 2023, was armoured vehicles, the bulk of which are LAV armoured cars produced at the General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, in London, Ont. Saudi's largest export to Canada remains oil — about $1.5 billion worth in 2023, most of which was refined at the giant Irving refinery in Saint John, N.B. But Canadian proponents say existing two-way trade represents a fraction of what's possible. Mining would be "a great area," to develop, says Steiner, who was attending a networking event in Riyadh. He says there are also growing opportunities for Canadian firms dealing in health care, IT and artificial intelligence. In his public remarks during Donald Trump's recent visit to Saudi, the crown prince underscored that the kingdom's door to foreign investment is wide open. "Today we hope for investment opportunities worth $600 billion. We will work in the coming months on the second phase to complete deals and raise it to $1 trillion," bin Salman told the audience. But a former Canadian ambassador to the region says unless Canada moves faster and more strategically to harness the emerging opportunities in the region it risks missing out — again. "You're seeing the reordering of the world. And this place and the region really matter," said Arif Lalani, who headed up Canadian embassies in Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates over a long career. "That's why you are seeing everybody come here … and increasingly, it's got to matter to Canada." During Trump's visit, his U.S. entourage included not only most of his senior cabinet ministers but also the CEOs of many of the world's largest corporations. Trump made a similar splashy trip to Saudi on his first official visit of his first presidential term in 2017. Conversely, the last time a sitting Canadian prime minister visited Saudi Arabia was Jean Chrétien in 2000 — a quarter-century ago. "I think for years and years, Canada has not been present in this region at a political level, at a high level," said Lalani. "The leadership of the country has to show that they're behind whatever the diplomats and the business people are trying to do." "Canadians have been missing and I think that that has to change if we want to diversify." While there are still human rights issues, the country is unrecognizable from just a few years ago, says Canadian political scientist Janice Stein, who was in Riyadh at the same time as our CBC visit. "Canadians need to look at the trend lines in Saudi Arabia, at what's improving and what is deteriorating," she said. "If there is sustained evidence that women ... have far greater opportunities than then did five years ago, that should matter." She said she believes Saudi Arabia is moving in the right direction on a number of key indicators. "To me, that makes the glass half full rather than half empty."
Hamilton Spectator
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
No. 1 in Canada: Niagara restaurant wins coveted top spot on country's top-100 list
Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson didn't open Restaurant Pearl Morissette with the intention of becoming the best restaurant in the country. Or at least, not exactly. When they opened the doors to their Jordan Station dining room in 2017, the idea of being named the best restaurant in Canada and earning Michelin stars felt more like a distant ambition than a concrete goal — a necessary motivator in a challenging business often considered novel. And though they did not sit around talking about it every day, 'it would be false to say that there isn't that hope.' 'We want to really push ourselves and we want to be really creative, and we want to be a better partner for the community that we work with,' said Hadida. 'It's an outcome — it's not a purpose, but it's a useful thing to push against.' Nevertheless, it became a goal achieved. After several years bouncing around the top 10 of the best restaurants in Canada list, Restaurant Pearl Morissette earned the coveted No. 1 spot on the Canada's 100 Best restaurants in 2025. St. Catharines Fat Rabbit also earned a spot on the list at No. 97. 1. Restaurant Pearl Morissette — Jordan Station, ON 2. Mon Lapin — Montreal, QC 3. Alo — Toronto, ON 4. Edulis — Toronto, ON 5. 20 Victoria — Toronto, ON 6. Eight — Calgary, AB 7. Beba — Montreal, QC 8. Quetzal — Toronto, ON 9. Published on Main — Vancouver, BC 10. AnnaLena — Vancouver, BC The announcement was made at Canada's Best 100 magazine event Monday evening — an annual celebration honouring Canada's best newcomers, iconic establishments and celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of Canada's culinary scene. In an interview ahead of the ceremony, Hadida and Robertson said they don't fully understand the significance of an honour like this, but for them, 'the morale that comes from it is really the best part.' 'Especially because we're rurally located. We're in the middle of a very small, little town that is literally a one-street town, so that's definitely a cool thing,' said Hadida. 'I just felt quite excited and proud of, and for, the team as a whole.' The top 100 list is decided by 160 judges and the support for Restaurant Pearl Morissette was 'overwhelming,' said Jacob Richler, editor-in-chief and publisher of Canada's 100 Best. Since the day it opened, the restaurant has always been good, but Richler said it has only got better upon each visit. It has now reached a point where the quality of every ingredient on the plate is 'superb' and the experience feels more relaxed. 'They're just doing delicious, wonderful things and people responded to that.' 'They're doing a brilliant job. They're super passionate about what they do. I couldn't be more pleased also to have a place that so emphatically puts its little part of Canada on the plate so recognizably,' said Richler. 'It doesn't happen very often where you go to a restaurant and you think, 'Wow this place is just hitting it out of the park right now.'' Scallop, daikon, apple, shiso Restaurant Pearl Morissette. And in a year when Canadians are looking to stay local and travel within the country's own borders, 'it's great to be able to promote not just RPM, but so many restaurants across the country that are doing a wonderful job of expressing their region in their food and in their experience,' he said. The Jordan Station restaurant now exists as an 'extremely evolved and refined version of what we initially set out do,' said Hadida. Its carte blanche menu is rooted in a holistic approach — one which embraces regenerative practices and processes, partnerships with regional purveyors and food and wine that reflects the local ecosystem and land. But in the beginning, Pearl Morisette was a winery and farm, featuring about 60 pigs, 15 cattle, ducks and chickens raised on pasture. Hadida assisted with special food events, before suggesting an on-site restaurant. Robertson came on as a partner — later joined by gardener, forager and florist Deidre Fraser — and Hadida credits him for his encouragement to be ambitious and take risks. It was those relationships which helped hone the vision for Restaurant Pearl Morissette, ultimately forming the building blocks of the Michelin-starred, fine dining tasting experience on the Niagara Greenbelt. A Nightshade Vesper cocktail at Restaurant Pearl Morissette. After Restaurant Pearl Morissette won best new restaurant, it shifted the goalposts, building out its offerings to give diners 'an unforgettable experience that hopefully they will come back to for years and years,' said Robertson. Then the pandemic hit and for an 'esoteric, niche business in a novel location with a lot of expectations,' the restaurant showed its resiliency. Hadida said it farmed and preserved ingredients, supported vulnerable communities across Niagara and eventually evolved into an outdoor dining project over three summers. It did what it had to do to stay relevant, but Robertson and Hadida wanted to return the restaurant to its roots, cut down the work day and 'really focus and refine and push the level of what we were trying to execute with the restaurant.' 'Being in that point of reckoning effectively and having to decide, OK, everything that brought us here, what do we want to carry with us and what do we want to let go of? I'm super proud of the decision we made during that time and where it's led us to now,' said Hadida. For Robertson and Hadida, Restaurant Pearl Morissette was always about highlighting distinctive ingredients of Niagara and Ontario and with their own experiences in top kitchens around the world, and never saw Canada as playing catch-up. Daniel Hadida, left, and Eric Robertson, co-chef and co-owner of Restaurant Pearl Morissette, are photographed in Jordan. 'You don't have to put France, Italy and Japan on these pedestals of great food region. They are deserved (but) we have equally great ingredients and farmers and growers here in Canada,' said Robertson. 'We really wanted to have a spot where we could showcase that … I hope that we can provide a little bit of a blueprint (for young chefs and cook) moving forward.' After learning the news their restaurant had earned the top ranking, there was a moment of celebration between Robertson and Hadida, with hugs and high-fives before getting back to work. Excitement will continue as the chefs enjoy the moment with their collective team. But Robertson said it was on the ride home that first evening when the achievement 'really sunk in.' 'We are in a place now where we're representing this style of cooking, or this level of dining and restaurant experience in Canada. And with that, there's a little bit of responsibility to uphold the level that we're working at,' he said. 'It's motivating to just continue to push.'
Vancouver Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
19 B.C. restaurants land on Canada's 100 Best list
B.C. may have missed the top spot on this year's Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list. Article content Article content But the province's restaurant scene still showed up strongly on the eatery assemblage, taking 19 total spots on the list. Article content Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station, Ont., was named the top restaurant in the country on the 2025 list. Article content 'Our new No. 1 restaurant is a sensational place, that's convincingly established a whole region on the culinary map,' says Jacob Richler, editor-in-chief and publisher, Canada's 100 Best. 'The quality of the food, its thoughtfulness and inventiveness, is reliably extraordinary, at every visit.' Article content A former No. 1 destination on the list, Published on Main, remains the top-ranked eatery for B.C., coming in at No. 9. AnnaLena came in just behind it, at No. 10. The Kitsilano favourite is one of three restaurants new to the top 10 this year. Richler says the latest ranking also includes 31 eateries that didn't make the cut last year. Article content As is often the case with the 100 best list, there are a lot of familiar names among the ranks. B.C. foodies will likely nod their heads in agreement with the other 17 eateries in the province that landed on this year's ranking including Kissa Tanto (No. 18), Baan Lao (26), and Hawksworth (66). Article content Article content Article content 9. Published on Main (Vancouver) Read our review of Published, first published Aug. 26, 2020, HERE. Article content 10. AnnaLena (Vancouver) Read our review of AnnaLena, first published April 16, 2015, HERE. Article content 12. St. Lawrence (Vancouver) Read our review of St. Lawrence, first published Oct. 12, 2021, HERE. Article content 18. Kissa Tanto (Vancouver) Read our review of Kissa Tanto, first published May, 19, 2016, HERE. Article content 26. Baan Lao (Richmond) Read our review of Baan Lao, first published April 7, 2021, HERE. Article content 28. Le Crocodile, by Rob Feenie (Vancouver) Read our review of Le Crocodile, by Rob Feenie, first published Dec. 3, 2024, HERE. Article content 32. Botanist (Vancouver) Read our review of Botanist, first published May 25, 2017, HERE. Article content Article content Article content Article content 55. Boulevard (Vancouver) Read our review of Boulevard, first published Oct. 7, 2014, HERE. Article content 'Eating out in Canada has never been better. At a time when we are all destined to spend a little more time travelling in our own country, and thinking deeply about what it means to us, our restaurants are definitely doing their part for our clarity and pride,' says Richler. 'If you look at our list you'll find great dining choices wherever you're headed. And I mean the list from top to bottom.
Montreal Gazette
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Montreal Gazette
Brownstein: Canada's 100 Best Restaurants honour is sweet music to Le Violon's Danny Smiles
By OK, so Vanya Filipovic and Marc-Olivier Frappier's much-loved, much-lauded Little Italy eatery and wine bar Mon Lapin hasn't pulled off a three-peat as the No. 1 dining spot in the land on the 11th annual Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list. But after finishing first the last two years, rest assured that the married couple and their team will also find much solace and satisfaction finishing second, behind this year's No. 1 selection, Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station, in Ontario's Niagara region. More good news: Montreal cuisine does have a first-place finisher on the list of Canada's Best New Restaurants for 2025, put out by the same judges as the top 100 restos list. That would be Le Violon, the latest endeavour of chef Danny Smiles, who was indeed all smiles after learning of this honour. Le Violon, situated in the former home of Derek Dammann's Maison Publique on Marquette St., serves up a tantalizing mélange of French plus Italian and Lebanese fare — reflecting the chef's roots — and other enticing international flavourings. Le Violon also ended up No. 11 in the top 100 grouping. Our city did particularly well once again here, placing 25 restos on this list. After Mon Lapin, Beba, chef Ari Schor's tiny Verdun Argentine gem, landed seventh — one spot better than where it finished in both 2023 and 2024. Monarque (17), Montréal Plaza (20), Cabaret l'Enfer (22), Alma (24) and Pichai (25) were also among the top 25 spots on the list. Further down were such familiar heavyweights on the scene as Joe Beef (46), L'Express (61), Toqué! (67), Au Pied de Cochon (76), Nora Gray (90) and Damas (91). Perhaps surprising to some was the omission of such hot spots as Liverpool House, Le Club Chasse et Pêche, Milos and Maison Boulud. It's worth noting that Juliette Plaza, the baby sibling of Charles-Antoine Crête and Cheryl Johnson's dyna-charged Montréal Plaza, finished seventh on the new-eatery list and 77th in the top 100. Located just next door to the latter on St-Hubert St., Juliette Plaza serves an intriguing mélange of French and Asian offerings. Jacob Richler, the ex-Montrealer and former National Post restaurant critic, is the mastermind editor behind the list. He oversees a mini-army of 160 judges — 10 more than employed last year — whose taste buds span the country to put together this wide-ranging selection. Richler, like so many others in this city, continues to be blown away by the uniqueness and creativity, not to mention the lack of pretentiousness, of Mon Lapin. Not surprisingly, he also marvels at the approach of No. 1, the Michelin one-star Pearl Morissette, also a bakery, a winery and a farm, which continues to captivate diners with its diverse menu featuring Canadian-sourced ingredients. But Richler has been particularly knocked out by Le Violon. 'I can't say enough about Le Violon. … The way Danny Smiles transformed that Maison Publique room from bare bones to what it is now is remarkable,' Richler says. 'The menu is outstanding, and the food is super impressive.' Le Violon may be new, having opened last June 17, but executive chef/owner Smiles, né Daniele Francis, is hardly a newbie in the biz. About to turn 40 next week, Smiles — who took on his current surname to reflect the omnipresent grin on his mug — has been toiling in restaurant kitchens since he was 15. A former runner-up on Top Chef Canada, Smiles first achieved fame with the groundbreaking Old Montreal fine-dining spot Le Bremner with his buddy/mentor and former chef partner Chuck Hughes. After leaving Bremner a little over five years ago, Smiles launched Mise en Place, a hearty and well-received meal service, during the initial stages of the COVID period. He would later move on to become the exec chef of Hudson's venerable Willow Inn, before coming back to town to start up Le Violon. Along the way, Smiles achieved notoriety in the rock kingdom, having cooked for the likes of Nick Cave and Radiohead. But while acknowledged as one of this country's more renowned celeb chefs — like Hughes — Smiles is about as earthy and chill as they come in the kitchen. Both Le Bremner — where he was a partner — and Willow Inn have appeared in mid-level rankings in previous 100 best resto lists, but Le Violon's placing on the two 2025 lists has left Smiles both surprised and a little overwhelmed. 'We put so much work into this place, and opening up my first solo restaurant from scratch was something really special,' Smiles says. 'For the past year, this was living in the heads of all of us involved in putting Le Violon together.' Taking over a place Smiles had held dear — the former Maison Publique, helmed by local culinary legend Dammann, not to mention international star chef Jamie Oliver — was also something of a challenge. 'It's kind of surreal. Maison Publique was such a terrific place for me, one of my favourite restaurants in the city and my little hideout in the Plateau,' he marvels. 'But it was necessary to transform the place, because when you're going up against such wonderful chefs like Derek and Jamie, you really have to step it up. 'A great restaurant is a place where you leave your days of work and go in and get transported by the service, the food, the music, the ambience. That was what Maison Publique was and that's what we wanted to achieve with Le Violon. That's what was behind all the renovations we did and all the beautiful paintings and all the food and wine ideas we were able to put together with my partners.' So what differentiates Le Violon's cuisine from previous Smiles operations? 'I think we're more mature right now. We're more confident with the food we're putting on plates. I also think we are more aware of the ingredients we're bringing in by working with some amazing local suppliers. We are very ingredient-driven. Without being labelled fusion, we bring together French, Lebanese and Italian along with even British and Irish. We really want to bring everything together.' Apart from his culinary skills, Smiles, married and the father of two, also has plenty of heart and gives back to the community. Having been touched by the turmoil of his sister-in-law's cancer, he has been involved with the Cedars Cancer Centre's Jackie Aziz AYA Program, providing free meals to adolescents and young adults. In February, Smiles hosted a group of 50 for lunch at Le Violon and has more events planned. 'The door is always open for those fighting cancer,' notes Smiles, whose sister-in-law is now in remission. 'I will always have the time to eat, have coffee and talk with those I've met going through cancer. That's really the whole point of having a restaurant. It's great to be selected one of the best restaurants in the country, but it is also as important for a restaurant to have a sense of community. 'To be quite honest, I have a beautiful team and I haven't been this happy in a long time with everything we're doing.' Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2025 1. Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, Ont.) 2. Mon Lapin (Montreal) 3. Alo (Toronto) 4. Edulis (Toronto) 5. 20 Victoria (Toronto) 6. Eight (Calgary) 7. Beba (Montreal) 8. Quetzal (Toronto) 9. Published on Main (Vancouver) 10. AnnaLena (Vancouver) 11. Le Violon (Montreal) 12. St. Lawrence (Vancouver) 13. Tanière3 (Quebec City) 14. Hexagon (Oakville, Ont.) 15. Langdon Hall (Cambridge, Ont.) 16. Sushi Masaki Saito (Toronto) 17. Monarque (Montreal) 18. Kissa Tanto (Vancouver) 19. The Pine (Collingwood, Ont.) 20. Montréal Plaza (Montreal) 21. Bar Kismet (Halifax) 22. Cabaret l'Enfer (Montreal) 23. Änkôr (Canmore, Alta.) 24. Alma (Outremont) 25. Pichai (Montreal) 26. Baan Lao (Richmond, B.C.) 27. Bar St-Denis (Montreal) 28. Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie (Vancouver) 29. Aburi Hana (Toronto) 30. Nupo (Calgary) 31. Casavant (Montreal) 32. Botanist (Vancouver) 33. Wild Blue (Whistler) 34. Deer + Almond (Winnipeg) 35. Parapluie (Montreal) 36. Pluvio (Ucluelet, B.C.) 37. L'Abattoir (Vancouver) 38. La Cabane d'à Côté (St-Benoît de Mirabel, Que.) 39. Marilena (Victoria, B.C.) 40. Mastard (Montreal) 41. Atelier (Ottawa) 42. Dreyfus (Toronto) 43. Sushi Yugen (Toronto) 44. Salle Climatisée (Montreal) 45. Bernhardt's (Toronto) 46. Joe Beef (Montreal) 47. River Café (Calgary) 48. Sabayon (Montreal) 49. Arlo (Ottawa) 50. Canoe (Toronto) 51. LSL (Toronto) 52. Linny's (Toronto) 53. Actinolite (Toronto) 54. Bar Isabel (Toronto) 55. Boulevard (Vancouver) 56. DOPO (Calgary) 57. Bar Prima (Toronto) 58. Casa Paco (Toronto) 59. DaNico (Toronto) 60. Bacchus (Vancouver) 61. L'Express (Montreal) 62. Shoushin (Toronto) 63. DaiLo (Toronto) 64. Gia Vin et Grill (Montreal) 65. Yujiro (Winnipeg) 66. Hawksworth (Vancouver) 67. Toqué! (Montreal) 68. Takja BBQ (Toronto) 69. Lake Inez (Toronto) 70. Don Alfonso 1890 (Toronto) 71. Mystic (Halifax) 72. Osteria Giulia (Toronto) 73. Famiglia Baldassarre (Toronto) 74. Shokunin (Calgary) 75. Alma (Toronto) 76. Au Pied de Cochon (Montreal) 77. Juliette Plaza (Montreal) 78. Portage (St. John's, N.L.) 79. Parcelles (Austin, Que.) 80. Prime Seafood Palace (Toronto) 81. Mhel (Toronto) 82. Burdock & Co. (Vancouver) 83. Heni (Montreal) 84. The Gate (Flesherton, Ont.) 85. Otto (Kitano Shokudo) (Montreal) 86. Nola (Winnipeg) 87. Elisa (Vancouver) 88. Riviera (Ottawa) 89. The Fish Man (Richmond, B.C.) 90. Nora Gray (Montreal) 91. Damas (Montreal) 92. Naagan by Zach Keeshig (Owen Sound, Ont.) 93. Barberian's (Toronto) 94. Maenam (Vancouver) 95. Perch (Ottawa) 96. Giulietta (Toronto) 97. Fat Rabbit (St. Catharines, Ont.) 98. Melba (Quebec City) 99. ELEM (Vancouver) 100. Claire Jacques (Montreal) Canada's Best New Restaurants 2025 Rank / Restaurant / Opening Date 1. Le Violon (Montreal) June 2024 2. LSL (Toronto) May 2024 3. Linny's (Toronto) September 2024 4. DOPO (Calgary) November 2024 5. Takja BBQ (Toronto) April 2024 6. Mystic (Halifax) September 2024 7. Juliette Plaza (Montreal) February 2024 8. The Gate (Flesherton, Ont.) December 2023 9. Naagan by Zach Keeshig (Owen Sound, Ont.) November 2024 10. ELEM (Vancouver) November 2024
Vancouver Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
This rural Ontario spot is Canada's best restaurant, according to annual list
Article content 'It's just good European cooking through the Quebec prism, which is local ingredients and understated plates. Simplicity, which can underwhelm some people but always impresses the aficionado because it's so much harder to do well.' Article content This year, Canada's 100 Best changed its methodology from a linear point system to reflect the judges' 'most passionate enthusiasms.' Richler thinks this recalibration, as well as an ever-expanding panel, has improved the depth and quality of the list from top to bottom. He highlights the strength of restaurants in the 80s and 90s, such as The Fish Man in Richmond, B.C., (No. 89), Riviera in Ottawa (No. 88), Naagan (No. 92) in Owen Sound, Ont., and Fat Rabbit (No. 97) in St. Catharines, Ont., as well as the top 50. Article content The ' Buy Canadian ' movement is growing. With a new sense of patriotism, many are skipping trips to the United States and considering domestic destinations instead. According to Statistics Canada, the number of Canadians crossing the land border dropped 32 per cent in March, and air travel fell 13.5 per cent compared to the same month last year. Article content Article content Richler hopes that people use the list as he does — to travel and eat well while doing it. On his next visit to Montreal, he plans to visit the restaurants that did better on this year's list than last, such as Mastard (No. 40) and Bar St-Denis (No. 27). Article content He was taken by the calibre throughout the list, especially when he reflected on the dining scene in 2014 when he started Canada's 100 Best. Article content 'I didn't feel then as emphatically as I do now that 100 is a modest number of restaurants to put on a list in this country. There are fantastic things going on, coast to coast,' says Richler. 'The quality of the dining experience in our best restaurants is emphatically fabulous and something to be proud of — and worth travelling for.' Article content Article content Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2025 — The top 10 Article content Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, Ont.) Mon Lapin (Montreal) Alo (Toronto) Edulis (Toronto) 20 Victoria (Toronto) Eight (Calgary) Beba (Montreal) Quetzal (Toronto) Published on Main (Vancouver) AnnaLena (Vancouver) Article content Canada's Best New Restaurants 2025 — The top 5 Article content Le Violon (Montreal) LSL (Toronto) Linny's (Toronto) DOPO (Calgary) Takja BBQ (Toronto) Article content Canada's 50 Best Bars 2025 — The top 10 Article content Bar Pompette (Toronto) The Cloakroom Bar (Montreal) Civil Liberties (Toronto) The Keefer Bar (Vancouver) Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal) Library Bar at Fairmont Royal York (Toronto) Prophecy (Vancouver) Missy's This That (Calgary) Cocktail Bar (Toronto) jjacques (Quebec City) Article content
