82: Rosebud, Toronto

Here's a spoiler: it's his sled. What does this have to do with Queen West bistros? Not much. The Rosebud, near Queen and Bathurst, is a snug and inviting little (40 seats) restaurant that, in its two years, has cultivated a loyal following from its neighbourhood and beyond. Chef Rob Bowers churns out solid bistro fare from an evolving menu and at affordable but checkbook suitable prices. The ambiance is bistro befitting in both its coziness and clean design. Since the joint is small, a reservation is always a good idea. Sorry about the spoiler. -S.T. 669 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON. 416-703-8810
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

81: River Café, Calgary

Scott Pohorelic, the chef at The River Café, is all about living off the land, which is good, because his restaurant is located in one of the lush-est areas our country has to offer. The River Café is nestled into the Prince Island’s Park lagoon that starts the Bow River on its trail through downtown Calgary. Guests have called the location “magical” and the food certainly fits in with the surroundings. Fresh local ingredients are cooked up in simple ways to showcase their natural flavors. Bring your Mark Twain, tuck into a wild prairie pickerel and lend Canada some of that river history. –J.T. 200 Barclay Parade SW, Calgary, AB. 403-261-7670
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

80: Beyond, Vancouver

With choices like liver and onions and a deep-fried Mars bar on the menu, you can be sure that this trendy resto doesn’t take itself too seriously- a lesson we could all learn from. Too-cool-for-school emo characters fill the modern overly-designed leather chairs that come with matching cocktail tables. Hipsters come to soak up a vibe that simply makes you cooler by association, and they won’t break their banks doing it either. For a cheap dose of cool you can leave your copy of Pulp Fiction at home and head out to Beyond for some liver and grease. –J.T. 1015 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC. 604-684-3474
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

79: Rare, Vancouver

With the birth of his latest brainchild, Rare, Chef Brian Fowke's foray into contemporary fine dining has been an enormous success. Your coats will be taken as soon as you enter the classic, clean space and your menus will have the name of your party printed right on the covers. The service is impeccable, straightforward, and humble. The first few minutes at Rare make you feel welcome and special, and the best is yet to come. The menu changes constantly, keeping up with what’s fresh that season and what kind of mood Colleen Mclean, the on-site chef, is in. Be prepared to be challenged though, because each item is probably an amalgamation of ingredients you had never thought that you’d see side by side. For instance, on the November Seasonal Menu there is the Root Beer Braised Veal Cheeks ($29) that come with a butternut squash purée and pickled red onions. Or the Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin ($28) with pumpkin chutney and toasted hazelnut gnocchi. Delicious, uncanny and surprising, Mclean and Fowke do not disappoint and Rare is true to its proclamation: “marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind.” –J.T. 1355 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC. 604-669-1256
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

78: Chow, Vancouver

Delectable dining meets superkitsch décor here, featuring unpretentious West Coast flavours. While the entrée list is short, the fare makes up for it in innovative ways. Try chef JC Poirier's grilled dry-aged beef strip loin, or the pan-roasted sablefish. Admittedly, he space is overly designed, but the operation is near flawless. Sit at the bar and check out the snacks, which reflect the products of B.C. Bar specialties including spicy almonds, sautéed organic mushrooms with a grilled sourdough baguette, or fresh B.C. oysters. The pish-posh concrete floors and walnut tables with chocolate leather chairs may seem overdone, but the food speaks for the entire restaurant. Just sit down, order your food, and zip it until you’ve tasted your meal- this will prevent you from kicking yourself later. –S.B. 3121 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC. 604-608-2469
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

77: Izakaya, Toronto

Restaurants that offer excellent service, memorable food, and unique ambience are hard to find. When a restaurant offers all three like Izakaya, you better believe people are going to be lining up at the door. Erik Joyal and John Sinopoli’s Front street resto is a sure success with its streamlined design around Tokyo-centric nuances. The menu encompasses equal parts Japanese culture and New World gusto with a dash of left-field whimsy. The chef/partner John Sinopoli juices up dishes such as Kinoko Udon, which is a bowl of noodles in a thick mushroom sauce with other delectable extras such as oyster mushrooms. The restaurant is a shrine to both style and aggressively-priced cuisine - a Japanese culture with a hipster angle. That winning combination is what makes Izakaya restaurant a model establishment, while Izakaya cuisine retains its subculture status. –S.B. 69 Front Street East, Toronto, ON. 416-703-8658
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

76: FigMint, Vancouver

When it comes to cuisine, integrity is everything. A dish or menu can not be profound if a Chef has not used the best ingredients, the correct techniques while still maintaining a sophisticated level of simplicity. Highly developed dishes are creative bonuses; but the foundation of all cooking is based on upholding the integrity of the products themselves.” This is a quote from FigMint Executive Chef Lee Humphries’ culinary philosophy. His desire to uphold the standard of FigMint’s cuisine shines when his plates arrive at the table. With delicacies like Coq Au Vin with Watercress Pomme Puree, Green Beans and Sauce Grand Mere ($24) and the patent FigMint dessert with fig sticky toffee pudding, vanilla ice cream and crystallized mint ($8) it’s easy to see why this hotspot deserves all the praise it gets. There are three rooms to FigMint, however, including a lounge and two dining rooms so whether you’re looking for a fancy cocktail or some gourmet cuisine or both, FigMint will stand up to even your wildest imaginings. –J.T. 500 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC. 604-875-3312
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

75: Mercato, Calgary

Being an Italian venue, it's appropriate that the name of this restaurant translates into marketplace in English. The market has always been synonymous with Italian cuisine, which explains the popularity of the fresh cuisine that Calgarians fiend for on a nightly basis. The open-kitchen concept allows salivating patrons to eagerly watch their dinner be prepared before their eyes, or take recluse on the wonderful patio to dine al fresco in the early evening air. The aromas of garlic, basil, rosemary and an assortment of Italian herbs and coffees travel with you outside – a major tease for passersby (probably explains the jam-packed dining room too). Book a reservation or be left standing in line while the tempting scents of Italian cuisine waft by. -E.J. 2224 4th Street South-West, Calgary, AB. 403-263-5535
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

74: Opus on 8th, Calgary

Head Chef Matt Binkley and the owners of Opus on 8th make a bold statement when describing their eatery, dubbing it a “lounge revolution.” With a menu that features izakaya (Asian tapas), steamed Shanghai dumplings, organic beef tataki, and even sushi pizza, Opus pushes the boundaries of typical lounge fare. If you’re feeling especially malnourished, you could try the Chef’s Ultimate Experience: a 5-course dining affair that promises copious exotic flavours. By combining old and new school wines, as well as featuring green tea and fresh fruit sorbetto-infused cocktails, the drink list offers a solid selection. What Opus boils down to is an exceptional watering hole and eatery, great for a buzz and a bite, which is great, but hardly an evolution. –H.J. 628 8th Avenue South-West Calgary, AB. 403-269-4110
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

73: Escoba, Calgary

Walking into Escoba is like entering your old Italian grandmother’s cantina; it’s got that warm, boozy feel. The wine list reads like a dictionary and most can be ordered by the glass so feel free to sample away. The menu is made up of “inspired comfort food.” “Inspired by what?” you might ask. The wine, obviously. The vast menu includes selections of fondue, risotto, pasta, flatbread and a variety of hot and cold appetizers. If the plethora leaves you discombobulated as to how to put it all together, the servers are trained to save the day with appropriate wine pairings for each of the dishes on the menu. –J.T. 624 8th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB. 403-543-8911
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide