Our 2025 dining series showcased 11 restaurants in three dinners.
Just like last year, our annual dinner series showcasing Canada’s best kicked off the day after our annual list launch — on May 5, at four-time #1-ranked Alo, in Toronto. Patrick Kriss, his chef de cuisine (CDC) Tim Yun and the rest of the exceptional Alo team played host to chefs Eric Robertson and Daniel Hadida from the newly anointed #1 Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, Ont.), Danny Smiles from best new restaurant Le Violon (Montreal) and best pastry chef Patrice Demers from Sabayon (Montreal, again). There were cocktails from Hugo Togni, then of #1 Bar Pompette (Toronto). And there was caviar and La Grande Dame 2015 and other fine wines from Phantom Creek Estates and Gibson Family Group. Then we took the show on the road. Next stop: Vancouver, where Massimo Piedimonte from Cabaret l’Enfer (Montreal) and Mike Robbins from AnnaLena (Vancouver) joined Hector Laguna and his CDC Jayden Kresnyak on the pass at Botanist. Finally, in October we landed back in Montreal — at Cabaret l’Enfer, where Piedimonte welcomed to his kitchen Rafa Covarrubias from Hexagon (Oakville, Ont.), Jérémie Bastien from Monarque and young pasta maestro Luca Vinci from Montreal’s Pasta Pooks. Stay tuned for details on our 2026 lineup.
Toronto
06/05/2025
RPM, Le Violon, Sabayon and mixologist Hugo Togni at Alo.
FROM LEFT: Patrick Kriss, Tim Yun, Carolina Surma, Jacob Richler, Mitch Laughren, Danny Smiles, Eric Robertson, Daniel Hadida and Patrice Demers.
Caviar canapes
Alo sommelier Christopher Sealy
Dungeness crab with hay custard and beurre noisette (RPM)
Chefs Eric Robertson and Daniel Hadida (RPM)
Chef Patrick Kriss (middle) with Alo regulars
Lobster, white asparagus and morels (Alo)
Chefs Tim Yun (Alo) and Danny Smiles (Le Violon)
FROM LEFT: Patrick Kriss, Tim Yun, Carolina Surma, Jacob Richler, Mitch Laughren, Danny Smiles, Eric Robertson, Daniel Hadida and Patrice Demers.
Caviar canapes
Alo sommelier Christopher Sealy
Dungeness crab with hay custard and beurre noisette (RPM)
Chefs Eric Robertson and Daniel Hadida (RPM)
Chef Patrick Kriss (middle) with Alo regulars
Lobster, white asparagus and morels (Alo)
Chefs Tim Yun (Alo) and Danny Smiles (Le Violon)
Photography by Vito Amati
Montreal
07/10/2025
Hexagon, Monarque and special guest Luca Vinci from Pasta Pooks at Cabaret l’Enfer.
Cabaret l’Enfer’s Massimo Piedimonte (front right) with his team and guest chefs
Dartois of cod with caviar beurre blanc (Monarque)
Hirame ceviche with caviar (Hexagon)
Jérémie Bastien and Massimo Piedimonte
Duck breast with corn pudding and sauce Grand Véneur (Cabaret l’Enfer)
Plating the “Leonard Cohen Forever” milk + honey dessert (Cabaret l’Enfer)
Cabaret l’Enfer’s Massimo Piedimonte (front right) with his team and guest chefs
Dartois of cod with caviar beurre blanc (Monarque)
Hirame ceviche with caviar (Hexagon)
Jérémie Bastien and Massimo Piedimonte
Duck breast with corn pudding and sauce Grand Véneur (Cabaret l’Enfer)
Plating the “Leonard Cohen Forever” milk + honey dessert (Cabaret l’Enfer)
Photography by Patricia Brochu
Vancouver
10/07/2025
Cabaret l’Enfer, AnnaLena, and Laowai’s Shawn Soole at Botanist.
FROM LEFT: Jacob Richler with chefs Hector Laguna, Massimo Piedimonte, Kate Siegel, Mike Robbins and Jayden Kresnyak.
A perfect pairing for scallops (Phantom Creek Estates Riesling)
Artichoke agnolotti with Niagara hazelnuts (Cabaret l’Enfer)
Fairmont Pacific Rim executive chef Damon Campbell on the pass
Current Caviar’s finest
Macerated strawberries, strawberry granita, tequila lime sorbet and coconut lime dacquoise (Botanist)
FROM LEFT: Jacob Richler with chefs Hector Laguna, Massimo Piedimonte, Kate Siegel, Mike Robbins and Jayden Kresnyak.
A perfect pairing for scallops (Phantom Creek Estates Riesling)
Artichoke agnolotti with Niagara hazelnuts (Cabaret l’Enfer)
Fairmont Pacific Rim executive chef Damon Campbell on the pass
Current Caviar’s finest
Macerated strawberries, strawberry granita, tequila lime sorbet and coconut lime dacquoise (Botanist)
Photography by Todd Duncan
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