Hotel restaurants are playing an increasingly central role in how Canadians dine and travel. New OpenTable data shows hotel dining is on the rise across Canada, with dining at hotel restaurants in 2026 up seven per cent, year-over-year.² To help diners discover standout spots near and far, OpenTable launches its second annual Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in Canada for 2026.³
Alongside the list, OpenTable is spotlighting new insights into how Canadians are embracing hotel restaurants across travel, staycations or everyday dining experiences that feel like a getaway.
The destination is dinner: Nearly half (49%) of Canadians have dined at a restaurant located in a hotel within the last six months and 90 per cent have said they visited a hotel restaurant even when they weren’t staying at the property.¹ Much of that momentum is being driven by locals, not just out-of-town guests, with dining in Canada seeing a 13% increase from locals, year-over-year.
The Clockwork Bar at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Jim Byers Photo
“Don’t sleep on the hotel restaurant. Some of the best tables are just past the lobby, and you don’t need a room key,” says Matt Davis, Head of North America Hotels at OpenTable. “These venues have become dining destinations in their own right, pulling in locals just as much as travellers. With 44% of Canadians booking a hotel in their own city or nearby area for a staycation,¹ a great hotel restaurant turns a regular night out into something that feels like a trip, no check-in required.”
“A great hotel restaurant feels intrinsically connected to its city, brought to life through excellent food, quality cocktails and thoughtful service,” says William Kresky, Executive Chef at Café Boulud Toronto (which is superb, by the way). “By balancing consistency with innovation and letting the seasons shape the menu, we continue to welcome a diverse mix of loyal locals, international travellers and business guests.”
Holiday planning, food-first: For many Canadians, restaurants are becoming a reason to book the trip, not just part of the plan. Forty-three per cent say they have chosen a travel destination because of its food or restaurant scene and over a quarter (28%) have booked a hotel specifically because of its restaurant. Food also plays a key role in pre-travel planning, with 39 % saying they research restaurants and bars the most before a trip.
Terrasse restaurant at the William Gray Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Jim Byers Photo
Beyond where they eat, travellers are also exploring what they eat. Contemporary Asian cuisine is one of the trending cuisines for travellers, up 71% year-to-date, year-over-year, with hotel restaurants like Masaki Sushi & Sake Bar in Niagara-on-the-Lake on the top list offering a bold, globally inspired menu.
Experience is on the menu: OpenTable data shows experiential dining is up 76%t year-over-year among travellers. Spots on the list that offer unique experiences include Marcus in Montreal with Sommelier Soirées, Langdon Hall in Cambridge with its grand tasting experience and Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar in Whistler with a Mountaintop dinner.
Less scrolling, more savouring: For almost half of Canadians (47%), finding restaurants near their hotel or activity is the hardest part of planning where to eat while travelling, with travellers spending an average of 55 minutes researching and booking a restaurant for a trip. Nearly a third of Canadians (31%) plan to use AI tools to discover and book reservations while travelling this year, rising to 53% among Gen Z.¹
Introducing Concierge: With summer travel season in full swing, OpenTable is launching a new evolution of Concierge, its AI-powered dining assistant, now available directly on the OpenTable homepage. Diners can describe exactly what they are looking for using natural language, from a spot locals love to the perfect date night nearby, and Concierge will surface options across OpenTable’s global network of more than 65,000 restaurants, powered by verified reviews, menus and real-time availability.
Louix Louis restaurant at the St. Regis Hotel, Toronto.
Explore OpenTable’s full Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in Canada for 2026³ for your next dining adventure. The list, organized in alphabetical order per province, features 24 restaurants in Ontario, 12 in British Columbia, eight in Alberta, five in Quebec and one in Atlantic Canada. To explore the full list, city-specific guides, and understand flight and hotel pricing with the help of KAYAK, visit OpenTable’s top hotel restaurant hub at https://www.opentable.ca/c/en/top-restaurants/top-50-hotel/.
I note that ten of the top 50 are at Fairmont hotels, including four at the remarkable Fairmont Banff Springs in Alberta. I particularly love Rundle Bar, but they’re all excellent, as are the Library Bar, REIGN and Clockwork Bar at the Fairmont Royal York and Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver.
I’m also a big fan of Cafe Boulud at the Four Seasons in Toronto, the exquisite Don Alfonso 1890 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Hawksworth Restaurant at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, Akira Beck at the Bisha Hotel Toronto, TOCA at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto, Terrasse William Gray in Montreal, and LOUIX LOUIS at the St. Regis in Toronto.
Alberta
1888 Chop House, Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff
Castello Italiana, Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff
Fairview Bar & Restaurant, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Lake Louise
Lakeview Lounge, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Lake Louise
Post Hotel Dining Room, Post Hotel & Spa, Lake Louise
Rundle Bar, Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff
The Keg Steakhouse + Bar – Calgary 4th Ave, The Westin Calgary, Calgary
Waldhaus, Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff
British Columbia
Hand-cut pasta with mushrooms at The Botanist, inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver. Jim Byers Photo
ATLAS steak + fish, Delta Hotels Burnaby Conference Centre, Burnaby
Botanist, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver
Gordon Ramsay Steak, River Rock Casino Resort, Richmond
Hawksworth Restaurant, Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver
Hy’s Steakhouse Whistler, Delta Hotels by Marriott Whistler Village Suites, Whistler
Mott 32, Paradox Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver
Prophecy, Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver
Reflections The Garden Terrace, Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver
Tableau Bar Bistro, The Loden Hotel, Vancouver
The Victor – Parq Vancouver, JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, Vancouver
Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar, Aava Whistler Hotel, Whistler
Atlantic
The Little Sparo, DoubleTree by Hilton St. John’s Harbourview, St. John’s
Ontario
Steelhead trout at Cafe Boulud at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Jim Byers Photo
21 Club, Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls
Abrielle, The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto, Toronto
Akira Back, Bisha Hotel, Toronto
Alder, Ace Hotel Toronto, Toronto
Café Boulud, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, Toronto
Cannery Restaurant, Pillar and Post Inn & Spa, Niagara-on-the-Lake
CLOCKWORK, Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Don Alfonso 1890, The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto
Isabelle Restaurant + Lounge, The Pearle Hotel, Burlington
KŌST, BISHA, Toronto
Langdon Hall Dining Room, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa, Cambridge
Library Bar, Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
LOUIX LOUIS, The St. Regis Toronto, Toronto
Masaki Sushi & Sake Bar, Moffat Inn, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Morton’s The Steakhouse, Park Hyatt Toronto, Toronto
Neros Steakhouse, Caesars Windsor, Windsor
Ponte Vecchio, Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls
REIGN, Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Rooftop Bar at the Broadview Hotel, The Rooftop, Toronto
Sportsnet Grill at Toronto Marriott City Centre, Marriott Hotel, Toronto
The Drawing Room, Prince of Wales Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake
The Tea Room, Windsor Arms Hotel, Toronto
TOCA – The Ritz-Carlton, The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
TONO by Akira Back, W Toronto hotel, Toronto
Delicious Korean Short Rib at Sportsnet Grill at the Toronto Marriott City Centre. Jim Byers Photo
Quebec
Bar George, Le Mount Stephen, Montreal
Maison Boulud, The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal, Montreal
Marcus, Four Seasons Hotel Montréal, Montreal
Terrasse William Gray, Hôtel William Gray, Montreal
Le Champlain, Hotel Le Champlain, Quebec City
NEW YORK CITY RESTAURANT WEEK OPENS FOR BOOKING
New York City Tourism + Conventions, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, announces that reservations for NYC Restaurant Week® Summer 2026 are now open at nyctourism.com/restaurantweek for dining from Monday, July 20, through Sunday, August 16.
The twice-yearly program invites New Yorkers and visitors to experience more than 600 restaurants across all five boroughs, offering over 45 cuisines in more than 70 neighborhoods, at a value. Participating restaurants will offer lunch and/or dinner prix-fixe menus featuring classic, favorite and new items. Meals are priced at $30, $45 or $60 and vary by restaurant to create affordable options at various price points. Taxes and gratuity are not included; Saturdays are excluded from the program, and Sundays are optional.
A lovely salad at Benoit in New York City. Jim Byers Photo
“NYC Restaurant Week is a signature celebration of the City’s culinary scene, making dining affordable and accessible across all five boroughs,” said Julie Coker, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions. “As New York City continues to welcome the world for a historic summer, this program boosts business to more than 600 restaurants while giving visitors more reasons to explore the neighborhoods, cultures and cuisines that make our city one of the world’s great dining destinations.”
I’ve taken advantage of New York City Restaurant Week several times, and have never been disappointed. The savings are terrific, as is the food.
