From coast to coast, Canadian cities welcome visitors with a wide range of palate-pleasing cuisines. Public markets, bakeries, fine dining restaurants, cafés, pubs, and food halls in these 11 cities offer countless mouthwatering moments to savor regional flavors.
Today, Canadian chefs draw on ingredients sourced from the sea, forest, and farm. A delicious array of Marriott Bonvoy participating hotels across Canada allow guests to stay in comfort and satiate their tastebuds with the tempting menus created by talented chefs.
Scroll down to discover Canada’s leading food destinations and curated culinary experiences designed to make your journey delicious and effortless. As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Vancouver
Nestled on the western coastline of the country, Vancouver beckons travelers with a contemporary food scene inspired by the bounty of the sea. The city is also home to sizable Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino communities, as well as the third largest Indigenous population of any Canadian city — and that cultural diversity translates to the plate.
Start your culinary exploration of Vancouver in the country’s largest Chinatown, which features a vibrant assortment of restaurants, bakeries, and markets, then stretch your legs with a walk through nearby Gastown, the city’s oldest neighborhood and a home to a diverse selection of restaurants. In Vancouver’s West End, you’ll find Little Ginza with its many ramen joints, omakase restaurants, and yakitori spots. Granville Island is home to a busy public market showcasing the province’s seasonal bounty, as well as the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, a training center for chefs. While you’re there, grab a pastry or two at the Blue Hat Bakery & Bistro.
Located on the southwest edge of Yaletown, JW Marriott Parq Vancouver is steps from the entertainment district and two sports stadiums, and is less than 20 minutes to Gastown and Chinatown. The five-star hotel’s dining program is overseen by chef Colin Burslem. On-site eateries range from The Victor, a sophisticated steakhouse, to Honey Salt, a bistro-style spot with seasonally inspired, farm-to-table dishes.
Another draw for foodies: The hotel’s rooftop JW Garden is a source of herbs and fruit for in-house cuisine and cocktails. It’s also home to honey bees and pollinator plants.
Calgary
In the shadow of the Canadian Rockies, Calgary showcases its Western heritage with cowboy hats, denim suits, and its most prized ingredient: AAA prime Alberta beef. Ranches and farms border the outer edges of Calgary’s urban area, meaning many of the ingredients here are as local as it gets.
Meander through the Kensington district to visit an eclectic array of coffee shops, boutiques, and bistros. After dark, consider walking along 14th Street in the Beltline district, where restaurants specialize in everything from Mediterranean to Korean cuisines, then pop into one of the many bars the neighborhood has to offer.
Downtown presents several opportunities to indulge in choice cuts of Alberta beef, as well as the city’s beloved cocktail, the Caesar. This riff on a bloody mary made with Clamato juice was invented in 1969 at The Calgary Inn, now The Westin Calgary.
For an appetizing adventure, wander 4th Street, which connects the Mission, Beltline, and Cliff Bungalow neighbourhoods, and peruse a plethora of dining options. Consider timing your visit to overlap with the twice-yearly, walkable food festival, the Feast on Fourth.
Located beside the city’s river valley, Delta Hotels by Marriott Calgary Downtown serves as an ideal basecamp. Whet your whistle at The Shoe & Canoe Public House, which boasts a wide selection of classic cocktails, charcuterie, and local craft beers.
Edmonton
Enjoy a nightcap at JW Marriott Edmonton’s Alchemy Bar. (Photo: Marriott International)
Edmonton’s diversity makes this provincial capital city attractive for travelers, who will appreciate a multitude of dining options ranging from burger joints to steakhouses and wine bars. Local libations are easily found across the city — breweries, cocktail bars, and distilleries dot the downtown. Be sure to check out the city’s first and only craft cidery, Broken Spoke Cider Co.
On the south side of the North Saskatchewan River, you’ll find Ritchie Market, a modern food hall in the Ritchie neighborhood where you can kick off the day with a freshly baked pastry or celebrate happy hour with a craft cocktail. The Old Strathcona district is a lodestone for dining, especially along Whyte Avenue, home to numerous pubs, bars, cafés, and restaurants. This is the place where locals head for date night or to catch-up during the city’s annual Fringe Theatre Festival.
The ICE District surrounding Rogers Place, the city’s sports main arena, is a bustling area of shops, restaurants, and pubs. Popular with business and leisure travelers, JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District, includes four options for food and drink. Uncover the hidden entrance to Alchemy Bar (hint: look for the bookcase) for classic and innovative cocktails, such as a French 75 made with Empress Gin from Vancouver Island. Or get your fill of Alberta beef at Braven, the hotel’s steakhouse offers multitude of prime cuts paired with a raw bar.
Winnipeg
Home to the largest Indigenous urban population in Canada, Winnipeg’s dining scene incorporates influences from First Nation cuisines to those of the city’s immigrants. For three weeks each January and February, the RAW:almond festival hosts innovative dinners in a temporary restaurant built on the two frozen downtown rivers.
For Indigenous dishes, check out Bistro on Notre Dame and Sharecuterie, which focus on Manitoba-sourced ingredients such as bison, wall-eye, and Saskatoon berries, as well as reinterpretations of of traditional Indigenous staples such as bannock.
Nicknamed the “Chicago of the North,” Winnipeg’s industrial history can be glimpsed in the Exchange District, which sprawls over a 20-block radius and features abundant examples of 1880 to 1920 styles of stone, brick, and terracotta sarchitecture. A walking tour through the district is sure to inspire an appetite — fortunately, it has more than 50 restaurants, cafés, and breweries to try.
Delta Hotels by Marriott Winnipeg, located in the city’s downtown, is less than a 20-minute walk to the Exchange District, Canada Life Centre, and the University of Winnipeg. Hotel guests have on-site access to the British pub-inspired Elephant & Castle, or take a short walk to the Hargrave St. Market, a modern food hall where diners can grab ramen, tacos, burgers, craft beer, coffee, and cocktails.
Toronto
The largest metropolis in Canada, Toronto is also one of the most multicultural. More than 170 languages are spoken here, which should give you a sense of how diverse the food scene is.
A century ago, Toronto was nicknamed “Hogtown,” in honor of all the pork products produced here. The city’s pride and joy remains peameal bacon, which is enjoyed by locals to this day. For travelers looking to indulge in this 19th-century ingredient, the place to go is St. Lawrence Market, which has been open for business since 1803. Shoppers will find butchers, bakers, and pastry-makers shoulder to shoulder with cheesemongers and fishmongers. Shop for pantry staples or participate in cooking classes and pop-up events.
Head west from the market along Front Street and the nearby entertainment and theater district to The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto. Forbes Four-Star restaurant TOCA is a destination unto itself and features Milanese-inspired fare and an impressive cheese cave. Make time to visit LANO, a classic espresso and wine bar located in the lobby.
Ottawa
Canada’s capital city sports a walkable and intimate downtown, making it easy to explore the many museums or Parliament Hill, home to the country’s federal government. Cross the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and head to the Byward Market District for maple leaf-shaped shortbread cookies from Le Moulin de Provence — President Barack Obama even picked up a few as a gift for his daughters. The city also hosts multiple festivals celebrating food and drink, including the annual Canadian Culinary Championship.
A quick stroll from Byward Market is The Westin Ottawa, which boasts rooms with views of the canal and Parliament buildings. The hotel is also a short distance from The Glebe, an upscale neighborhood dotted with stylish restaurants and bars. Stay in one night and enjoy oysters, sliders, and charcuterie boards with an extensive menu of beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic tipples at The Shore Club.
Montreal
Treat yourself to an Italian dining experience at W Montreal’s TBSP restaurant. (Photo: Marriott International)
Cosmopolitan Montreal has long attracted visitors with its world-class dining scene. While the influence of old-school French cuisine runs deep here, chefs often reinterpret bistro staples with Québécois ingredients such as venison, foraged berries, and maple syrup.
The quintessential must-haves while in Montreal are contributions from the city’s Jewish community: bagels and smoked meat. For Montreal-style bagels — sweetened with honey and faintly smoky from a wood-fired oven — head to the iconic St-Viateur. For smoked meat — a close cousin of pastrami — prepare to wait in line at Schwartz’s Deli.
Whether dining at a brasserie in Vieux-Montréal (Old Montreal) or choosing one of the contemporary restaurants of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, gourmands will be enthralled with this city’s food culture. Visitors can source tasty souvenirs from popular public markets such as Jean-Talon Market and Atwater Market, and take home a wide array of Quebec-made products.
Situated in the heart of downtown, the lively W Montreal is a 20-minute walk to the shopping and dining of Rue Saint-Catherine. Guests rub shoulders with locals at the hotel’s Living Room, where DJs keep the good vibes going as mixologists shake up heady concoctions such as the Pink Swan, an elegant combination of gin, Campari, and apple liqueur.
Menus rotate weekly at W Montreal’s signature restaurant, Tbsp. Diners can expect Italian-inspired, seasonally based dishes such as duck gnocchi, truffle pappardelle, and cavatelli with lamb, leek, and black garlic.
Quebec City
Explore the historic streets of Quebec City and savor a plate of poutine along the way. (Photo: Getty Images)
As the only fortified city on the continent north of Mexico with its defensive walls still standing, Quebec City overlooks the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. Within the stone fortifications is Vieux-Québec, where much of the architecture dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Here, restaurants offer traditional Québécois dishes including tourtière (meat pie), pâté chinois (similar to an English shepherd’s pie), or fèves au lard (a slow-cooked stew of beans, bacon, and maple syrup).
A five-minute walk from the stone walls of Vieux-Québec lies Quebec City Marriott Downtown, a modern hotel with all the amenities. Guests can enjoy French-influenced American cuisine at the in-house restaurant Que Sera Sera.
Quebec’s most famous gastronomic specialty is undoubtedly poutine, a heady mix of fries, cheese curds, and gravy. While Québécois have strong opinions on who makes the best version, virtually all agree that the poutine atAshton, a regional fast food chain, is excellent.
Foodies should also be sure to also pay a visit to Le Grand Marché de Québec, a daily downtown market showcasing locally made items from over 100 producers.
Halifax
Nestled on the south shore of Nova Scotia, Halifax was once a historic entry point for many Canadians who arrived from the Old World. Fresh-caught lobster, fish, dulse, and scallops are intrinsic to the city’s culinary diet. Locals adore their seafood chowder, fish and chips, and donair, a Canadian version of a döner kebab introduced in the 1970s by a Greek immigrant.
The city’s bustling North End is full of vintage shops, boutiques, bars, and restaurants. Check out Agricola Street Brasserie for seafood and pastas, or Luke’s Small Goods for in-house made bread, cookies, charcuterie, and sandwiches.
Located in Queen’s Marque on the downtown waterfront, Muir, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Halifax is within easy walking distance to downtown’s shops, galleries, and restaurants. At this five-star boutique hotel, travelers can dine at Drift, a welcoming eatery featuring a thoughtful menu with East Coast staples. For a fine dining experience, opt for a tasting menu at Mystic, overseen by Executive Chef Bill Osborne and Chef de Cuisine Malcolm Campbell.
Don’t forget to grab a nightcap at BKS, Muir’s speakeasy.
Regina
Nicknamed the Queen City, Regina resides in the heart of the Canadian prairies. Chefs here draw heavily on Saskatchewan’s abundant grains, produce, and local honey.
In Cathedral Village, a boho enclave known for indie boutiques and art galleries, pick up handcrafted souvenirs from Filigree Chocolaterie and Cuppa T’ Speciality Tea Shop. In the Warehouse District stop by ChinaDoll, which has been serving Vietnamese and Thai cuisine for more than half a century.
The Hotel Saskatchewan, Autograph Collection opened in 1927 in the Wascana district of downtown Regina. This historic boutique is home to the lobby lounge Circa 27, an art deco-inspired bar. Monday through Friday, guests can partake in the “five o’clock” ritual — a complimentary shot of Saskatchewan whiskey to toast the city of Regina.
Inspired by a rabbit, The Hotel Saskatchewan’s unofficial mascot, The Burrow is charming with Victorian decor and rabbit portraits, diners can soak up the cozy ambience over Continental fare.
St. John’s
With a long history of fishing, St. John’s revels in its love for the sea. On menus here, you’ll find everything from fresh-caught cod to icebergs — now used in the distilling of a local vodka.
Brew pubs are close to the hearts of locals, many of whom have ancestors from England, Scotland, or Ireland. The Water Street Historic District in the city’s downtown includes 19th–century mercantile buildings and many a place to enjoy a cold pint. Try YellowBelly Brewery, well-known for house-brewed beer, wood-fired pizzas, and seafood. Below the brewery, you’ll find its sister speakeasy, The Underbelly.
While in town, go for an old-school Newfoundland meal: a Jiggs dinner, a traditional Sunday supper of boiled meat and vegetables. Some restaurants offer fried cod tongues (a Newfoundland delicacy) alongside the vegetables.
Delta Hotels by Marriott St. John’s Conference Centre provides a welcome respite for business or leisure travelers in Newfoundland’s largest city. It’s less than a 15-minute walk to the downtown, where you’ll find pubs, bars, and fine dining options, such as the modern Newfoundland cuisine of Terre Restaurant.
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