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The list of the best 100 restaurants in Canada has been released and it appears that restaurateurs who want to make headlines might still be better off setting up shop in the country's more urban centres (although there are some exceptions).

Canada's 100 Best Restaurants recently announced the 2019 ranking of Canada's best restaurants as voted by 98 food critics, leading chefs, top-notch restaurateurs, elite diners and food fanatics from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

Not unexpectedly, many of the recognized dining hotspots (26, to be exact) are located in Toronto, with a few more found in Quebec and British Columbia.

No restaurants from Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington or Milton made it onto the list.

The guide to Canada's finest restaurants was released at an awards gala held at The St. Regis Hotel in Toronto.

Hosted by Jacob Richler, the editor-in-chief of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants, and chef Ivana Raca - partner at all female-run Ufficio restaurant - the evening saw the nation's most renowned and respected chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and food lovers gather to celebrate the country's vibrant culinary scene.

Setting a new record, Toronto's Alo was named the best restaurant in Canada for the third year in a row. Alo's chef and owner, Patrick Kriss - who also owns two other restaurants on this year's list, Aloette (35) and Alobar (65), took home the title of Canada's Most Outstanding Chef.

While the Toronto food scene earned the most love, it was followed by Montreal and Vancouver, with 25 and 14 restos, respectively.

Eight East Coast restaurants made the list.

Canada's 100 Best Restaurants named the following Top 10 restaurants for 2019:

Alo - Toronto Joe Beef - Montreal Toque - Montreal Langdon Hall - Cambridge St. Lawrence - Vancouver Le Mousso - Montreal Buca Osteria & Bar - Toronto Montreal Plaza - Montreal Giulietta - Toronto Edulis - Toronto



Canada's 100 Best Restaurants also recognizes excellence in the industry:

Best Sommelier - Christopher Sealy; Alo Best in Business Leadership - Nick DiDonato; Liberty Entertainment Group Most Innovative Chef - Antonin Mousseau-Rivard; Le Mousso Most Eco-Friendly Restaurant - Sal Howell of River Cafe; Calgary Best Farm to Table Restaurant - Nightingale; Vancouver BC Best Pastry Chef - Celeste Mah- Raymonds; St. John’s Nfld One to Watch Young Chef - Massimo Piedimonte; Le Mousso Best New Restaurant - Giulietta; Toronto Outstanding Chef - Patrick Kriss; Alo Best Restaurant Design - Partisans; Quetzal Restaurant Lifetime Achievement Award - Normand Laprise; Toque!

Here are Canada's 100 Best restaurants for 2019.

1. Alo - Toronto

2. Joe Beef - Montreal

3. Toque - Montreal

4. Langdon Hall - Cambridge

5. St. Lawrence - Vancouver

6. Le Mousso - Montreal

7. Buca Osteria & Bar (Yorkville) - Toronto

8. Montreal Plaza - Montreal

9. Giulietta - Toronto

10. Edulis - Toronto

11. Hawksworth - Vancouver

12. Raymond's - St. John's

13. Le Vin Papillon - Montreal

14. The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette - Jordan Station

15. Bar Kismet - Halifax

16. Kissa Tanto - Vancouver

17. Mallard Cottage - Newfoundland

18. Dandylion - Toronto

19. Liver Pool House - Montreal

20. Bar Isabel - Toronto

21. Shokunin - Calgary

22. L'Abattoir - Vancouver

23. Quetzal - Toronto

24. La Banane - Toronto

25. Atelier - Ottawa

26. Scaramouche - Toronto

27. Canis - Toronto

28. Model Milk - Calgary

29. Pigeonhole - Calgary

30. Milos - Montreal

31. Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar - Vancouver

32. L'Express - Montreal

33. Skippa - Toronto

34. Cioppino's - Vancouver

35. Aloette - Toronto

36. Maison Publique - Montreal

37. Nightingale - Vancouver

38. Pastel - Montreal

39. Botanist - Vancouver

40. Cafe Boulud - Toronto

41. Jun I - Montreal

42. River Cafe - Calgary

43. Damas - Montreal

44. Elena - Montreal

45. Buca (King Street) - Toronto

46. Canoe - Toronto

47. Ten foot Henry - Calgary

48. Monarque - Montreal

49. Don Alfonso 1890 - Toronto

50. Vin Mon Lapin - Montreal

51. Riviera - Ottawa

52. Club chasse et peche - Montreal

53. L'aterier Joel Robuchon - Montreal

54. La Quercia - Vancouver

55. Bullion Bilk - Montreal

56. Kiin (tied) - Toronto

56. Segovia (tied) - Winnipeg

58. Von Der Fels - Calgary

59. Bearfoot Bistro - Whistler

60. Savio Volpe - Vancouver

61. Biera - Edmonton

62. Fireworks at the Inn at Bay Fortune (tied) - PEI

62. Brothers (tied) - Toronto

64. Il Covo - Toronto

65. Alo Bar (Yorkville) - Toronto

66. Avenue - Toronto

67. La cabane d'a cote (tied) - Quebec

67. Shoushin (tied) - Toronto

67. Actinolite (tied) - Toronto

68. Bridgette Bar - Calgary

71. La Palma (tied) - Toronto

71. L'Initiale (tied) - Quebec

73. Marconi - Montreal

74. Maison Boulud - Montreal

75. Fogo Island Inn - Newfoundland

76. Pilgrimme - Galiano Island

77. Foxy - Montreal

78. Masayoshi - Vancouver

79. Rossmount Inn - New Brunswick

80. Montgomery - Toronto

81. Cabane PDC - Quebec

82. Calcutta Cricket Club - Calgary

83. Ile Flottante (tied) - Montreal

83. Restaurant Battuto (tied) - Quebec

85. Candide - Montreal

86. La Chronique - Montreal

87. Ancora - Vancouver

88. Bauhaus - Vancouver

89. Rouge - Calgary

90. Impasto - Montreal

91. Chabrol - Toronto

92. Little Oak - Halifax

93. Bundok - Alberta

94. The Courtney Room - Victoria

95. Uccellino - Edmonton

96. Provision - Quebec

97. Les Brumes Du Coude - New Brunswick

98. Stofa - Ottawa

99. Richmond Station - Toronto

100. Fauna - Ottawa

As for why no suburban restos made the cut, it could have something to do with the fact that the best food in the 905—the absolutely incredible ethnic cuisine—is often served in more casual restaurants that tend to fly under the radar. While Mississauga and Brampton have some fine dining gems, they tend to favour classic dishes—think veal scallopini, house-made gnocchi and prime rib—that are comforting rather than trendy.

But while some trendy (but genuinely inventive and delicious) restos such as Bar Isabel, La Banane and Kiin made the list, other restos—such as Langdon Hall— that specialize in elevated fine dining cuisine staples such as lobster, foie gras, salmon, pork, sea scallops and more, also made the cut (so there’s certainly hope for 905 fine-dining establishments).

So while this wasn't the year for a Mississauga, Brampton or Halton resto to make the list, there's always next year.

And with the food scenes growing in the suburbs, it might not be long before a local resto breaks the top 100.

Cover photo from Montreal Plaza. Photo courtesy of canadas100best.com