Victoria restaurant named in Top 30 new Canadian eateries by Air Canada

A Victoria eatery is among the Top 30 of the nation’s best new restaurants, according to Air Canada enRoute.

Seven B.C. restaurants made the long list celebrating new culinary talent across Canada including Cafe Malabar in the Victoria Public Market, as well as Lower Mainland eateries Ancestor Cafe, Bravo, Dovetail Restaurant, Gary’s, Lila Restaurant and Osteria Elio Volpe.

Sharing the vibrant flavours of Kerala, India, Cafe Malabar aims to create food to awaken the senses and ignite a love affair with diverse cultures.

“Operating out of our cozy space in the Victoria Public Market, we take immense pride in being the only restaurant in Victoria to receive this prestigious recognition. It’s an honour to be among such an incredible lineup of restaurants, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be in the running for the Top 10,” the restaurant said, announcing the listing on social media.

The list highlights restaurants that opened between late spring 2023 and May 31. To create it, Air Canada sends one anonymous writer on a month-long culinary marathon to rank eateries based on the recommendations of a coast-to-coast panel of food experts. Started in 2002, the list is billed as the longest running Canadian restaurant ranking.

“Food is an important part of culture and heritage, and by sharing the very best of Canada’s creative culinary scene, we hope to inspire people to seek out great food experiences across our country. In doing so, we are proud to celebrate the best of Canadian talent and support the vitality of Canada’s restaurant and hospitality sector,” Air Canada’s Andy Shibata said in a news release.

A Top 10 will be announced Nov. 4.

“Thank you to all our amazing guests for your support – we couldn’t have done it without you. November can’t come soon enough, but until then, we are celebrating this amazing milestone,” the Cafe Malabar post reads.

Find the full list at CanadasBestNewRestaurants.com.

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