by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 11:45 AM ET, Thu July 16, 2026
Culinary travel is popular with travellers, who are seeking out new taste experiences and see food as a way to connect with local cultures. A new survey from OpenTable shows that hotel restaurants can influence a traveller's choice about where to go and stay too.
According to the survey of 1500 Canadians who have eaten in a hotel restaurant at least once in the last five years, 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 percent) have booked a hotel specifically because of its restaurant. Food also plays a key role in pre-travel planning, with 39 per cent saying they research restaurants and bars the most before a trip.
"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, located in the Four Seasons Toronto. “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.”
One of the findings of the survey shows that Canadians spend nearly an hour researching and booking restaurants for a trip, demonstrating the importance many travellers place on eating while away from home. In Canada, dining at hotel restaurants in 2026 is up seven percent, year-over-year.
The attraction of a good hotel restaurant isn’t limited to out-of-towners and hotel guests either. Dining in Canada has seen a 13 percent increase from locals, year-over-year. “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 percent of Canadians booking a hotel in their own city or nearby area for a staycation, a great hotel restaurant turns a regular night out into something that feels like a trip, no check-in required.”
OpenTable released the study in connection with two announcements. The first is its “Concierge” function. The AI-enabled assistant (accessible at the bottom of the OpenTable homepage) gives travellers the ability to find restaurants to match exactly what they are looking for through natural language queries, such as “Where do locals love to go?” or “Which restaurant would be perfect for a first date?”
The other news is the release of its second annual Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in Canada list. The list was compiled using data from over 1,100,000 reviews from verified OpenTable diners and dining metrics from May 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026, looking at overall ratings and percentage of five-star reviews. The list is presented alphabetically by region, not in order of ranking.
Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in Canada 2026
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
- 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
Ontario
- 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
Quebec
- Bar George, Le Mount Stephen, Montreal
- Le Champlain, Hotel Le Champlain, Quebec City
- Maison Boulud, The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal, Montreal
- Marcus, Four Seasons Hotel Montréal, Montreal
- Terrasse William Gray, Hôtel William Gray, Montreal
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