Atelier, last year’s People’s Choice winner, and Langdon Hall are neck-and-neck in public voting as Vacay.ca names the nation’s Top 50 Restaurants for 2013. (Julia Pelish collage/Vacay.ca)
Story by Vacay.ca StaffÂ
Food lovers in Canada are expressing adoration for stately Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario. (©Julia Pelish/Vacay.ca)
Canadians’ appetite for naming their favourite restaurant is proving to be insatiable.
With six weeks left in public voting for the 2013 Vacay.ca Top 50 Restaurants in Canada, two of the nation’s most acclaimed establishments are in a tight battle for the People’s Choice award — which is determined by votes from Canadians. Two other highly regarded restaurants follow closely, while several more are only a viral campaign away from surging ahead.
Three different restaurants have held the lead in the past week, with Langdon Hall taking over first place on Tuesday afternoon, sliding past Atelier after a torrent of votes were cast in its favour.
Voter Barb Tarr called Langdon Hall the “most delicious restaurant I’ve dined at in ages. So innovative!” Toronto’s Angus Anderson wrote, “What can I say? The best service and food in a WONDERFUL setting — it never disappoints.”
Last year, Ottawa’s Atelier won the inaugural People’s Choice award as Vacay.ca became the first publication to ever produce a list of the nation’s top places to dine out. With a focus on molecular gastronomy, Atelier placed fifth overall in the 2012 Top 50 Restaurants in Canada ranking and would not have finished in the top 15 were it not for support from its passionate patrons. Langdon Hall, which is also home to one of the country’s top-rated boutique hotels, finished second overall behind Vij’s, with the majority of its points coming from judges’ ballots.
To take part in the voting, email your restaurant choice to vote@vacay.ca.
Memories, The Blue Door Contend in Canada’s Restaurant Vote
Public votes are added to the votes made by the 34-member Vacay.ca Voting Academy, which includes esteemed chefs and food industry professionals, as well as food and travel writers, and food aficionados. The judges are spread throughout the country and they each have 100 points to distribute between 5-10 restaurants. Judges can give a restaurant a maximum of 20 points, while the public votes are each worth one point. The votes from the public and the judges combine to create the 2013 Top 50 Restaurants in Canada. However, public support solely decides the People’s Choice winner.
So far, the public has not showed any hesitation over voting for Langdon Hall despite the recent headlines concerning chef Jonathan Gushue, who had gone missing in early January. Instead, the support for the restaurant and its elite kitchen, headed by chef de cuisine Dave Sider in Gushue’s absence, has been passionate. The establishment in Cambridge, Ontario, which has made it onto the World’s 100 Best Restaurants List, holds a slim four-point advantage.
After Langdon Hall and Atelier, Memories in Regina, Saskatchewan is ranked third while Fredericton, New Brunswick’s The Blue Door — which briefly took over No. 1 spot last Friday — is in fourth place. Montreal favourite Joe Beef and Calgary’s Muse Restaurant were tied for fifth as of Tuesday afternoon.
Peter Quesnel, executive director of Saskatchewan’s College Fresh Music, was among many diners expressing praise for Memories. “Overall, the employer and employees all specialize in offering the highest-quality fine-dining experience that I have personally ever seen as I have made my travels across Canada,” Siarkos wrote when he submitted his vote. Former CFL star Scott Schultz, who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, also threw support behind Memories.
Some voters are also entering the Vacay.ca Foodie of the Year Contest by offering reviews of their favourite restaurants, as well as following Vacay.ca on Twitter and Facebook. In voting for Joe Beef, Jo-Ann Samo wrote, “I must admit the Joe Beef experience is unlike any other that you will encounter. It is a cavalcade of outstanding dishes, each a conquest of amazingly glorious, gluttonous and eccentric recipes. Servers were knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming. It’’s a celebration that needs to be on everyone’’s 2013 bucket list.” (Read more of this Foodie of the Year Entrant.)
This year, the Top 50 Restaurants in Canada will be announced on April 25, with public voting wrapping up on April 15. Judges’ votes are submitted on March 30.
“The voting has been mind-boggling,” says Janine MacLean, Chair of the Vacay.ca Top Restaurants in Canada. “Canadians love dining out and, more than that, what our voters are showing is that patrons in this country have an appreciation for restaurants and chefs who celebrate regional cuisine. It’s why people travel — to experience local flavours that are hard to find anywhere else. We’re very happy that our voters are connecting with the spirit of our list — which is to showcase the truly best in Canadian fine dining.”
Voting for Vacay.ca People’s Choice Award for Canada’s Favourite Restaurants
(Standings as of March 5, 2013; voting ends at midnight on April 15, 2013; email vote@vacay.ca to participate):
- Langdon Hall, Cambridge, Ontario
- Atelier, Ottawa, Ontario
- Memories, Regina, Saskatchewan
- The Blue Door, Fredericton, New Brunswick
- (tie) Joe Beef, Montreal, Quebec and Muse Restaurant, Calgary, Alberta
More than 100 restaurants have received votes already.
Learn about the judges for the 2013 Vacay.ca Top 50 Restaurants in Canada.
To see last year’s rankings, click here.
More About Langdon Hall
Location:Â 1 Langdon Drive, Cambridge, ON
Contact/Reservations: Telephone: 519-740-2100 or 800-268-1898 (toll free)
Price Range: Dinner is served nightly from 5:30 to 9 pm and features a Chef’s Tasting Menu starting at $125 for seven courses. For dining la carte, dinner entree prices currently range from $29-$44. Langdon Hall also serves breakfast, lunch, Sunday brunch, and afternoon tea, and also features Wilks’ Bar, a casual lounge with main courses ranging from $18-$26.
Website:Â www.langdonhall.ca
Vacay.ca Coverage:
- Langdon Hall Shows Its Canadian Pride (video)
- Photo Gallery of Langdon Hall in the Snow
- A Touch of Europe in Galt
More About Atelier
Location:Â 540 Rochester Street, Ottawa, ON
Contact:Â Telephone: 613-321-3537; mail:Â info@atelierrestaurant.ca
Hours:Â Tuesday to Saturday, 5-10 pm.
Website: www.atelierrestaurant.ca
Reservations: You can make your dinner booking on the Atelier website. Dinner lasts at least three hours.
Price Range:Â Tasting menu is $110 for 12 courses, with an option for a wine pairing for an additional $60.
Vacay.ca Coverage:Â
- Why Atelier is Canada’s Alinea (video)
