Vancouver, B.C., September 23, 2026 —The Chinese Restaurant Awards (CRA) North America , today unveiled the 2026 Elite 30 Canada, recognizing 30 outstanding Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants across the country, alongside 12 Signature Dishes and four individual honours.
The winners were announced this afternoon at the CRA’s 17th annual awards ceremony at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver. The ceremony also marked the announcement of the inaugural Elite 12 United States Awards. The CRA’s Elite 25 Asia and Essential 25 Asia will be announced in October.
“This year, we wanted the Awards to give diners a fuller picture of Chinese dining across Canada,” says Rae Kung, CEO of the Chinese Restaurant Awards. “The Elite 30 recognizes the restaurants, regional cuisines, and dishes worth discovering across the country. The 12 Signature Dishes highlight individual dishes that deserve to be celebrated on a national stage, while our individual honours recognize the people whose culinary talents and leadership are shaping Chinese cooking in Canada.”
HOW THE ELITE 30 CANADA ARE SELECTED
The Elite 30 Canada is selected by the 21-member Canada Taste Advisors Panel, chaired by founding judge Lee Man. Taste comes first, followed by the overall dining experience.
The online Elite 30 guide at chineserestaurantawards.com also features Taste Advisor-recommended dishes at every restaurant, helping diners know what to order while identifying each restaurant’s regional cuisine, which provides a deeper understanding of the flavours, traditions, and cultures behind Chinese dining across Canada.
CANADA
Premier Visionary Award of the Year
The Premier Visionary Award recognizes an individual whose contribution, leadership, innovation, or strategic vision has driven meaningful change in Chinese dining — inspiring the next generation of industry leaders.
Lee Man - Founding Judge of the Chinese Restaurant Awards, Vancouver, B.C.
Rising Star Chef of the Year
Braden Chong - MIMI Chinese & Sunnys Chinese, Toronto, Ontario
Dim Sum Chef of the Year
Wu Zhen Jun - MOTT 32, Vancouver, B.C.
Master Chef of the Year
Franky Yeung - Jumbo Lobster Restaurant & Fishman Lobster Clubhouse, Richmond Hill & Scarborough, Ontario
Elite 30 Canada Awards (ranked)
*six restaurants are new to the list
- MOTT 32 – Modern Chinese – Toronto, Ontario & Vancouver, B.C.
- Flavourful House – Cantonese – Richmond Hill, Ontario
- Dynasty Seafood Restaurant – Cantonese, Dim Sum – Vancouver, B.C.
- Jumbo Lobster Restaurant – Cantonese Seafood & Dim Sum – Richmond Hill, Ontario
- Landmark Hotpot House – Hong Kong-Style Hotpot & Cantonese – Vancouver, B.C.
- Bamboo Grove – Cantonese – Richmond, B.C.
- Chang'An Restaurant – Shaanxi / Xi'an – Vancouver, B.C.
- aKin – Modern Asian (tasting menu) – Toronto, Ontario
- Sea Harbour Restaurant – Cantonese / Dim Sum – Richmond, B.C.
- The Fish Man – Sichuan / Cantonese Seafood – Richmond, B.C.
- Lai Wah Heen – Contemporary Cantonese / Dim Sum – Toronto, Ontario *new
- iDen & Quan Ju De Beijing Duck House – Northern Chinese / Peking Duck – Vancouver, B.C.
- Fishman Lobster Clubhouse – Cantonese Seafood – Scarborough, Ontario
- MIMI Chinese – Modern Chinese – Toronto, Ontario
- Jiangnan Wok – Jiangnan / Huaiyang – Richmond, B.C.
- Golden Paramount Seafood Restaurant – Cantonese / Shunde – Richmond, B.C.
- Nian Yi Kuai Zi – Sichuan – Markham / Scarborough, Ontario
- Din Tai Fung – Taiwanese / Shanghainese Dim Sum – Vancouver, B.C.
- Sunnys Chinese – Regional Chinese – Toronto, Ontario *new
- R&D – Modern Canadian Asian – Toronto, Ontario
- Long's Noodle – Shanghainese – Richmond, B.C. *new
- Lanxuan Restaurant – Cantonese & Dim Sum – Richmond, B.C.
- Oncle Lee Kǎo – Montreal Chinese – Montreal, Quebec
- Miss Qu Barbecue & Restaurant – Sichuan / Chongqing Jianghu BBQ – Scarborough / Richmond Hill, Ontario
- Loon Fong Hot Pot – Hong Kong-Style Hotpot – Richmond Hill, Ontario and Richmond, B.C.
- Master Beef Hot Pot – Hotpot (Alberta beef) – Calgary, Alberta *new
- Max Noodle House – Cantonese Noodles & Congee – Richmond, B.C.
- Yuan's Garden Restaurant – Shanghainese / Huaiyang – Richmond, B.C. *new
- Kingwell Roasted BBQ – Hong Kong style BBQ – Calgary, Alberta *new
- HK BBQ Master – Hong Kong style BBQ – Richmond, B.C.
Signature Dish Awards (12 winning dishes)
Previously only in Vancouver, the CRA is celebrating for the first time this year, 12 Signature Dishes from restaurants across Canada. The goal is to encourage diners to explore regional specialties by trying standout dishes. More information online.
Braised Pork Hock – Kalvin’s Szechuan Restaurant, Vancouver, B.C.
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall with Bird’s Nest – Day&Night Angus Beef · King Crab, Scarborough, Ontario
Claypot Rice à l’Orange – Belle Isle, Toronto, Ontario
Deep Fried Chicken Wing with Sour Plum – Landmark Hotpot House, Vancouver, B.C.
Garlic Sichuan Chili Québec Lobster – Oncle Lee Kǎo, Montreal, Quebec
Ginger Fried Beef – Silver Dragon, Calgary, Alberta
Lobster Mountain – Jumbo Lobster Restaurant & Fishman Lobster Clubhouse, Richmond Hill & Scarborough, Ontario
Pork Ball and Pork Tripe Ball Rice Noodles – UNCLE, Richmond, B.C.
Roast Suckling Pig (Made to Order) – Chinatown BBQ, Vancouver, B.C.
Sablefish with Pickled Greens – Rockies & River Restaurant, Calgary, Alberta
Sliced Fatty Beef Rice Roll – Hei Hei Rice Roll, Richmond, B.C
Sweet & Sour Pork with Pineapple – Sanbo Chinese Restaurant, Richmond, B.C.
“Together, the 2026 results offer a snapshot of the depth and diversity of Chinese and Taiwanese dining in Canada,” adds Kung.
For more information, CRA’s awards standards and bios of CRA’s Taste Advisors, please visit www.chineserestaurantawards.com.