Edmonton’s Bar Henry, Bernadette’s and Little Wolf are up for consideration for the title of Canada’s best new restaurant.
The three were named on Air Canada’s best new restaurants long list on Tuesday.
The airline claims to provide the only cross-country ranking by a single anonymous reviewer, who spends one month undercover sampling the offerings of 30 restaurants in 18 cities that were suggested by a panel of food experts.
At “handsome” Bar Henry, a northern Italian caffè and aperitivo bar, the critic had the cotechino (sausage with pork and rind) with Treviso radicchio and cherry mostarda, following it with cardamaro, a wine-based aperitif, and tiramisu.
At Bernadette’s, they tried the “standout” brisket with Saskatoon berries on bannock and charred octopus coils. The restaurant wine bar’s head chef Scott Iserhoff was also behind Pei Pei Chei Ow, which calls itself a food education company specializing in Indigenous cuisine.
At Little Wolf, which describes itself as a snack bar and cocktail spot, the critic sampled the black cod belly, concluding it “blows the house down.” They also complimented the “smart and compact menu,” saying it was “built with uncommon creativity.”
The former two restaurants opened in downtown Edmonton in early 2024, while Little Wolf opened in late 2023.
All three businesses said they were proud to have made the list.
Air Canada will announce the top 10 finalists on Nov. 4.