En Route magazine has just announced the Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada list for 2015. It's a good time to dine out in this great nation! (Full Disclosure: Kristina and I are happy to be part of the group of insiders across the country providing restaurant intelligence for this prestigious ranking.)

Whether you’re in the east, west or smack dab in the middle of the country, there are fantastic new options for your restauranting pleasure in a few, perhaps unlikely locales. Heck, this just might be a reason to take one long road trip.

First place goes to Calgary’s Pigeonhole, a wine bar serving small plates by chef Justin Leboe and while I have not yet had the pleasure of dining there, one of Leboe’s other establishment’s and former Top 10 list maker, Model Milk is my first choice whenever I’m in Cowtown. Model Milk’s peking duck and squishy buns are heaven in my mouth, so I cannot wait to discover what Pigeonhole has to offer. I hear there’s caviar on the menu!

Then we head all the way east to St. John N.B., where Port City Royal gets second place ranking. Bay of Fundy sturgeon mousse and a beet salad with foraged pineapple weed.  Need I say more?

Swing back west for a meal at third on the list, Pilgrimme on Galiano Island, B.C. With just 25 seats, the intimate setting connects sea to forrest with dishes like ling cod nuggets atop fir tip emulsion. It’ll be worth the ferry trip.

DaiLo and Bar Raval (Toronto) take the fourth and fifth spots, then Vancouver’s AnnaLena takes number six. Adelaide Oyster House (St. John’s), Yasu (Toronto), Enoteca (Winnipeg) and Soif (Gatineau) round out the list.

Canada is home to world class chefs from coast to coast, not just with the newcomers announced this week. David Hawksworth, Vikram Vij, Thomas Haas, Rob Feenie, Susur Lee, Mark McEwan, Christine Cushing, Jeremy Charles…I could go on and on…they are all masters who elevate the Canadian food scene to a global level.

Cin Cin!