A newer restaurant in Victoria has received a big boost after being named one of Canada’s 100 best restaurants of 2024.
In the ninth edition of this esteemed list, Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar, situated in downtown Victoria, is featured not only as one of the top spots in Canada but also secured the number one ranking for the top new restaurant in the country!
Chosen by a diverse panel including food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, discerning diners, and industry insiders from all corners of the nation, unveiled its comprehensive selection of premier dining spots for 2024, marking the ninth edition of this esteemed list.
“For 2024, we added 20 newcomers to our judging panel and reached a new all-time high of 150 voting judges,” read a statement on the ranking website.
“Judges were tasked with evaluating restaurants based on the complete dining experience: service, decor, the depth of the cellar — and, above all else, food quality. Travel is mandatory: each judge must vote for a minimum of three restaurants outside of their home region.”
Located in LEED Building at 1525 Douglas, Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar places emphasis on seafood and features a magnificent cocktail and 42-page wine program — key ingredients and spirits either hand-selected internationally or locally sourced.
The deep cocktail menu contains an adventure for any palette. It’s filled with drinks made from premium whiskey, vodka, gin, mezcal, rum, and more!
Their Executive Chef, Kristian Eligh, returned home to Vancouver Island in the midst of this new role after exploring all aspects of the culinary industry for the last two decades.
In an interview with Victoria Buzz in June of last year, he stated that he’s very excited to present a carefully crafted and passionately created menu for visitors to enjoy.
“We’re trying to put Victoria on the map and grow the culinary scene here, so it’s important for us to be reaching out to local farms and local fishermen,” Eligh said.
The restaurant is owned by Toptable, which boasts a long list of premium restaurants in locations like New York, Vancouver, and Toronto. Toptable is owned by the Aquilini Investment Group, which also owns the Vancouver Canucks.
Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants of 2024:
1 Mon Lapin (Montreal, QC)
2 Edulis (Toronto, ON)
3 Alo (Toronto, ON)
4 20 Victoria (Toronto, ON)
5 Langdon Hall (Cambridge, ON)
6 Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, ON)
7 Published on Main (Vancouver, BC)
8 Beba (Verdun, QC)
9 Bar Kismet (Halifax, NS)
10 Kissa Tanto (Vancouver, BC)
11 Monarque (Montreal, QC)
12 Quetzal (Toronto, ON)
13 Montréal Plaza (Montreal, QC)
14 St. Lawrence (Vancouver, BC)
15 Dreyfus (Toronto, ON)
16 L’Abattoir (Vancouver, BC)
17 Giulia (Toronto, ON)
18 Prime Seafood Palace (Toronto, ON)
19 Toqué! (Montreal, QC)
20 AnnaLena (Vancouver, BC)
21 Cabaret l’Enfer (Montreal, QC)
22 Boulevard (Vancouver, BC)
23 River Café (Calgary, AB)
24 Canoe (Toronto, ON)
25 Eight (Calgary, AB)
26 Hexagon (Oakville, ON)
27 Marilena (Victoria, BC)
28 Riviera (Ottawa, ON)
29 Bernhardts (Toronto, ON)
30 Sushi Masaki Saito (Toronto, ON)
31 Wild Blue (Whistler, BC)
32 La Cabane d’à Côté (St-Benoît de Mirabel, QC)
33 Aburi Hana (Toronto, ON)
34 Casa Paco (Toronto, ON)
35 Mimi Chinese (Toronto, ON)
36 Portage (St. John’s, NL)
37 Botanist (Vancouver, BC)
38 Sunnys Chinese (Toronto, ON)
39 Deer + Almond (Winnipeg, MB)
40 The Pine (Collingwood, ON)
41 Joe Beef (Montreal, QC)
42 Maenam (Vancouver, BC)
43 Atelier (Ottawa, ON)
44 Bar Isabel (Toronto, ON)
45 Famiglia Baldassarre (Toronto, ON)
46 D.O.P. (Calgary, AB)
47 Mott 32 (Vancouver, BC)
48 La Quercia (Vancouver, BC)
49 Sushi Yugen (Toronto, ON)
50 Salle Climatisé (Montreal, QC)
51 Au Pied de Cochon (Montreal, QC)
52 Major Tom (Calgary, AB)
53 L’Express (Montreal, QC)
54 Otto (Kitano Shokudo) (Montreal, QC)
55 Paloma (Montreal, QC)
56 Nora Gray (Montreal, QC)
57 Fogo Island Inn (Joe Batt’s Arm, NL)
58 Auberge St-Mathieu (St-Mathieu, QC)
59 Masayoshi (Vancouver, BC)
60 Tanière3 (Quebec City, QC)
61 Lawrence (Montreal, QC)
62 Burdock & Co. (Vancouver, BC)
63 Bar St-Denis (Montreal, QC)
64 Cioppino’s (Vancouver, BC)
65 Pompette (Toronto, ON)
66 Giulietta (Toronto, ON)
67 Hawksworth (Vancouver, BC)
68 Pichai (Montreal, QC)
69 Bouillon Bilk (Montreal, QC)
70 Actinolite (Toronto, ON)
71 Arlo (Ottawa, ON)
72 Alma (Outremont, QC)
73 Mastard (Montreal, QC)
74 Clementine (Winnipeg, MB)
75 Supply and Demand (Ottawa, ON)
76 Ankor (Canmore, AB)
77 Bar Prima (Toronto, ON)
78 Tetsu Sushi Bar (Vancouver, BC)
79 Sabayon (Montreal, QC)
80 Le Vin Papillon (Montreal, QC)
81 Don Alfonso 1890 (Toronto, ON)
82 Savio Volpe (Vancouver, BC)
83 Foxy (Montreal, QC)
84 Gia Vin et Grill (Montreal, QC)
85 Oddbird (St. Catherine’s, ON)
86 Elephant (Vancouver, BC)
87 Casavant (Montreal, QC)
88 Hearth (Saskatoon, SK)
89 Arvi (Quebec City, QC)
90 Sushi Hil (Vancouver, BC)
91 Espace Old Mill (Stanbridge, QC)
92 Yujiro (Winnipeg, MB)
93 Liverpool House (Montreal, QC)
94 Barberian’s (Toronto, ON)
95 North & Navy (Ottawa, ON)
96 Hoogan et Beaufort (Montreal, QC)
97 Buvette Daphnée (Ottawa, ON)
98 Le Mousso (Montreal, QC)
99 DaiLo (Toronto, ON)
100 Park (Montreal, QC)
Canada’s 100 Best: Best New Restaurants of 2024:
1 Marilena (Victoria, BC)
2 Casa Paco (Toronto, ON)
3 Sushi Yugen (Toronto, ON)
4 Bar Prima (Toronto, ON)
5 Sabayon (Montreal, QC)
6 Casavant (Montreal, QC)
7 Espace Old Mill (Stanbridge, QC)
8 Buvette Daphnée (Ottawa, ON)
9 Parapluie (Montreal, QC)
10 Magari by Oca (Vancouver, BC)
Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar
- Where: 1525 Douglas Street
- When: Open 7 days a week from 4:30 p.m. until late
With files from Nevada Alde
