Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Southern Ontario

OpenTable

Updated July 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Southern Ontario? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Cintro On Wellington

4.9

4.9 (261)

CAN$30 and under

Asian

London

About the restaurant

Located in the in downtown London, enjoy an elevated Asian fusion menu created by International award winning chef Chef Joseph Tran.

For the month of December, there will only be Prix Fixe menu, NO ala cart menu (will resume in January)

Top review

Ryan

Dined 4 days ago

Great Experience, food was full of flavour, highly recommended!

Rapscallion & Co.

4.8

4.8 (1779)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

Hamilton

About the restaurant

Rapscallion & Co. is a mischievous and vibrant part
of Hamilton’s restaurant scene, dedicated to offering the city’s culinary
connoisseurs a full nose-to-tail experience. We offer a regularly changing,
meaty and creative menu in a laid-back setting. Our skilled and
passionate chefs do it all, whether it’s curing, salting, boning, stuffing,
wrapping, charring, braising, or just leaving the meat raw.
Above all, we love to prepare food that pushes boundaries and pulls you outside of your comfort zone — just a little bit. We get tremendous joy out of food and offer items that you are unlikely to find another local restaurants. While we love meat more than some people love their firstborn, we are always happy to accommodate those who don’t. Vegetarians and vegans are always welcome, options available by request.

Top review

Dave

Dined on Jun 27, 2025

Food was delicious as always with fun and friendly staff. Always a great time at Rapscallion!

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4.8

4.8 (1433)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Farm-to-table

Prince Edward County

About the restaurant

Flame + Smith is a sustainably minded restaurant that embraces the exciting art of woodfire cooking and the supporting community that surrounds it.

Top review

francesco

Dined 3 days ago

A very inviting venue featuring both outdoor seating and a spacious, well-appointed indoor area. The thoughtfully designed interior reflects the high quality of both the cuisine and, above all, the expertly crafted cocktails by Michael—arguably one of the finest bartenders around.

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burnt basque cheesecake

Grace Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (47)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

London

About the restaurant

Grace is not your average fine dining restaurant.
Named after Grace Murphy, grandmother of Executive Chef Angie Murphy, Grace is a new kind of intentional restaurant that prioritizes not only beautiful, seasonal, local food but also community, social responsibility, and industry fairness.

Top review

Natalie

Dined on May 25, 2025

Interesting, creative plates, beautiful dining room, fun staff.

Undefined

4.6

4.6 (862)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Bistro

Hamilton

About the restaurant

UnDefined has been changing the way people think about dining out in Hamilton. Voted one of Hamilton's best all-around restaurants for 2021, 2022, 2023, we are making a big impact on King William Street. With an evolving, seasonal and whimsical approach, our passion is what drives us every day. We strive to push the limits, and for our team, it is just what we love to do. We cook from scratch because that is just the way it should be. We love to challenge the way we all think about dining out.

We believe that there is no reason to put yourself in a box when going out with friends, so we do not do that here. Whether it is a night out with friends, an intimate dinner for two, or just something extraordinary, We are not afraid to take the familiar and turn it into something memorable. If it tastes good, we will put it on a plate, in a glass, or whatever. Our mantra is as simple as eat, drink, and enjoy!

Top review

GlennVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Food was wonderful and Hannah’s service was awesome

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Experience

Brunch UnDefined!

Graffiti Market

4.5

4.5 (1364)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Pizza Bar

Kitchener

About the restaurant

Rustic-industrial market for Detroit-style pizza, house-made pastas, rotisserie chicken & beers.

Top review

DanielleVIP

Dined 4 days ago

My kid sat still at the table for our whole meal!! She LOVED the interactive screen table. We played games together and separately. The food was amazing the music was nostalgic and my 4 year old wants to know when we can go back! 10/10 recommend.

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4.5

4.5 (39)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Prime Rib

Hamilton

About the restaurant

A hidden gem in the city — part intimate restaurant, part live music venue. Our cozy, cool room sets the vibe for unforgettable nights, featuring curated performances and chef-driven menus. Members enjoy exclusive perks, priority access, and a few secret surprises.

Top review

NatalieVIP

Dined 2 days ago

I had the pleasure of dining at Henry’s last night and it was an experience that exceeded every expectation. The setting is both elegant and inviting, with a perfect balance of sophistication and comfort. The live jazz music created a relaxed yet lively atmosphere that elevated the entire evening. As a vegetarian, it’s often a challenge to find a dish that truly excites me, but Henry’s the main dish I ordered was a brilliant fusion of flavours and textures. I can honestly say that it’s one of the few times I’ve left a restaurant eagerly anticipating my next visit just to order the same dish again. This is rare for me, as I’m usually just grateful for an adequate option. Our server was attentive without being intrusive, and charming in a way that made the whole experience feel even more special. The prices were incredibly reasonable given the quality of both the food and service. Overall, Henry’s has quickly become one of my all-time favorites. I can’t wait to return and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. This place gets it right in every way.

Stockyards Beverage

4.4

4.4 (47)

CAN$30 and under

Beer Garden

Waterloo

About the restaurant

In the heart of St. Jacobs Market District, our brew hall, brewery and roastery. Located in the agricultural heart of Ontario, cultivation and sustainability will be at the core of everything we do. As a collective with deep historical and agricultural roots in Waterloo Region, we will take pride in supporting the farms that make where we are, and what we create possible.

We can accommodate groups up to 30ppl at this time. We look forward to celebrating on a larger scale in 2026!

We look forward to hosting you!

***Patio will be sat on a first come first serve basis. ***We will try and honour all requests, but can't guarantee outdoor seating.
***** Auto gratuity for any groups over 8ppl

Top review

VirginiaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Great place! Enjoyable atmosphere, great quality and value.

1913

4.3

4.3 (11)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Speakeasy

London

About the restaurant

Step back in time at our 1913 speakeasy, where curated drinks and sharable plates transport you to a bygone era of style and sophistication. Mixologist driven, and thoughtfully inspired cocktails are the story at 1913. We give an ode, to the history of 100 Kellogg lane with our cereal infused libations and traditional speakeasy style cocktails. The rest of our cocktails leave you singing the lyrics to your favorite Canadian rocker's best songs.

Top review

Patricia

Dined on Jun 27, 2025

Everything was absolutely incredible! Shout out to Jess, Britt and Jimmy for making our night extra special. Food was delicious, drinks were top tier and we left, tipsy, satisfied and happy! Amazing night! We will be back soon

Sessions

4.2

4.2 (16)

CAN$30 and under

Canadian

London

About the restaurant

Discover local Canadian flavors at Sessions Restaurant, where all-day dining meets creative flair. Why should we only be allowed to have breakfast before 12pm? At Sessions that won't be the case as we are serving it until 4pm. If breakfast is not your vibe, we still have you covered with our worldly influenced salads and sandwiches.

Top review

Stefan

Dined on Jun 28, 2025

Food was excellent and server was above and beyond.

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