Ottawa chef Briana Kim is the city's breakout star on the just-released 2026 Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list. Her 12-seat Chinatown restaurant Antheia cracked the prestigious national ranking at 76th place, just weeks after opening in December 2025.
A Remarkable Achievement
Antheia, which opened on December 7, 2025, impressed judges in less than a month. The restaurant features a 12-seat chef's counter and four additional table seats, offering a cutting-edge, vegetarian dining experience. Jacob Richler, editor-in-chief of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants, praised the restaurant, saying, "I have heard great things about Antheia. I imagine she will do extremely well on the list next year."
Community Leadership Award
Kim also won the community leadership award this year. Richler noted that after closing her previous restaurant Alice, she chose to stay in Ottawa rather than pursue opportunities elsewhere, demonstrating a commitment to her community.
Self-taught as a chef, Kim studied political science at the University of Ottawa and worked at Health Canada before launching her culinary career over 15 years ago. She opened Cafe My House in 2009, followed by Alice in 2019, which was ranked 31st on the 2023 Canada's 100 Best list. Alice closed in February 2024 to make way for Antheia, which Kim considers the fullest expression of her culinary vision.
Other Ottawa Restaurants on the List
Two other Ottawa restaurants made the 2026 list: Atelier in Little Italy, ranked 54th (down from 41st), and Arlo in Centretown, ranked 77th (down from 49th). The capital's overall representation dropped from four restaurants last year to three this year.
Future Prospects
Richler indicated that Antheia may be eligible for next year's list of best new Canadian restaurants, given its late opening date. Kim is also set to participate in an exclusive collaborative dinner on June 17 in Quebec City with chefs from top-ranked restaurants Restaurant Pearl Morissette and Taniere3.
