Toronto is home to some extraordinary burgers, but the honour of Canada’s best this year went to an unexpected address: Fat Rabbit in St. Catharines, which landed on the 2026 global list of the world’s best burger restaurants — the only Canadian entry on the list.
The burger that earned the recognition is built around locally sourced Niagara beef, topped with caramelized onions, Gruyère cheese, pickles, and a house dijonnaise. It’s a combination that sounds familiar in principle but apparently executes at a level that captured the attention of international judges. A 38th-place global finish for a small-city Ontario restaurant is a remarkable achievement.
The recognition is a reminder that Ontario’s food scene extends well beyond the 416. Talented chefs and passionate restaurateurs are building serious operations in smaller cities across the province — and increasingly, those operations are earning the kind of recognition that once flowed almost exclusively to Toronto and Vancouver.
For anyone willing to make the drive to St. Catharines, Fat Rabbit now has the credentials to justify the trip. For Toronto diners who prefer to stay local, consider this a gauntlet thrown down.
For Toronto’s best burgers and the full local dining scene, visit torontonightclub.com — where every great meal gets the attention it deserves.