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Your New Year’s Eve 2018 Dining Decider + Planning Tips for the Perfect Celebration

December 4, 2018 by OpenTable Leave a Comment

It’s coming – New Year’s Eve 2018 is almost upon us. And, fittingly, it’s one of the most popular dining days of the year. Whether you want a night out on the town worthy of an LBD and your best threads or a low-key evening where food is the highlight of the night, OpenTable has you covered with thousands of restaurants – and the right one for you awaits.

The majority of diners book their New Year’s Eve plans 10 days¹ in advance, so be sure you don’t let holiday shopping and the hustle and bustle of the season distract you from securing the perfect reservation to ring in 2019. Although 22% of diners booked their table same-day for New Year’s Eve 2017, diners were 2x more likely to book in advance compared to the rest of 2017. But even if you don’t book on or before December 21, we’ve still got you covered — even up until the 31st.

To help you get started, we’ve got some tips for planning for the perfect New Year’s Eve dining experience – and a trusty decider as well.

Look and book early. Because this is one of the most popular days for dining out, reservations are snapped up early, particularly for prime times and hot spots. Start making your plans today so you don’t miss out on your top pick, keeping in mind that demand may increase after December 21.

Count it out before the countdown. Be sure to get an accurate headcount of the revelers joining you on the big night as demand for prime reservations is high and availability dwindles the closer you get to the 31 and you don’t want a friend or loved one to get shut out. If you’re dining in a group, secure your plans sooner rather than later as we saw an increase of 5% in party sizes of 4 or more compared to the rest of the year.

Dollars and sense. Do some math before booking to set your budget so you don’t wind up starting the new year in the red. You can peruse special menus on OpenTable.com. Be sure to account for alcohol, tax, and gratuity (if not included in prices). Deals are plentiful, also. And, while a lot of diners opt to go all out on New Year’s Eve, [as compared to the rest of the year] we’ve seen a 5% increase in diners choosing restaurants where the average meal price is $30 and under.

Think about drink. All-inclusives can be incredible deals for those of us who like to bend our elbows often that night, but if you or members of your party are teetotalers, look for dining options that allow you to order drinks a la carte.

When the clock strikes midnight. Think about where you want to be exactly at midnight. Some of us like being in the thick of things, while others like to welcome the new year from the comfort of our sofas after a delicious meal out. Look for reservation times that will put you where you want to be when the new year arrives. Keep in mind, too, that people tend to dine later on New Year’s Eve. For New Year’s Eve 2017, we saw a 67% increase in the percentage of reservations from 8-10PM compared to the same time slot for the rest of the year. So book early to secure prime time tables.

Don’t forget your diet(ary needs). If you’ve got food allergies or sensitivities or you’re a picky eater, carefully study menus for any items that are your nemeses. If you’re in doubt as to whether a restaurant can accommodate your needs, call the restaurant before booking and ask to speak to a manager or a chef.

Be flexible. If your favorite restaurant lacks availability for a particular time, but your heart is set on that spot, dine earlier or later and plan something fun before or after, like a movie or seeing live music. If you live in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Washington, D.C., you may need to be even more flexible on times as those are the cities with the greatest number of reservations on December 31, according to New Year’s Eve 2017 data.

Need more help picking the perfect type of restaurant for your New Year’s Eve? Use our New Year’s Eve 2018 Dining Decider for an assist from the experts at OpenTable.

Wherever you landed, we’ve got inspiration aplenty below.Continue Reading

Dine on the Friendly Frontier: 10 Top Restaurants on Vancouver Island

November 20, 2018 by Nevin Martell Leave a Comment

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Located across the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver, Vancouver Island is Canada’s friendly frontier. The adventurous isle is home to a wealth of top-notch restaurants worth exploring after a day salmon fishing, bear watching, or kayaking. From Victoria on the eastern end to Tofino to the west, chefs are utilizing the bounty of the surrounding seas, the forests, and the fields to create modern Canuck cuisine that has North American roots but takes plenty of inspiration from the rest of the world. Here are 10 top restaurants on Vancouver Island to try.

1909 Kitchen, Tofino
Executive chef Paul Moran crafts creative small plates that benefit from the bounty of the island and its surrounding waters. Think local snap peas lavished with soy sake dressing and topped with threads of dried seaweed, steamed clams, and mussels seasoned with herbs harvested from tidal pools, albacore tartare dressed with gochujang and sea asparagus, and an indulgent white pizza featuring golden chanterelles from the forests nearby. Bonus: If you go fishing and get lucky, the kitchen is happy to prepare your catch. Make a reservation at 1909 Kitchen.

Saveur, Victoria
Chef Robert Cassels’s tasting menu gives guests a deep dive into his French-minded cuisine with modernist twists. Expect plenty of local flavors. Dishes might feature halibut from the nearby Haida Gwaii archipelago, Cowichan Valley chicken, and wild elderberries and chanterelles from the island’s backwoods. Optional wine pairings come from the Old World and British Columbia, while the beverage program features local ciders by Lonetree, Tod Creek, and Merridale. Make a reservation at Saveur.

Sooke Harbour House, Sooke
The tasting menu experience (three, four, or seven courses) is the best way to lose yourself in this artful menu featuring a cascade of local ingredients. The restaurant’s three-acre certified organic garden is home to over 200 herbs, greens, vegetables, and edible flowers, which all figure prominently in the dishes. Wild edibles, fresh seafood, produce, and proteins from elsewhere on and around the island are given equal attention. Meals might include Fanny Bay Kusshi oysters, locally foraged golden chanterelles, and rhubarb from nearby Whiffin Spit Farm. As you eat, you get a real sense of the place since the dining room features expansive views of the ocean and the majestic property. Make a reservation at Sooke Harbour House.

Little Jumbo, Victoria
The Fernet Branca-stained bar and its offerings are the center of attention at this genteel watering hole, but there’s a lot to love about chef Gabriel Fayerman-Hansen’s elevated pub fare. There are plenty of small bites that go down well with a cocktail or two – truffled fries, smoked olives, and freshly shucked oysters – but stick around for dinner and you’ll be richly rewarded. The house burger topped with onion bacon jam and smoked Gouda is a winner, as are corn risotto and barbecue beef ribs glistening with rum-allspice glaze. Make a reservation at Little Jumbo.

The Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay
Put your pinky out, it’s time for high tea. With stunning views of Jennie Butchart’s private garden or the Italian Garden and the sea, this is a tea service to remember. The sprawling spreads feature savory and sweet bites – from sausage rolls, salmon chowder en croute, and dainty cucumber and pickled ginger cream cheese sandwiches to vanilla peach cake, Bergamot-infused chocolate mousse, and lemon tart. There’s something for everyone, and no one leaves hungry. Make a reservation at The Butchart Gardens.

Summit, Malahat
Nestled in the woodlands of the Malahat ridge, the Italian inspired farm-to-table eatery looks down on the Instagram-worthy Saanich Inlet. Local elements are menu highlights –including plenty of seafood – while the wine list is rich with regional varietals. Overall, there’s a DIY attitude in the kitchen. Breads, pastas, and ricottas are made in-house. Desserts include creative sorbet and gelatos, such as daylily, and dense Black Forest cake that will send any chocolate lover into paroxysms of joy. Make a reservation at Summit.

50 Best Restaurants in Canada with Vegetarian Options 2018, According to OpenTable Diners

October 24, 2018 by OpenTable Leave a Comment

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The number of vegetarians in Canada has grown from 900,000 to 2.3 million over the past 15 years, according to studies conducted by Dalhousie University. Whether vegan, vegetarian or simply interested in a nutrient-rich diet, everyone’s dining needs and preferences can be catered to with great dishes from the country’s top restaurants. This is why we’re pleased to announce our list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Canada with Vegetarian Options 2018, to connect vegetarian diners and those who love them, with top restaurants featuring menu items that can excite everyone at the table.

Restaurants from coast to coast round out the list, with Ontario having the most restaurants featured (26), followed by British Columbia with 7 and Quebec with 5. Alberta (7), Atlantic Canada (4), and Manitoba (1) also have establishments in the top 50.

The list features a range of restaurants including Toronto’s Rosalinda, a Mexican restaurant with a completely vegan menu and Calgary’s Ten Foot Henry, which boasts a selection of unique vegetarian menu items. The list also includes an assortment of multicultural restaurants including Montreal’s Middle Eastern Damas, Toronto’s Mediterranean Byblos, and Vancouver’s East is East, which features cuisine’s from the Silk Route.

Canada’s 50 Best Restaurants with Vegetarian Options is generated solely from more than 550,000 restaurant reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between September 1, 2017, and August 31, 2018. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then sorted according to a score calculated from each restaurant’s average rating in the “Good Vegetarian Options” category

Based on this methodology, Canada’s 50 Best Restaurants with Vegetarian Options, according to OpenTable diners, are as follows (in alphabetical order):Continue Reading

Straight from the Source: Prince Edward Island Restaurants for PEI Mussels

September 25, 2018 by Laurie Wilson Leave a Comment

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Thanks to ideal ocean climate, tidal patterns, clean water, and sustainable farming, Prince Edward Island is the biggest producer of mussels in North America. PEI is a province in the Canadian Maritimes and, in addition to those mussels, it is also famously known for being the inspiration for the classic novel Anne of Green Gables. These Prince Edward Island restaurants for PEI mussels have helped put the region and its beloved bivalves on the culinary map.

Red Shores Racetrack & Casino-Top of the Park, Charlottetown
You’ll always find local fare at the buffet here, including those PEI mussels. The fresh mussels (which are delivered daily for the buffet) are cooked with a crisp white wine, shallots, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper — and hothouse peppers and green onion are finishing touches. A three-tiered dining room, you’ll have views of all the action from any table. Pan rolls are also on the buffet, the perfect pairing to soak up the goodness. Make a reservation at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino-Top of the Park.

FiveEleven West, Summerside
PEI mussels represent at this hip and cozy spot with a walnut and birch bar. The mussels are steamed in white wine with roasted garlic, carrot, celery, and onion and punctuated with a pinch of fresh herbs, butter, and lemon. And PEI clams are also on the menu. Keeping it local: sip a rhubarb and gin tonic made with PEI rhubarb syrup or a craft brew from PEI Brewing Company. Make a reservation at Five Eleven West.

The Pearl Eatery, North Rustico
A gem on the north shore of PEI, the restaurant is a looker with original artwork, chocolate leather chairs, an eclectic collection of tables, and an on-site garden where herbs and edible flowers thrive. The mussels are, of course, local and dazzle with roasted garlic, double-smoked bacon, Upstreet Commons Pilsner, and cream. You’ll also find those mussels in the Seafood Hodge Podge — a bisque with lobster, scallops, mussels, halibut, and clams. Make a reservation at The Pearl Eatery.