Two Markham restaurants have been named among the best Chinese restaurants in the country. Nian Yi Kuai Zi, which has locations in Markham and Scarborough, and Wonton Hut in Markham both landed on the Chinese Restaurant Awards' 2026 Elite 30 Canada Top 50 list, according to a Streets of Toronto report.
The list recognizes 50 restaurants across Canada, chosen by 21 Taste Advisors that include food critics, chefs, culinary media and well-travelled diners.
GTA restaurants well represented
In total, 10 Toronto and GTA restaurants made the Top 50. Along with the two Markham spots, the GTA contingent includes Miss Qu Barbecue & Restaurant in Scarborough and Richmond Hill and Northern Dumpling Kitchen in Richmond Hill.
Toronto is represented by Mimi Chinese, Mott 32, R&D and Sunnys Chinese.
The GTA restaurants on the list span a wide range of regional Chinese cuisines. The list covers Sichuan and Chongqing barbecue, Northern Chinese dumplings and noodles, and Hong Kong-style wonton noodles.
New faces on the list
Several Toronto-area restaurants are new additions to the Top 50 this year, including Northern Dumpling Kitchen in Richmond Hill and Sunnys Chinese in Toronto. According to Streets of Toronto, that signals fresh faces on a list that has historically had a heavy Western Canada presence, with Vancouver and Richmond continuing to dominate the national Chinese dining conversation.
The awards were founded in Vancouver in 2008 and have since grown into a broader platform covering Chinese restaurants across Canada, the United States and Asia. The organization says its awards begin with the food itself, with Taste Advisors evaluating restaurants and their recommended dishes.
Full ranking coming September 23
The list was released ahead of the awards ceremony on September 23 in Vancouver, where the full Elite 30 Canada ranking will be revealed. That means diners will have to wait to see exactly where Markham's two honoured restaurants stand in the final national lineup alongside restaurants in Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal.
For Markham, a city with a deep bench of Chinese dining options, the recognition places two local kitchens on a national stage ahead of one of the country's most closely watched restaurant awards.
