When we closed on the development site for Project Bench at the end of 2023, our team went for dinner at Restaurant Pearl Morissette to celebrate. It's one of the top-rated restaurants in Canada, it's 8 minutes from the site, and so it was the sensible thing to do. Their architect — gh3 — is also our architect.

I still remember when chef Eric Robertson brought out the amuse-bouche to start us off. He explained what it was and then reassured us that we would not be needing Uber Eats after this fine dining experience. We would leave full, deeply satisfied, and with a new appreciation for the Niagara culinary scene.

He was, of course, right about everything.

So it's no surprise that the following year, the restaurant earned both a Michelin Star (the very first in the Niagara region) and a Green Star for sustainability (only the second ever awarded in Canada). After having eaten there, we all knew it was only a matter of time.

Fast forward to today and they have yet another reason to celebrate. Canada's 100 Best dropped their 2025 list of the best fine-dining restaurants in the country on Monday and #1 on the list was none other than Restaurant Pearl Morissette.

This is well deserved and an incredible accomplishment for the team. It's also a testament to the extraordinary food and wine that is today coming out of the Niagara Benchlands region. It's clearly some of the best in the country and the world, and it's only getting better. (RPM is also on France's La Liste.)

I obviously have a vested interest in the Bench region, but I also just love celebrating Canadian successes. I want us to be the best at everything we do, and that's what this team is shooting for. So if you're in the market for a truly exceptional culinary experience, I highly recommend you check out RPM.