Fort Erie’s ‘Rizzo’s House of Parm’ named one of Canada’s best new restaurants

The nominees for Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2023 was unveiled Thursday and a Fort Erie favourite earned a spot on the coveted longlist.

Rizzo’s House of Parm, located in Crystal Beach, was opened last November by star chef Matty Matheson. The restaurant soon became a local favourite, amassing over 30,000 followers on social media.

Air Canada’s review describes the joint as an “airy Old Spaghetti Factory done right”, where a menu of nostalgic classics like crispy parms, homemade mozzarella sticks, and “Matty’s Bolognese” have had visitors snapping photos since it opened.

It joins 30 Canadian restaurants on this year’s longlist. Each year Air Canada’s Enroute magazine sends a top food critic across the country to gather a list of the most noteworthy openings.

Past restaurants to score a spot on the top 10 list include St. Catharines’ Dispatch and The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette in Jordan that earned the top spot in 2018.

The top 10 list for 2023 is set to be announced on November 1.

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