Fastest-Growing Seafood at Full-Service Restaurants

Canadian full-service operators are turning to seafood for a variety of reasons, from promoting protein-forward and lighter fare to providing more premium choices (as the addition of seafood adds on average $3.84 to the price of a dish).

Ahi tuna is the fastest-growing seafood type on FSR menus, typically seen as a topping on bowls, nachos and tacos. This Hawaiian yellowfin tuna is also available as an add-on for meat-centric dishes, such as beef short ribs, beef tenderloin rigatoni and chicken dishes.

Operators are menuing haddock, a cod-like, high-protein fish, for its thick and flavourful meat. It appears mainly in fish and chips and soups, but it’s also spotlighted in tacos and burgers.

For a more premium option, operators are turning to sablefish, also known as black cod. This buttery and protein-heavy deep-sea fish is popular in tasting menus and sushi rolls. For a contemporary, umami-driven take, operators are marinating sablefish in miso.

Quinnat, or Chinook salmon, is also popping up across menus. Similar to sablefish, this option is most often plated on tasting menus and seafood platters or towers, either raw or grilled.

Tilapia, a milder and leaner fish, often appears in tacos, curries and sushi rolls. Preparation styles for this fish varietal are wide-ranging, from frying to grilling to torching.