A Taste of Privilege: How To Experience An Exclusive Visa Infinite Dining Menu

For those who’ve tried to snag a reservation at Vancouver’s Michelin-starred Published on Main—ranked 7th in Canada in 2024 by Canada’s 100 Best list—you’ll know the waitlist often stretches weeks, even months. But for a lucky few, securing a prime-time table just got a lot easier.

That’s thanks to a delicious new partnership between OpenTable and Visa. The global leaders in restaurant reservations and digital payments have joined forces to launch the Visa Infinite Dining Collection, giving eligible Visa Infinite Privilege cardholders coveted access to hard-to-book restaurant reservations in top culinary cities across North America, including Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal.

To celebrate the launch, Visa hosted a private event at Published on Main—an epic nine-course feast crafted by some of Canada’s most celebrated chefs. Guests sipped welcome cocktails and sampled hors d’oeuvres before being ushered into the restaurant’s sun-drenched front solarium for the main event. Guiding the evening was none other than Mijune Pak, Canadian food personality and resident judge on Top Chef Canada and Iron Chef Canada.

After opening remarks, guests heard from Michiel Wielhouwer, president and country manager, Visa Canada. “We are pleased to offer our eligible Visa cardholders unique benefits and exceptional experiences that enrich their everyday lives,” he shared. “Tonight you are here to enjoy this truly wonderful dining experience for yourself. This collaboration is a great opportunity to get reservations at restaurants that are hard to get into.”

Matt Davies, senior director at OpenTable, echoed the sentiment: “Canada’s 100 Best unveiled its 2025 list, and we are proud to say that more than half of those restaurants are bookable right now on OpenTable. Many of them coincide with the Visa Dining Collection. Through partnerships with Visa, we can spotlight the incredible work of Canada’s culinary industry.”

The star-studded chef lineup included Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson (executive chef and co-owner of Published on Main), along with Alex Chen (Wild Blue), Phil Scarfone (Osteria Savio Volpe), Hector Laguna (Botanist), Kate Siegel (executive pastry chef at Botanist), and Roger Ma (Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar).

The evening’s menu was nothing short of transcendent—beginning with a chilled forest tea, followed by courses like cured scallop with strawberry and fennel, Alaskan king crab with Acquerello risotto, duck fat-poached halibut, and grilled octopus with stuffed morel. The pièce de résistance? A 40-day dry-aged Carrara Wagyu picanha.

Dessert was equally inspired, beginning with a house-made flower power croustade, followed by a rhubarb sweetgrass and rose plate, and ending on a bright note with a lemon leaf white chocolate mousse. Curated wine pairings and signature cocktails rounded out the experience, offering a harmonious balance of Old and New World notes.

Now available, the Visa Dining Collection gives eligible U.S., Mexico, and Canadian Visa Infinite Privilege cardholders access to sought-after dining reservations. Over the coming year, the program is expected to grow to over 500 top restaurants across 34 cities.

For cardholders who live to eat—and eat well—this new perk promises to elevate the everyday with once-elusive dining experiences. Bon appétit! —Michelle Hopkins

Photos by Barry Calhoun Photography