Four restaurants earned one Michelin star for the first time this year, expanding the guide's reach as far as Oakville, Jordan Station, and Creemore, Ontario.
One restaurant also received a Green star and four restaurants received Bib Gourmand status for the first time.
Though widely known for selling automotive accessories, famous French tire company Michelin arguably has even more eyeballs on it for its legendary annual Michelin Guide: a guidebook that highlights the best of the best in food and drink throughout locales around the world.
The Michelin Guide first made its way to Toronto in 2022, and now serves as a handy go-to for foodies looking to try some of the greatest gastronomy around.
Toronto's list now boasts 15 restaurants with one Michelin star, two with a Green star, and one with two stars (Sushi Masaki Saito). Plus, the list now highlights 23 restaurants with Bib Gourmand status.
Four new restaurants receive one Michelin star
The Michelin Guide awards one to three stars to standout restaurants based on five criteria: quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques and flavour, the chef's personality showcased within the cuisine, harmony of flavours, and the restaurant's consistency between visits.
One star indicates high-quality cooking that's worth a visit, two stars is for excellent food deserving of a detour, and the rare three stars is for world-class food that makes the restaurant a must-try destination in and of itself.
Toronto restaurants that have previously received one star from the Michelin Guide include Alo, Restaurant 20 Victoria, Don Alfonso 1890, Enigma Yorkville, Quetzal, Aburi Hana, Edulis, Osteria Giulia, Kappo Sato, Shoushin, and Kaiseki Yu-zen Hasimoto.
Here are the new restaurants that have earned one star for 2024:
DaNico
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 440 College St., Toronto, ON
What the inspector says: "Wondering if DaNico is worth a stop? You can take it to the bank—quite literally, as the restaurant is nestled inside a former bank building. Inside, dark colors, linen tablecloths, and plush seating set a sophisticated tone, but the irreverent artwork proves they don't take themselves too seriously. Chef/partner Daniele Corona cooks Italian food with a global influence. Choose from a multicourse prix-fixe or a chef's tasting menu to enjoy items such as wild Pacific crab served over thin, noodle-like vegetables, garnished with trout roe, and finished tableside with a Sicilian green olive coulis. Then, house-made basil bottini filled with smoked burrata is nestled in a creamy sauce for a dish that delivers dialed-in flavor."
Hexagon
Cuisine: Contemporary
Address: 210 Lakeshore Rd. E., Oakville, ON
What the inspector says: "This stylish restaurant in downtown Oakville could get by on looks alone with its sliding patio doors, wrap-around terrace, and an interior that is at once cool and casual. But for Chef Rafael Covarrubias, he’s got a lot more in mind. The menu reads familiar – beef tartare, oysters, fish – but what emerges from the kitchen are beautiful, soigné works that are refined, original, and substantial. Potato foam, brown butter, and roe are clever pairings with Hokkaido scallop. Pasta is a highlight, like corn agnolotti with Manchego, but so too is the short rib. And for dessert, cheesecake is surprisingly light and savory thanks to strawberries and a nutty almond cookie. To see this kitchen at its most ambitious, guests can book a tasting menu in advance."
Restaurant Pearl Morissette
Cuisine: Contemporary
Address: 3953 Jordan Rd., Jordan Station, ON
What the inspector says: "This 42-acre destination in the picturesque Niagara region is the full experience. A restaurant, winery, orchard, farm, and bakery, Restaurant Pearl Morissette is a powerhouse. With great pride for Canadian ingredients and respect for the seasons, Chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson make the most of their surroundings to enhance their spontaneous tasting menu's dishes, as in free-range pork, slow roasted over a peach wood fire, glazed with sweet potato miso, and plated with hazelnut jus. Yes, there is plenty of wine available, but don’t miss the accomplished juice pairing either. The meal may conclude sweetly, with a buckwheat sable cookie, honey whipped cream, honeycomb-shaped tuile, and honey ice cream. Meanwhile, the warm team keeps the tasting moving at a friendly clip.
The Pine
Cuisine: Chinese contemporary
Address: 7535 County Rd. 9, Creemore, ON
What the inspector says: "Located in charming Creemore, north of Toronto in Simcoe County, find this culinary landmark housed in a chic space that was formerly a gas station. Run by Chef Jeremy Austin and his wife, Cassie, The Pine is a distinct dining experience that is informed by the chef's years working in China. A meal here draws on authentic flavors delivered with striking creativity and conviction on an ever-evolving menu. A gorgeous tea egg kicks things off; the Sichuan-favorite dried fried string beans arrive as a cold salad; and the carrot jiaozi is a delightful dumpling; but those are merely a few of the treasures on offer."
Bib Gourmand
This level of Michelin Guide nod is perfect for those who want to try outstanding food without breaking the bank. Recognizing strong cuisine at more affordable prices, the Bib Gourmand is awarded to excellent Toronto restaurants that price their menu items below a maximum determined by local standards.
Toronto restaurants that have earned a Bib Gourmand recognition include Chica's Chicken, SumiLicious Smoked Meat & Deli, Indian Street Food Company, Puerto Bravo, The Ace, BB's, Alma, R&D, Sunnys Chinese, Grey Gardens, Campechano, Bar Raval, White Lily Diner, Cherry Street Bar-B-Que, La Bartola, Favorites Thai, Fat Pasha, Enoteca Sociale, and Wynona.
Here are the new restaurants that have earned Bib Gourmand status for 2024:
- Berkeley North (31 King William St., Hamilton, ON)
- Conejo Negro (838 College St., Toronto, ON)
- Guru Lakshmi (7070 St Barbara Blvd., Mississauga, ON)
- Rasa (196 Robert St., Toronto, ON)
Michelin Green Stars
One of the rarest Michelin honours is the guide's Green Star: a recognition of restaurants that are not only fabulous food & drink destinations, but also ones that put sustainability, eco-conscious practices, and ethical and environmental standards at the forefront of their operations.
Up to 2023, only one Toronto restaurant had received a Michelin Green Star: White Lily Diner, which crafts its comfort food out of ingredients from its organic no-till farm, including its own eggs.
This year, Restaurant Pearl Morisette has been added to that list. The restaurant sources ingredients directly from local farmers, and has a 2-acre regenerative garden that supplies herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables for a seasonal menu.
So the people of Toronto (and beyond) now have a few more restaurants to add to the old bucket list!
