Toronto is now home to the coveted Michelin star – more than one, actually. Last night, the anticipated first edition of the Michelin Guide Toronto was revealed, with inspectors honouring 12 one-Michelin-star restaurants and one two-Michelin-star restaurant in Canada’s largest city.
Toronto marks the first Canadian city to be featured in the highly coveted guide. For those in the dark, the century-old Parisian system sees Michelin inspectors visit restaurants anonymously and the rankings are determined by these teams of inspectors, based on repeat visits.
While there were few surprises (for example, the fact that Daniel Boulud’s Café Boulud didn’t make the cut), the list shined not only in their culinary offerings, but in the diversity department when it comes to both the types of cuisine and the creators behind it.
“Toronto shows it’s deserving of being the first Michelin Guide selection ever in the Great White North,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides. “The diversity of the selection reflects the cosmopolitan soul of this exciting city. With 27 cuisine types, from Japanese Kaiseki to Italian, Mexican or contemporary cuisine, there’s something to please every foodie here. Toronto already was a multicultural place where people meet to enjoy architecture, arts and nature, and now it becomes a world-class destination for gourmets too.”
The guide comprises four categories: three stars, two stars, one star, and – making less of a dent on the credit card – the Bib Gourmand, which recognizes quality “good value restaurants.”
While no Toronto restaurants joined the 136 restaurants worldwide who hold the top honour of three stars, the fact that we have any in this city after so long is a step in the right direction. From College Street to North York, here is the complete restaurant list – you may want to make your dinner reservations now (it’s never too early).
Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Toronto
Two Michelin Stars:
Sushi Masaki Saito (Japanese/Sushi cuisine)
Taking the top spot is Yorkville’s 2019-opened Japanese spot Sushi Masaki Saito, the only Toronto restaurant with two stars. Owner Chef Saito is no stranger to Michelin stars. His New York City spot, Sushi Ginza Onodera was granted one star in 2017 and two stars in 2018.
“Only here will you find shirako boldly skewered and grilled over binchotan, and only here will you eat melting slabs of chutoro buried under a blizzard of white truffles,” write the Michelin inspectors of Sushi Masaki Saito. “Fish comes exclusively from Japan, and for the nigiri, assistants are quick to bring him his prized rice from Niigata prefecture, warm and tinged with his special blend of vinegars, after every round. Laughter fills the air, thanks to Chef Masaki Saito and his jovial team, and for a few blissful hours, the world outside melts away.”
One Michelin Star:
1. Aburi Hana (Japanese/Kaiseki cuisine)
“Chef Ryusuke Nakagawa presents a modern take on the history-steeped Kyō-Kaiseki menu,” write the inspectors. “His cooking is deeply personal and intricate but never overwrought. Each course outdoes the last. The maguro flower, a rose made from pieces of akami and chutoro, is stunning, and kurobuta kakuni, simmered pork belly over foie gras, is dazzling.”
Location: 102 Yorkville Avenue
Find more info here.
2. Alo (Contemporary cuisine)
“Everyone has a good time at Chef Patrick Kriss’s beloved Alo,” write the inspectors. “The talented beverage team offers spot-on suggestions from the well-chosen wine list. The kitchen team seamlessly merges European and Asian sensibilities onto a single tasting menu with dishes like creamy Koshihikari risotto boosted with porcini emulsion or rack of lamb with Thai green curry.”
Location: 163 Spadina Avenue
Find more info here.
3. Alobar Yorkville (French cuisine)
“Seafood figures prominently, and, as one might expect from Chef Patrick Kriss and Chef de Cuisine Rebekah Bruce, product is first-rate and technique exemplary,” write the inspectors. “From chilled lobster with lime aioli to rack of lamb with niçoise olive, the kitchen delivers a kind of refined approachability that suits all occasions. Desserts like mille-feuille with raspberry chantilly are show-stoppers.”
Location: 162 Cumberland
Find more info here.
4. Don Alfonso 1890 Toronto (Italian cuisine)
“Chef Daniele Corona’s dishes echo the contemporary sophistication of the dining room,” write the inspectors. “Eel gelato plated with a tangle of wild rose-scented tagliatelle, pulverized egg yolk and sturgeon caviar delivers a wonderful mix of flavors; tender and vibrant agnolotti are stuffed with Ontario lamb for a rich and meaty filling and doused in a decadent cheese sauce that packs a punch.”
Location: 1 Harbour Square
Find more info here.
5. Edulis (Contemporary cuisine)
“The pride and passion of the husband-and-wife owners and their staff is undeniably evident throughout this spot,” write the inspectors. “Settle in for a set, multicourse menu inspired by the Mediterranean. The kitchen eschews fluff, focusing instead on creating harmonious (and delicious) dishes. Freshly carved Spanish ham, cheese and dessert are available as add-ons. The menu proudly hews to the season.”
Location: 169 Niagara Street
Find more info here.
6. Enigma Yorkville (Contemporary cuisine)
“Chef Quinton Bennett’s resume is as varied and glittering as the tile mosaics that stretch across the ceiling of this Yorkville looker,” write the inspectors. “Using molecular techniques, he puts his worldly view on the plate, playing on diverse textures and surprising combinations like brassicas with smoked foie gras and dehydrated parmesan or tuna with sheets of beetroot and fermented daikon.”
Location: 23 St. Thomas Street
Find more info here.
7. Frilu (Contemporary cuisine)
“There is a saying that we should dance like nobody’s watching,” write the inspectors. “This adage feels true of Chef John-Vincent Troiano, who cooks to his own rhythm in Thornhill. Smoke, game and refined sauce-work figure prominently on what might be the only tasting menu for several kilometers. A tiny space packed with talent, the sparsely decorated nook leaves everything on the plate, with high-quality product from their own farm coupled with an intriguing Japanese element that feels natural.
Location: 7713 Yonge Street
Find more info here
8. Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto (Japanese/Kaiseki cuisine)
“Chef Masaki Hashimoto’s traditional kaiseki eight-course menu showcases the seasons while celebrating Japanese ingredients,” write the inspectors. “It’s all about focus over flash with a refined intricate style and attention to detail that borders on reverence. Shii-zakana is a signature dish composed of fried soba noodle-wrapped shrimp, but it’s the stunning radish crane that you’ll remember.”
Location: 6 Garamond Court
Find more info here.
9. Osteria Giulia (Italian cuisine)
“It seems nearly impossible to have a bad time at Chef Rob Rossi’s Italian stunner,” write the inspectors.“Many Italian menus can look the same, Rossi narrows in on the seafood-rich traditions of Liguria. A deep Italian wine list and an especially talented cocktail program round out an experience that is as accomplished as it is hospitable.”
Location: 134 Avenue Road
Find more info here.
10. Quetzal (Mexican cuisine)
“Almost everything on this tight menu passes through the kitchen’s 26-foot-long wood-burning grill that actively roars and smokes,” write the inspectors. “At the end of the line is a single chef at the earthenware comal, who prepares tortillas from heirloom corn that is nixtmalized and ground in-house. Lamb barbacoa packed into griddled, blue masa tortillas and charred maitake mushrooms set in a crema poblana highlight the transformative magic of fire, while dry-aged amberjack aguachile flexes the kitchen’s delicate side.”
Location: 416 College Street
Find more info here.
11. Shoushin (Japanese/Sushi cuisine)
“Jackie Lin leads the young team with care,” the inspectors write. “The seasonal sushi omakase is especially delightful. Grilled cutlassfish, rarely seen on many menus, is served hot and flaky. Striped jackfish with a kiss of green onion is flavorful; golden eye snapper is nicely aged. From lean bluefin tuna with mountain yam and tart kohada to excellent baby seabream with lime, it’s hit after hit.”
Location: 3328 Yonge Street
Find more info here.
12. Yukashi (Japanese/Kaiseki cuisine)
“Chef Daisuke Izutsu has cooked for royals, dignitaries, and you, if you’re one of the lucky 15 who has secured a seat at the intimate Yukashi,” write the inspectors. “Firmly rooted in seasonality, this kaiseki-style menu is highly original and personal. The otsukuri, with slices of shima aji with yuzu zest, toro with pickled turnip and hay-smoked hamachi delicately arranged atop a white marble base, is a work of art.”
Location: 643A Mount Pleasant Road
Find more info here.
Affordable Bib Gourmand Restaurants In Toronto
As for the more affordable spots – places where you can enjoy two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for less than $60. A total of 17 made the Bib Gourmands list:
The Ace
Alma
Bar Raval
Campechango
Cherry St. Bar-B-Que
Chica’s Chicken
Enoteca Sociale
Fat Pasha
Favourites Thai
Fonda Balam
Grey Gardens
Indian Street Food Company
la Bartola
Puerto Bravo
R&D
SumiLicious Smoked Meat & Deli
Wynona
Additionally, the Guide announced three special awards. The Michelin Service Award, presented by Air Canada, went to the team at Edulis, led by husband-and-wife chefs Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth. Sommelier of the Year was awarded to Christopher Sealy and his team at Alo. And the Exceptional Cocktails Award was earned by the team at Osteria Giulia.
So, if you’re in need of a little Toronto restaurant inspiration, you know where to look. Find the full guide here.
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