Canada Celebrates Its First Michelin-Starred Restaurants

The word is out: Toronto has officially earned its reputation as a premier culinary hub, with 13 of its restaurants receiving Michelin stars on September 13—the very first stars awarded in Canada.

“With its remarkable diversity and exceptional quality, Toronto truly deserves its place on the global culinary map,” stated Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides.

During an award ceremony held at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works, featuring Canadian oysters, champagne, and appetizers from several nominated restaurants, Michelin honored one two-star and twelve single-star venues.

The tire company, with a history of over a century in guide publishing, also recognized 17 Bib Gourmand establishments. These are restaurants where you can enjoy a two-course meal along with a glass of wine or dessert for under CAD$60. Additionally, Michelin suggests 44 more Toronto restaurants in its online guide.

When Poullennec began his journey 20 years ago, the brand was concerned about the quality of global cuisine and faced a shortage of inspectors willing to travel extensively—resulting in cities like Toronto being overlooked. However, as restaurants worldwide have elevated their standards, Michelin is expanding. Now, Michelin Guides has awarded stars to Canada alongside 3,200 restaurants in various cities across Asia, Europe, the United States, Brazil, and Dubai in the Middle East.

“We have been truly impressed by the wealth of local talent,” Poullennec remarked. “Given this, we are confident that more accolades will follow.”

Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Canada

Chef Masaki Saito earned the top accolade with a two-star rating for his restaurant Sushi Masaki Saito, known for its 18-course omakase menus priced at CAD$680. He previously received the same star rating in 2017 and 2018 for his New York City establishment, Sushi Ginza Onodera, before relocating to Toronto in 2019.

“I adore Toronto, I adore Canada,” Saito expressed to the audience.

Chef Patrick Kriss also had a stellar evening, earning stars for two of his establishments: Alo, a modern European restaurant adorned in marble with exceptional wine pairings (Michelin named its sommelier, Christopher Sealy, Canada’s best sommelier of the year), and Alobar, a French bistro that focuses on cocktails and has been serving dishes like chilled lobster with lime aioli since its 2018 opening.

Other distinguished restaurants include Quetzal, an upscale Mexican venue in Kensington Market featuring a 26-foot-long wood-burning grill; Osteria Giulia, an Italian restaurant that also received Michelin’s Exceptional Cocktails Award; Enigma Yorkville, known for its molecular cuisine like smoked foie gras; and Edulis, a seasonal restaurant in the West End that won the Michelin Service Award for its husband-and-wife chef duo, Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth. Aburi Hana, Don Alfonso 1890, Frilu, Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto, Shoushin, and Yukashi complete the list of Toronto’s single Michelin stars.

Canada’s 17 Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurants

Since many of the Michelin-starred restaurants have long reservation waitlists, travelers making a last-minute trip to Toronto might want to consider visiting one of the 17 Bib Gourmand establishments.

Featured in the selections are beloved local gems like Bar Raval, a pintxos bar adorned with Gaudi-esque decor, and Fat Pasha, known for its generous Middle Eastern dishes, including roasted cauliflower with pomegranate and pine nuts. For those seeking budget-friendly options, Chica’s Chicken serves crispy Nashville-spiced chicken sandwiches smothered in buttermilk ranch, while SumiLicious is a smoked meat deli located in a suburban strip mall.

Additionally, the plant-based Mexican eatery La Bartola earned a Bib Gourmand, alongside the Ace, Alma, Campechano, Cherry Street BBQ, Enoteca Sociale, Favorites Thai BBQ, Fonda Balam, Grey Gardens, Indian Street Food Co, Puerto Bravo, R&D, and Wynona.

“The diversity is evident and is well-represented by 27 different types of cuisine and a total of 74 restaurants included in this inaugural selection,” remarked Poullennec.

Canada won't have to wait long for more Michelin stars, as the director announced that a guide for Vancouver will be published before the year's end.