Canada's First Michelin Guide & Toronto Restaurants Made the Cut

Canada's first-ever Michelin guide has now been published. Debuting during the star-studded Toronto International Film Festival, the inaugural Michelin Guide Toronto added new stars to the city - it's culinary scene, that is.

As Open Jaw reported in MAY, the publication of the Michelin Guide Toronto marks not just the first for Canada, it’s only the sixth North American destination to be written up in one of the famous French guide books.

While some high-profile Toronto chefs and culinary experts argued Toronto doesn't need a Michelin Guide to prove its world-class dining offering, tourism officials say Michelin-rated destinations "have benefited from increased local visits to restaurants as well, and a greater interest in restaurants overall — not just those in the guide," says a report in the National Post.

Destination Toronto, Destination Ontario and Destination Canada all financially partnered with Michelin to create the first Canadian Michelin Guide in a multi-year partnership whose dollar figures haven't been made public.

“This is an opportunity for all of Canada,” said Andrew Weir, executive vice president of Destination Toronto. “Canada’s a Michelin country. There are Michelin-starred restaurants in our country and that’s never happened before. So, it really changes the game," attracting more food-focused travellers who will dine in many local restaurants, not just those in the guide.

In the end, the inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide Toronto awarded 13 restaurants stars. Michelin’s web site, lists five criteria: the quality of ingredients used, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques, “the personality of the chef in his cuisine,” value and consistency between visits.

Based on Toronto's inaugural stars, there's definitely a theme to which style of dining appeals most to Michelin's super-secret "inspectors."

The Toronto Star notes that, "Of the 13 Toronto restaurants that received Michelin stars, five offer omakase sushi or kaiseki-style dining where prices start at $195 and top out at $680 per person. Five of the restaurants are in (Toronto's chic and pricey neighbourhood) Yorkville. Ten offer multi-course set tasting menus."

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides told the Star, “The selection reflects the diversity of the cosmopolitan flavour of Toronto.”

Of the 13 restaurants awarded Michelin stars, 12 received one star, and one restaurant received two stars. Only three stars are possible in the Michelin universe, and no Toronto restaurants received three stars - this time, anyway.

“It’s definitely a great beginning because it’s already a strong selection and we feel there’s a lot of potential in the years to come. We’ve been impressed by the local, homegrown and excellent talented chefs,” added Poullennec.

Here are the 13 Toronto restaurants awarded Michelin stars in the inaugural, 2022 edition. You can read more about them here on the Michelin Guide's web site.

2 Stars

Sushi Masaki Saito (Japanese)

Mass Appeal

Michelin acknowledges the star-awarded restaurants in its Guides are for "gourmands," but it has expanded its lists to include a broader range of style of restaurants and budgets, too.

In addition to listing 'starred' restaurants, Michelin has a list of "Bib Gourmand" restaurants, where it says diners "can have two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for less than $60."

In Toronto's inaugural Michelin Guide, it lists 17 Bib Gourmands across the city, from barbecue in Port Lands to Middle Eastern fare in The Annex, from wine bars uptown to Mexican on College, from deli food above the 401 to Chinese-Canadian in China Town. You can read more about them here on the Michelin Guide's web site.

The Ace (Canadian)
Alma (Chinese)
Bar Raval (Spanish)
Campechano (Mexican)
Cherry St. Bar-B-Que (American Barbecue)
Chica’s Chicken (Fried Chicken)
Enoteca Sociale (Italian)
Fat Pasha (European Jewish)
Favorites Thai BBQ (Thai)
Fonda Balam (Mexican)
Grey Gardens (Wine Bar)
Indian Street Food Company (Indian)
La Bartola (Mexican)
Puerto Bravo (Mexican)
R&D (Canadian-Chinese)
SumiLicious (Montreal Deli)
Wynona (Italian)

Soon, Toronto will not be the only Canadian city with Michelin stars. In an announcement on 14JUL with Destination Vancouver, Michelin Guide executives announced that the inaugural edition of the MICHELIN Guide Vancouver will also be coming in fall 2022.