TORONTO — The third edition of MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region was announced last night at HISTORY, with the region’s most prominent chefs in attendance, unveiling the restaurants that have received a MICHELIN Star or another MICHELIN Guide distinction. It’s the first time the guide features selections from beyond Toronto.
Four new restaurants were each awarded one star, bringing Toronto’s total of starred establishments to 16. The list includes Toronto’s DaNico, from the team behind Don Alfonso; The Pine, husband-and-wife team Jeremy and Cassie Austin’s new restaurant in Creemore, Ont.; Hexagon in Oakville, Ont. featuring chef Rafael Covarrubias’s contemporary French dishes (Covarrubias also earned the Michelin Young Chef award); and Pearl Morissette, chef Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson’s farm-to-table restaurant in Jordan Station, Ont., which was also awarded a Michelin Green Star for its sustainable practices.
Four new Bib Gourmand restaurants were also named:
- Conejo Negro in Little Italy, which serves Creole and Cajun cuisine
- Rasa, Harbord Village’s more casual sister restaurant to Sara.
- Guru Lukshmi, a fast-casual kitchen for South Indian dishes and Jain specialities in Mississauga, Ont.
- Berkeley North, for California-inspired cuisine in downtown Hamilton, Ont.
Toronto was the first Canadian MICHELIN Guide destination announced in 2022 and the sixth in North America. The 2023 ceremony awarded Stars to fifteen Toronto restaurants — one of which received two Stars— as well as 21 Bib Gourmands, 46 recommended restaurants and two Green Stars. Last year’s selection comprised 82 restaurants and 28 cuisine types.
According to a study by Destination Toronto, Economic Impact of Visitors in Toronto, visitors spent $8.4 billion in 2023 with the food-and-beverage sector accounting for 24 per cent, totalling $2 billion. The study also found that visitors supported more than 16,000 direct jobs in foodservices.
“Our global research shows that trying local food and drink is the most desired travel activity among international travellers to Canada,” says Marsha Walden, president & CEO, Destination Canada. “The MICHELIN recognition shows that Toronto has established itself as one of Canada’s thriving culinary capitals, and it’s easy to see why. From Little Jamaica to Little Portugal, and a host of rich, Indigenous offerings, Toronto offers a unique fusion of flavours, but also a rich story behind the dishes and the communities, adding to the legendary experiences Canada is known for.”
“Toronto’s culinary scene is a dynamic fusion of global flavours — a reflection of the city itself and a key reason why visitors are drawn here,” says Andrew Weir, president & CEO, Destination Toronto. “Having a MICHELIN Guide gives Toronto — and now restaurants in an expanded region — a significant international stage to share the full scope and scale of our diverse and vibrant food scene.”
