Toronto’s Michelin Guide was just updated. Here are all the new starred restaurants
Including two farm-to-table favourites, a nine-month-old spot and an underrated Kensington kitchen
The Michelin Guide rolled its 125-year-old tires into town last night with all the pomp of a red carpet gala. Its fourth Toronto awards ceremony brought the region’s glittering tally of restaurants in the book up to 106. While the 2024 awards broke ground for venturing beyond the downtown core, this year’s growth was slimmer, with only one new single-star inductee, one green star for sustainability and a returning favourite’s promotion to the two-star club.
Since Michelin first came to Toronto in 2022, menus citywide have started to bend toward its aesthetic of single bites artfully dotted with lacquered dabs of colourful sauce or off-kilter petals—dishes that often look more like paintings than dinner. But, as Destination Toronto president Andrew Weir told the crowd, the awards remind people that Toronto is a great food city, and a tourist who visits a Michelin-recognized restaurant one night will likely also visit a neighbouring mom-and-pop operation that’s not on the list.
Chef Eric Chong previously told Toronto Life that Michelin’s presence in Toronto inspired him to open Akin, his tasting-menu restaurant in Old Toronto, which earned its first star last night. Chong was also the recipient of the Michelin Young Chef Award. During his acceptance speech, he thanked his life partner profusely, saying, “I couldn’t do it without my wife, who is essentially raising our son alone.”
Sundays, the cozy new farm-to-table spot in Uxbridge by former White Lily Diner owners Ben Denham and Ashley Lloyd, scored a green star for their sustainable and ethical practices. The duo source ingredients either directly from their own farm or from nearby producers and suppliers, rotating their menu constantly based on the season. When asked why they made sustainability the forefront of their business during their on-stage acceptance, Denham said it’s not so much a strategy as it is common sense.
Last to earn an award was Pearl Morissette, the highly acclaimed restaurant and winery near Niagara that’s had a banner year. First, it claimed the number-one spot on a Canada’s 100 Best list this past spring, and as of last night, it’s now the only two-star kitchen on Toronto’s Michelin list. It also managed to hang on to its green star from last year.
Toronto’s Arbequina, Linny’s, LSL, Okeya Kyujiro and Sammarco, plus Kitchener’s Odd Duck, were all added to the Michelin-recommended list. And Sushi Masaki Saito, which had held two stars for the past three years, quietly lost a star last night.
Related: Where Pearl Morissette chef Eric Robertson eats in Hamilton
The three restaurants to see new stars are:
Sundays (Uxbridge): one green star. A warm farm-to-table bistro with a balanced list of local beer and wine and classic cocktails updated with house-made shrubs.
Akin (Toronto): one Michelin star. A gold-leaf-laden and heritage-driven restaurant in Old Toronto merging molecular gastronomy with a three-hour food tour of Asia.
Pearl Morissette (Jordan): two Michelin stars. A lofty farm-to-table restaurant and winery with hyper-local dishes and renowned wine made from classic French grapes.
Six new best-value restaurants were also added to the list, bringing the region’s Bib Gourmand tally to 26. They are:
Seven Enoteca (Oakville): a polished Italian trattoria with wood-fired pizzas and a food-friendly wine list.
Barrel Heart Brewing (Dundas): a farmhouse-style brewery turning out funky saisons alongside a Belgian-style snack menu.
Mhel (Toronto): a sake hideaway in Bloorcourt serving Japanese-Korean small plates.
Ricky and Olivia (Toronto): a chef duo in Leslieville known for ’90s-inspired snacks and playful menus that highlight Ontario’s bounty.
Sundays (Uxbridge): the green-starred spot also happens to offer great value.
The Cottage Cheese (Toronto): an urban Indian eatery in Kensington Market.
Michelin special awards handed out last night:
Exception Cocktails Award: Bex Figueiredo, Bar Raval
Sommelier Award: Faye MacLachlan, Langdon Hall
Outstanding Service Award: the Aburi Hana team, led by chef Ryusuke Nakagawa
Young Chef Award: Eric Chong, Akin
For the full list of Michelin-awarded and -recommended restaurants in Toronto, click here.
Lindsey King is a Toronto-based writer and editor whose work can be found in Toronto Life, Maclean’s, Canada’s 100 Best and more. She is interested in arts and culture, food and drink, architecture, design, and real estate stories
