Toronto Restaurants Receive First-Ever Michelin Stars

After 122 years in print and being published in over 35 countries, the Michelin Guide has finally revealed its first Canadian edition.

Across the top eateries in Toronto, 12 restaurants have earned one star, and one restaurant has earned two stars as judged by the coveted Michelin inspectors. 

Personally, I’ve had high hopes for the Toronto food scene to be recognized on a global stage, as it’s no stranger to Michelin-qualified talent. Let’s take a look at the accolades.

Toronto’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants

After a summer of mysterious Michelin personnel combing through the Toronto food scene, the following 13 venues have become the first Canadian restaurants to be awarded Michelin stars:

And as a reminder, what do the stars mean? Michelin has labelled its ratings as follows:

• One star: High quality cooking, worth a stop
• Two stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour
• Three stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey

According to Michelin, the inspectors do not take into account the restaurant’s decor or the quality of service that is provided by the restaurant. Instead, they judge the quality of the food on five criteria:

• Quality of ingredients
• A chef’s mastery of flavour and cooking techniques
• The chef’s ability to imbue the cuisine with his or her culinary “personality”
• Value for money
• Consistency between visits

In addition to the 13 restaurants that were awarded Michelin stars, 17 more eateries were given Bib Gourmand recognition, which showcases the best-value-for-money dining options that a city has to offer.

My Impressions of Toronto’s Michelin Awards

To me, it’s no surprise that both Alo and Alobar Yorkville earned one star, as Alo has easily ranked among the top three dining experiences I’ve enjoyed in my life, and the best food I’ve had in Canada. 

Alo has won the Canada’s Best Restaurant award numerous times, and its head chef, local Scarborough native Chef Patrick Kriss, has been named Canada’s most outstanding chef. 

While the remaining Michelin star recipients – which focus heavily on Japanese and contemporary cuisine – all look outstanding as well, I must say I’m a little surprised by a few omissions from the list. 

For example, Chef Daniel Boulud of the Four Seasons’s Café Boulud has earned two Michelin stars at his New York restaurant, Daniel. That’s the same restaurant where Chef Kriss…