The world’s most respected and revered guide to restaurants has released its 2024 guide for the Toronto region, showcasing the area’s growing array of international tastemakers.
Given Toronto’s status as the most ethnically diverse large metropolitan area in North America, it is probably not surprising that the city is also known for its excellent and wide-ranging restaurants, bringing those authentic international cooking experiences and taste sensations to foodies from around the world.
Because of this stellar international reputation among gourmands, it was somewhat surprising that the venerable Michelin Guide did not add Toronto to its list of major world cities until 2022, but they have moved fast in making up for lost time.
In September, Michelin announced the restaurant selection for its MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region 2024, expanding Toronto’s selection territory in year three to include some of the world-class restaurants located just outside the city in densely populated Southern Ontario.
DaNico, Hexagon, Restaurant Pearl Morissette and The Pine were each awarded one Michelin Star, with Restaurant Pearl Morissette also being the newest Green Star restaurant in the selection, recognized as a pioneer in sustainable gastronomy. The Toronto & Region guide now includes 15 one- Michelin-starred restaurants, two Green-Michelin- starred restaurants and one two-Michelin-starred restaurant, with Yorkville’s Sushi Masaki Saito still holding that distinction.
Toronto And Its Surrounding Region Are Home To Thousands Of Talented Young Chefs From Around The World.
In addition to the four new Michelin-starred restaurants, the 2024 Guide also boasts four new Bib Gourmands, eateries with great food at a great value. Berkeley North, Conejo Negro, Guru Lakshmi and Rasa are recognized as Bib Gourmands. The full MICHELIN Guide for Toronto & Region, including Green-starred restaurants and Michelin-recommended eateries, now totals 100 restaurants, with 30 different cuisine types represented, a testament to Toronto’s delicious diversity.
Located inside an old bank building on College Street in the heart of Little Italy, DaNico features plush seating and a sophisticated setting, but the irreverent artwork proves it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Chef/Partner Daniele Corona cooks Italian food with a global influence, and diners can choose from a multicourse prix-fixe or a chef’s tasting menu.
In downtown Oakville, west of Toronto, the stylish Hexagon restaurant serves contemporary cuisine in a cool and casual setting that includes a wrap-around terrace. Chef Rafael Covarrubias’s menu features familiar items such as beef tartare, oysters and fish, but pasta is a highlight, and guests can book a tasting menu in advance.
Another dining destination, Restaurant Pearl Morrissette, with its winery, orchard, farm and bakery, is set on 42 acres in the picturesque Niagara Region. Chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson make the most of these lovely surroundings to enhance their spontaneous tasting menu proudly sourcing ingredients directly from local farmers and other Canadian suppliers and according to the seasons.
North of Toronto in Simcoe County is the charming village of Creemore, home to The Pine, which is housed in a now-chic space that was formerly a gas station. The Pine, which features contemporary Chinese and Canadian cuisine, is managed by Chef Jeremy Austin and his wife, Cassie, and offers a distinct dining experience that draws drawing on the chef’s years of working in China to ensure consistent and authentic flavours.
“As we toast to year three of the MICHELIN Guide in Toronto, we are excited to see the selection expand beyond the city centre, with new and emerging talent being spotlighted,” says Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guides. “We are very pleased to welcome four new eateries into the family of Michelin-starred restaurants and hope this serves as encouragement for the restaurant community to continue raising the bar. The chefs’ and culinary teams’ passion is evident with a strong focus on indigenous ingredients and sustainable gastronomy.”
As evidence of the scale and scope of the strength of the restaurant scene in Toronto and surrounding regions, two new 2024 recommended restaurants include Langdon Hall Country House & Spa located in Cambridge, Ont., about one hour west of Toronto, and Lucie Restaurant at 100 Yonge St., in the heart of downtown Toronto’s financial core.
The 2024 Michelin Guide also includes a number of hotels selected as the most distinctive and exciting places to stay in Toronto. Each hotel was chosen for its extraordinary style, service and personality. Featured this year are 1 Hotel Toronto, the Hazelton, the SoHo, Ace Hotel and the Drake, along with the Ritz-Carlton.
The first Michelin guide was published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the use of cars for leisure travel as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. In the ensuing years, the Guide began to specialize on in restaurant and hotel recommendations. Michelin’s current inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by the inspectors all those years ago.
Toronto and its surrounding region are home to thousands of talented young chefs from around the world. If the MICHELIN Guide 2024 can serve as an inspiration to bring more creativity and imagination to their menus, then we will all be winners in the end.
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