The 10 incredible restaurants outside Toronto featured in this year’s Michelin Guide, Canada Reviews

The Michelin Guide recently announced its 2024 restaurant selection for Toronto, but this year it expanded its reach beyond the city, awarding stars or recognition to a few restaurants outside of Toronto proper. Toronto (including the surrounding region) now holds 15 one-star restaurants, two green-star restaurants, and one two-star Michelin-rated restaurant—and you don’t have to live downtown to enjoy all of them!

Here’s a guide to Michelin-starred (and recognized) restaurants outside of the city.

The Pine
7535 County Rd. 9, Creemore, Simcoe County, Ont.

This Pine restaurant is nestled in the charming small town of Creemore (part of Clearview Township, north of Toronto in Simcoe County).

After a successful three-and-a-half years in Collingwood, husband-and-wife team Jeremy and Cassie Austin relocated their restaurant to a bright and spacious converted garage in Creemore. With seating for 24, including six at the open kitchen, the minimalist design complements Chef Jeremy Austin’s culinary inspirations from Italy, Hong Kong, and Mainland China.

The prix-fixe menu includes 14 to 18 courses that change frequently, showcasing local ingredients—primarily sourced from Cassie’s parents’ farm—alongside a carefully curated selection of Ontario wines. Dishes may include unique combinations like chrysanthemum greens with black walnut and scallop fudge, as well as roasted eggplant with albacore jerky.

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Restaurant Pearl Morissette
3953 Jordan Rd., Lincoln, Ont.

This 42-acre oasis received one Michelin star as well as a Michelin Green star. It’s located in the picturesque Niagara region and functions as a restaurant, winery, orchard, farm, and bakery! Chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson make the most of locally sourced ingredients to enhance the dishes they serve, and their two-acre regenerative garden supplies herbs, eggs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables for their menus year-round (the owners use overwintering and cellaring techniques).

Pearl Morissette patrons can savour dishes like free-range pork, slow roasted over a peach wood fire, glazed with sweet potato miso, and plated with hazelnut jus. The meal might conclude with a buckwheat sable cookie, honey whipped cream, and honey ice cream (followed by a warm cup of tea). Of course, the restaurant offers many varieties of wine to pair with meals, but non-drinkers will also enjoy their juice options.

Hexagon
210 Lakeshore Rd. E., Oakville, Ont.

This contemporary restaurant received one Michelin star and is located relatively close to Toronto, in the heart of historic downtown Oakville. Aesthetically, the restaurant is pleasing, with sliding patio doors, a wrap-around terrace, and a cool–casual interior. But the food is inspired by Chef Rafael Covarrubias, his Mexican roots, as well as his team’s array of cultures—expect seasonal, locally grown ingredients paired with traditional dishes like beef tartare, oysters, and scallops.

Try the aged Ontario Duck (Chef Rafael’s fav dish!). plated with smoked onions, Niagara hazelnuts, preserved cherry, foie gras, and anise. Finish your meal with steamed carrot cake, coconut dacquoise, ginger crème, and sake kasu ice cream. Chef Rafael also received the Michelin Guide Toronto 2024 Young Chef Award, so you know the food will be delicious!

Honourable mentions:

These restaurants outside of Toronto proper are listed in this year’s Michelin Guide, and although they haven’t been awarded stars to date, they’re known for their culinary experiences:

Trius Winery & Restaurant
1249 Niagara Stone Rd., Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Their menu offers a two- and three-course prix-fixe and provides a variety of options, like gin-cured smoked salmon with warm potato pancakes, and hearty entrees, like maple-brined grilled pork chops, corn and chorizo-stuffed quail, and scallops with sweet pea and mascarpone ravioli. Headed by Chef Frank Dodd.

Fat Rabbit
34 Geneva St., Saint Catharines, Ont.

Located an hour down the QEW from Toronto, Fat Rabbit could be the only culinary destination in the Michelin Guide that boasts both a restaurant and a full-animal butchery. The man behind the operation is chef  Zach Smith, whose impressive resume includes Bar Raval and Matty Matheson’s Meat + Three. At Fat Rabbit the focus is on house-made charcuterie and sizeable steaks grilled over charcoal! Pair it with a cold green bean salad glazed with anchovy vinaigrette and toasted pine nuts. Or dine on bresaola tinged with warm spices, melting sheets of mortadella covered with pistachios, and spicy salami with orange zest. Before you leave, check out their fridges for some take-home souvenirs, like prime steaks and pork ragu.

Quatrefoil
16 Sydenham St., Hamilton, Ont.

This contemporary French restaurant is located in the historic town of Dundas near Hamilton and has been around since 2010! Their menu is inspired by local ingredients, offering everything from Fenwood Farm chicken breast paired with mustard greens, heirloom carrot, truffled potato gnocchi, carrot pesto, and sauce chasseur and honey glazed Québec duck breast, plated with caulifloretti, chanterelle mushroom, Swiss chard, confit duck hushpuppy, plum jam, and glazed with hazelnut jus.

Langdon Hall Country House & Spa
1 Langdon Dr., Cambridge, Ont.

Nestled just an hour’s drive from Toronto, Langdon Hall Country House & Spa is a beautifully restored 19th-century estate that serves as an idyllic retreat for those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation. This historic mansion is set on a sprawling 75 acres of lush gardens and serene landscapes. The estate is not only renowned for its exquisite accommodations but also boasts a signature restaurant that highlights the culinary talents of Chef Jason Bangerter. His thoughtfully crafted menu features a range of seasonal dishes, such as warm lobster paired with fresh English peas and a decadent foie gras parfait, all served with a slice of warm, buttery brioche. The restaurant emphasizes locally sourced ingredients, ensuring a fresh and flavourful dining experience.

Zen
7634 Woodbine Ave., Markham, Ont.

This Japanese restaurant is situated in an unassuming Markham strip center dominated by an auto repair shop, but you’ll be getting the real thing. Fish from Japan arrives a few times each week, and the Michelin Guide describes the rice as “warm and finely vinegared”. Try everything from Agedashi tofu (deep-fried homemade tofu in broth), to the grilled miso marinated black cod, to the wide array of sushi plates.

Berkeley North
31 King William St., Hamilton, Ont.

Situated on King William Street’s vibrant restaurant row, Berkeley North has firmly established itself as one of Hamilton’s top dining destinations, celebrated for its West Coast-inspired share plate concept.

The menu is dynamic and features outstanding dishes made with fresh, local ingredients (you haven’t truly experienced dining here until you’ve tried their house-made cheese). Enjoy menu items from across the globe, including tuna crudo with citrus ponzu, Chinese egg rolls with chickpea potato curry and a ginger-herb dip, or comfort food like house-made, hand-cut ricotta gnocchi, paired with sweet corn & miso sauce, charred corn, leeks, bacon, fermented chili. Top off your meal with Basque cheesecake (topped with seasonal compote) or chocolate cake, drizzled with raspberry coulis, soft marshmallow fluff, and cookie crumble. Guests can enjoy their meals with a selection of craft beers, a thoughtfully curated wine list, and signature house cocktails.

Down Home
1355299 9 Line, Markdale, Ont.

Located in the heart of Grey Highlands, Down Home is a farmhouse restaurant known for its hyper-local culinary experience. Previously operated by the team behind Sumac & Salt, Hannah Harradine and Joel Gray, the restaurant emphasizes collaboration with local farmers and producers from Grey, Bruce, and Simcoe counties, offering the best quality ingredients and sharing their stories through food.

Down Home is also experimenting with innovative cooking techniques, such as blackening fruits and vegetables, creating a distinctive flavour profile through a controlled environment that enhances the natural sweetness of ingredients. The restaurant’s collaborative tasting menus include locally sourced ingredients from their gardens, local farmers, and producers. Try the trout brined with spruce tips, slow-smoked then quick-seared, and presented with Ontario potatoes, fiddlehead ferns, and trout roe. Or dine on the braised pork belly, paired with corn, green chilies, and chantarelles.