The Lowdown on All 13 of Toronto’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants

Adam Bisby September 15, 2022

More than four months after the Michelin Guide’s incognito inspectors began fanning out across Toronto, the 74 establishments included in the venerable culinary guidebook’s first-ever Canadian edition were revealed at a September 13th gala in the Evergreen Brick Works. You might recall last month we interviewed some of the top chefs in the city to get their predictions, and it seems only a few were spot-on with their respective guesses.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the city’s 13 Michelin-starred eateries, 12 of which earned one star and one of which, Yorkville’s Sushi Masaki Saito, earned two. While no Toronto restaurant was awarded three stars — the guide’s highest rating — it should be noted that there are less than 150 three-star restaurants globally, with New York and San Francisco being the only North American cities with more than one. While the culinary scene of Canada’s largest city may be relatively short on star power, its diversity was praised by Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin Guide’s international director, who pointed out that the inaugural Toronto edition spans 27 different types of cuisine.

Here’s how the city’s starred selections break down:

Two stars: Sushi Masaki Saito

Cuisine: Japanese/sushi

Inspector notes: ”Only here will you find shirako boldly skewered and grilled over binchotan, and only here will you eat melting slabs of chutoro buried under a blizzard of white truffles. Fish comes exclusively from Japan, and for the nigiri, assistants are quick to bring him his prized rice from Niigata prefecture, warm and tinged with his special blend of vinegars, after every round. Laughter fills the air, thanks to Chef Masaki Saito and his jovial team, and for a few blissful hours, the world outside melts away.”

One star: Aburi Hana

Cuisine: Japanese/Kaiseki                 

Inspector notes: “Chef Ryusuke Nakagawa presents a modern take on the history-steeped Kyō-Kaiseki menu. His cooking is deeply personal and intricate but never overwrought. Each course outdoes the last. The maguro flower, a rose made from pieces of akami and chutoro, is stunning, and kurobuta kakuni, simmered pork belly over foie gras, is dazzling.”

One star: Alo

Cuisine: Contemporary 

Inspector notes: “Everyone has a good time at Chef Patrick Kriss’s beloved Alo. The talented beverage team offers spot-on suggestions from the well-chosen wine list. The kitchen team seamlessly merges European and Asian sensibilities onto a single tasting menu with dishes like creamy Koshihikari risotto boosted with porcini emulsion or rack of lamb with Thai green curry.”

One star: Alobar Yorkville

Cuisine: French

Inspector notes: “Seafood figures prominently, and, as one might expect from Chef Patrick Kriss and Chef de Cuisine Rebekah Bruce, product is first-rate and technique exemplary. From chilled lobster with lime aioli to rack of lamb with niçoise olive, the kitchen delivers a kind of refined approachability that suits all occasions. Desserts like mille-feuille with raspberry chantilly are show-stoppers.”

One star: Don Alfonso 1890     

Cuisine: Italian

Inspector notes: “Chef Daniele Corona’s dishes echo the contemporary sophistication of the dining room. Eel gelato plated with a tangle of wild rose-scented tagliatelle, pulverized egg yolk and sturgeon caviar delivers a wonderful mix of flavors; tender and vibrant agnolotti are stuffed with Ontario lamb for a rich and meaty filling and doused in a decadent cheese sauce that packs a punch.”

One star: Edulis

Cuisine: Contemporary

Inspector notes: “The pride and passion of the husband-and-wife owners and their staff is undeniably evident throughout this spot. Settle in for a set, multicourse menu inspired by the Mediterranean. The kitchen eschews fluff, focusing instead on creating harmonious (and delicious) dishes. Freshly carved Spanish ham, cheese and dessert are available as add-ons. The menu proudly hews to the season.”

One star: Enigma Yorkville

Cuisine: Contemporary

Inspector notes: “Chef Quinton Bennett’s resume is as varied and glittering as the tile mosaics that stretch across the ceiling of this Yorkville looker. Using molecular techniques, he puts his worldly view on the plate, playing on diverse textures and surprising combinations like brassicas with smoked foie gras and dehydrated parmesan or tuna with sheets of beetroot and fermented daikon.”

One star: Frilu

Cuisine: Contemporary

Inspector notes: “There is a saying that we should dance like nobody’s watching. This adage feels true of Chef John-Vincent Troiano, who cooks to his own rhythm in Thornhill. Smoke, game and refined sauce-work figure prominently on what might be the only tasting menu for several kilometers. A tiny space packed with talent, the sparsely decorated nook leaves everything on the plate, with high-quality product from their own farm coupled with an intriguing Japanese element that feels natural.”

One star: Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto

Cuisine: Japanese/Kaiseki

Inspector notes: “Chef Masaki Hashimoto’s traditional kaiseki eight-course menu showcases the seasons while celebrating Japanese ingredients. It’s all about focus over flash with a refined intricate style and attention to detail that borders on reverence. Shii-zakana is a signature dish composed of fried soba noodle-wrapped shrimp, but it’s the stunning radish crane that you’ll remember.”

One star: Osteria Giulia

Cuisine: Italian

Inspector notes: “It seems nearly impossible to have a bad time at Chef Rob Rossi’s Italian stunner. Many Italian menus can look the same, Rossi narrows in on the seafood-rich traditions of Liguria. A deep Italian wine list and an especially talented cocktail program round out an experience that is as accomplished as it is hospitable.”

One star: Quetzal

Cuisine: Mexican     

Inspector notes: “Almost everything on this tight menu passes through the kitchen’s 26-foot-long wood-burning grill that actively roars and smokes. At the end of the line is a single chef at the earthenware comal, who prepares tortillas from heirloom corn that is nixtmalized and ground in-house. Lamb barbacoa packed into griddled, blue masa tortillas and charred maitake mushrooms set in a crema poblana highlight the transformative magic of fire, while dry-aged amberjack aguachile flexes the kitchen’s delicate side.”

One star: Shoushin

Cuisine: Japanese/Sushi           

Inspector notes: “Jackie Lin leads the young team with care. The seasonal sushi omakase is especially delightful. Grilled cutlassfish, rarely seen on many menus, is served hot and flaky. Striped jackfish with a kiss of green onion is flavorful; golden eye snapper is nicely aged. From lean bluefin tuna with mountain yam and tart kohada to excellent baby seabream with lime, it’s hit after hit.”

One star: Yukashi

Cuisine: Japanese/Kaiseki     

Inspector notes: “Chef Daisuke Izutsu has cooked for royals, dignitaries, and you, if you’re one of the lucky 15 who has secured a seat at the intimate Yukashi. Firmly rooted in seasonality, this kaiseki-style menu is highly original and personal. The otsukuri, with slices of shima aji with yuzu zest, toro with pickled turnip and hay-smoked hamachi delicately arranged atop a white marble base, is a work of art.”