MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region expands in year three with four new Stars

• Four restaurants earn a MICHELIN Star for the first time
• Selection expands territory in year three to include Toronto & Region
• Second MICHELIN Green Star added to selection
• 100 total restaurants, 30 cuisine types reflected in selection

On Wednesday, September 18, the MICHELIN Guide announced the 2024 restaurant selection for the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region, marking an expansion of Toronto’s selection territory in year three.

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. Toronto & Region now holds 15 one MICHELIN Starred restaurants, two Green Stars and a two MICHELIN Star restaurant, with Sushi Masaki Saito remaining atop the list.

“As we toast to year three of the MICHELIN Guide in Toronto, we are excited to see the selection expand beyond the city center, with new and emerging talent being spotlighted,” said 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 chef and culinary teams’ passion is evident with a strong focus on indigenous ingredients and sustainable gastronomy.”

In addition to four new Starred restaurants, the Guide boasts four new Bib Gourmands: Berkeley North, Conejo Negro, Guru Lakshmi and Rasa. The full selection, including Green Stars and Recommended eateries, totals 100 restaurants and 30 cuisine types represented.

Here are the new One MICHELIN Star and Green Star restaurants, with Inspector notes from each (Inspectors’ comments in full on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile app):

One MICHELIN Star

DaNico (Toronto; Italian cuisine)

Wondering if DaNico is worth a stop? You can take it to the bank—quite literally, as the restaurant is nestled inside a former bank building. Inside, dark colors, linen tablecloths, and plush seating set a sophisticated tone, but the irreverent artwork proves they don’t take themselves too seriously. Chef/partner Daniele Corona cooks Italian food with a global influence. Choose from a multicourse prix-fixe or a chef’s tasting menu to enjoy items such as wild Pacific crab served over thin, noodle-like vegetables, garnished with trout roe, and finished tableside with a Sicilian green olive coulis. Then, house-made basil bottini filled with smoked burrata is nestled in a creamy sauce for a dish that delivers dialed-in flavor.

Hexagon (Oakville; Contemporary cuisine)

This stylish restaurant in downtown Oakville could get by on looks alone with its sliding patio doors, wrap-around terrace, and an interior that is at once cool and casual. But for Chef Rafael Covarrubias, he’s got a lot more in mind. The menu reads familiar – beef tartare, oysters, fish – but what emerges from the kitchen are beautiful, soigné works that are refined, original, and substantial. Potato foam, brown butter, and roe are clever pairings with Hokkaido scallop. Pasta is a highlight, like corn agnolotti with Manchego, but so too is the short rib. And for dessert, cheesecake is surprisingly light and savory thanks to strawberries and a nutty almond cookie. To see this kitchen at its most ambitious, guests can book a tasting menu in advance.

Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station; Contemporary cuisine)

This 42-acre destination in the picturesque Niagara region is the full experience. A restaurant, winery, orchard, farm, and bakery, Restaurant Pearl Morissette is a powerhouse. With great pride for Canadian ingredients and respect for the seasons, Chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson make the most of their surroundings to enhance their spontaneous tasting menu’s dishes, as in free-range pork, slow roasted over a peach wood fire, glazed with sweet potato miso, and plated with hazelnut jus. Yes, there is plenty of wine available, but don’t miss the accomplished juice pairing either. The meal may conclude sweetly, with a buckwheat sable cookie, honey whipped cream, honeycomb-shaped tuile, and honey ice cream. Meanwhile, the warm team keeps the tasting moving at a friendly clip.

The Pine (Creemore; Chinese/contemporary cuisine)

Located in charming Creemore, north of Toronto in Simcoe County, find this culinary landmark housed in a chic space that was formerly a gas station.  Run by Chef Jeremy Austin and his wife, Cassie, The Pine is a distinct dining experience that is informed by the chef’s years working in China. A meal here draws on authentic flavors delivered with striking creativity and conviction on an ever-evolving menu. A gorgeous tea egg kicks things off; the Sichuan-favorite dried fried string beans arrive as a cold salad; and the carrot jiaozi is a delightful dumpling; but those are merely a few of the treasures on offer.

MICHELIN Green Star

Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station; Contemporary cuisine)

Initiatives: sourcing ingredients directly from local farmers; 2-acre regenerative garden supplies herbs, eggs, flowers, fruits and vegetables for seasonal menu; overwintering and cellaring techniques in garden; native planting and indigenous ingredients.

Bib Gourmand

The MICHELIN Guide Inspectors added 4 restaurants to the Bib Gourmand list, which recognizes eateries for great food at a great value: Berkeley North, Conejo Negro, Guru Lukshmi and Rasa.