Which Toronto restaurants and chefs made the cut in the prestigious Michelin Guide?

The first Canadian edition of the food world’s prestigious Michelin Guide took place on Tuesday night at the Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto, with Sushi Masaki Saito and its chef, Masaki Saito, taking home the most prestigious two-star award.

“Thank you, Michelin, for coming to Toronto,” Saito said to applause while accepting the lone two-star designation for the night. “I love Toronto, I love Canada,” he said.

Sushi Masaki Saito is located at 88 Avenue Road.

Seventy-four restaurants and chefs in total were given Michelin guide honours.

Two-star award:

• Sushi Masaki Saito, Chef: Masaki Saito

One-star awards:

• Aburi Hana, Chef: Ryusuke Nakagawa
• Alo, Chef: Patrick Kriss
• Alobar Yorkville, Chefs: Patrick Kriss and Rebekah Bruce
• Don Alfonso 1890, Chef: Daniele Corona
• Edulis, Chefs: Tobey Nemeth and Michael Caballo
• Enigma Yorkville, Chef: Quinton Bennett
• Frilu, Chef: John-Vincent Troiano
• Kaiseki Yu-Zen Hashimoto, Chef: Masaki Hashimoto
• Osteria Guilia, Chef: Rob Rossi
• Quetzal, Chef: Steve Molnar
• Shousin, Chef: Jackie Lin
• Yukashi, Chef: Daisuki Izutsu

Several restaurants were awarded Bib Gourmands — a rating system that recognizes “friendly establishments” that serve quality food at moderate prices.

They are:

• The Ace
• Alma
• Bar Raval
• Campechano
• Cherry St. Bar-B-Que
• Chica’s Chicken
• Fat Pasha
• Enoteca Sociale
• Favourites Thai
• Fonda Balam
• Grey Gardens
• Indian Street Food Company
• La Bartola
• Puerto Bravo
• R&D
• Sumilcious Smoked Meat & Deli
• Wynona

The other awards are:

• Service: Edulis, Tobey Nemeth and Michael Caballo
• Sommelier: Christopher Sealy, ALO
• Exceptional Cocktails: Osteria Guilia

Good news for DoorDash users. The online food service announced on Wednesday that as of today, Torontonians can experience “exclusive dining” with DoorDash and Michelin Guide Toronto.

Michelin Toronto restaurants available on the DoorDash platform include Amal, Chica’s Chicken, Koh Lipe Thai Kitchen, and Mother’s Dumplings, to only name a few.

Michelin named Toronto its first Canadian location in May and added Vancouver in July.

For the past few months, Michelin Guide inspectors have frequented Toronto restaurants and made dining reservations anonymously to ensure they are treated the same as any other customer.

Mayor John Tory was in attendance, alongside the city’s most prominent chefs.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Tory said that the Michelin Guide completed a “full destination assessment of Toronto’s culinary scene.”

What to know about the Michelin Guide

Michelin Guide is considered one of the highest authorities on global fine dining.

Inspectors rank restaurants with a three-star system based on subjective, anonymous reviews and are among the highest honours a fine-dining chef and restaurant can receive.

Three-star Michelin restaurants are considered esteemed worldwide, as the addition or loss of a star can dramatically affect the success and reputation of an establishment.

The Michelin Guide Toronto selection focuses on universal criteria, including quality products, the mastery of flavours, the mastery of cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in the cuisine and the consistency between each visit.

“Toronto’s culinary scene is as diverse as the city itself, and a Toronto Michelin Guide is the perfect way to celebrate our culinary community,” said Scott Beck, President & CEO of Destination Toronto.