Eat & Drink
Amy Carlberg
Posted on September 14, 2022
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toronto michelin star

Here are some of Toronto's best restaurants totally ignored by the Michelin Guide

Eat & Drink
Amy Carlberg
Posted on September 14, 2022
Report Inaccuracy
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The Michelin Guide just came out with their list of recommended restaurants in Toronto, and some people feel like some of the best have been totally ignored.

Some people think that Michelin's "recommended" Toronto restaurants deserve a star or at least a Bib Gourmand distinction for great affordable cuisine, and other people think there are some deserving places that were left off entirely.

Overall, many people out there are of the opinion that this list of 74 picks overall, with 13 places awarded stars, is not really reflective of Toronto's food scene. People have been commenting that the picks largely lean European and Asian, and are primarily located downtown with several picks located in Yorkville.

One person pondered what was the most glaring exclusion from a list of favourites: Richmond Station, DaiLo, The Chase, Auberge du Pommier, Beach Hill Smokehouse, Famiglia Baldassare, Parallel or Descendant. All have made local lists for great cuisine, and some were definitely considered to be potential contenders by people in the industry.

A thread asking what people's "personal Michelin star Toronto restaurants" would be has racked up lots of replies.

Someone mentioned La Palma as a great Italian restaurant left off the list.

Many people are also shouting out their favourite spots where the bill won't mount to hundreds of dollars, but where some of Toronto's best food is undeniably served by popular opinion, like Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu, known for their incredible Korean dishes.

Other casual but refined restaurants serving some of the city's best comfort food like Chadwick's, Bernhardt's and Skyline also got shout outs.

Restobar and brunch spot The Federal was also mentioned.

There are plenty of other shoutouts replying to the tweet: Saffron Spice Kitchen, Mamakas, Itacate, Comal y Canela and Mineral.

Other more affordable but delicious places that were shouted out include Maru, Carbon Bar and Khao San Road.

Someone listed their personal "star winners" as Greek restaurant Messini, Pho Hung and Ethiopian restaurant Rendez-Vous. 

Another person thought that it seemed off that local favourite Grey Gardens didn't get any stars though they were recommended.

We all know we love to keep our faves secret from the crowds, however, so many people in Toronto still feel the best restaurants are some of the most unassuming.

While Michelin isn't a bad place to start, especially if you've got money in the bank, these local and personal recommendations are also great places to check out while you wait for resos to open up at starred spots.

Lead photo by

Hector Vasquez at Famiglia Baldassarre
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