🕘 6 min read

Michelin Guide announced the recipients of this year’s Toronto Starred, Bib Gourmand, Recommended, and Special awards this evening at a splashy invite-only ceremony at History.

While fine dining buffs are likely familiar with the criteria for stars and the requirements for an establishment to receive a Bib Gourmand distinction, the Recommended category remains more of an enigma.

What it takes to be a ‘Recommended’ restaurant

In the site’s article, What It Means To Be A Michelin-Recommended Restaurant, Michael Ellis, International Director of Michelin Guide books, says, “A restaurant in the Recommended selection is the sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal.”

It turns out, inspectors apply the five criteria used for starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants. If the food is, as he says, “above average, but not quite at star or Bib level,” it’s considered for Recommended selection. That’s just the beginning. According to Ellis, “Every year around the world, restaurants go from being in the selection without a distinction to earning a star.” In fact, that’s the case for one Toronto destination this year.

2023 in review

The largest Michelin category by far - 46 establishments this year - is also one that saw the most movement since last year when Michelin inspectors found 44 Toronto establishments worthy of being Recommended.

2023 selections include all recipients from the previous year with the exception of four restaurants that shuttered since the release of the inaugural guide, seven additions, and one fine dining destination that moved up the ranks.(See: Restaurant 20 Victoria now in Starred.)

In early August, the fine dining compendium disclosed 12 new additions to this year’s roster, 49 days ahead of the official announcement. Of those, one received a star, four received Bib Gourmand distinction (also announced ahead of schedule), and seven were Recommended selections. Details below:

Aanch
Indian
259 Wellington St. W.
416-599-0513

Actinolite
Canadian
971 Ossington Ave.
416-962-8943

Adrak Yorkville
Indian
138 Avenue Rd
416-413-0777

*NEW*
Alder
Mediterranean
51 Camden St.
416-637-3737

Aloette
Canadian
163 Spadina Ave. 1st Floor
416-260-3444 

Amal
Lebanese
131 Bloor St. W.
416-551-9929

Antler Kitchen & Bar
Canadian
1454 Dundas St. W.
647-345-8300 

Ardo
Italian
243 King St. E.
647-347-8930

Bar Chica
Spanish
75 Portland St.
416-479-9779

Bar Isabel
Spanish
797 College St.
416-532-2222

Bar Vendetta
Italian
928 Dundas St. W.
416-551-8854

Buca Osteria & Enoteca
Italian
604 King St. W.
416-865-1600

Cà Phê Rang
Vietnamese
147 Spadina Ave., Unit 109
416-546-8995

Canoe
Canadian
TD Bank Tower 66 Wellington St. W., 54th Floor
416-364-0054

Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen
Jamaican
104 Portland St.
416-792-8105

Dil Se Indian Restaurant & Bar
Indian
335 Roncesvalles Ave.
416-532-4141 | 416-534-6344

Dreyfus
French
96 Harbord St.
416-323-1385

*NEW*
FK
Contemporary
770 St Clair Ave. W.
416-551-9731

George
Canadian
111C Queen St. E.
416-863-6006

Gia
Italian
1214 Dundas St. W.
416-535-8888

Giulietta
Italian
972 College St.
416-964-0606

Henry's Restaurant & Wine Bar
Contemporary
920-922 Queen St. W.
416-386-5352

Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse
Steakhouse
12 Brant St.
416-366-0200

*NEW*
Kiin
Thai
326 Adelaide St. W.
647-490-5040

Koh Lipe Thai Kitchen
Thai
35 Baldwin St.
416-599-9988

La Banane
French
227 Ossington Ave.
416-551-6263

Lapinou
French
642 King St. W.
416-479-4414

Madrina Bar y Tapas
Spanish
2 Trinity St.
416-548-8055

Maha’s
Egyptian
226 Greenwood Ave.
416-462-2703

*NEW*
Mimi Chinese
Chinese
265 Davenport Rd.
416-505-0799

Mother’s Dumplings
Chinese
421 Spadina Ave.
416-217-2008

Musoshin Ramen
Japanese
9 Boustead Ave.
416-537-3588

Pai Northern Thai Kitchen
Thai
18 Duncan St.
416-901-4724

*NEW*
Parquet
French
97 Harbord St.
416-922-2345

Pho Tien Thanh
Vietnamese
57 Ossington Ave.
416-588-6997

Pompette
French
597 College St.
416-516-1111

Prime Seafood Palace
Contemporary
944 Queen St. W.
416-551-8038

Ration | Beverley
CLOSED
Contemporary
335 Queen St. W.
647-366-9206

Sara
Contemporary
98 Portland St.
416-985-5721

Scaramouche
French
One Benvenuto Pl.
416-961-8011

Ten
Contemporary
1132 College St.
416-538-3810

Union
Canadian
72 Ossington Ave.
416-850-0093

*NEW*
Vela
90 Portland St.
N/A

Viaggio
Italian
1727 Dundas St. W.
416-519-8165

*NEW*
The Wood Owl
1380 Danforth Ave.
N/A

156 Cumberland
Korean
156 Cumberland St.
416-901-3886

Photos courtesy of establishments unless otherwise noted.

For the rest of the 2023 Toronto Michelin selections, see Starred and Bib Gourmand. For 2022 Toronto Michelin selections, see Starred, Bib Gourmand, Recommended, and Hotels.

Life moves fast. Catch up on new arrivals in the OPEN/CLOSED.   

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