Toronto will become the first Michelin duide destination in Canada, highlighting the city's diverse set of restaurants according to a recent press release.

Michelin, the French tire company, awards stars to restaurants based on performance and excellence in the food it offers. The highest rating a restaurant can attain is three stars.

The guide is world renown and helps awarded restaurants achieve higher popularity and higher visibility on social media.

“As one of the most multicultural cities in the world, Toronto’s culinary scene is as diverse as the city itself," the press release reads. "With international foods, café-lined streets, fine dining and high-end cuisine, Toronto’s culinary depth receives the global attention it deserves and will soon become a global dining destination.”

Representatives of the Michelin guide are in Toronto this week to announce the city’s inclusion. Toronto is the sixth city in North America to be in the guide. The representatives are accompanied by Toronto Mayor John Tory during their visit.

Tory is calling this an exciting moment for the city, and will help bolster Toronto’s reputation as "a world destination for food and cuisine." He credits the city’s diversity and the chefs and restaurant workers that choose to be in Toronto.

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michelin completed a full destination assessment of Toronto’s culinary scene, the press release reads.  The next step is for Michelin inspectors to discover Toronto’s culinary cuisine over the coming months and award the stars.

Further, the guide is being viewed as an opportunity to help recover the restaurant and business sector that was hit hard by the pandemic – for more than two years, restaurants struggled with higher debts, labour storages, supply chain interruptions and closure – the city is hoping the guide’s announcement signifies a celebration and a return to dining and travel.

The guide is also coming at a time when Toronto has jumpstarted its own initiatives to help its dining and travel industries. This includes the return of CafeTO, which expands patio and outdoor capabilities for restaurants. Also, Summerlicious returns as well, which will continue to highlight several city restaurants with pre-set menus for patrons.

The official list of restaurants receiving Michelin stars is expected to be released later this year.

More details to come.

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