The region's culinary community gathers at Liberty Grand tonight for the unveiling of the 2026 Stars and other distinctions
TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2026 /CNW/ -- Toronto's culinary community takes centre stage tonight at Liberty Grand as the newly awarded MICHELIN Stars and distinctions for 2026 are revealed. This year marks the fifth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region and the third to feature restaurants from outside of Toronto, highlighting the breadth and diversity of the regional culinary ecosystem. Attendance is by invitation only. Accredited media camera operators may arrive after 6 p.m., with the ceremony beginning at 7:15 p.m.
Culinary experiences remain a strong motivator for travel. Food-related activities ranked among the most popular experiences planned by travellers considering an Ontario trip in the next year, according to the Ontario Travel & Tourism Monthly. Travellers drawn to the region by its diverse food scene also spend across the visitor economy, from hotels and retail to theatres, sporting events, nightlife, museums, galleries and other cultural experiences. That spending benefits the broader economy, supporting jobs and generating labour income, while contributing tax revenues to all levels of government.
Toronto's diversity is at the heart of its food scene, with more than half of residents born outside of Canada. Recent brand research by Destination Toronto found that visitors see food and diversity as intrinsically connected in Toronto through the city's neighbourhoods. Chinese bao, Jamaican jerk chicken, Vietnamese pho, Armenian ghapama, Korean kimchi and Mexican al pastor are just a sampling of Toronto's expansive culinary scene, where refined dining and casual fare alike reflect the people and cultures that call the city home.
For additional context on the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region and for data on the impacts of culinary tourism, please see the accompanying fact sheet.
The MICHELIN Guide in North America
Michelin announced its first North American Guide in 2005 for New York. Guides have also been added in Chicago (2011); Washington, D.C. (2017); California (San Francisco in 2007, statewide 2019); Florida (Greater Miami, Orlando and Tampa in 2022, adding Greater Fort Lauderdale, The Palm Beaches and St. Pete-Clearwater in 2025, statewide in 2026); Toronto (2022); Vancouver (2022); Colorado (2023); Atlanta (2023), Mexico (2024), Texas (2024), Québec (2024), the American South (2025), Boston (2025), Philadelphia (2025), the Southwest (2026) and the American Great Lakes (2027).
About the MICHELIN Guide
Recognized globally for excellence and quality, the MICHELIN Guide offers a selection of world-class restaurants.
- The famous one, two and three MICHELIN Stars identify establishments serving exceptional cuisine that's rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef.
- The Bib Gourmand is a designation given to select restaurants that offer good quality food for a good value – often known as personal favorites among the inspectors when dining on their own time.
- Recommended restaurants and special professional awards are also highlighted by the MICHELIN Guide inspectors.
The MICHELIN Guide remains a reliable companion for any traveler seeking an unforgettable meal and hospitality experience. The Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the development of car mobility as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. Progressively, the Guide has specialized in restaurant and hotel recommendations. Michelin's inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by the inspectors in the very beginning.
The restaurant selections join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay around the world. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an amazing hotel.
Thanks to the rigorous MICHELIN Guide selection process that is applied independently and consistently in more than 60 destinations, the MICHELIN Guide has become an international benchmark in fine dining.
All restaurants in the Guide are recommended by Michelin's anonymous inspectors, who are trained to apply the same time-tested methods used by Michelin inspectors for many decades throughout the world. This ensures a uniform, international standard of excellence. As a further guarantee of complete objectivity, Michelin inspectors pay all their bills in full, and only the quality of the cuisine is evaluated.
To fully assess the quality of a restaurant, the inspectors apply five criteria defined by Michelin: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time and across the entire menu. These criteria guarantee a consistent and fair selection so a Starred restaurant has the same value regardless of whether it is in Paris, New York or anywhere else in the world.
Quotes:
"Toronto and Ontario are home to some of the best food in the world. Our incredible culinary scene is enjoyed by locals and draws visitors from around the globe. As we celebrate the fifth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region, we're proud to see our exceptional restaurants, chefs and diverse food-related experiences recognized on the world stage."
- Zee Hamid, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming
"Toronto's restaurant scene is as diverse and creative as its residents, offering locals and visitors from around the world a taste of what it means to be Torontonian. Whether a neighbourhood favourite or MICHELIN-recognized, our restaurants, bars, and cafés make Toronto a remarkable place to gather and enjoy. Congratulations to all the restaurants and hospitality workers recognized in this year's MICHELIN Guide."
- Mayor Olivia Chow
"Some of the best ways to get to know a destination happen around a table. Culinary experiences connect travellers with the people, cultures and communities that make a place distinctive. We know travellers in Canada's priority international markets are increasingly looking for authentic experiences like these. The fifth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region celebrates the exceptional culinary talent and diverse flavours for which the destination is known."
- Meaghan Ferrigno, Interim President and CEO, Destination Canada.
"Congratulations to all the restaurants recognized by the MICHELIN Guide. Ontario's diverse, vibrant and world-class culinary scene continues to attract travellers from around the globe, inspiring them to discover the exceptional experiences our province has to offer."
- Vincenza Ronaldi, President and CEO, Destination Ontario
"The breadth of Toronto's culinary scene reflects the city itself, with cultures from around the world shaping everything from family-run restaurants and neighbourhood favourites to ambitious dining experiences. MICHELIN Guide recognition takes that story global. And when people come to experience it, their spending supports jobs and businesses across the city, well beyond the restaurants in the Guide."
- Andrew Weir, President and CEO, Destination Toronto
"The MICHELIN Guide has become a powerful international platform for showcasing Niagara's extraordinary talent, rich culinary heritage, world-class wine country, and diverse experiences. We are proud to see our region's excellence celebrated on this global stage. MICHELIN Guide recognition reinforces Niagara's position as a premier food and wine destination, giving visitors from around the world yet another compelling reason to explore our region."
- Darryl MacMillan, President and CEO, Tourism Partnership of Niagara
"Food is one of the ways Mississauga tells its story. In our city, you can enjoy a taste of the world or a taste of home, often on the same street and that's been true long before anyone was keeping score. We're proud of the restaurateurs, chefs and small business owners who make Mississauga's culinary scene so vibrant and welcoming. MICHELIN Guide recognition brings new eyes to the city. We'd love for you to Visit Mississauga and we'd suggest you come hungry."
- Victoria Clarke, ICD.D, CDME, CEO, Visit Mississauga
About Destination Toronto
Toronto's visitor economy is a vital economic engine for the city, with a record 28.2 million visitors generating over $9 billion in visitor spending in 2025. Destination Toronto's purpose is to ignite the city's visitor economy to enrich and empower its communities. Operating in partnership with the City of Toronto and the tourism and hospitality community, Destination Toronto promotes the city to attract visitors and major meetings and events and supports local businesses in maximizing the opportunities of the visitor economy. For more information, please visit DestinationToronto.com.
About Destination Ontario
Destination Ontario is the lead tourism marketing organization for the province of Ontario. Through innovative marketing and strategic partnerships, Destination Ontario inspires travellers to make Ontario a must-see destination by showcasing the province's diverse destinations, attractions and experiences to audiences across Ontario, Canada and around the world. Working closely with tourism partners, Destination Ontario helps grow the visitor economy and inspire travellers to discover, and return to, the beauty of Ontario. For more information, please visit DestinationOntario.com.
About Destination Canada
At Destination Canada, we believe that tourism enhances the wealth and wellbeing of Canadians and enriches the lives of visitors. Our mission is to influence supply and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad.
Knowing that diversity is our greatest asset, we promote Canada as a premier four-season leisure and business tourism destination around the country and world in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, United Kingdom and the United States. Additionally, our Business Events team uses global insights to target and attract international events aligned with Canada's top economic sectors. Destination Canada is a Crown corporation wholly owned by the Government of Canada. For more information, visit www.destinationcanada.com.
SOURCE Destination Toronto
Media contacts: Kathy Motton, Destination Toronto - Senior Communications Manager, [email protected], 416-721-9203; Vanessa Somarriba, Destination Toronto - Director, Media Relations, [email protected], 647-981-4839
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