Here are the five Japanese restaurants in Toronto that received a Michelin star

On Tuesday, the first edition of the Michelin Guide in Toronto was revealed with inspectors honouring 13 restaurants in the city, five of which specialize in Japanese cuisine.  Among those honoured, just one received two stars — Sushi Masaki Saito, an Endomae-style sushi restaurant located on Avenue Road.

Here are the five Japanese restaurants that nabbed a star (or two) during Tuesday night’s reveal.

Sushi Masaki Saito  (Japanese/Sushi cuisine)

Price: $680 per person

For a one-of-a-kind dining experience, Yorkville’s Sushi Masaki Saito is the place to be. At the helm is chef Saito, who imports all his seafood from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market. The restaurant’s ever-changing menu is composed of Edomae-style sushi that involves aging fresh fish and dates back to the early 19th century.  Saito is no stranger to the Michelin Guide — in 2016 his New York City restaurant Sushi Ginza Onodera was awarded one star, and it received a second in 2018

Aburi Hana (Japanese/Kaiseki cuisine)

Price: $380 per person

Not far from Yorkville Avenue you’ll find Aburi Hana, where exquisitely plated dishes and omotenashi-style hospitality await. Executive chef Ryusuke Nakagawa studied under two master chefs of Kyoto-style cuisine and presents a menu that’s guided by the Japanese culinary ethos of seasonality.

Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto (Japanese/Kaiseki cuisine)

Price: $350 per person

Under the careful watch of master chef Masaki Hashimoto, Kaiseki Yu-Zen Hashimoto delivers a multicourse, Japanese fine dining experience to guests in an intimate environment with only three tables and a maximum capacity of eight guests.

Shoushin (Japanese/Kaiseki cuisine)

Price: $330 per person

best sushi shoushin
Shoushin

Opened in 2015 in Toronto’s Bedford Park neighbourhood, Shoushin is an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant that specializes in Edomae-style sushi and resembles the traditional high-end sushi restaurants found in Ginza, Tokyo.

Yukashi (Japanese/Kaiseki cuisine)

Price: $195 per person

At Yukashi, a fine-dining restaurant in mid-town Toronto, you can choose from either a four or nine-course set menu with sake pairing, and each course is prepared by hand right in front of you.

For a full list of Toronto eateries that made the first edition of the Michelin Guide click here.