Michelin star given to one of Niagara region’s top restaurants

As the prestigious Michelin Guide has expanded throughout Ontario, a major player in the Niagara restaurant scene has just received a massive accolade. 

Restaurant Pearl Morissette, a major culinary staple in the Niagara Region town of Lincoln, has just been awarded their first Michelin star. 

With this addition, the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area now holds 15 Michelin-starred restaurants. 

Globally, a Michelin Star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking and is considered one of the highest honours a dining location can be bestowed. 

For Restaurant Pearl Morissette, a 42-acre location that includes a winery, orchard, farm, and bakery alongside its sitting room, this award recognizes all of its moving parts. As the official Michelin Guide states, “ Restaurant Pearl Morissette is a powerhouse. With great pride for Canadian ingredients and respect for the seasons.” 

Despite a turbulent era for restaurants — as the cost of living has impacted most Ontario institutions —  Pearl Morissette kept its sights on ensuring that visitors got the best Niagara had to offer, regardless of what stood in its way. 

“The road is hard and you have to take a bit of a holistic approach to be successful unless you have unlimited access to finances or resources. Instead, you ought to rely on a community experience as much as possible, because that helps show your efforts,” Daniel Hadida, chef and proprietor of Restaurant Pearl Morissette told INsauga.com earlier this year. 

Detailed information relayed by the Michelin Guide indicates that Pearl Morisette’s recognition is the byproduct of harmony across all operations, as wine from its vineyard, fresh ingredients from its farm and free-range livestock make for a dining experience like no other. 

Beyond the innovative aspects of its cuisine, the Michelin Guide also believes that the flowers Pearl Morissette has received fall on the shoulders of its team, as the guide states, “ the warm team keeps the tasting moving at a friendly clip.” 

Restaurant Pearl Morissette features a rotating seasonal menu and is located in the heart of the Niagara Region — and with one Michelin Star now under its belt — it is likely the innovation it has become known for will continue into the future. 

And while Pearl Morissette has a bonafide Michelin star, it’s not the only Niagara-area resto to get a nod.

Two other local restaurants received Michelin recommendations, which could be considered an “honourable mention” that recognizes excellent cuisine.

Fat Rabbit in St. Catharines and Trius Winery & Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake both received acknowledgment. The guide praised Trius Chef Frank Dodd’s seasonally informed two—and three-course prix-fixe menus and Fat Rabbit’s casual vibe and focus on house-made charcuterie and “excellent” charcoal-grilled steaks.