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Montréal has one of Canada's most cosmopolitan restaurant scenes with trendy new eateries popping up regularly, their menus heavily influenced by flavors from around the globe, and often with an added touch of French flair.
Montréal's top dining destinations are plentiful, especially as young chefs move to hip destinations in Mile End and the Plateau areas to open new restaurants. Downtown, convenient to many hotels, finds most of its restaurants clustered between rues Guy and Peel and on the side streets that run between boulevard René-Lévesque and rue Sherbrooke. Rue St-Denis and boulevard St-Laurent, between rues Sherbrooke and Jean Talon, have long been, and continue to be, convenient and fashionable areas, with everything from sandwich shops to high-price gourmet shrines. Old Montréal, too, has a collection of well-regarded restaurants, most of them clustered on rue St-Paul, avenue McGill, and place Jacques-Cartier.
You can usually order à la carte, but make sure to look for the table d'hôte, a two- to four-course package deal. It's often more economical, offers interesting specials, and may also take less time to prepare. For a splurge, consider a menu dégustation, a five- to seven-course tasting menu that generally includes soup, salad, fish, sherbet (to cleanse the palate), a meat dish, dessert, and coffee or tea. A menu dégustation for two, along with a good bottle of wine, will cost around C$250.
Most restaurants will have an English menu or, at the very least, a bilingual menu—but some might only be in French. If you don't understand what a dish is, don't be too shy to ask; a good server will be happy to explain. If you feel brave enough to order in French, remember that in Montréal an entrée is an appetizer, and what Americans call an entrée is a plat principal, or main dish.
Instagram-famous for its dusty pink chairs and pleasing, contemporary space, this seriously cool brasserie is home to 41 home-brews—sold by the bottle at the boutique upstairs—and a solid menu that includes monkfish burgers, beer-can roast chicken, and a hearty rib eye. In 2021, a new, larger brewhouse was opened. Waiters are masters at their craft; don’t hesitate to ask for beer pairings with your meal.
Eating out at this establishment in the St. Henri/Little Burgundy neighborhood is a little like being invited to a dinner party by a couple of friends who just happen to be top-notch chefs. Everything written on the chalkboard menu is simple, hearty, and just delicious, from the fresh oysters to the organic rib steak and the now famous lobster spaghetti. In summer, the best seat in the house is one of the 25 coveted chairs spread out on the back patio, among the beautiful patches of an organic vegetable garden. The restaurant is notorious for serving generous portions; thus an outing at Joe beef should not be attempted without stretchy eating pants! If there's no space at Joe Beef, try booking a spot at sibling restaurant Liverpool House a few doors down at 2501 rue Notre-Dame O.
A study in contrasts, Le Filet has a discreet blink-and-you'll-miss-it façade with a glitzy black-and-gold interior and a hot-spot buzz. Though it's been around a while, there is no mixed messaging when it comes to the exacting presentation and superb food and wine. The menu is divided into three courses or "sets"; while the first sets are shareable, cold dishes (the garnished oysters with toppings like maple crisp, jalapeño or miso gratin, are delightful), the second and third courses are respectively dedicated to hot seafood and meat dishes (black linguini with seafood and fried shallots and the gemelli with braised veal cheek, mushroom, and foie gras are popular choices). Wine lovers also appreciate the impressive wine list.
Regularly lauded on Canadian best-of dining lists, Le Mousso is run by chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard, who dreams up beautifully plated, northern European-inspired dishes that are as much works of art as they are imaginative combinations of flavor and texture for the taste buds. Using mostly local and seasonal ingredients, the seven-course tasting menu might feature dishes such as bortsch décomposé (beet soup), grilled scallops lightly smoked with fir and served on coals with wild plum butter, or tataki Wagyu beef accompanied by cream, New Brunswick caviar, and nasturtium leaves. Dessert might be a fanciful whirl of chocolate with cucumber or squash with honey and rapeseed oil.
You won’t see anything too familiar on the menu at this fresh, light-filled restaurant with its high ceilings, clean white walls and tablecloths, and modern mix of wood, glass, and sliding industrial windows that open to outdoor seating in summer. You will find whimsical yet unpretentious dishes that surprise and delight—just be sure to order a side of deep-fried Brussels sprouts no matter your main dish. Menu items might include brochettes of duck hearts, baloney cannelloni, and "Chinatown" razor clam. Dessert is a must; so pace yourself to allow for favorites like buckthorn berry meringue tart or white chocolate mousse with rhubarb purée. Note the extensive selection of bottles under $60, a rarity in restaurants in this category.
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