14 Best Restaurants in The Plateau Mont-Royal and Mile End, Montreal

The Schkolnick family has been serving brunch at this Montréal landmark since 1942, and very little here has changed, including the menu. On weekends, the line out front can be daunting. The Beautys Special—bagel, lox, and cream cheese—is the ultimate classic. Standard picks also include the Mish Mash omelet, with sliced frankfurters, salami, green peppers, and fried onions; and the Superbeautys 2 with two eggs, pancakes, bacon and sausage, and a toasted bagel. Until he passed away in 2017 at the age of 96, Hymie, the original owner, still sat at the counter and directed patrons to their seats.

The mastermind behind this photogenic bakery had been making bread for Montréal's best restaurants for years before he decided to open up his own place. His own shop is a favorite with locals, who line up every weekend for fresh baguettes. In addition to serving a delicious rye-and-caraway-seed loaf and chocolate babka, Hof Kelsten also makes sandwiches—like homemade gravlax with seasoned cream cheese or chopped liver with crispy onions—that make for an excellent lunch or early evening meal (the shop closes at 5). The bakery serves brunch on weekends.

This iconic Montréal bistro hasn’t changed much since its opening in 1980, and it’s just as well—regulars would throw a fit if it did. Quintessential French fare is fairly priced and appetizing, outstanding even, with dishes like steak tartare with fries, salmon with sorrel, and calf's liver with tarragon. Tiny tables sometimes struggle to accommodate the ever-present crowds (including local chefs, who congregate here for dinner after hours), but the lively atmosphere is part of the charm. Kids are warmly welcomed.

Québec is notorious for poutine—French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy—and La Banquise has been the place for an authentic experience since 1968, with an extensive menu featuring 34 varieties. Neophytes might want to stick with La Classique, but mouthwatering novelties like La Taquise (guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes), L'Obélix (smoked meat), La Veggie Reggie (pickles, tomatoes, creamy coleslaw, and Banquise sauce), and La Véganomane (vegan sauce and cheese) are quite alluring. On the odd sunny day, have your poutine to go and enjoy it alfresco in nearby Parc Lafontaine.

Many would say that you simply haven't eaten in Montréal if you haven't eaten at Schwartz's, Canada’s oldest deli. This Montréal classic has zero frills on the décor front, yet crowds have been lining up here since 1928 for a thick and legendary smoked-meat sandwich on rye with mustard. The cooks do such an excellent job at curing, smoking, and slicing beef brisket that even when it's 20 below zero, locals (and celebrity visitors) endure the consistently long queues.  Try to avoid lunch and dinner hours, as the wait is particularly long. If you're in a rush, use the take-out counter next door.

Students, freelancers, and local hipsters flock to this understated Turkish café for two reasons: the gourmet coffee and the food. Between the Nutella-and-sea-salt cookie, the feta-and-sausage omelet, and the borek (a traditional flaky pastry sprinkled with sesame seeds), it’s hard to pick just one thing off Replika’s menu. But what really keeps people coming back is the genuine friendliness of the owners, a Turkish couple that’s always eager to chat.

Locals line up outside the window of this shoebox-sized take out joint, sandwiched between ice-cream shop Kem CoBa and Fairmount Bagel, to get their fix of Nonna Caterina Gattuso's gnocchi topped with her famous Calabrian tomato sauce. It's served in a little cardboard take-out container and costs only C$5. If you ask for parmesan it's C$6. With extra spice C$6.50. Diehards can purchase 750-milliliter jars of Salsa della Nonna for C$10 or a one-liter jar of Gnocchi della Nonna, also for C$10. Olive oil and a few other sauces are also available for sale.

The kitschy décor at this cute little Mexican joint includes a display of religious icons as well as vibrantly colorful furniture, while the menu is haute Mexican street cuisine at its best. The food here is simple, but everything is fresh and delicious. Start by ordering the housemade tortilla chips with chunky and perfectly seasoned guacamole, local and flavorful tomatoes, and pungent onions. Follow with the Baja tacos with shrimp and coleslaw, or the classic tacos al pastor with pork, onions, and chunks of pineapple. On weekends, La Tamalera serves a Mexican-inspired brunch that includes huevos rancheros and molete, an open-faced sandwich with black beans and queso fresco (fresh cheese).

Sophie Sucrée was the first vegan bakery to open in Montréal in 2013. Owner Milène Laoun, a self-taught pastry cook, developed her skills by cooking and baking for her loved ones. The quaint space is very small, with no seating, but of course Laoun's decadent confections—croissants, cakes, cupcakes, bars, cookies, and tarts—can be purchased to go. She prioritizes the use of unprocessed plant-based ingredients as well as organic and local products. Gluten-, nut-, and soy-friendly options are available as well, and the pâtisserie offers a small savory menu featuring items like fennel "sausage" and mozza puff, "tuna" salad croissant, and gourmet grilled cheese.

It may be in the heart of trendy Mile End, but this "phyllo bar" looks like it was transported directly from Athens, with food arriving on checkered cobalt-blue wax paper. The spanakopita, with a perfect crispy exterior, makes for an excellent lunch on the go, as does the Melina sandwich, with its spicy feta spread, kalamata hummus, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Another must, the bougatsa, is a warm custard-filled phyllo pastry with cinnamon. It's all about takeout here, though warm temperatures allow for a small deck out front.

This unassuming but contemporary hot spot serves some of the best Vietnamese fare in the city. "Simple yet edgy" are the operative words to describe the menu here. Steamed buns blackened with squid ink; edamames in lime, coriander and sesame; Asian ceviche with sweet potato puree; and chai creme brûlée, to name a few. There is a pleasant terrace on the street and, downstairs, the hidden Nhâu Bar, with its dozens of hanging white and red lanterns, has a sophisticated cocktail menu.

Even New Yorkers have been known to (collective gasp!) prefer Montréal's light and crispy bagel to its bulkier Manhattan cousin, due to the dough of the Montréal version being boiled in honey-sweetened water before baking in a wood-burning oven. St-Viateur Bagel & Café is a great place to get them, especially with smoked salmon. For a novel experience, try the rosemary-and-sea-salt version. Be sure to check out St-Viateur's original location at 263 rue St-Viateur Ouest, where the bagel magic has been happening since 1957. That venue does not have a dining area, but you can pick up bagels fresh out of the oven until midnight.

Tula is a first in Montréal and a real find for lovers of southwestern Indian cuisine. Inspired by his grandmother's cooking, owner Abhishek Arun opened his calming, unpretentious, 100% plant-based restaurant in 2023 with a tasty menu highlighting his own take on curries, biryani, dahl, bhurjee, and other non-curry dishes. Arun believes in the principle of balance, thus naming his restaurant "Tula", which means balance in Sanskrit. Eating healthy is important, he says. “If your body is in balance, your whole life is in balance”. On weekends, Tula offers a vegan Indian brunch menu.

Frequently cited as the best ramen house in Montréal bar none, Yokato Yokabai is a discreet restaurant that deserves to be visited by all noodle lovers—especially when temperatures drop below the freezing point here. The décor—dark-wood paneling and minimal knickknacks—immediately transports diners to a Japanese izakaya. Service is slow, but worth the inevitable wait. Try to avoid long lines by visiting the restaurant between 5 pm and 6 pm and after 8:30 pm.