7 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.

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.

Vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters alike love this casual Thai restaurant where no meat is served. The chefs prepare meatless versions of such classics as calamari with basil, chicken with green beans, fish with three hot sauces, and beef with yellow curry and coconut milk, substituting the real thing for soy and seitan.

Hipsters head to this laid-back ’70s diner for one thing: delicious, classic greasy-spoon dishes with a modern twist. A close second is the décor; think cheap wood paneling and vinyl seats. The Palace Hamburger (Palais Burger) is gaining a reputation among Montrealers as one of the best in the city, and the sweet-potato pie for C$6 also has fans. On Friday and Saturday the bar is open until 1 am.

Part cocktail bar, part British restaurant, this vintage-inspired spot with wooden pew seats sports a welcoming aviary motif. Dinner favorites are the soba noodles with salmon and bok choy and the portobello burger, while the most popular brunch dishes include the smoked salmon plate and the Turkish breakfast plate. Sparrow uses only local and sustainable products.

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.