2 Best Restaurants in The Village, Montreal

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.

This lovely new bistro, with its minimalist interior in coral pink, seafoam green, and golden ochre, attracts locals for its casual yet stylish atmosphere, appetizing vegan cuisine, gourmet cocktails and mocktails, and natural and organic vegan wines. So flavorsome and satisfying are dishes like the seared cauliflower with panisse and green goddess sauce; the cabbage, bok choy, and tofu dumplings served with sesame sauce and cilantro; and the sautéed mushroom waffles sprinkled with dill, mint, cilantro, and maple and truffle mayo, that even hardcore meat advocates will soon forget they're eating plant-based dishes.