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$$ | The Plateau |
The Schkolnick family has been serving brunch at this Montréal landmark since 1942 and very little here has changed, including the menu. On weekends, the line out front can be daunting. The Beautys Special—bagel, lox, and cream cheese—is the ultimate classic. Standard picks also include the Mish Mash omelet, with sliced frankfurters, salami, green peppers, and fried onions; and the Superbeautys 2 with two eggs, pancakes, bacon and sausage, and a toasted bagel. Until he passed away in 2017 at the age of 96, Hyman, the original owner, still sat at the counter and directed patrons to their seats.
93 av. du Mont-Royal Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2T 2S5, Canada
Known For
- Historic venue
- Bagel with lox
- Long lines on the weekend
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Outremont |
The self-proclaimed "un coin perdu de Paris" is famous for its wraparound patio, Parisian vibe, an 100-year-old corner building featuring stained glass and woodwork, an art deco chandelier, and an art nouveau bar. Although this is a full bistro serving three meals every day of the week, it shines brightest in the morning. Order the croissant with almond paste (increasingly hard to find in Montréal as most local patisseries and cafés make croissants with almond cream only) while nursing a large bowl of café au lait.
5200 rue Hutchison, Montréal, Québec, H2V 4B3, Canada
Known For
- Charming setting
- Croissant with almond paste
- Opens early and closes late
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$$$ | Mile End |
There are lines outside this hip and trendy establishment before the restaurant even opens. The chef's British background means that the homemade scones and clotted cream here are required eating. Other options include, of course, a typical English breakfast, as well as gourmet doughnuts and pig's trotters for the more adventurous eaters. The dinner menu, on the other hand, changes regularly. If the aged pork sirloin with seasonal sides or the arctic char and sea urchin are available for dinner, you're in luck.
9 ave. Fairmount E., Montréal, Québec, H2T 2L9, Canada
Known For
- British-inspired fare
- Arctic char and sea urchin
- Butcher shop, Boucherie Lawrence
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues. No lunch
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$$$$ | Outremont |
Open since 2001, this sophisticated French bistro pleases Montrealers with its flawless classics and its heated wraparound outdoor terrace. Regulars gravitate toward dishes such as the beef or salmon tartare, grilled Cornish hen, asparagus and wild mushroom risotto, mushroom ravioli, and hanger steak—all served with ceremonial aplomb on white linen tablecloths. Leave room for dessert: Pain Perdu, a thick slice of brioche with caramel and maple, is an indulgent specialty and can feed two people (if you can bear to share).
1045 av. Laurier Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2V 2L1, Canada
Known For
- Being busy
- Salmon tartare
- Pain perdu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$$ | Old Montréal |
Influential types arrive at lunchtime en masse for a table at this bustling bakery and sandwich shop where vegetables are organically grown in a nearby garden and fresh crab is flown in for salads. Crowd pleasers include Le Cubain panini (pancetta, roasted pork, Gruyère with lime, cilantro, and chipotle) and the vegan sandwich with chickpea and harissa spread, pickled beets, creamy sauce, and minty slaw. Baked goods are also consistent winners.
351 rue St-Paul Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2A7, Canada
Known For
- Organic produce
- Affordable sandwiches
- Popular brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | The Plateau |
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 Montreal 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 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.
1127 av. Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, Québec, H2G 1X9, Canada
Known For
- Delicious bagels
- Classic and creative options
- Local favorite
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$$ | Westmount |
A favorite among vegans, celiacs, and vegetarians—and even omnivores—Montréal's first vegan restaurant serves comfort food dishes and beverages that are creative and delicious—not to mention packed with vitamins. A large chalkboard holds specials of the day. Try the gigantic sandwiches, such as the Sirocco (grilled eggplant and hummus), which comes on chapati bread, or for something a little earthier, go with the Dragon bowl, a crowd favorite of steamed bok choy, organic rice, tempeh, marinated veggies, and tamari sauce. Don't forget to order the "uncheesecake" for dessert.
4896 rue Sherbrooke O., Montréal, Québec, H3Z 1H1, Canada
Known For
- Dragon bowl
- Vegan cheesecake (gâteau fauxmage)
- Vegan- and celiac-friendly
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$ | The Plateau |
The mastermind behind this photogenic bakery had been making bread for Montréal's best restaurants for years before he decided to open up his own place. His own shop is a favorite with locals, who line up every weekend for fresh baguettes. In addition to serving a delicious rye and caraway seed loaf and chocolate babka, Hof Kelsten also makes sandwiches like homemade gravlax with seasoned cream cheese or chopped liver with crispy onions that make for an excellent lunch or early evening meal (the shop closes at 5 pm). The bakery serves brunch on weekends.
4524 boul. St-Laurent, Montréal, Québec, H2T 1R4, Canada
Known For
- Chocolate babka
- Jewish cuisine
- Panettone
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$$$ | Old Montréal |
Inspired by Paris’s golden-age brasseries, Brasserie 701's spectacular setting features high ceilings, neoclassical architecture, giant arched windows, and lovely chandeliers. The menu incudes the usual suspects expected at a brasserie, from tartares, filet mignon, and escargot to foie gras.
701 côte de la Place-d'Armes, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2X6, Canada
Known For
- Salmon or beef tartare
- Homemade wild mushroom ravioli
- Packed with locals
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$$$ | Outremont |
With its cavernous corner spot on Outremont's trendy avenue Bernard, sophisticated yet playful décor, and artfully prepared comfort food, this brasserie is always a good bet for quality food and excellent people-watching. The menu at Les Enfants Terribles is a mix of high end cuisine and comfort food favorites, from salmon tartare, grilled oyster mushroom salad, to spaghetti Bolognese, fish-and-chips, and mac ’n’ cheese. The kitchen stays open to serve after-theater customers on show nights at nearby Théâtre Outremont. There is a second location on the rooftop of the Place Ville Marie, downtown.
1257 av. Bernard Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2V 1V8, Canada
Known For
- Pouding chômeur cake
- After-theater crowd
- Elevated comfort food
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Tues. and Wed.
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$$$ | Downtown |
The informal sibling of Montréal's famous Toqué! restaurant, Brasserie T is a see-and-be-seen spot in the heart of Downtown. It's an excellent place to eat before or after a show at Place des Arts, as well as a budget-friendly way to experience Toqué's expertise. A wall of windows keeps things bright, making the restaurant an excellent vantage point for looking out onto the lively Place des Festivals. The seafood platters—you will want to keep the salmon tartare all to yourself—and the housemade charcuterie are favorites for sharing. A terrace is open when the weather's nice.
1425 rue Jeanne-Mance, Montréal, Québec, H2X 2J4, Canada
Known For
- Lively atmosphere
- Legendary salmon tartare
- Casual French
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | Verdun | British
This multilevel restaurant filled with young professionals lures in patrons with its lively atmosphere and deliciously updated English food. The signature fish-and-chips is deservedly popular, as are other classics like bangers and mash and shepherd's pie. The Burgundy Lion can get boisterous with good cheer in the evening, fueled by the extensive beer list and the 200-plus varieties of whiskey. It's a popular spot to watch football (that's soccer to North Americans) and hockey. Classic British breakfasts like "bubble n' squeak" (cabbage, eggs, onions, and smoked meat) and French toast made with crumpets make for busy weekend mornings.
2496 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H3J 1N5, Canada
Known For
- Fish and chips
- Afternoon tea
- Lively atmosphere
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$$$$ | Old Montréal |
As the name suggests, the focus of this restaurant is ham in all its many incarnations. The menu changes seasonally but charcuteries and marinated vegetables imported from Europe are ever-present. The dining room is modern and spacious, with huge windows and long communal tables that stimulate conversations. And diners of all sorts do convene here, from trendsetters to suit-and-tie corporates along with flip-flop-clad tourists.
355 rue McGill, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2E8, Canada
Known For
- Extensive by-the-glass wine list
- Brunch on weekends
- Rib steak
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$$ | Latin Quarter |
This popular Québec restaurant/chocolate bar chain is the brainchild of Juliette Brun, a self-confessed chocoholic since she was a child. First opened in 2003 when Juliette was only 22, there are now nearly 30 locations across the province. From the molten chocolate lava cake served with a scoop of ice cream and melted chocolate sauce to the dark chocolate raspberry dome, the speculoos cookie butter fondant, and the banana split milkshake, chocolate and sweets lovers are sure to fall in love with Juliette’s. Brunches and savory meals are also served.
1615 rue St-Denis, Montréal, Québec, H2X 3K3, Canada
Known For
- All things chocolate
- Crepes and waffles
- Brunches
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$$$ | Old Montréal |
The cocktail menu originally put this hip bistro on the map, drawing crowds for creative martinis (think cucumber and basil), and now the food holds its own. The house specialty is tartares—the menu lists four variations of marinated raw fish—and heaps of grilled meat, fish, or tempeh served on wooden chopping blocks. Young partiers are attracted to the cafeteria-style tables, where they mingle over ginger-beer cocktails, soups, salads, and tapas.
211 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 1T4, Canada
Known For
- Tartares
- Lively crowd
- Inventive cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Rosemont |
One could visit La Récolte (literally, "the harvest") every week and never eat the same meal twice, for the blackboard menu is entirely based on locally sourced market finds. In fact, resourceful La Récolte prides itself on serving organic, eco-friendly brunches on Sunday without compromising its creativity. The balance between refined techniques and market-based cuisine seems to be a hit, because the place is quite popular.
764 rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec, H2S 1G6, Canada
Known For
- Long lines
- Butternut squash mille-feuille
- Leek-and-mushroom Benedictine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tue., Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Mile End |
The kitschy-cool décor includes a display of religious icons as well as vibrantly colorful furniture, while the menu is haute Mexican street cuisine at its best. The food here is simple and the menu small, but everything is fresh and delicious. Start by ordering the homemade nachos with chunky and perfectly seasoned guacamole, local and flavorful tomatoes, and pungent onions. Follow with the Baja tacos with shrimp and coleslaw, or the classic tacos al pastor with pork, onions, and chunks of pineapple. On weekends, La Tamalera serves a Mexican-inspired brunch that includes huevos rancheros and molete, an open-faced sandwich with black beans and queso fresco (fresh cheese). La Tamalera's homemade tacos are corn-based.
226 av. Fairmount Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2T 2M7, Canada
Known For
- Corn-based homemade tacos
- Mexican-inspired brunch
- Vibrant decor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner weekends
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$$ | Old Montréal |
As a gourmet grocery shop, takeout counter, and French restaurant rolled into one, this splendid space was quickly adopted by local foodies. Instead of being dejected by the brunch queues on Saturday and Sunday, visitors should take advantage of that time to browse the restaurant’s inviting grocery shop for gourmet souvenirs to take home.
106 rue McGill, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2E5, Canada
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$ | Downtown |
With its airy, all-white and green, plant-filled decor, dining at LOV (Local, Organic, Vegan) is like sitting in a beautiful greenhouse. This fashionable restaurant is the kind of plant-based establishment that even die-hard carnivores will line up to enter. The restaurant works with local farmers to limit its carbon footprint. Starters here include tempura hearts of palm rings with lemon-truffle aïoli and mushroom and vegetable dumplings with almond butter kimchi sauce. Highlights among the mains are buckwheat sweet potato gnocchi and mushroom risotto with cashew cream. There's another location at 464 McGill St.
1232 rue de la Montagne, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1Z1, Canada
Known For
- LOV poutine
- Biodynamic and natural wines
- Upscale vegan cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.-Thurs.
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$ | Old Montréal |
This elegant patisserie is housed in a historic, beautifully renovated three-story graystone in Old Montréal. Baskets of buttery brioches and flaky croissants await, and the prominent pastry display holds rows of seasonal fruit tarts and classic French desserts like mille-feuilles (made of delicate layers of puff pastry and airy vanilla-scented custard) and Paris-Brest (made of choux pastry and a praline-flavored cream). The acclaimed pastry chef here, Christian Faure, is the recipient of France's highest culinary honor, Meilleur Ouvrier de France. A pastry school takes up space on the upper floors, while the ground floor is dedicated to various delectable take-out or eat-in sweet and savory options. There are two other locations, one in Westmount and one downtown.
355 Place Royale, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2V3, Canada
Known For
- French-style pâtisseries
- Historic building
- Acclaimed pastry chef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed., Reduced hours due to pandemic; takeout only.
