112 Best Restaurants in Montreal, Quebec

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.

Frequently named one of Montréal's best restaurants and Canada's third best by canadas100best.com, a meal at Toqué! is not so much about sustenance but rather experience. Toqué is slang for "a little stubborn," as in the chef's insistence on using fresh, local ingredients; consequently, the menu changes daily in accordance with market offerings but foie gras, duck, and wild venison are on constant rotation. Some patrons wouldn't consider ordering anything but the seven-course, C$182 dinner tasting menu.

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.

The only Norwegian-inspired eatery in Montréal, Beaufort Bistro has admittedly received a lot of attention. Part-time restaurant, part-time busy café (complete with freelancers and students on a deadline), this white-washed cozy space serves the only authentic open-faced sandwiches—smørrebrød—this side of the pond, as well as a variety of mains, like Rösti (potato galettes), tartares, and, of course, blinis and gravlax (this is a Scandi café, after all). 

A relatively new addition (opened in late 2019) to the plant-based sushi zeitgeist, Bloom on rue St-Paul aims to prove that it's possible to enjoy sushi without harming our oceans and the fish who live in them. With its white-painted brick and stone walls, blond wood surfaces, and low-hanging cloth lamps, this gorgeous resto is like a cross between a spa and a traditional Japanese restaurant. Choose between a wide array of artfully plated makis, futomakis, nigiris, gyozas, salads and soups, each dish a captivating fusion of tastes. Complement your meal with a kombucha or a bottle of organic pinot noir or Tsukinokatsura Junmai Iwai sake. 

Nobody questions the authenticity of the Neapolitan-style pizza here, seeing as there's a nearly four-ton wood-burning pizza oven made from Vesuvian rock in the kitchen which cooks pizza in 90 seconds flat, at 500 degrees Celsius (932 °F). There are just a few toppings available, but all are fabulously flavorsome, like fresh tomatoes, vegetables, and top-quality salumi.

The decor at this restaurant reflects its philosophy: fresh, thoughtful, and simplified (yet not simple). The market-based menu changes often and includes dishes that are just as beautiful to look at as they are delicious. House specialties feature local and seasonal products such as juniper, fiddleheads, asparagus, pears, and maple syrup; game like deer and duck; fish such as oysters, lobster and crab; and an assortment of Québec cheeses.. The wine selection includes private-import wines.

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.

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.

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.

There's no need to cross the pond to find perfectly battered fish and delicious chips, as they can be found right here in Old Montréal. The cod is a staple, but the salmon dipped in beer batter is also a menu favorite, and for a Canadian touch, try the haddock covered in golden maple syrup batter. Vegetarians will appreciate the smoked tofu in chipotle batter and there's gluten-free available as well. End your British experience with the new deep-fried Oreo dessert. Wine and a range of beers are also served. This long, narrow restaurant hustles during weekday lunch. 

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.

A melange between a patisserie, a café, and a French bistro, this little restaurant has been a darling of food critics since it opened in 2017. Serving deftly executed French dishes like quiche, vol au vent, and tartines niçoises in a fresh, modern setting of white subway tiles, decorative brass struts, richly patinated wooden tables, and mint green–velvet seating, Café Bazin is a little corner of France in the heart of Anglo Westmount. You'll likely feel sated after your main course, but don't make the mistake of passing on dessert. Bazin is originally a patissier by profession and the patisseries here are exquisite. Try the tartelette choco café, a chocolate flan with Chantilly coffee cream, or the Paris brest, a choux pastry with hazelnut praline mousseline.   

The open-concept kitchen is renowned for its for "haute" Portuguese cuisine, including roasted salted cod, seafood bouillabaisse, and a whole array of appetizers like giant shrimp and grilled octopus or the roasted sardine fillets. Wine connoisseurs are attracted to the impressive list of Portuguese wines.

Aficionados are willing to wait for a seat at this small café, where the foam on your latte or café au lait is artfully arranged in waves, hearts, or curlicues. The delicious coffee is imported from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, and elsewhere via the famed 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters in Vancouver. Patrons can choose alternatives to dairy milk, such as soy, almond, and oat. Don't drink coffee? Try the molten hot chocolate or the homemade iced tea. Baked goods are sourced from six different local bakeries, all of which are delicious. Myriade now has a second, Instagram-worthy Downtown location inside the Club Monaco store at 1000 Ste-Catherine Street West, and even a third one at 4627 rue St-Denis in the Plateau.

What was once a fur showroom in the 1970s now hosts Café Parvis, a stylish yet eclectic eatery with floor-to-ceiling windows, half-stripped mint-green paint, and luxuriant plants hanging from the ceiling. If morning visits are for artisan coffee and pâtisserie du jour, dinner is for ordering shareable wood-oven baked pizzas enhanced by fresh salads and the on-point selection of organic wines.

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, and the feta and sausage omelet, and the boreks (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.

In the heart of Little Italy, this historic coffee shop filled with regulars chatting away in Italian, is one of the city's best nonhipster places to get some excellent brew, be it an espresso, latte, or cappuccino. There also are a few pastries available. Visit a few times and you won't even have to order; the experienced baristas will prepare your drink when they see you walk in. It opens at 6 am every day of the week.  Try the signature smooth Malibu—a lukewarm drink shorter than a cappuccino but longer than a macchiato, made by combining a short shot of espresso with frothed milk.

A beacon of the French cultural diaspora in Montréal, Chez Victoire is the epitome of Plateau-Mont-Royal’s joie de vivre and warmth. Fittingly, the creative menu features French-inspired seasonal market cuisine. Take a seat at the long bar and order the homemade charcuterie platter or opt for a booth to share the classic tomato and mozzarella di bufala salad, the roasted bone marrow, or the famous smoked-meat burger. The wine list focuses on sustainably sourced organic vintages.

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, crispy duck with spinach, 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. ChuChai is known for their miam kram—an appetizer of coconut, ginger, pepper, nuts, and lime—and its mock duck with soy sauce.

Despite the name—French for "Hunting and Fishing Club"—this isn't a hangout for the local gun-and-rod set. Impeccable service and top-notch ingredients have made this one of the best restaurants in the city; the name is simply referencing the wood-and-leather decor. The menu changes often, but hearty meat dishes like American wagyu and freshly caught fish are consistently delicious. Leave room for dessert, which is prepared by one of the most renowned pastry chefs in town.

The cellar of what used to be Montréal's first women's prison hardly sounds like the ideal setting for an Italian eatery, but grandma Emma's cooking hushes any bad vibes from the 1800s. Stone walls and heavy beams serve as backdrop for Roman dishes like roasted lamb, fettuccine con funghi porcini and pasta al vongole, which have all foregone fussy presentation to focus on superior fixings. Repeat customers, including Hollywood A-listers, enjoy the privacy of the secluded garden.  Reservations recommended Thursday through Saturday.

Colorful and cozy, with dishes that are perfect for sharing, this Syrian restaurant is a treat. Try fatta (yogurt, tahini, pita, pistachios, pine nuts, and herbs), hummus with lamb, or the moujaddaraa (braised lentils with bulgur and caramelized onions, tomato salsa and yogurt mint sauce). Add a glass of Arak—a traditional, anise-flavored drink—or wine from their list of Mediterranean imports to bring it all together.

Located in Montréal's Downtown core, Deville Dinerbar is a whimsical alternative to the otherwise rather serious dining options in the area. A palette of neon pink, white, and black keeps the dining room sleek, sexy, and exciting (but not diner-kitschy). The meat-heavy menu, with dishes like the substantial Deville burger, shepherd's potpie (peas, corn, braised short ribs, and puff pastry), or fish-and-chips on a brioche bun are all filling choices, so be sure to leave room for the Deville Food Cake, a chocolate lover's dream. Check out the creative cocktail list, too.

Locals line up outside the window of this shoebox-sized 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. Die hards can purchase 750 ml. 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.

A light croissant or rich pastry from the city's oldest patisserie makes for a nice break after visiting the Parc Mont-Royal or Oratoire St-Joseph. For lunch, try the quiche du jour, the onion soup, or the mushroom risotto followed by a tartelette aux abricots (apricot tart). Try to snag an almond paste (as opposed to almond cream) croissant (or rouleau) before the shop runs out.

Blink and you'll miss it. While the address is written on the building's facade, the restaurant's nondescript exterior and lack of a sign mean you may be searching for a while. Popular options at this atmospheric see-and-be-seen locale, steered by local celebrity chef Chuck Hughes, include bountiful platters of seafood, squash agnolotti with poached lobster and lobster bisque, and hanger steak with pommes Anna and wild cauliflower mushroom. The bar, where flirting is in high gear, is a fun option for dining and hanging out. The kitchen closes at 10 pm, after which the party rages until 3 am. Minors are not permitted on the premises. Although there are a few vegetable-centric appetizers on offer, fish and meat feature prominently on the menu, so vegetarians should probably head elsewhere.

A culinary landmark like few others in the city, Gibbys is one of Montréal's most famous steak houses. Part of what makes it so attractive is the 200-year-old historic building in which it's located, featuring vaulted-ceilings, wood beams, stone walls, and candlelit dining rooms. Oven-baked oysters Rockefeller, two-pound lobsters, and some of the best aged steaks in the city are the most popular picks here, not to mention gigantic beef Wellington and creamy clam chowder.  There is a second location in St-Sauveur, in the Laurentians.

Eclectic may be the best way to describe the food at this scarlet-colored restaurant, as the dishes combine a French bistro feel with a little bit of the American Southwest. The seasonings are down to a science here, and the proof is in the homemade ketchups, hot sauces, and salsas that are generously offered at each table. As with many restaurants, the menu changes with the seasons, but the Caesar salad made à-la-minute and the copious Baileys fudge chocolate cake are popular constants. The meat and seafood are carefully sourced; any of the nightly available options are always a great choice.