The 38 Essential Restaurants in Montreal

A hand holds skewers of meat over a ranging fire grill. — Shish taouk on the grill at Damas.

A tasting menu at a Syrian stalwart, poutine at a casse-croûte (Quebec-style diner), an ’80s bistro serving steak frites late into the night, spicy pork collar and natural wines at a buzzy Thai spot, and more of Montreal’s best meals

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Shish taouk on the grill at Damas.

| Damas

“Where should I eat?” The Eater 38 hopes to answer that age-old question. This curated list offers a glimpse into Montreal’s thrilling food scene, home to an offbeat blend of poutine and pikliz. You’ll find Italian, Jewish, Vietnamese, and Haitian spots, and, of course, meaty French-leaning restaurants too. Together this ragtag bunch help make this city a standout place to eat. Spanning cuisines, neighbourhoods, and price points, this guide is our shortlist of Montreal’s must-try spots, reflecting the new openings driving conversation, the trends playing out across dining tables, and the generational icons holding down their communities.

We update this list quarterly to make sure it reflects the ever-changing Montreal dining scene.

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When Chez Ma Tante first opened its doors, well, there were no doors to swing open. Established in 1929, this quintessential casse-croûte (Quebec-style diner) originally served steamed hot dogs (“steamés” in local parlance) out of a horse-drawn carriage. After upgrading to a camper van, it eventually settled into a building on Fleury Street. Old-school in the best way, Chez Ma Tante remains one of the top hot dog and poutine purveyors in the city — with a drive-thru to boot. It’s worth the hike out to Ahunstic, especially in the summer when diners can hunker down at one of the parking lot picnic tables. Open until 4 a.m. daily.

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Montreal brims with casual Haitian joints dishing juicy morsels of marinated-braised-then-fried pork known as griot — and everyone has their favourite. A frill-free, family-run takeout spot by D’Iberville metro station on Jean-Talon East, Sissi & Paul occupies a place in the top tier. Alongside outstanding griot, the restaurant offers lambi (conch stew), kibi (ground meat fritters), and all the necessary, no-nonsense fixings like fried plantains, pikliz, and djon djon rice.

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Combining a culinary approach that feels like fine dining with an atmosphere that’s casual and carefree, Hélicoptère has been capturing the best of both worlds since its launch in 2018. Prepare for an ever-changing menu of vibrant and creative plates marrying seasonal ingredients and international flavours, courtesy of chefs David Ollu and Marianne Lafleur. Recent highlights include a dish of roast pork, whelks, and wild garlic, and another combining snow crab, kohlrabi, brown butter, and chamomile. Don’t overlook adjoining coffee shop Hélico and nearby sibling bakery Aube — two more essential stops on any Hochelaga pilgrimage.

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Chopped asparagus beneath a green sauce and layers of edible flowers and other fixings. — Asparagus at Hélicoptère.

This Rosemont sandwich shop over-delivers, serving up some of the finest banh mi in the city. Owner Susan Lo and her team fill them with meaty proteins like char siu pork and kaffir lime-marinated beef, as well as satisfying vegetarian options like Szechuan-style eggplant and sauteed shiitake mushrooms. Sandwicherie Sue has evolved past a sandwich shop, now boasting shelves stocked with Asian grocery items, privately imported beers and sakes, and even its own line of “Sue-vides.” Conveniently facing Molson Park, it’s an obvious choice come picnic season.

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From above, a table full of banh mi, noodle dishes, and wraps. — A variety of dishes at Sandwicherie Sue.

Chef Simon Mathys is celebrated as one of the best in the business, having notably fine-tuned his craft at closed-but-not-forgotten Manitoba. At Mastard, the Rosemont restaurant Mathys opened in January 2021, his devotion to local flora and fauna remains on full display with a smart, seasonal menu that’s surfaced dishes like carrots draped in creamed matsutake mushrooms and a sabayon of meat juices, or a colourful lettuce tart that recently made a splash online. A free-reining “carte blanche” menu comes in at $85 ($64 USD) for five courses, with the option for wine pairing. Note: Mastard operates Mondays to Fridays.

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A slice of tomato covered in a rainbow of flowers in a pool of yellow sauce. — A dish at Mastard.

This Hochelaga hangout is the perfect after-dark counterpart to Mile End dépanneur-meets-sandwich-counter Le Pick Up. Since 2021, Resto-Bar Le Pick Up has been serving up laid-back vibes and some mean burgers in a rugged Ontario Street locale. A compact menu delivers big flavours with other must-try items like a Nashville fried chicken sandwich, crispy cilantro-garlic fries, and homemade doughnuts. For drinking, there are some solid cocktails, natural wines, and beers from neighbourhood brewers L’Espace Public. If you’re lucky enough to snag a burgundy booth on a Thursday, rejoice — it’s oyster night.

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An overloaded fried chicken sandwich, topped with various sliced vegetables. — Fried chicken sandwich.

La Petite-Patrie’s neon-lit South Indian street food restaurant consistently nails its tiffins (vegetarian and meat) and masala dosas, but pros know not to overlook its snacking fare. Try its delightful dahi batata puri, bite-sized shells filled with yogurt, tamarind chutney, and crispy sev; chickpea-battered okra; or the wada pav, a chutney-smothered potato patty stuffed into a small, cloud-like bun. With refreshing cocktails and a relaxed street-side terrasse, it’s great for a summer hang.

A pile of fried chicken pieces served on a leaf and topped with sliced red onion and lime wedges. — Chicken 65 at Le Super Qualité.

Paloma is homey in a way few other Montreal restaurants can be; that’s because it’s run by a father-daughter duo (Armand and Rosalie Forcherio) who channel their family’s Niçoise and Italian heritage into the space and onto the plate. A tightly curated and regularly rotating menu showcases dishes like calf’s brains with lemon butter, tripe in tomato sauce, linguini vongole, and the Ouistiti Cake, a delightful combination of hazelnut praline, chocolate ganache, and layered almond cake. In the summer, diners can choose between Paloma’s minimal-yet-cozy interior or retreat to its leafy backyard patio.

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A plate of raviolis covered in deep brown sauce. — Raviolis at Paloma.

Nestled on a quiet stretch of Saint-Denis, this contemporary Italian spot hits all the right notes, and then some. It’s serving up seemingly simple yet eye-opening appetizers (like fried fish in sugo crudo and melt-in-your-mouth beef carpaccio), along with devastatingly delicious pasta dishes and a primo selection of cocktails and desserts. After the restaurant relocated to larger digs, it’s slightly easier to nab a table, though — be warned — reservations still fill up fairly quickly. For takeout that won’t disappoint, be sure to try nearby Moccione Pizza, owned by the same team.

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While it hasn’t been in business for decades, Chez Tousignant is as good as a Montreal casse-croûte gets. Opt for the poutine with thick-cut fries, ultra squeaky cheese curds, and a flavour-packing gravy, alongside a house-made hot dog or a knockout cheeseburger, which is drenched in secret sauce and tucked into a potato roll. Complemented by throwback diner touches and counter seating, Chez Tousignant has, in the process of reimagining a classic genre, become a classic itself. Also in Little Italy, you’ll find Gema, a Neapolitan pizzeria, and Impasto, an upscale Italian eatery, two more winners on the scene by the same owners.

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A closeup on a double cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, in a foil wrapper beside a pile of spilled french fries. — Burgers and fries.

Many of the city’s fine dining, French-leaning, market-driven restaurants could earn a spot among Montreal’s top culinary destinations, but this raucous Plaza St-Hubert restaurant from Charles-Antoine Crête and Cheryl Johnson stands out for its whimsy. Dishes manage to be elegant and complex without being self-serious, like foie gras terrine and eel with apple confit and calvados caramel, or one that combines blood pudding with lobster bisque and haskap berries in smoked duck fat. Cap off what is sure to be a memorable evening with Montreal Plaza’s trademark Crispy Fruit, a light dessert of berries, white chocolate mousse, sorbet, and slivers of dacquoise.

From the talents that brought standout curry shop Pumpui to Little Italy comes this St-Hubert Street homerun also spotlighting Thai flavours — but in a more formal, wine bar-esque setting. Pichai’s menu is all about succulent Isan grilled meats and herby salads, including options like kor moo yang (spicy pork collar with iced greens), choo chee pla (grilled swordfish in red curry sauce), and laab ped (a minced duck salad). An exquisite Thai tea-infused tiramisu coated in coconut, an exciting natural wine list, and daily specials round out the offering at Eater Montreal’s 2021 Restaurant of the Year.

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Large cubes of tofu surrounding a pile of greens and peanuts, served beside bottles of wine. — Tofu thoke.

When this petite Little Italy wine bar announced, mid-COVID, that it would be expanding its square footage, it may have sounded like a risky move — but it definitely paid off. Perennially packed, even after doubling in size, Mon Lapin is one of the hottest tables around, five years after its debut. (In May, Canada’s 100 Best dubbed it the No. 1 restaurant in the country.) The menu changes frequently, at the whims of chefs Marc-Olivier Frappier and Jessica Noël, but dependably spotlights farm-fresh veggies and seasonal seafood, including favourite items like the Croque-Pétoncle (a crisp scallop sandwich), leek conservas and chips, and a layered buckwheat cake. Reservations are strongly recommended.

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From above, a tin of preserved leeks, served with chips. — Leek conservas and chips.

The quarter- or half-chicken plates — doused in spicy piri piri and served with a mountain of well-seasoned fries and a token salad — are the standard play at 10-year-old Portuguese grill Ma Poule Mouillée, but the poutine, bulked up with chicken, grilled chouriço, and São Jorge cheese, has achieved icon status. Some well-coordinated counter service ensures the wait isn’t too long, even if the queue of hungry locals and tourists often spills out the door and around the corner.

The crew behind Lawrence and Boucherie Lawrence found a sweet spot in 2016 with this easygoing, day-to-night cafe/wine bar. Larrys is open for an English-style breakfast at 9 a.m. all week (except Mondays), slinging scones with jam and clotted cream, roasted tomatoes, and a spectacular breakfast sandwich. Come nightfall, it’s all about the breadcrumb-topped mackerel spaghetti, albacore ceviche, beef tartare, and lovely seasonal veggie plates — and, of course, the wine. No reservations. No tipping.

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Sausage, roasted tomato, and fried eggs. — Breakfast at Larrys.

With a pressed tin ceiling, ring-up cash register, and retro soda fashion, this family-run lunch counter in Mile End is as classic as they come. Montrealers and tourists flock to 91-year-old Wilensky’s for one thing: the Special, a signature sandwich that layers all-beef salami and baloney, cheese (optional), and mustard (mandatory), all in a grilled, pressed roll. Get it with a house-made cherry cola.

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A restaurant exterior with light blue trim and large stylized font reading the name Wilensky’s. — Outside Wilensky’s.

A pillar in Montreal’s dining scene, upscale Syrian restaurant Damas orchestrates a full-on sensory experience. From walnut-stuffed sea bass to a host of hefty char-grilled mains replete with sumac and Aleppo pepper, chef and owner Fuad Alneirabeie plates some absurdly delicious fare, using ingredients sourced both locally and from his native Syria. The 10-course tasting menu is a foolproof way to make the rounds, featuring multicoloured mezze, fattoush salad, grilled octopus, and kibbeh nayyeh (a minty blend of raw lamb and beef). Damas’s ornate dining room is its own feast, adorned with countless lanterns, intricate patterns, and crimson hues. For something more grab-and-go, check out Folfol across the street, a street food takeout counter translating Damas flavours into sandwich form.

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Formerly known as Otto Bistro, this Japanese bistro in the Plateau neighbourhood stands out for its mastery of raw fish (think sashimi, chirashi, nigiri, and maguro don), mazemen (brothless ramen with toppings like duck confit and burrata), and a variety of other finely tuned dishes from chef Hiroshi Kitano. A nondescript Mont-Royal Avenue spot with high tables and bar seating, Kitano Shokudo creates the kind of low-key and intimate atmosphere perfect for a casual date or a solo dining session.

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Many deem this long-standing restaurant on Laurier Ouest one of Montreal’s premier sushi spots. Hailing from Kyoto, but trained in the French culinary tradition, chef Junichi Ikematsu embraces hybridity, skillfully crafting dishes that break away from Japanese convention. The approach is on display with offerings like maki made with grilled yellowtail tuna rillette, or green tea-smoked trout served with braised leeks, salmon roe beurre blanc, and chestnut mushroom relish.

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Since 2018, this charming Outremont hideaway has wielded coastal Catalan flavours with such aplomb that diners momentarily forget they’re in Montreal. Expect a seafood-centric tasting menu heavy on organic veggies, with dishes like buttery clams and radishes, tortillas with Quebec lobster and salsa macha, and a signature pairing of octopus and patata bravas. An equally transportive wine list with rare Catalan bottles only adds to the experience — all crafted by partners (in business and life) Lindsay Brennan and Juan Lopez Luna. If snagging a table at Alma proves challenging, fear not; sibling wine bar Tinc Set more than satisfies with tapas and Barcelona-style roasted chicken just next door.

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Whole fish, dotted with splotches of grapefruit and herbs, served with a bowl of sauce. — Whole fish at Alma.

This Saint-Denis cafe is the closest you’ll get to an Apulian food experience without leaving Montreal. Follow the unassuming steps into this basement haunt, where the atmosphere is chatty and Southern Italian regional specialties are done right. Consider the focaccia Barese (topped with burrata, mortadella, and chopped pistachios), the panzerotto (small fried turnovers typical of the city of Bari), and the panino Polignano (a fried octopus sandwich), or ask about off-menu specials. A leader in Italian lunches, coffees, and snacks, La Panzeria just recently debuted evening aperitivi.

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Focaccia topped with layers of mortadella, burrata, and chopped pistachios, presented in a cardboard takeout box. — Focaccia Barese.

Founders opened L’Express on Saint-Denis in 1980 to cater to the area’s theatre crowd, serving dependable French fare in a black-and-white-tiled dining room at nearly all hours. Though breakfast has been nixed since the pandemic, this bistro par excellence remains largely unchanged, and seats at the bar are more coveted than ever. Under chef Jean-François Vachon, who has helmed the kitchen since 2016, L’Express continues to uphold the classics with house standards like pistachio-speckled chicken liver pate, steak frites with shallot butter, and veal kidneys in mustard sauce. Open Monday to Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.

There aren’t a lot of Ethiopian restaurants in Montreal, so Queen Sheba, on Avenue du Parc, does some heavy lifting. Here, spongy injera serves as the base for helpings of berbere-spiced meat stews and comforting vegan options, like the gommen (garlicky, gingery sauteed kale) or messer wat (slow-cooked split lentils). Well-suited for groups, the dining room is spacious and homey, and the service is friendly and attentive.

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This casual Venezuelan eatery excels at the traditional stuffed cornbread known as arepa. Arepera’s are filled with your choice from a (borderline overwhelming) array of beef, chicken, pork, fish, and veggie options, joined with fixings like avocado and plantains. You’ll also find empanadas, cassava fries, and pabellón, stewed and shredded beef served with rice and black beans. With a roomy Plateau locale, a menu that’s entirely gluten-free, and vegan choices available, it’s a no-brainer for a quick catch-up among friends with diverse dietary restrictions.

This taqueria thrives in Chinatown and has dinnerware to match the neighbourhood. Opened eight years ago by partners from Mexico City and Monterrey, La Capital has cemented its reputation with some satisfying carnitas tacos, easy-drinking cocktails made with privately imported mezcal, and vegan options (such as a soy chorizo and potato quesadilla). Its quesabirria — a tortilla filled with tender beef, sealed shut with melted cheese, and served with a side of flavourful consomé — is a must.

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Chinatown’s leading Hong Kong-style diner and barbecue joint is run by second-generation owners, the Ku brothers, in Saint-Urbain’s Place du Quartier. Since taking over from their father, they’ve made some tasty additions, like fried chicken, chile-garlic wontons, and some sweet merch, but the time-honoured char siu pork, crispy roast pork, and roast duck served with an unforgettable ginger-scallion sauce remain headliners. Dobe & Andy has recently extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays, making way for an exciting new menu including soy-lemon oxtail stew, wok-fried mushrooms with waffle fries, Cajun-style char siu gumbo, and mapo bolognese noodles.

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There’s a reason locals keep coming back to Olive et Gourmando time and time again: It’s just that good. In addition to a bountiful display of baked goods, the small menu centres on sandwiches (the Cuban and Sconewich are top picks) and other breakfast and lunch fare, like sweet and savoury ricotta plates (the former topped with honey and served with brioche bread, the latter featuring beets, apples, pecans, walnuts, and goats milk cheddar). There’s really no wrong move here, and if you like the experience, you can always pick up the restaurant’s cookbook to keep feasting at home.

A bowl of chia pudding topped with sliced fruit, coconut, and nuts and seeds. — Cha-cha-chia bowl.

When it comes to the hallmarks of French brasserie dining, Place Carmin has it all taken care of. Think deviled egg canapes crowned with caviar, foie gras terrine with fruit compote, luxe seafood platters for two, and sirloin steak with Bernaise sauce. Leave room for dessert because award-winning pastry chef Léa Godin Beauchemin delivers: creme caramel, creme brulee, profiteroles, a Paris-brest made with hazelnuts and sea buckthorn fruit. A luminous space with warm woods and leathers, it is the latest from the creators of Quartier Latin stalwarts Bouillon Bilk and Le Cadet.

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A two-level seafood tower with shrimp, oysters, and fixings. — Seafood tower at Place Carmin.

Looking for famed Montreal smoked meat without having to endure the snaking queues? Family-owned Snowdon Deli is a circa-1942 deli that offers the city’s iconic smoked meat on mustard-smothered rye in addition to matzo ball soup, chopped liver, latkes, knishes, and blintzes — minus the wait time. Inside, expect a no-frills atmosphere where regulars squeeze into booths, chatter flows from behind the deli counter, and veteran employees ensure everything goes off without a hitch.

When the Stem Bar team first landed on Notre-Dame West, it was with a daytime coffee shop called September Surf. Since 2020, they’ve been running a buzzy nighttime operation just next door. Diners can expect a dynamite wine list by sommelier Sandro Ghirotto and a food menu that’s easy to get behind. Consider the tomato toast topped with boquerones, burrata with salty pancakes, beef tartare with matchstick potatoes and cured egg, or some sumptuous cavatelli with a braised lamb ragu.

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Two slices of toast topped with tomato sauce and large boquerones. — Tomato toast with boquerones.

This lively Little Burgundy wine bar was a seamless addition to the Joe Beef family when it opened a decade ago, and it remains one of the city’s most coveted places to eat and drink even today. Prepare to be plied with a bevy of natural and organic wines, along with dishes that offer something lighter and less indulgent than what sibling spots on Notre-Dame’s restaurant row have come to be known for. Pick from a chalkboard menu that artfully highlights seasonal vegetables and seafood in a way that’s measured and meticulous, but also playful and fun. One dish that never goes out of season? Cheddar-topped, brown butter-slathered ham.

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A restaurant interior full of guests at small tables, with a bar to one side, and various jugs hanging from the white-beamed ceiling. — Inside Le Vin Papillon.

This reliable counter-service restaurant delivers some of Montreal’s very best shawarma, falafel, chicken, and beef kofta. Copious platters fill the menu, which also features some seriously delectable spreads (hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammara, and labneh). This Saint-Henri spot from Raquel Zagury and David Bloom demands a slot on every Montreal food itinerary. Open Monday to Friday.

One of very few places to offer Singaporean street food in the city, Satay Brothers has evolved over the past 13 years from a seasonal market stall founded by two brothers and their mom to a bustling dinner destination — with a brand-new bar — on Saint-Henri’s Notre-Dame strip. Stellar peanut-sauced satays, steamed pork belly buns, and shrimpy laksa have propelled them to icon status in the city’s restaurant scene, and that original stand at the Atwater Market is very much still in the picture. In the summer, hungry marketgoers can look forward to the return of the spicy beef and Quebec tomato salad.

A chef pours soup into a patterned bowl, which already contains a heap of sprouts and a boiled egg. — Preparing the laksa.

This is the place to go for some superbly satisfying roti in Montreal; the menu features hearty options filled with juicy beef, chicken, curry goat, and more. Flaky patties and plates piled high with rice, plantains, and a variety of choices like jerk chicken, oxtail, and saltfish round out the offering. For tasty, thrifty Jamaican grub, head to Boom J’s original location in Pointe-Saint-Charles or its newer outpost in Ville-Émard.

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It’s virtually impossible to fumble when ordering breakfast, brunch, or lunch at this Saint-Henri “nosh bar” — and everyone knows it. Perennially busy, Arthurs puts its stamp on Jewish deli classics, with raved-over schnitzel sandwiches, cloud-like syrniki (cottage cheese pancakes), a comprehensive latke smorgasbord, and towers of house-smoked salmon and bagels with all the accoutrements. Weekend brunch brings must-tries like Moroccan toast (poached egg, eggplant, spiced chickpeas, and tahini on challah) and the Grand Slam (crispy fried chicken, beef bacon, fried eggs, syrniki, and maple syrup). Arthurs doesn’t take reservations, so factor in some lengthy wait times; you won’t regret it.

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A hand pours syrup over a stack of fried chicken, fried egg, and biscuit. — Brunch at Arthurs.

With over three-quarters of a century to its name, this NDG landmark has won over the hearts of multiple generations enamoured with its spit-roasted bird and its arguably unmatched dipping sauce. Open daily, the old-timey, wood-panelled Sherbrooke Street haunt is also known to serve a mean hot chicken, a traditional Québécois dish of chicken, sliced white bread, and peas, all soaked in gravy.

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Effortlessly cool Elena has held on to its status as one of the city’s top restaurants for five years straight. And with superb natural wines, a killer kale Caesar salad, pristine pasta dishes, and some of the most exquisite pizzas in town, it’s no wonder diners flock to this Saint-Henri hotspot. Don’t miss out on the Industrie Alla Pala, an oblong pie with a thicker crust than the other (Neapolitan) options on offer, dotted with generous dollops of creamy stracciatella. Plan ahead for a seat in the minimalist-chic dining room, or head around back to sibling venue Club Social PS, a pint-sized wine bar with an easygoing backyard terrasse, which offers the same fantastic menu plus lunchtime hoagies.

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A plate piled with pasta, topped with tomato sauce and cheese. — Pasta at Elena.

With this 2019 opening in Verdun, brothers Ari and Pablo Schor sought to recreate the delicious confluence of Spanish and Italian immigrant cultures from their native Argentina, complete with a few nods to their Jewish roots, too. Slip away from Promenade Wellington into Beba’s snug dining room for bright, seasonal seafood and salads, brilliantly boiled and braised meats and vegetables, and some lovely pasta dishes. Make sure to kick off the meal with whatever empanada is on offer and some potato knishes topped with caviar.