This is not an exhaustive list of restaurants with up to date reviews. Being in the country most of the time, I have a hard time keeping up with the constant flux in the Montreal restaurant scene. Restaurants themselves can change enormously in a year, and besides, there are enough guides and critics out there who do a good job of that already. That said, I will always have opinions, I love restaurants, and when I love a restaurant, I want to tell people about it. So below you will find a list of those I think are worth mentioning.
Other official Montreal restaurant sites to reference, see http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/montreal-restaurant-guides/:
http://www.voir.ca/restos/liste.aspxThe Voir is the best Montreal guide in my view, even if they are spotty outside the big cities.
http://www.martiniboys.com/Montreal/restaurants-in-Montreal An up to date site of Montreal restaurants and hotspots.
http://www.montrealplus.ca/bars_et_restaurants/ An encyclopedia of Mtl restaurants.
http://www.debeur.com/resto1-montreal.html One of Montreal's most trusted guides, very French.
http://www.montrealfood.com/restoa.html Fewer personalized reviews.
http://www.sphinxmontreal.com/travel/tourismbycity/montreal/montrealrestaurants.html
A list of all Montreal restaurants from St-Hubert to Toqué with links to their sites, useful for quick basic info.
http://endlessbanquet.blogspot.com/2005/05/list-pt-1-m.html
The list: Endless Banquet Montreal food guide - THE place if you want to read up and browse the best restaurants.
My Restaurant lists:
Fancypants:
Toqué in Place Riopelle, Old Montreal www.restaurant-toque.com
Top notch for pure, elegant food. Deligently sourced ingredients, the compositions are ingredient driven, innovative without being too precious, always beautiful, precise and tasty. And what a dream kitchen!
Club Chasse et Pêche in Old Montreal, 423 Rue St-Claude,514-861-1112
An unpretensious settiing, very masculine yet classy, great service, very fine food. You can taste that this is serious stuff, but whether you’re paying attentiion or not, you will have a good time.
Laloux 250 des Pins E,514-287-9127
An upscale bistro that is classic and classy in look and feel with an appetizingmodern menu featuring the best local ingredients, french technique and a subtlely edgy twist. Elegant, tasty, interesting and precise without being too fussy - this is my kind of food. Don't miss Patrice's beautiful desserts - the best in the city.
Cocagne on St-Denis above Roy (formerly Toqué)
Very classy haute bistro fare with sourced local ingredients and a modern French touch. I highly reccomend this resto for the food. The cuisine is flavourful and hearty, yetsoigné and pointu (refined), creative and pretty, but restrained. I loved the calamari cum pasta entrée and the porcelait in various guises. Bistro orgueilleux indeed, it feels and tastes fancier than a bistro. The wine list isinteresting too, but the serviceuneven.
Graziella 116 McGill,514-876-0116
I LOVE the food here. I was a huge fan of Il Sole, and in this space, her version of modern Italian food seems even more beautiful and refined. She has an artful, clean and elegant style that is also flavour forward with good quality EVO and sea salt everywhere. My kind of menu, delicious - simple, pure tastes and presentations, perfect cuissons - I especially loved the pheasant ravioli, the carpaccio with caramelized endive, and the Fontina studded veal. The wine list is interesting too with a broad cross-section of selections from Italy and France, the room is beautiful with high ceilings, anopen kitchen. On McGill in Old Montreal, this is a must for Italian fine dining.
Café Ferreira downtown on Peel www.ferreiracafe.com
I love the flavors of Portugese cuisine, and the sunny, Mediterranean feel of this beautiful restaurant. A downtown destination for high-rollers, and anyone wanting to feel like one. The food is varied and flavorful, not always in wow territory, but the classics are especially good bets.
Da Emma in Old Montreal, 777 rue de la Commune O.
Fantastic Italian food in a beautiful, luxurious setting. Pure and sensual, the focus is on Meat, with lots of braises and cuts on the bone. The cooking is very rustic, flavourful and generous. The ingredients are first rate - the freshest Buffalo Mozzarella, silken Proscuitto, Artichokes and Porcini, with primo olive oil drizzled all over, simply prepared, but with loads of personality. The side dishes are less inspired, but you don't care. The service is attentive and charming. This place is unique and special, expensive, but a real treat.
Le Latini on Réné Levesque downtown, 1130 Jeanne Mance514-861-3166
Although I have had different experiences depending on who I was with here , the food is generally fresh, luxurious, and delicious.This is a place that caters to V.I.P.'s, so if you are a V.I.P., then everything, especially the service,is top notch; if you are M./Mme. tout le monde, it can seem very expensive more than anything. I hate this kind of snobbery, but when it is good, it is good. Definitely a special occasion place, dress up.
Primo et Secondo in Little Italy, 7023 St-Dominique,514-908-0838, www.primoetsecondo.com
Inspired Italian with a contemporary touch, fabulous service.Noteworthy: the stewed calamari with tomato, caperberries, currants and Israeli couscous, the ossobucco and the risotto.
Le Piedmontais downtown, 1145 A deBullion,514-861-8122
You will find nothing nouveau or too fancy here, but the food is good and comforting, the service is stellar, and the room warm and festive. Nice wine cellar....
Il Cortile on Sherbrooke O., next to the Musée des Beaux Arts
This place is on my list mainly because of the effect it had on me in the early 90's, it's where I first met Reggiano and Porcini... The cooking was always simple, yet elegant, with pure, clean flavors. And what a beautiful terrasse!
Milos 5357 Parc,514-272-3522 www.milos.ca
For simply done, impeccably fresh fish and classy Greek food, when budget is not an issue.
Upscale and Neighborhood bistros
Salle à Manger on Mont-Royal Est
Love, love, loved it! Amazing ambiance with a long bar, lots of wood, church pew booths and hanging carcasses in the cooler window. Super professional, friendly service, and a very appealing menu. Researched wine list with lots of cool things to try at a reasonable price. Definitely haute bistro. While the food wasn't always perfect, it was mostly beautiful and yummy, and my kind of food (oysters, lots fish and game, composed salads and veg options beside the obvious passion for meat). Not into everything being served on cutting boards (especially things with sauce), but no biggie. Adored the carpaccio, the octopus, the blue salad, the pork bun, the fish soup..
Joe Beef 2491 rue Notre Dame O.,514-935-6504
On the high end of the bistro spectrum, the food is up-market comfort food and never dissapoints. A clear expression of Dave and Fred’s personality and generosity, the taste is there above all. Great ingredients and a great wine list, classy but informal, a very likeable place.And bonus - an oyster bar! Portions are huge. Reserve early.
Cuisine Dependenceon St-Laurent (and St-Joseph)
More of a high end bistro, the cooking here is refined enough to be in the fancy pants category. Chef Jean Paul Giroux formerly from Le Ste-Augustin. Classic French fare is given a slight twist, all very restrained, sophisticated, yet unpretensious and absolutely delicious. Quite reasonable as well.
Sans Menu on Notre Dame O. in St- Henri on Notre Dame O. in St- Henri
Great little St-Henri mainstay. Cozy atmosphere, attentioned service, very tasty straight-forward classic French cuisine. There is obvious love and integrity behind the offerings here and its very reasonably priced.
L’Express 3927 rue St-Denis,514-845-5333
Who doesn't love L’Express? All the classics, the constant love-hate relationship with the servers. I love the fact that you can spend nothing on a simple confit salad and a glass of wine, or splurge on oysters, champagne and foie gras if you feel like it. It’s always the same, but it’s good, its comforting, and so often magic without any fireworks.
Tapeo www.restotapeo.com
A terrific little neighborhood spot with straightforward, yet exciting food in the tapas (small plate) style.. Everything is tasty, the wine list is short but well chosen, the service is friendly and professional, this place is a great time.
Lemeac 1045 ave. Laurier O.,514-270-0999
A favourite, very popular bistro that has everything you need. The room and terrasse are nice, the menu varied, and although the food is a little uneven, it is generally good, often very good, and it is open late.
Lucca on Danté in Little Italy
Dressed up Italian food, more modern-bistro than old school Italian. A short menu right on the mark. The plates are beautiful and the food flavour forward. The room is small, beautiful and inviting, the service is great, there is good wine on hand, everything to ensure a good time allround.
Kitchen Galerie 60 Jean Talon E. (corner Casgrain),514-315-8994
A new hotspot where the focus is on the food and a convivial atmosphere. Run by two chefs who do the cooking as well as the serving from an open kitchen counter. The food is big and bold, rustic French style guy food, although refinedin taste and ingredients. The menu changes constantly but examples include foie gras terrine, pan seared foie gras, oysters on the half shell, escargots with ham, a copius pot au feu, Snapper baked Provencale style.. Very fun concept with exuberant soulful cooking. Reservations are essential. Their Bistro/Bar Chez Roger (on Beaubien) is another fabulous spot for food and atmosphere.
Les Deux Singes de Montarvie, 176 St-Viateur O.,514-278-6854
The menu reads like over-ambitious bistro, meaning all over the place, but what I have had has been delicious. Especially the duck confit ravioli in a foie gras truffle oil sauce, and a braised lamb shephard's pie like thing (a new fangled hachis parmentier). The wine offerings are few but decent,the ambiance is great, the staff very smiley. Overall very likeable, and you can't get abetter deal.
Casa Tapas on Rachel. E
This is one of my favorite spots for the flavors and the ambiance. A varied menu of Spanish style tapas, the dishes are rustic, and generally very good, the service is great, the wine list Spanish only. Very fun place when dining with a bunch of people.
La Montée de lait 371 Villeneuve E.514-289-9921
-now moved to Bishop St. with a face lift, La Montée, but same chef, so I'll leave the comments..
The room is very stark design-wise, the tables are cramped, but the food is inventive and enticing if you’re in the mood for a few frills without breaking the bank (4 courses for 40$). It is casual but with a trendy, 'worked'menu, as in “everything 3 ways”, shot glasses of food, etc., and they are quite successful at it. Upon my last visit, everything was delicious. The wine list is very winner, researched and diverse in the good value category.
Pied de Cochon 536 ave. Duluth E.,514-281-1114, www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca
Not easy on the system, but I do love pig, and pigging out. This place is hard not to like if you are not the finnicky type; the vibe is great, and the food is good fun. Now famous as a colorful personality as much as for his foie gras poutine (which is just overkill), Martin has become a local hero of sorts... There is still much more to try, in summer lots of seafood...
Monkland Tavern 5555 Monkland, NDG,515-486-5768, www.monklandtavern.com
My home away from home. A neighborhood favoriite with fun, tasty food; the style is contemporary North American bistro in feel, with a mediterranean soul. Portions are huge. Great ambiance if you like it happening, with unbeatable service.
Tavern on the Square 1 Westmount Square, rue Ste-Catherines O.,514-989-9779
Like the Monkland Tavern for grown ups, ie. more space, less noise, reservations, more expensive. The same taste-forward food à la Steve, but classier, a very popular all occasion place in Westmount.
Pinxto 256 rue Roy E.,514-844-0222
Reliable, tasty Basquaise tapas in an attractive, informal setting. The dishes are real tapas (only a few bites), so order many. Few fireworks, but very satisfying. Very reasonable, very popular and open Mondays!
Vertige 540 Duluth E.,514-842-4443
French fine dining, heavy on the luxury ingredients like foie gras, sweetbreads and truffle, with the tasting menu option, but all at a fair price in a pretty setting. Thierry Baron is one of the most generous chefs out there, and you can taste it in the food. Its definitely on the rich side, which many Quebecois love and crave on a special night out.
La Colombe 554 ave. Duluth E.,514-849-8844
The best BYOB around. Straightforward French contemporary, there are not too many frills, but tasty and reliable. Good quality fine cooking, and a great deal.
Faros on Fairmount just west of Parc
Greek food, taverna style. Lively and noisy,usuallytasty food-wise, this place is very fun, especially in the dead of winter, when sunny flavors,hilarious waitersand a bustling atmosphere do the trick in lifting the spirits. Crispy veg with tzatiki, saganaki, fried squid, fresh whole fish with lemon and herbs, loads offresh fruit for dessert..
Mythos on Parc
A very reasonable, informal, unpretensious place for Greek food, Taverna style. The ambiance can get rowdy, with the ouzo iflowing and people dancing, and so the food sometimes gets forgotten, but if you're in the mood for a party, and not in a rush, you will find that the food is pretty darn good, and have a great time. Great place to book agroup party.
Au petit extra 1690Ontario E.,514-527-5552 www.aupetitextra.com
An old favorite mainly for the fun ambiance and the wine selection. The food is basic bistro fare with a few twists, hardly refined, but often good.
Bouchon de liège 8497 St-Dominique (and de Liege),514-807-0033
Although I wasn't bowled over by this resto, I had the most memorable piece of fish there (seabass in a salt crust), I can still taste it. The Bouchon offers a short menu of creative bistro fare at a fair price, and a good wine list.
Gardemanger on François Xavier in Old Montreal
The New hot spot for good food in a casual, bar-like atmosphere. The menu is short but appetizing, heavy on the seafood, the inspiration being a Maine crab shack. A great place for fresh or fried oysters, tartare and fish and chipsor you can go all out with an abundant sea food platter. The popular dessert is the deep fried Mars bar. Eat early if you are over 30 or not in the mood to be overwhelmed by the bar scene.
Le Locale 740 rue William,514-397-7737
A gorgeous space with a great vibe and ambiance. The menu is fun to read, but doesn't always deliver, occasionally surprising, but not always in a good way. There is alot going on in some of the dishes. But there are some great salads (many with a poached egg), I enjoyed my entrées every time, and the tartareis solid. Hardly perfection , but this place is very Montreal, and very fun no matter; the wine list is long,a great place for a girl's (or guys') night out with great people watching to boot, just don't be in a rush, the service is very slow.
A l'Os on St-Laurent
One of our fancier Byob's in terms of food, but you pay for it. The cooking is pretty good though, the menus and ingredients inspired.
La Moulerie 1249 Bernard O.,514-273-8132
The place for moules frites, and good memories for me.
Le Petit Plateau 330 rue Marianne E.,514-282-6342
A very busy, no fuss - classic French bistro, and longtime favorite BYOB on the Plateau. Two seatings, book early.
Yoyo 4720 Marquette,514-524-4187
Another popular BYOBon the Plateau serving bistro food with a flourish, small andbusy, convivial, tasty.
Bu on St-Laurent
Cool little spot, more of a wine bar, with a limited but good menu featuring simple Italian bites.
The Star of India on Sherbrooke O.
I know many fans of their butter chicken, but I'm more of a Dhansak, Biryianni and Sag girl. This place is a good alround Indian spot in NDG, and slightly more elegant than others.