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I also hear this city has bagels that make New York nervous, bustling markets, and numerous cheese shops to lose oneself in.
Here's where you come in--to help us start off, in the poll below, please vote for where you think we must go for bagels in Montreal. And in the comments below, feel free to add suggestions for bistros, breweries or bakeries (and more) that are worth exploring. As we eat (and drink) our way through the city this week, I'll be posting short reports and updating the map to show we're we've visited, and we'll be holding more polls as well.
Santé!
Producer's note: Thanks to readers Heavy D and hjli for pointing out that Schwartz's Deli doesn't serve bagels. We've taken Heavy D's advice and added R.E.A.L. Bagel as an alternative to Schwartz's in the poll below. All apologies!
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As a New Yorker transplanted to Montreal (I go to college up north), I can say that Montreal bagels are good, but so different as to belie comparison to NY bagels. Montreal bagels are smaller, crunchier, sweeter (bit of honey in the dough) and with far fewer toppings (pretty much poppyseed, sesame, or plain) than NY bagels. So they don't really make New York nervous, they're just very different.
Another suggestion, if you're looking for a good classic French bistro is L'Express on St. Denis in the plateau. They've been around forever and have an excellent steak tartare.
For bakeries there are two I like, both on or close to Avenue du Parc. First is Cheskies, a Jewish bakery on Avenue Bernard between Parc and Hutchison. Try the Babka. The second is closer to downtown (Parc bet. Milton and Prince Arthur) and is named La Patisserie Belge. They have excellent cookies and tarts.
Thanks, Peter -- we were fortunate enough to eat at L'Express last night, which I'll be writing about tomorrow. Looking forward to checking out these bakeries.
Not sure where you got your info from, but Schwartz's does NOT do bagels. But it is a MUST stop for Montreal smoked meat. There is always a line-up here if you want to dine in. Expect to wait at least an hour during peak times (lunch, dinner). Go early in the morning or late afternoon for a shorter wait. Or pop in next door at its take-out shop, grab a number and lots of napkins to munch on your sandwich outside.
I've also heard L'Express (as Peter cited above) is a top-notch bistro to visit in Montreal. It's definitely on my list the next time I'm there!
My daughter lives in the Plateau (a couple of blocks from Schwartz's).
She and other NY expats feel there isn't a good bagel in town. She carts a couple of dozen back when she visits and instantly earns points.
There are some really wonderful neighborhood places that are reasonable (L'Acadamie, a nice BYOB on St. Denis is one I like).
Be sure to cover the 'trendy' restaurants like those on St. Laurent (Buonanotte comes to mind) that attact the famous and feature those ever so pretty but no so knowledgeable wait staffs and middling fare.
L'Academie is nice, but a bit inconsistent. Best bet there is to stay with the mouelles frites, of which they offer a number of good varieties.
Also, if you're looking for good Lebanese (which is a big thing in Montreal) the best in my view is Boustan, which is a little hole in the wall on Crescent south of Sherbrooke. Open til 4 am most nights.
Yeah.. L'Académie is TERRIBLE! It's more of a food processing plant than a restaurant. Don't ever go there!
I second Peter - l'academie is inconsistent. It's good for large groups because they've got lots of space, but they don't accept reservations which is a bit annoying
As a Montrealer now living in New York, I firmly believe that Montreal bagels are better. Sure the two types of bagel are very different, but the proof is in the plain: A plain New York bagel is ok, but just a huge piece of dough really. It needs lox and cream cheese and other toppings to make it spectacular, even if it's right out of the oven. A fresh Montreal bagel, on the other hand, when piping hot right out of the oven, does not need a single condiment. It's simply delicious, and not too big to be devoured as a snack.
Of course, in Montreal, plain really means sesame seed (nobody really gets plain, I'm not sure those even exist). Sesame seed is the standard bagel, poppy seed probably the next most common, and then the other types, of which there is a more limited selection. But true bagel lovers should stick to the sesame seed.
As for best bagel shop, well here there is more disagreement. I firmly believe that Fairmont is the best (and early poll numbers seem to indicate that this opinion is in the majority). I find St-Viateur, particularly the new store on Monkland, to be somewhat disappointing. Fresh out of the oven it's still very good, but no real match for Fairmont. Frankly, I think Montreal's bagel chain, R.E.A.L. Bagel, is better than St-Viateur.
For even more sacrilege, I'm willing to say that Katz's Pastrami in New York lower east side is better than Montreal Smoked Meat. Don't get me wrong, Montreal Smoked Meat is great: get it at Schwartz's or Snowdon Deli. But Katz's is superb.
The other major Montreal food product is of course poutine. You have to have some, but as to where to get it, that's a debate I'll leave for another time.
I'm looking forward to comparing Montreal's bagels to New York's when I get to Manhattan next week. And I'll certainly be seeing how Schwartz's stacks up next to Katz. Of course, in a contest like this, everyone's a winner, especially the diner.
I also see that Peel Pub is on your list. Don't bother. It's not that great, and tends to be full of 1st year McGill students. Brutopia on Crescent is pretty touristy still, but has much more interesting beers.
Also Peel Pub tends to be persnickety about bad press. There is a hilariously serious letter from them posted on the wall of the McGill Daily complaining about insults they received in the paper.
Montreal is one of the top five food cities in North America. Bagels are good and compare favorably to the big doughy concoction that passes for a NYC bagel these days (but don't compare to NYC's best).
Besides Au Pied Cochon (question there is not whether to go, but what to get. Suggest going to the Chowhound boards for research) and Schwartz's (which is better than Katz's in NYC), here are other highlights:
- Jean Talon, not a typical farmer's market. More of an outdoor 'mall'. It's a great place for lunch - the seafood, cheese/cured meat and ice cream stores are standouts.
- L'Express. Classic bistro.
- Olive + Gourmando. Great breakfast or lunch spot in Old Montreal.
- Milos. Superior fish. Location in NYC is very good, but not as good or authentic as the original.
- Club Chasse et Peche. Best "high-end" restaurant in Montreal.
I don't know much about the less expensive options (hot dogs, pizza, etc.), but here's a good link:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/399473
Club Chasse et Peche:Been there 2x. Love the wooden front door. Very trendy but super loud. Have had better meals at Europea on de la Montagne for that coin.
Second the kudos for L'Express and Olive and Gourmando.
Olive et Gourmando is indeed a treat, but you pretty much have to go during off peak hours, unless you like waiting in line for an hour and being jostled around like you're on a crowded subway car. Just sayin'...
Don't miss out on sampling some local beers!
- Vices & Versa (6631 st laurent) http://www.vicesetversa.com/
- Brouehaha (5860 av de Lorimier)
- benelux (245 Sherbrooke ouest) http://www.brasseriebenelux.com/
- Dieu du ciel! (29 Laurier West) http://www.dieuduciel.com
or, if you feel like buying some bottles try
délires du terroir (6406, rue Saint-Hubert) http://www.lesdeliresduterroir.com/
or Le marché des saveurs du Québec (on the south side of the Jean-Talon market).
cheers!
ps. st-viateur bagels all the way! I find new york style bagels to be far too poofy and bready for my tastes...
Thanks! I've heard great things about Dieu du Ciel, which we'll be trying tomorrow. These others look just as promising.
Those are excellent brew pubs. Vices & Versa has the advantages of a small terrace at the back AND it's on the edge of Little Italy and near the Jean Talon Market. Benelux has a terrace of sorts too, but it's right on Sherbrooke Street, so it's very trafficy (noisy).
Another brew pub not mentioned is L'Amere a Boire, on St. Denis between Sherbrooke and Ontario. They too have a small terrace, but it's TINY (like maybe 4 seats). Good beer though.
I suggest you skip Les Trois Brasseurs. Many people don't realize it, but it's not a Quebec company; it's a chain operation from France. Sort of a "McBrewPub" if you will. (And personally, I don't even like the beers.)
May I also say the perhaps the poll should be refashioned, eliminating Schwartz's and replacing it with R.E.A.L. Bagel as a "real" alternative. There should also be separate polls for poutine and for smoked meat.
In case you don't get around to asking about chocolate --
Montreal has lots, but I find fhat listings and articles miss one of the most unique, fabulous places in the world, not far from John Talon market, a tiny place called Chocobel. Some of their pieces must be refrigerated; they are combinations including such things as cheese and ice cider. Other favorities taste like a pine or spruce tree or use local honeys, tomatoes, fruits,... Their many caramel varieties are fabulous too. And if you like something very sweet, don't miss the little basket of a (non chocolate) sweet confection made from the owner's (a former pastry chef) mother's recipe. This place is an absolute must for a foodie visiting Montreal and wanting to be truly in the know.
After reading this, I think we'll have to have a "Chocolate in Montreal" poll this week.
I must also strongly recommend Mochica, a Peruvian restaurant as 2863 rue St Denis.
(But if you can only eat one thing, go for the chocolate at Chocobel instead of course!)
Bagels, smokemeat, poutine, lebanese food are all foods that I miss from Montreal now that I live in Boston. But also, I miss the patisseries, croissants and chocolatines (chocolate filled croissant). I often wish Boston had the beautiful little pastries that I used to find so easily in Montreal. I like the Duc de Lorraine on Cote-des-neiges street below the St-Joseph Oratory but even Au Pain Dore is worth going to in a pinch. My favorites are the tiny raspberry tarts but I also love the operas and anything else with chocolate.
real quick here, from a montrealer now living in san francisco.
best poutines (nothing touches these):
1. the galvaude at banquise
2. the classique at patati patata
skip the much-hyped-but-way-too-salty poutine at pied de cochon, but try their lamb confit, which is delicious. and chocolats de chloe recently moved in near door, so you might buy a small box for later (very good chocolate, that).
also, definitely skip academie and entrecote st jean, which are mediocre, better bets are express, which does a few things well (the bavette, for instance), lemeac up on laurier street for a solid duck confit at $20 after 10 pm, au petit plateau if you have some wine you'd like to try, and chasse et peche for a damned fine meal, the sort that people rave about for a while afterward. toqué is widely known as the best restaurant in the city.
roy street has two great restos worth trying - vents du sud (byo wine) and pintxo.
the binerie mt royal is an absolute must - i love the roast pork special on thursday, but the tuesday special (chicken pie) is fantastic quebec grub, and their classic diner breakfast with creton and beans is de rigueur if you care at all about trying montreal staples.
on bagels, it's all fairmont v. st viateur, i'm a st viateur man myself.
dieu du ciel is the best micro brew i've ever been to (i've been to a lot of them), DON'T MISS IT! microbrews reservoir, vices & versa, cheval blanc, benelux, brouehaha, brutopia and amere a boire are all worth a couple hours, but dieu du ciel is something special.
don't bother trying anything hispanic or asian in montreal, it's not going to be even close to as good as what you can get in nyc, though the parc-extension hood has some good pak-indian joints, including the fantastic hole in the wall sana on jarry street.
finally, schwartz is far and away the best smoked meat. i've tried them all, and none compare. that said, the main, across the street, has a smoked meat poutine that tastes great around 4am.
Hi, I'm Phil. I've been writing the Bar and Nightlife column in the Journal de Montréal for 3 years now and when I'm not in a bar, i'm at a restaurant.
Many of the things that were suggested are pretty lame or touristy. Here's my suggestions of authentic Montreal food spot to hit.
First, let's make something clear. Though the Mont-Royal street is fun and lively and very nice, there is not a single decent restaurant on the whole strip. I mean it. Same with Prince-Arthur. Oh... and screw fairmount, it's all about St Viateur.
Coffe
- Olympico on St-Viateur (known as Open Da Night)
- Toi Moi café on Laurier
- ArtJava on Mont-Royal (though it's not what it used to be)
High end
- Europea, on De la Montagne: My favourite restaurant ever. I went twice and had the 9 course tasting menu both times. Loved it every time
- Chez L'épicier, on St-Paul: Amazing market fusion restaurant. The six elaborate entrees on the lunch menu change everyday. One of the best service in town.
Bistro/High Energy
- L'Assommoir on Bernard, over 300 cocktails on the menu, speciality of mixed grill and ceviches. It's my favourite place in town, by far. You can NOT not go there. Try to hit it on a friday. If you go, either sit at the bar, or in front of the bar if you insist on a table (ask for a table between 106 to 115, when you call to reserve). Yes, I did work there, two years ago, and I still go almost once a week. Ask the barmen for cocktails and try the steak tartare or pretty much any ceviche.
- L'Express is indeed a nice spot, but don't have the tartar. A steak tartare should be made with nothing but a chef's knife and they're using a grinder. The bone marrow appetizer is great. Opened till 2am every night. Make sure to have a reservation.
- Holder, on McGill. Go have a bite in the bar section of this trendy bistro on a thursday night. The food is okay, but the atmosphere is awesome.
Breakfast
- Dusty's, on Parc: The ultimate eggs and bacon spot. No sign above the door, it's the big bay windows, on Parc just above Mont-Royal on the west side of the street. Have the Dusty's special, it's cheap and it's plenty. The closest we'll ever get to a true hangover cure.
- La petite marche, on St-Denis: Good luck getting a table on the tiny terrasse, but the breakfasts are really good. I like the rasberry crepe.
Don't go to Benedicts, it's over priced BS.
International
- Napolitana, on Mozart (I think): first opened pizzeria in Montreal. Don't miss the Fior de latte pizza.
- Rumi, on Hutchison: amazing middle eastern food, don't miss the baba ganoush with the nam bread and the lentil soup. Order yogourt sauce with any meat dish you have, it's a must. Awesome terrasse, warm and welcoming ambiance.
- Chao Praya, on Laurier: just great Thai.
- Golden House Curry on St-Laurent: Tiny, tiny tiny, indian restaurant. Really, really good.
- Doval, at the corner of Marianne and DeBullion: Best broiled portuguese chicken ever, right in the Quartier Portuguais.
- Mylos, on Parc: That should actually be in the high end category, very very high end. But it's traditionnal Greek, the best fishes and seafood in town.
- Beijing, on de la Gauchetière, straight in Chinatown: It might not be the best, but it's very authentic chinease. Opened till 3am every night.
- Casa Tapas, on Rachel: Great tapas, good ambiance. Don't miss the scalops.
Steak
- Chez Magnan, on St-Patrick: This old Tavern has been opened for over 75 years, a family business of 3 generations. The aged rib eye is insane and not too pricy. It's the ultimate guys hangout.
- La Queue de Cheval, on René Lévesque: It's the 12th degree of overpriced. Your steak will cost over 60$ but it's supposed to be surreal. Very intense ambiance, live jazz every night. At 50 bucks a pound, make sure you have room on your visa before ordering the lobster.
There's moishes and gibbys, but it's very very old school. No ambiance whatsoever.
Quebec/traditionnal
- Le pied de Cochon, on Duluth. You probably heard of it already. Go on your last day cause you won't be able to eat anything but a green salad the next day.
- Vallier, on McGill, right next to Holder: They make a pâté chinois (sort of sheppard pie, ultra traditionnal here) with duck confit instead of ground beef. The halibut burer is supposed to be great too.
- Shwart's: Like someone else said, they don't make bagels, but you just have to go there, end of discussion. Hit it later, around 9, if you want to avoid the queue and have a more mellow experience. I prefer it lean, it's just easier to eat.
Burger
- Mister Steer, on Ste-Catherine: It's an old institution in town, you know the kind of place where most of the waitresses on the floor have been working here for over 20 years. It's good, but not insane and somewhat pricy.
- M: Brgr, on Drummond: I've never been, but it's supposed to be awesome. Opened by the owners of Moishes, it's a high end trendy burger joint.
- Bun's, on St-Laurent: This is just a snack bar, actually it's less than that. They make burgers, and that's it. Oh and the only choice you'll make is betweena single patty or a double (I couldn't possibly eat a double). 4$ taxes included, they taste just like home made burgers. And they use big chunks of real white cheddar instead of the american processed horror. The guys working there are cool, it's the perfect burger at 3am when you were out clubbing. Well actually it's the perfect burger anytime.
Ok... I think that's it.
Whew! A week is not going to be enough time.
I would never send anyone who's good pizza to Napoletana. Montreal pizza on the whole is a farce. Napoletana is mediocre. Bottega is alright for Neapolitan pizza, but I would skip the pizza in Montreal entirely.
Queue de Cheval can't hold a candle to Chicago or New-York steakhouses. Forget about steak in Montreal, as well. While you're at it, forget about sushi or Thai food or any East Asian food that isn't Chinese or Vietnamese.
Golden Curry House is really not the best Indian. Most places in Park-Ex easily kick its butt.
Rumi is really good, but it's nothing exceptional and I certainly wouldn't send a well travelled food writer there.
Pick's is better than Bun's for cheap burgers. But should really go to Dillalo burger if you want local colour and real good burger in a Montreal institution.
I could punching holes in that list up there, but I'm getting tired of typing.
Oh yeah, for high-end seafood and Portuguese check out Ferreira downtown.
Not for the food, but for the experience and because it's a real Montreal institution Wilensky's light lunch. Open only for lunch on weekdays.
agree. no offense, but a serious eater would skip most of the ones on this list.
You can take Bagel Etc. off the list as well. While they do serve bagels, they don't bake them. As far as bagels go Fairmount and St-Viateur are the only game town. I like Fairmount better, but there is an argument to be made for St-Viateur bagels as well. Make sure you go to the original St-Viateur location at 263 St-Viateur west and know that Montreal bagels are best eaten fresh from the oven or warmed up a bit before eating. They go stale very quickly so time is of the essence.
For smoked meat Schwartz's is the undisputed champion. Make sure to order your sandwich medium or medium fat. Ordering lean is a crime against food. And get a half-sour to go with it.
When at Cheskie's order the chocolate babka. It will change your life. Also note that Cheskie's is a kosher bakery so they will be closed for shabbat.
Forget L'Academie. No really, just forget about it. It's crap chain style food. Forget Buona Notte also, it's a trap for tourists and douchebags as are pretty much all the restaurants on that part of St-Laurent.
Here's where you need to go.
On the high/mid end:
Club Chasse & Pêche
La Chronique
La Montée
Tapeo
Au Pied de Cochon
Au Cinquième Peché
Pintxo
BYOW:
Le P'tit Plateau
Le Bleu Raisin
Wine Bars:
Bouchonné
3 Petits Bouchons
Justine Bar à Vin
Aszu
Buvette Chez Simone
Neighbourhood favourites:
Le Jolifou
Bistro Bienville
Brunch:
Reservoir
Byblos
Lemeac
Le Cartet
Ethnic:
La Carreta, for the pupusas
Cuisine Szechuan
Souvlaki Village Grec, for the gyros
Chez Lien, for the pho
Banh Xeo Minh, for the banh xeo
Le Petit Alep
Bakeries:
Cocao Locale, for the best cakes in Montreal
Fous Dessert, for French style viennoiseries
Saveurs du Plateau, for refined French style cakes
Le Fromentier, for the best bread in town
La Chilenita, for great Chilean empanadas
Harmonie, for the Japanese cheesecake
Charcuterie:
Cochons Tout Ronds, for lovely charcuterie from the Magdalen Islands
Queue de Cochon, for their boudin aux pommes
Markets:
Jean-Talon Market
Atwater Market
I'm sure I've forgotten a lot of great places, but i think this is plenty to get you started with your research.
I also suggest you look at this list for further ideas:
http://endlessbanquet.blogspot.com/2005/05/list-pt-1-m.html
http://endlessbanquet.blogspot.com/2005/05/list-pt-2-n-z.html
All the best,
SqueezeBottle.
I just looked at your map. Maybe I should have started there, eh?
You should drop Peel Pub. There's nothing to see, drink or eat there. Bonaparte is super stuffy old school French and does not in any way represent Montreal lively French food scene. Brasserie Brunoise is not worth it either, the old Brunoise would have been a must-go place, but this new place doesn't have much to do with the original. Les Filles Du Roy is some toursity theme restaurant bullcrap. Why would you want to go there?
See, I would never send a well travelled food writer to any of these places, except for Leméac and Le Club Chasse et Pêche. But the difference is that I'm not being pretentious ahole about it.
All the spots I listed are truly awesome and you just have to get a life my friend. Oh and I believe you must be the WORST person to have dinner with.
Sweet crap, I forgot to mention Chalet BBQ! Now there's a Montreal institution. Quebecois have a real love affair with rotisserie chicken. It's our default take-out option and there's even a huge chain, St-Hubert, dedicated to the stuff. But Chalet BBQ is where you go for the total experience. The decor is a throwback to the 50's, 60's. The waitress are awesome and the chicken and fries are scrumptious. You must not miss this place.
chalet bbq isn't any good. but several of the others you mention are. reservoir for sunday brunch has a delicious steak frite, excellent with a blanche beer.
the best grilled chicken, by the way, is definitely on rachel street, my vote is with romados on rachel street - this is a "if i only have on meal" sort of place for many former montrealers. another excellent portuguese place is janos on st laurent - their pork chops and quail are very highly recommended.
I'll agree with you about Romados. It's really, really good. We can disagree about the vertues of Chalet BBQ, I think it's really tasty, but the reason I included it is because of it is something specific to Montreal, it is well loved by many Montrealers and it has been there forever.
Howdy!
In no particular order, these are some of the places I would suggest that anyone coming to Montreal try.
Chez Clo, 3199 Ontario E (514) 522-5348 Classic Quebecois breakfast joint, cretons, beans and maple syrup with your eggs
Jardin Tiki, 5300 Sherbrooke E (514) 254-4173 Not ironic at all. In fact extremely earnest and dead serious about Tiki
Paul Patates, 0760 Charlevoix (514) 937-2751 Hot Dogs & Homemade Spruce Beer also in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqxurfvV5bM
The Sparrow, 5522 Saint Laurent (514) 690-3964 A 'Brit Gastro Pub' w/o a liquor license :-) But the food is the reason to go
Andalos, 264 Lebeau (514) 856-0983 and
Arouch, 917 Liège, (514) 270-1092 Sorta like the debate between St. Viateur & Fairmont, except it's about manakish. Small Lebanese flatbreads with toppings. Andalos has dozens of different combinations for the adventurous. Arouch only does the four classics.
Binerie Mont-Royal, 367 Mont-Royal O (514) 285-9078 Beans, beans the more you eat the better you feel... The Root (racine in French AND eith a capital 'R') of everything the Martin Picard does
Bouchonné, 5171 Saint Laurent (514) 273-8846 Just a very nice and extremely well done neighborhood restaurant with a superlative wine list
Daou, 519 Faillon E (514) 276-8310 The best family Lebanese restaurant in town.
Dic Ann’s, 10910 Pie IX Burgers so thin that you can slide 'em under a door.
DNA, 355 Marguerite D'Youville (514) 287-3362 Currently my favorite restaurant. Extensive Canadian Wine list. Derek and Alex know their stuff inside out and backwards.
Kitchenette, 1353 René Lévesque E (514) 527-1016 Soon to become my favorite restaurant, currently in the #2 position because it isn't in my neighborhood
Tapeo, 511 Villeray (514) 495-1999 The best Tapas in town.
Wilensky's Light Lunch, 34 Fairmount O 514-271-0247 The other side of early to mid 20th century Jewish food culture. And it is not a light lunch in the best way possible.
Restaurant Philippe, 1877 Amherst, (514) 528-5957 Hand ground meat daily and a cook who has been making burgers for his entire life, it really doesn't get better than this.
Lasalle Drive-In, 8760 Lasalle (514) 365-6700 Order Peter's Special
Gibeau Orange Julep, 7700 Décarie, 738-7486 If you go on Wednesday it's muscle car night, and you might just see Fonzie
The Baked Potato. 231 Pine E (514) 844-6660 Exactly what is says it is.
Then, if you truly want the best smoked meat in the city you need to venture out to the suburbs to a weird combination of a juke joint / deli called
Smoked Meat Pete's, 283 1st Ave. Ile Perrot, 425-6068 Live blues every night of the week, and the best brisket anywhere ever.
That's a great list, Zeke. I would add that Baked Potato is the only Turkish kumpir place in Quebec and maybe Canada. I think there's a similar place in Brooklyn, but it is very unique in North America and well worth a visit.
Lovely list, but Jardin Tiki?
I'd second all of Zeke and SqueezeBottle's recommendations, particularly Tapeo (completely renovated, sleek, loud and chic) but just like to add two more:
La Paryse - 302 Ontario East - another contender, if not THE contender, for Best Burgers in Town, i've seen cynical out-of-towners converted after a couple of bites. The chefs train for months before they're allowed to cook this recipe, according to the staff. Retro diner decor, tiny, occasionally a lineup out the door even in winter, not pricey, and really good (if huge) salads too.
Au Petit Extra - 1690 Ontario East, a classic French bistro that goes a little more high-end, traditional decor, busy and cheerful -- I've never had a bad meal here, fantastic wine list. My cousins from Boston have a friend who insists on going there every night when he comes to Montreal...
I'd also like to point out the resurgence of restos in Little Burgundy / Griffintown, such as the Burgundy Lion Pub (2496 Notre-Dame West) -- they do a maple-marinated thick-cut roasted bacon with their breakfast that is off the charts, and really good British classics for lunch and dinner - the fish and chips is excellent. There's a trio of David McMillan-run places across the street including McKiernan's Wine Bar / Luncheonette, the now-legendary Joe Beef oyster bar and Liverpool House. A new pizzeria, Geppetto's, has just opened; Limon is a popular and authentic Mexican place with a great wine list; there's a unique Caribbean luncheonette, Les Iles de Catherine, and an outpost of Dilallo's (mentioned above.) Just a bit to the east, nestled at the bottom of Guy Street, is Brasseurs de Montreal, a microbrewery / bistro with modern takes on Quebecois comfort food classics. Maybe none of these are "must visits" if you're on a schedule, but if you're in town for an extended period, they're all well worth visiting.
Has anyone mentioned Cosmos yet? Cosmos is easily the best breakfast in town, not as cheap as it used to be but still very affordable. In the winter it's just a dozen stools at a bar, when the weather is nice the put a few tables outside. If you're really hungry, get the Mishmash, otherwise stick to the Creation sandwich or the regular breakfast. Make sure you get the potatoes, they are amazing. I like mine with gravy if they have but it's not necessary. And don't ask for a menu.
This is truly a Montreal institution, great food and better atmosphere. It's not in downtown so will take some venturing out. It's in NDG, on Sherbrooke near Draper. There could be long lines on the weekends. Also, see the movie "Man of Grease" about Cosmos if you can.
In response to some other posts, definitely go to Wilensky's, it's great, pretty cheap and was featured in The Adventures of Duddy Kravitz.
The best pizza place in Montreal is Al Taib, near Concordia University downtown, a great Middle Eastern variation on pizza. Try the zatar there.
There are lots of great Shawarma places, I like Amir on Decarie near Namur metro (Amir is a chain but some are better than others). There are many other good places. Daou is a great sit-down Lebanese restaurant.
Go to Villa de Souvlaki on Sherbrooke for amazing souvlaki with incredible tzatziki.
I think the steaks at Que de Cheval and Moishes are excellent, though Que de Cheval also has a great butter lamb dish. Go to Chez Magnons for the roast beef, it's divine. Do these stack up to NY steakhouses? I'm not sure, I haven't been to so many here in NYC yet. But they are very good.
Make sure to get some Beaver Tail (Que de Castor) a deliciously unhealthy dessert. I like mine with nutella.
Montreal Chinese food is quite good, VIP in Chinatown is great, so is Caveau de Szechuan on Monkland in NDG. There's a great Thai restaurant in the Plateau, probably the only good one in the city, but I can't remember the name.
Chez Duval on Marianne has great Portuguese chicken.
Fut en Bulle in Outrement has bison and caribou burgers and hundreds of different beers.
I'd say that Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican and Indian are not Montreal's strengths. Montreal is good at French, Quebecois, Italian (though I can't name a place), Middle Eastern, steak, Greek, Chinese, Deli, dessert, breakfast, and overall unhealthy stuff.
Futembulle doesn't exist anymore, it was replaced by a microbrewery called Helm that has great French/Quebec charcuterie and wild game tapas. They make a great "American Pale Ale," too.
For Greek I'd also recommend Philinos on Parc (loud, fun, but also some of the best fried squid ever), and for souvlaki, there's a place called Le Parthenon on Van Horne that's truly amazing (if out of the usual Greek resto neighborhoods).
Pizza - Bottega in Little Italy seems to draw mixed reviews but I really, really like it.
Punjab Palace and Halal 786 on Jean-Talon offer great Indian and Pakistani respectively - I was just at Punjab Palace last night and it was really remarkable, fresh and with different takes on the usual spices. Small dishes good for sharing.
I'd debate your assertion that Vietnamese, Thai and Indian are not one of our strengths -- there are large expat communities here around Jean-Talon / Park Ex. Quebec definitely invites more Vietnamese immigrants because of their colonial Francophone history. There was a wave of Indian immigration in the 60s and 70s that has largely gone suburban (you can find decent dosas up on St-Jean in DDO now) but there's been a new wave that has turned Park Ex into Little India. There's also thriving Sri Lankan and Filipino communities n Cote-Des-Neiges -- you'll find Sri Lankans in many restaurant kitchens here, the same way US restos are crewed by Oaxacans (if you believe Bourdain).
Oh yes, on the bakery tip, don't miss Banette in NDG. An outpost of the French bakery school / chain, they import their flour from France and their croissants sell out nearly instantaneously.
Reading all these comments made me realize how little I know of the whole Montreal scene despite having lived there most of my life - I'm getting lots of ideas of places to go! I do want to add a point here that Montreal is made up of immigrants from all over and that you can find some excellent ethnic restaurants. So, while it is not known for its Thai food, there is ChuChai, a great vegetarian Thai restaurant. It does not compare however to Vancouver, San Francisco or New York for variety, creativity or number of places to have Asian food however! Since you're only there a short period of time, I have to second the other comments suggesting places that are more unique to Montreal i.e. Schwartz, bagels, and French-inspired places such as brasseries, bistros, chocolates, cafes and patisseries. If there is time, it is also worth trying foods from larger immigrant communities: for example Montreal has large Lebanese and Vietnamese communities partially because these countries have also shared historical ties to France. Only after would I suggest you try other types of places. And I'd seriously skip the pizza- it's very filling and can be found all over the US.
Wow, great posts.
A couple of things: I'm surprised that no one's mentioned Lafleur's yet. It's a local chain that serves great fries. Montreal hot dogs are nothing to write home about, even though they have a Wikipedia article, for god's sake, but these fries are great.
As for Schwartz's some old timers like me think it's gone downhill, a victim of its own success. (BTW, they no longer cook their steaks on charcoal.) I've heard tell that Pete's Smoked Meat out in Ile Perrault is better, but I cannot attest.
Wilensky's is historic but as for its "Special", comprising fried bologna and the like, well, don't get your hopes up.
Sorry, that should be Ile Perrot, of course.
Let me get this straight, someone is paying you to eat in Montreal for a week? Sir, you have died and gone to heaven. Someone above said that Montreal is one of North America's top food cities, and I fervently agree. You could dine out every night for a year and never have a bad meal.
A little note regarding your post ... you will probably spend a delightful week and never notice the language politics that still simmer beneath the surface. But you will ingratiate yourself with more people by referring to "The Plateau" rather than "Mile-End" - the latter is a subset of the former anyway. You are definitely dining in the right neighborhood ... the Plateau is the center of Montreal dining and nightlife. See Old Montreal for the tourist sights but dine in the Plateau.
The ethnic food possibilities are endless, the breakfast spots divine, the outdoor markets unparalleled. So I'll just list a couple of favorites of mine, that come to mind - of course biased and a small sample - I lived there 15 years ago and visit 2 or 3 times a year.
- Favorite drinking spot: Bily Kun
- Favorite Thai: Chao Phraya
- Lazy breakfast with friends: Les Entretiens
- Bagel and lox: Beautys
- Pizza: Pizzeria dei Campari (on a relatively touristy stretch of St-Denis so it tends to get overlooked)
Now, about "Apportez votre Vin" dining: BYOB is a high art in Montreal. There are dozens of fine, small restos that don't serve alcohol. Think about it, this means that they have to succeed based on their food, and the dining experience - no alcohol profits to allow them to coast elsewhere. Here are some places where I have had extraordinarily fine French meals recently. These places tend to feature a "table d'hote" which is the prix fixe menu - generally a great way to go.
- La Colombe
- Le P'tit Plateau
- Les Héretiers
- Le Pégase
"But you will ingratiate yourself with more people by referring to "The Plateau" rather than "Mile-End" Wow, politics indeed. Mile End is a culturally and historically distinct neighbourhood.
WOW I am a Montrealer and I have a whole new respect for our food...I have a list now yay long and shall be spending the next few months eating out all over the city....and wud u believe no one has mentioned my favs???