31 Best Restaurants in Montreal, Quebec

Not for the timid, the menu at this famous 20-year-old bistro—one of the late Anthony Bourdain’s favorites—is an ode to gluttony and nose-to-tail cooking. Wild restaurateur and chef Martin Picard serves pickled bison tongue, guinea hen liver mousse, a whole pig's head for two, and pork hocks braised in maple syrup. However, his obsession with foie gras is what truly sets him apart; he lavishes the stuff on hamburgers and, brace yourselves, poutine. Come summer, look for the Au Pied de Cochon food truck. In winter, you can "pig out" on pork and maple syrup creations at one of two Au Pied de Cochon sugar shacks in St-Benoît de Mirabel.

A far cry from the cliché-clad tavernas found elsewhere in the city, Ikanos serves refined Aegean gastronomy in an elegant and sleek environment. No blue-and-white checkered tablecloths in sight; the muted neutral palette puts the spotlight on the food. The menu includes the ever-so-popular grilled octopus and the equally enticing grilled rack of lamb (both courtesy of a state-of-the-art wood burning oven), complemented by a curated selection of Greek wines. 

Eating out at this establishment in the St. Henri/Little Burgundy neighborhood is a little like being invited to a dinner party by a couple of friends who just happen to be top-notch chefs. Everything written on the chalkboard menu is simple, hearty, and just delicious, from the fresh oysters to the organic rib steak and the now famous lobster spaghetti. In summer, the best seat in the house is one of the 25 coveted chairs spread out on the back patio, among the beautiful patches of an organic vegetable garden. The restaurant is notorious for serving generous portions; thus an outing at Joe beef should not be attempted without stretchy eating pants!  If there's no space at Joe Beef, try booking a spot at sibling restaurant Liverpool House a few doors down at 2501 rue Notre-Dame O.

The expertise and irreproachable service at Le Serpent truly make it an essential stop on any Montréal foodie itinerary. The industrial-looking space caters to trendy diners, and almost paradoxically, serves sublime Italianate plates that could be mistaken for comfort food if they weren’t so elegantly presented. Nothing disappoints here, from the sommelier picks to dishes like the foie gras parfait or the iconic lobster risotto. 

A mother-daughter team helm this delightfully cozy pan-African Québécois fusion restaurant in Le Plateau. Innovative and well executed dishes like cassava couscous with okra and goat stew celebrate local produce and sub-Saharan flavors for an experience you won’t soon forget.

Open since 2001, this sophisticated French bistro pleases Montrealers with its flawless classics and its heated wraparound outdoor terrace. Regulars gravitate toward dishes such as the beef or salmon tartare, grilled Cornish hen, asparagus and wild mushroom risotto, mushroom ravioli, and hanger steak—all served with ceremonial aplomb on white linen tablecloths. Leave room for dessert: Pain Perdu, a thick slice of brioche with caramel and maple, is an indulgent specialty and can feed two people (if you can bear to share).

Sustainable, organic, and fresh every day is the philosophy of this high-end sushi restaurant. The menu is eclectic, with excellent sashimi—some specimens flown in directly from Japan—noodles, and some vegetarian-friendly Japanese dishes mixed with a variety of influences from chef Antonio Park's multiple backgrounds—Korean, Argentinian, and Canadian. You can leave the inspiration to him and opt for a omakase menu (chef's choice) for C$115. And don't forget to leave room for dessert! Park partnered with the pâtissier a few doors down to serve exceptional confections like the sorbert maison; the "Tout Chocolat," a chocolate brownie with milk chocolate mousse and roasted pecan caramel; or the Lemon Yuzu Crémeux, a Greek yogurt gel with poppyseed, meringue, and a pain de gênes biscuit.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

As the name suggests, the focus of this restaurant is ham in all its many incarnations. The menu changes seasonally but charcuteries and marinated vegetables imported from Europe are ever-present. The dining room is modern and spacious, with huge windows and long communal tables that stimulate conversations. And diners of all sorts do convene here, from trendsetters to suit-and-tie corporates along with flip-flop-clad tourists.

With its small ingredient-based menu, this homey bistro is an example of excellence through simplicity. The chefs do everything—the shopping, the chopping, the cooking, the greeting, and the serving, and the focus is on meats, fish, and vegetable dishes all inspired by what local farmers bring to the adjacent Jean-Talon market that morning. The open kitchen turns out classic French bistro market cuisine, including oysters; rib-eye steak for two; gnocchi with lobster, garlic cream confit, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes; and several foie gras dishes.

Although La Chronique is indeed an elegant place with white walls and high ceilings flooded with light, people don't come here for the setting; they come for the excellent food. Without fuss or fanfare, La Chronique has remained one of the best French restaurants in town since it opened in 1995. The cuisine seamlessly blends lightened French fare with seasonal and local ingredients. If you are a foie gras fan, the seared version served with seasonal fruit is easily the best in town. This is an excellent place to splurge on the prix-fixe; five-course tasting menu at dinner for C$125.

A study in contrasts, Le Filet has a discreet blink-and-you'll-miss-it façade with a glitzy black-and-gold interior and a hot-spot buzz. Though it's been around a while, there is no mixed messaging when it comes to the exacting presentation and superb food and wine. The menu is divided into three courses or "sets"; while the first sets are shareable, cold dishes (the garnished oysters with toppings like maple crisp, jalapeño or miso gratin, are delightful), the second and third courses are respectively dedicated to hot seafood and meat dishes (black linguini with seafood and fried shallots and the gemelli with braised veal cheek, mushroom, and foie gras are popular choices). Wine lovers also appreciate the impressive wine list.

Regularly lauded on Canadian best-of dining lists, Le Mousso is run by chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard, who dreams up beautifully plated, northern European-inspired dishes that are as much works of art as they are imaginative combinations of flavor and texture for the taste buds. Using mostly local and seasonal ingredients, the seven-course tasting menu might feature dishes such as bortsch décomposé (beet soup), grilled scallops lightly smoked with fir and served on coals with wild plum butter, or tataki Wagyu beef accompanied by cream, New Brunswick caviar, and nasturtium leaves. Dessert might be a fanciful whirl of chocolate with cucumber or squash with honey and rapeseed oil.

Local celebrity chef Derek Dammann teamed up with famed British chef Jamie Oliver to open this pub-style restaurant that perfectly blends Canadian and British traditions. The interior is dark and cozy; the handwritten menu changes frequently based on what's in season. Expect dishes like salmon gravlax, Welsh rarebit, oven-baked oysters, foie gras parfait, or cold roast with dandelion.

For fine dining in Old Montréal, head to this chic, contemporary restaurant serving expertly presented Canadian fare, from oysters to PEI côte de boeuf. A chic, illuminated bar showcases the wine collection, with 400 selections including some Québécois bottles.

You won’t see anything too familiar on the menu at this fresh, light-filled restaurant with its high ceilings, clean white walls and tablecloths, and modern mix of wood, glass, and sliding industrial windows that open to outdoor seating in summer. You will find whimsical yet unpretentious dishes that surprise and delight—just be sure to order a side of deep-fried Brussels sprouts no matter your main dish. Menu items might include brochettes of duck hearts, baloney cannelloni, and "Chinatown" razor clam. Dessert is a must; so pace yourself to allow for favorites like buckthorn berry meringue tart or white chocolate mousse with rhubarb purée. Note the extensive selection of bottles under $60, a rarity in restaurants in this category.

The crowd that fills this casual and lively spot nightly is hip, and the simple, modern Southern Italian comfort food and impeccable service keeps them coming back. Start your meal with the roasted cauliflower frittata or the Dungeness crab salad with confit Meyer lemon and deer carpaccio. Primis like the spinach and nettle olive leaf pasta, olives and Parmigiano broth, or the tajarin pasta with fennel-almond pesto and matane shrimps are always a great choice, and the celery root Marsala with mixed mushrooms and hazelnuts make for nice secondis. The extensive, mostly Italian and French wine list is varied and offers several by-the-glass choices.

A local favorite in Westmount, this BYOW Greek estiatorio (more upscale than a taverna) specializes in seafood and has a warm, welcoming atmosphere. With its Grecian-blue tiles and shutters, white walls, traditional Greek music, and ultrafriendly, bona-fide Greek waiters, Petros makes you feel as if you've stepped through a portal straight onto a Cycladic isle. Favorites here include the jumbo shrimp, the octopus with capers and red onion, and the moussaka, but it serves a range of grilled meats (no souvlaki) and a vegetarian gemista (rice stuffed tomatoes and peppers) that is one of the house specialties. And of course there's tzatziki, fava, and hummus served with moist grilled bread. Ask for a table upstairs on the terrace on warm summer nights. The basement floor is a bit claustrophobic. Don't forget to bring your own bottle of wine.

Housed inside a welcoming space with alcove windows and stone walls, this airy, colorful restaurant serves traditional Portuguese with plenty of seafood dishes. Share a few tapas plates, like the grilled sardines fillets, cod fritters, the grilled asparagus, or the baby potatoes with herbs before delving into the main course. Leave room for natas, the legendary Portuguese tarts filled with a vanilla-scented custard.

Housed inside a stately former bank topped by a clock tower, this well-worth-the-trek restaurant uses the bank's old vault as a walk-in cellar, while the dining room features stone walls and elegant leather chairs. Main dishes are hard to predict because of the product-driven cuisine, but regularly features local and seasonal ingredients such as snow crab, Québec halibut, asparagus, and fiddleheads—but one thing that indeed does not change is the dedication and resourcefulness of the chef. The brunch menu is surprisingly creative and includes house-made beignets, jams, and spreads, and a riff on the classic pancakes, with theirs being made with apples, homemade yogurt, and maple syrup.