The Best New Restaurants in Montreal [July 2024]

These are the best new restaurants in Montreal that are shaping the city's evolving landscape for dining out right now.

Much like the explosion of ingredients that hits kitchens at this time of year, the summer season has brought us all kinds of new names on the scene from both established chefs with new projects and young guns out to prove themselves. The selection is strong right now, delivering everything from fine dining options to casual and hidden gems.

This is where you can track where you should be eating right now, taking stock of what’s worth eating and drinking in the city, and who’s bringing something new to Montreal’s collective table.

We always keep this list fresh, with no opening more than six months old, so consider this your last chance to check out openings from between January and February 2024: Chai-Yo, Marci, Bar Vivar, Miracolo, Oncle Lee, Bella Sandwicheria, and Parapluie.

Not sure about our picks? Take a deeper dive into what they're cooking with our resident restaurant and bar critic Bottomless Pete.

Le Violon

4720 Rue Marquette

Le Violon, located in the space that once housed the famed restaurant Maison Publique and has been transformed by designer Zébulon Perron and co-owner Dan Climan, has been a highly anticipated restaurant from Danny Smiles the day it was hinted at. The team, including co-executive chef Mitch Laughren and chef de cuisine Sara Raspa, brings years of collaboration from previous ventures together into one elegant spot full of veined Portuguese marble, white tablecloths, and Parisian green features that orbit Climan’s paintings. Andrew Park oversees the dining room and wine program, while Kyra Lajeunesse manages operations.

The refined menu features diverse influences, with dishes like tahini-drizzled kibbeh nayyeh, gochujang-glazed sweetbreads, and strawberry shortcakes. The evolving wine cellar and exceptional classic cocktail list complement the cuisine. It’s all a harmonious blend of exquisite food, beautiful settings, and impeccable service here.

La Spada

3580 Notre-Dame Street West

A new (and more carnivorous) Italian restaurant in Saint-Henri that's overtaking the spot which once housed Conceria's vegan eats, La Spada is Scott Usheroff and Steve Marcone's love letter to Rome. Importing all the love and community energy found at Marcone's NDG spot Bistro Amerigo, it's a gleaming revamp replete with a welcoming negroni bar and 80 seats for dining on a menu full of fresh pasta, cheese pull suppli, and traditional dishes like saltimbocca alla romana (a veal scaloppine, pictured below). Looking to draw on the dining pleasures found at spots like New York's Carbone and its gussied-up service, it'll be a party most nights here.

Romies

465 McGill Street

Romies is the newest spot from the owners of Arthurs Nosh Bar, one that promises to bring a sophisticated experience to Old Montreal with an 'Amercian bistro'. Set in the former Boris Bistro (read: it'll have that exceptional terrasse), the restaurant will house 80 guests indoors and another 50 outside. The kitchen's led by chefs Alexandre Cohen and Nicholas Giambattisto, along with pastry chef Leigh Roper, and is cooking up dishes like cowboy chili bacon steak, cheesy pasta, avocado shrimp cocktails, and grain-fed steaks for couples or groups. It's a lot of nostalgic goodies.

Wines are diverse with naturals and classics, cocktails are both timeless and contemporary, and its design by Annika Krausz has turned the place into one of mid-century modern and industrial chic: Think burgundy leather banquettes, wood-paneled walls, and black marble tables. Expect dinner services to start, but eventually lunches and brunches in time.

Dorsia

396 Notre-Dame Street West

This is the latest venture from WITH Hospitality, the group known for spots like Ryu, Ayla, Sushi Dept, and Livi. Positioned in Old Montreal, Dorsia is a contemporary fine dining establishment that draws inspiration from the vibrant elegance of the 1980s, merging French and Italian culinary techniques. Canadian-born Chef Miles Pundsack-Poe, who boasts experience from Michelin-starred restaurants such as The Restaurant at Meadowood and Ensue, is behind the menu which features dishes like smoked burrata with fennel, hand-cut tagliatelle with local lamb ragu, and Quebec duck roasted with sea buckthorn berries.

The restaurant's design, a collaboration with Ivy Studio, marries elegance with incorporated wood millwork, marble, travertine, mirrors, and soft, indirect lighting. That said, the 100-seat venue is designed for sophisticated nights out, which is helped along by classic cocktails and a curated wine list.

Keep an eye out on this spot for when they open Bowie, a new restaurant concept located downstairs in the same building, later this summer.

Panacée

1701 rue Atateken

Following a successful tenure at Foxy in Griffintown, Catherine Couvet Desrosiers has finally announced the opening of Panacée, her own restaurant. Details are scant right now, but if the chef's experience is any indication, one can expect a lot of fresh and highly seasonal dishes on offer in a sleekly designed space that combines a lot of local talent. Opening on July 3, this new spot is bound to bring a lot of traffic into the Village.

Mlle Rosa

1233 Mont-Royal Avenue Est

The Sandhu family—known for their work on the Montreal scene for spots like India Rosa—is embarking into relatively new territory with Mlle Rosa. It's a place that combines Indian and Indian-inspired tapas with a lot of cocktails exhibiting exoticism and flamboyance in a speakeasy-style space for 60 guests. Kevin Ramos, manager of both India Rosa Plateau and Mlle Rosa, leads the front of house alongside chef Inderjit Singh Sandhu. Not a lot of Indian restaurants go the 'modern' route the way this restaurant family goes (and excels at), so this one's equal parts worth the trip for both new flavour play in food and drink as well as pure experientialism.

Máti

185 Saint-Paul Street West

The newest venture from the Tomahawk Group, Old Montreal now sports a modern take on the Greek taverna with Máti. Redefining classic Hellenic cuisine in their way with twists of local terroir, the project's been a long time coming, but has been worth the wait: The sleek, minimalist dining room exudes a chic yet inviting ambiance that's great for shared Mediterranean dishes like saffron-lemon chicken, pastitsio, saganaki, and grilled loukaniko with sumac.

Claire Jacques

8111 Saint Denis Street

Laurence Théberge, who honed her skills at Patrice Pâtissier, and her partner Philippe Guilbault, an experienced sommelier, form the duo behind Villeray's Claire Jacques. An intimate spot that feels more like their own home than a restaurant, the spacious kitchen contrasts with a small dining area that seats just twenty. Named after Laurence's grandparents, the restaurant blends nostalgic decor with a modern approach, featuring hybrid dishes that merge sweet and savory elements like strawberry pie paired with lovage, and cassis mousse complementing savory granola and asparagus. Claire Jacques welcomes a diverse neighborhood clientele, from those looking to take advantage of quiet reading nooks to intimate tables for couples and a lively bar. Philippe’s curated wine list and inventive cocktails, such as an amaretto sour with sea buckthorn, add to the experience here.

Le 9e: Restaurant Île de France

1500 Blvd Robert-Bourassa

After nearly 30 years, Le 9e's Restaurant Île-de-France has reopened on the 9th floor of the Eaton Centre next to the grand hall. An opulent art deco space inspired by Lady Eaton's voyages on the French Line, it was designed by architect Jacques Carlu to recreate that luxury.

Offering a blend of French and Quebec plates with some modernized techniques, the menu combines ship-inspired dishes and Eaton's original recipes. Helmed by a team composed of Jeff Baikowitz, Marco Gucciardi, manager Andrew Whibley, culinary director Derek Dammann, executive chef Liam Hopkins and café director Dominique Jacques, it clearly took a huge amount of talent to pull this off. Highlights include tartare, breaded cod, onglet steak, and pastas by Kiera German. The wine list emphasizes natural options, while the cocktail bar, Le French Line, handles classic cocktails done right with a few occasional creative spins.

All told, Le 9e includes the 120-seat Île de France restaurant; the Gold and Silver rooms, two additional multipurpose spaces, each with capacity of up to 20; and La Grande Salle, a venue equipped to host a wide range of events. The maximum capacity is 500 guests.

All we can say is: While recommended, good luck on nabbing a reservation. This thing got booked up months in advance the moment it opened.

Hof Sucrée

400 Avenue Atlantic

The latest venture by Jeffrey Finkelstein of Hof Kelsten and his longtime collaborator pastry chef Suyin Wong, Hof Sucrée reflects their collective creativity while giving space to Suyin to flex. Originally from Singapore and raised in Vancouver, Wong transitioned from a finance career to pastry, training in Paris before joining Finkelstein, followed by opening a concept the bakery's named after: A bakery concept first launched at Time Out Market in 2019, showcasing viennoiseries and pastries including croissants, pains au chocolat, a famous babka, and pannetone (occasionally transformed into ridiculously good French toast).

The new spot combines industrial architecture with soft touches, pink ceramics and large windows. The menu's currently focused on viennoiseries, loaves, and baguettes, along with a light lunch menu on weekdays, but Hof Sucrée plans to extend its hours to include weekend brunch by fall.

Copilote

4263 Ontario Street East

Opening in March next to Hélicoptère, Copilote transformed a former neighborhood dépanneur into an intimate 25-seat bar that's got a chic yet relaxed vibe. Serving as a great spot to extend an evening into the night or start things off with a pre-dinner drink, it's a versatile spot. It closes earlier than your average local bar, but this ain't your average local bar: Copilote offers a menu of shareable finger foods like oysters, tartare, and chicken liver mousse—but given the experience of the team behind the project, don't expect it all to be run-of-the-mill.

The cocktail menu, crafted by Benjamin Gauthier, highlights seasonal ingredients and Quebec spirits while an ever-changing selection of wines by the glass helps to enrich the experience. Expanding the Hochelaga dining scene once again, Copilote stands out with its creative and seasonal offerings, mirroring the quality of Hélicoptère.

Paparmane

209 Notre-Dame Street West

Here's the tea: The minds behind brunch destinations Régine Café and Janine Café turned their attention to English tea room services twisted in their own Montreal image with Paparmane.

Breaking from London tea room services, Chevalier wanted to eschew and venerate typical elements like cucumber sandwiches and the occasional stuffiness of traditions. Instead of bread-heavy options with an excess of cakes and scones, Paparmane goes in what seems like a more… Quebecois direction, where there’s more bombast, but not excessively so.

Deviled eggs are treated to truffle and parmesan, chicken salad is served on brioche, there’s a grilled cheese with walnuts, pistachios, 1608 cheese, onions and olive caramel; classic cucumber sandwiches come with salmon, miso, and ginger; scones come twisted with touches like strawberry-rosemary jam and sweet clover mascarpone cream; sweets range from chamomile cream shooters to Battenberg cakes, chocolate coquillette, and passion fruit tarts.

Beigne Habitude

7035 St Laurent Blvd

Located in Little Italy, Beigne Habitude brings a new twist to classic Americana desserts. Founded by Rachel Berriman and Michael Lottner, this artisanal shop combines high-end pastry techniques with a playful, innovative approaches to flavour. With a menu featuring unique creations like bay leaf glazes, strawberry almond fritters, and mango with chili crunch, the philosophy here revolves around making artisanal treats approachable yet adventurous.

Pop-ups in various local venues helped them refine their recipes and engage with the community, culminating in a successful crowdfunding campaign. Now, Rachel and Michael's expertise in pastry allows them to elevate the humble Americana into a canvas for their work, creating a habit worth forming.

Nouilles De Hui

7250 Taschereau Blvd

Even with a slight push from influencers, things are quiet over at Nouilles De Hui, but that doesn't mean you should sleep on this spot focused on Anhui (or Hui) Chinese food. Located in Brossard's @place.portobello and only recently opened since March, each bowl is under $15: Think braised pork hock rice, mala beef ramen, fried chicken leg ramen, and their signature original Hui noodle with sweet potato and tofu noodles with beef slices. Think this one's not so easy to get to? You're wrong: It's easily reachable by taking the REM to Panama station.

Yubari

355 McGill Street

Old Montreal's Yubari is a mix of Japanese cuisine "with a twist of Asian and French influences" and—as all self-respecting restaurants of that ilk should have in its neighbourhood—fresh ingredients flown in from Japan. Open for lunch and dinner, the interior's got a lot of flash to it, and so does the menu: They're covering a lot of bases beyond the usual sushi joint with things like bao buns, a selection of Chinese and Japanese dumplings, and dishes like fried rice.

All just in time for Grand Prix, of course.

Bangluck

4509 Rue Chabot

Following up on the success of their Thai street food restaurant Thammada, Laotian Montrealer Chitakone Phommavongxay (Chita) and Thai Montrealer Siriluksamee Rangthong (Nim)'s Plateau noodle shop Bangluck seeks to enrich Thai culture in the city by doing a true ode to the traditional.

With reasonably priced bowls of noodles and soup in a casual, minimalist, sunlit wood interior, coupled with dishes like siu mai, fried wontons, or a bao bun filled with pork belly braised for a day in Thai palo sauce, nearly every ingredient at Bangluck is made in-house from fried garlic to chili jams. Using pork lard, crispy pork rinds, and garlic oil to give dishes that hidden umami touch, Chita and Nim stress an uncompromising to their food—a lot of work is going into this small spot.

Verdun Beef

4800 Wellington Street

It's not every day we're going to count a butchery as a new restaurant you need to try right now, but with a great casse-croûte offering offering charcuterie and sandwiches pulling from their cuts? And they've got wine to enjoy with all of it in an attaché dining room? That's a winner.

Building off the success of their wine bar Verdun Beach, if that first place was a successful offering of guinguette culture in Montreal, the team at the Verdun Beef—Philippe Jacquelin, Marc Frandon, and Charles Garant with chef Yann Vadaru Chi Santos, as well as Anaïs Marchand and Simon Généreux-Vien from the wine agency Primavin—have put together something that fuels guinguette all around their corner of the neighbourhood. Eat in, or grab fuel for your own feast elsewhere.

Papito

1425 Saint Alexander Street

A new project from the team behind Café Parvis and Furco, Papito's arguably their first proper sit-down restaurant. A menu of small snack, side, vegetables and desserts surround a robust, wood-fired menu featuring everything from half and whole chickens to entrecôte, arctic char, and porchetta that can be doused in à volonté sauces.

Warm and simplistic in its appearence, it's a large and lively spot with big dining room following the action of the kitchen, which runs the length of its space downtown. Who needs a flashy place to eat when their blossoming reputation for good and honest eats is growing so fast?

Maison ZoSo

5700 Monkland Avenue

Chef Adam Shiller, previously from Tuck Shop Catering and a number of other projects over the past 20 years, is now the chef at this new bistro in NDG. The new place on the corner of Monkland and Harvard has seating for 40, plus a terrasse. The menu's great—think high end bistro, but definitely with that cowboy fine dining tutelage you'd find at his university of Tuck Shop. That said, scale up your meal at any time while still eating light and on the cheap if you so wish.

Open for lunch and dinner, as well as Sunday brunches, it's very classic here: Dishes like spinach and artichoke dip, burrata on sourdough with oven-roasted tomatoes, 20-hour braised brisket with mash, Beef Dip with sliced rib-eye and provolone, or seasonal pasta all speak for themselves. 

Kwizinn

311 Rue Saint-Paul Est

“Our cuisine takes risks. In the beginning, people would freak out about how we present things, or include other cuisines, and the risk-taking is what sets us apart,” chef Mike Lafaille told us when we caught with him at his new location for Kwizinn in Old Montreal.

Normally new locations for established restaurants won't make the cut for our new restaurants list (for what we hope are obvious reasons), but at this address, Lafaille's trying out new avenues in his cooking. Apart from keeping bangers like his plantain burger, it’s a far cry from his old platters with rice, salad, and pikliz: Here, the new chapter’s aspiring to new experiments that explore Caribbean cuisines further with things like oysters served with a calamansi sabayon, empanadas with scotch bonnet jam, short rib bao buns with a hoisin-mango sauce, or plantain hummus with a lemon confit.

CUP MTL

404 Duluth Avenue East

CUP MTL's a new project with prime real estate in the Plateau from Benoit Lacaille, chef Jirachaya Sroison, Genevran Bernard and Rémi Parent. Together, they‘ve brought a new-ish concept to the city: A Thai-inspired pub serving a lot of classics like satay sticks, pork sausages brimming with galangal, and mango salads alongside new creations like pizza with pork krapow or blooming onions. delicious dishes designed to be shared. Sporting privately imported wines, fresh beers and strong cocktails, they've set up their menu so a group can order up essentially half the menu to snack on together for as little as $70. Definitely a sleeper hit, especially during the summer when the terrasse is built.

La Gargamelle

22 Rue Saint-Paul Est

La Gargamelle's the latest project from Netflix Drink Master Loyd Von Rose (Loïc Fortin), and this time it's focused on food (though an "audacious cocktail pairing menu" is promised as well). If Fortin's drinks from his first bar Tittle Tattle are any indication, the menu here is going to be full of curveballs and fun plays on traditions and expectations: Oysters with yuzu sabayon, homemade bicolor pastas, and more.

Piel Canela

4542 Saint Denis Street

Operated by the Barranco Partners management group (Barranco, Nikkei) since 2023, the Caifan Mtl restaurant's 4,500 square foot space on two floors (with a 40-70 pax private room in the basement) is now home to the Latin American brunch spot Piel Canela by day: Working with Mexican chef Karla Guzman (Tapeo, L'Express, Pujol, Caifan), chef Eduardo Acosta (Caifan), sous chef Edgard Trujillo and pastry chef Victoria de Oliva, Piel Canela will specialize in Latin American cuisine with a Montreal twist by revisiting traditional dishes like duck tlatoyo (a corn pancake stuffed with black beans and queso fresco roasted in duck fat with duck breast and salsa tomatillo), Montreal-style Molito amarillo (pancakes stuffed with a mixture of Nordic shrimp, corn and coriander in a yellow mole sauce), and French toast made with brioche bread at Carlota's served with a creamy pineapple compote, cinnamon, and rum with maracuya cream.

Boqueria

121 De la Commune Street West

The Old Montreal location for La Catrina is now neighboured by Boqueria, a space focused on Spanish cuisine. Headed by chef David Melo Rubio who's sporting a lot of stripes from Michelin restaurants in New York, Barcelona, Lisbon and London, this new spot will focus on tapas, seafood, and a bar that'll stay open after the kitchen's closed up—perfect for those late summer nights stumbling through the historic part of town. It's prime real estate with a lot to prove, so maybe book this one for your next date night or when your parents are in town and can foot the bill.

Juliette Plaza

6220 Rue St-Hubert

Following in the footsteps of many 'little sister' concepts to open in the past year wherein restaurants provide small attaché projects, Juliette Plaza is the new project from Cheryl Johnson and Charles-Antoine Crête's Montréal Plaza.

Opening its doors on February 28, it's in many ways everything a person who's experienced the unbridled creativity of the OG, but it also boasts its own distinct ambiance and menu that's a bit more snackable than its forebearer: Snacks like devilled eggs, sandwiches, and temaki-style rolls get paired up with smaller dishes of seafood and fish mastery found at MP, as well as offal spun in creative new ways. Atmospherically, expect a lot of nostalgia and innovation both in dishes and the walls.

Onigiri Shop

5600 Monkland Avenue

It hasn't been open for long but NDG's Onigiri Shop, specializing in onigiri with over 30 fillings, is already easily selling out—they even had to post an apology about it. Who'd have thought that stuffed rice balls wrapped in seaweed made by hand would capture so many imaginations?

While that drawcard's meant for grab-and-go snacks, their menu's no joke: They've got everything from salmon and tuna to miso short ribs, marinated eggs, grilled eel, miso-marinated beef with soy-marinated egg yolk, and Korean fried chicken with kimchi and torched cheese.

Maps

8501 Saint-Denis Street

This new arrival in Villeray brings another shift away from a Montreal-style pizza and towards a more New-Yorkaise pie with a cozy new space. A new project from Percy Carrière and David Reily named after a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song, Maps is a spot reportedly inspired by the Danish minimalism with stark wooden tables to gather over and split a couple pies, salads, and bowls of warm olives. Priced around the mid-20s, their recipes—last we checked—range from margheritas and white pizzas with mozza and a garlic cream sauce to sausage and old school pepperoni variations.