A chef's perspective: How pop-ups are keeping Montreal's food scene alive

Rent's wild, opening a restaurant feels like a gamble—but it's one-night-only dinners where new chefs test ideas without going broke.

Emilie Madeleine

September 24, 2025- Read time: 5 min

A moment of joy, back when Gia Vin & Grill hosted Ha’s Snack Bar in Summer 2023, that encapsulates just how much pop-ups rejuvenate the scene in Montreal. | Photography by Scott Usheroff / @cravingcurator

Montreal's food scene is tight enough that we all know each other, but big enough to always feel alive. There’s always something new—an opening, an event, a pop-up —that flips your idea of dinner. They introduce new chefs. They let restaurants and cooks back each other up.

Ten years ago, this barely existed. Now, every chef I meet is either doing it or talking about collaborating someday. When two kitchens collide, the energy lands online and fills the room. People line up to taste something you can’t get twice.

In 2025, rent’s wild and opening a restaurant feels like a gamble. Pop-ups are the loophole: They let new chefs test the waters without going broke and give exposure to a new generation of talent. This is how the scene regenerates.

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