Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month

InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
|
Advertise
The Main Logo
Magazine
Categories
  • Arts & Culture

    Creativity, heritage, and expression.

  • Beyond Montreal

    Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

  • Design

    The best of Montreal design.

  • Food & Drink

    La bonne bouffe.

  • History

    Stories, lessons, and context.

  • Newsletter

    Our weekly newsletter.

  • See all original stories
City Guides
Popular Guides
  • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
  • Best NEW Restaurants
  • Best Cafés
  • Unique Boutiques
  • Romantic Restaurants
  • Best Bookstores
  • See all Guides
Directory
Neighbourhood
  • Downtown
  • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
  • Mile End
  • Mile-Ex
  • Saint-Henri
  • See All
Business Type
  • Restaurant
  • Café
  • Boutique / Store
  • Bar
  • Bakery
  • See All
Near the Metro
  • Peel
  • Mont-Royal
  • Place-Saint-Henri
  • Place-d'Armes
  • Jarry
  • View all
Shop
Subscribe
Subscribe

Montreal's Cultural Directory

Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

Leave feedback

For partnerships and collaborations:

partnerships@themain.com

Explore

  • About us
  • Shop
  • Advertise
  • Pitch us

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tiktok
  • Linkedin

Resources

  • RSS Feed
  • Subscribe

Legal

  • Terms of service
  • Membership Terms
  • Privacy Policy

The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    1. Articles
    2. Opinion

    Forget poutine and bagels, anyone looking for a real taste of Montreal needs to eat the chicken

    Rotisserie feeds more Montrealers than bagels, smoked meat, or poutine ever will.

    By Mike ChaarJanuary 5, 2026 - Read time: 4 min
    Forget poutine and bagels, anyone looking for a real taste of Montreal needs to eat the chickenRôtisserie La Lune is a masterclass in classic Quebecois chicken dinners. | Photograph: Scott Usheroff / @cravingcurator

    Places featured in this article

    Fairmount BagelSt-Viateur BagelSchwartz's DeliLester's DeliLa BanquiseMa Poule MouilléeChalet Bar-B-QCôte St Luc BBQ - NDGRôtisserie La LuneRomados

    If there’s one thing Montrealers love to do, it's debating the food that is often praised for putting our city on the culinary map: the holy trinity of bagels, poutine, and smoked meat. Is it Fairmount or St-Viateur for bagels? Schwartz’s or Lester's for a classic smoked meat sandwich? Are you lining up outside La Banquise or hitting up your corner casse-croûte? 

    But while everyone is busy defending their favourites, the real star has been quietly spinning in the background: It’s time rotisserie chicken gets the respect it deserves, and is recognized as the Montreal dish.

    On any given day, a line spills out the front door and onto Rachel Street for Ma Poule Mouillée. | Photograph: Audrey-Ève Beauchamp / @audreyeve.beauchamp

    Must be logged in

    Join The Main free and keep reading.

    Create a free account.

    Create a free account to unlock this story and get 3 articles a month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

    • 3 free articles per month
    • Save your favourite places & guides
    • Weekly newsletter The Bulletin
    • Stay connected to Montreal culture

    Become an Insider.

    Unlock unlimited access, exclusive guides, and member perks — and help support the independent Montreal stories we publish every week.

    Subscribe
    • Unlimited access to all stories
    • Exclusive features & local insights
    • Special offers and event invites
    • 10% off in our shop
    • Support local storytelling

    Already a member? Sign in

    Latest Stories

    Bulletin

    Marcus Night Bar's cocktail tasting menu is for discovery, not getting absolutely wrecked

    JAN 6
    Marcus Night Bar's cocktail tasting menu is for discovery, not getting absolutely wrecked
    Design

    Meet Dazy Chains, the tech-inspired knitwear brand combining fibre arts with digital culture

    JAN 6
    Meet Dazy Chains, the tech-inspired knitwear brand combining fibre arts with digital culture
    Opinion

    Forget poutine and bagels, anyone looking for a real taste of Montreal needs to eat the chicken

    JAN 5
    Forget poutine and bagels, anyone looking for a real taste of Montreal needs to eat the chicken
    Bulletin

    Bota Bota is building a second floating spa in the Old Port

    JAN 5
    Bota Bota is building a second floating spa in the Old Port
    Opinion

    Letter from the Editor: Our favourite stories from 2025

    JAN 1
    Letter from the Editor: Our favourite stories from 2025
    Bota Bota is building a second floating spa in the Old Port

    Previous

    Bota Bota is building a second floating spa in the Old Port

    Next

    Meet Dazy Chains, the tech-inspired knitwear brand combining fibre arts with digital culture

    Meet Dazy Chains, the tech-inspired knitwear brand combining fibre arts with digital culture
    Le Dépanneur

    Shop The Main's Dépanneur. Open 24/7.

    Beau Type Vol. 1

    Beau Type Vol. 1

    $16.00

    Beau Type Vol. 2

    Beau Type Vol. 2

    $16.00

    The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]

    The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]

    $24.95

    Shop our Dép!

    See more