Montreal's best bar and restaurant openings (and most painful closures) of 2024

In a city where food and drink culture runs as deep as the Saint-Lawrence, every new opening feels like a celebration, and every closure cuts like a knife.

This year, Montreal’s dining and nightlife scenes delivered plenty to talk about—from Art Deco restaurant revivals to reinvented classics, cozy bakeries to sleek speakeasies. But it wasn’t all triumphs; some beloved institutions bid their farewells, leaving behind empty storefronts and heavy hearts.

We asked local food writers, photographers, and bloggers to share the spots that defined 2024, whether they were the bars and restaurants they couldn’t get enough of or the closures that left a void in the city’s culinary fabric. From the effortlessly cool vibe of Polari to the crave-worthy fried chicken that vanished with Dinette Triple Crown, these are the highs and lows of a year Montreal food lovers won’t soon forget.