Opened in 2024 by chef Georges Greiche and sommelier Patrick Oakes, Bar Vivar offers a personal, Plateau-rooted take on Spain’s bar culture. The space is intimate—just 40 seats split between a standing bar and low-lit dining room—and filled with details that trace the chef’s own journey through Spanish kitchens and Montreal institutions like Joe Beef.

The food is built for sharing (you hear this a lot in town, we know, but it's true): tortilla, croquettes, sardine tostas, and jamón carved to order. Greiche leans on influences from Galicia, the Basque region, and Asturias, with nods to Montreal baked in (like a calamari sandwich on a Saint-Viateur bagel).

Wines and vermouths are poured by the glass, cañas of beer come cold, and there’s usually a soccer match on in the background. It’s not about recreating Spain, but capturing the rhythm of how people eat and drink there, and making it work here.

Opened in 2024 by the partners behind La Catrina, the 40-seat dining room of Boqueria—washed in beige tones, terracotta tiles, and straw-detailed lighting—spills onto a 60-seat terrace in summer. In the kitchen, executive chef David Melo Rubio—whose career spans Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, Portugal, London, and New York—focuses on straightforward, ingredient-driven dishes meant for sharing. Think croquetas, pan con tomate, paellas brimming with seafood, and a gleaming ice bar of daily catches.

The drinks, designed with Nectar & Mixologie, extend that sense of authentic freshness: a sherry colada, a mango-brightened sangria, a playful mojito riff. La Boqueria is a Spanish table set for friends, where the focus is on good ingredients and good company.

On Saint Denis, Ibéricos has become a go-to for Montrealers craving the flavours and atmosphere of Spain. Its Venezuelan chef Haissam Souki Tamayo draws on his experience at El Bulli to create dishes that balance traditional recipes with local ingredients, from Iberian ham and paella to croquettes and octopus. The tavern’s stone walls, barrel tables, and soft Spanish music make it a lively yet welcoming setting for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch.

Above the restaurant, El Cafécito de Ibéricos offers a small-scale (and as the name promises), endearing extension of the restaurant— with coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and a prix fixe brunch menu that echo the flavors below. Together, the tavern and café provide a full-spectrum Spanish experience.

Chef Carme Márquez, who trained with some of Spain’s top culinary talents, designs dishes here that highlight the best of Catalonia’s tapas traditions. Don’t miss the pan con tomate, jamón ibérico, gildas, or the buñuelos de bacalao.

Pair your meal with a glass from Carme’s thoughtfully curated wine list, spanning both natural wines and classic Spanish varietals. In warmer months, the cozy 12-seat terrace offers a perfect spot for a leisurely evening.

The mission of Tapeo is outlined in its name: a word that means to go bar-hopping in the Spanish context. The restaurant stands as a testament to Montreal's rich Spanish culinary scene. Located in Villeray, this restaurant offers a refined take on Catalan tapas, with dishes like scallop "Gin Tonic" ceviche and Jamón Pata Negra.

Chef Marie-Fleur St-Pierre emphasizes sustainability, sourcing ingredients from local producers like Lufa Farms. The warm, bistro-style setting, combined with a thoughtfully curated Spanish wine list, makes Tapeo a standout choice for those seeking authentic Spanish flavours in Montreal.

If Tapeo is about refined tapas, Mesón—its sister spot in Villeray—leans into the warmth of Iberian comfort food. Co-owner Victor Afonso, who co-founded Tapeo ten years ago, channels both his Portuguese roots and his passion for hospitality into a restaurant where attentiveness and quality are front and center. Expect hearty plates like huevos rotos, paella, and grilled meats, plus a popular weekend brunch.

Downtown’s Restaurant Ibérica is Spanish dining at its most swanky. Under soaring ceilings, guests can enjoy paella, fresh seafood, and expertly carved Iberian ham, paired with cava, vermouth, or a crisp gin-and-tonic. The brasserie-style room with distressed walls and looming light fixtures feels both grand and inviting, making it an ideal spot for anything from a celebratory dinner to an indulgent lunch.

Between Little Italy and Petite Patrie, Buvette Pompette is a wine bar modeled after the kind of modest Spanish bars where food is casual but always satisfying. The rotating wine list—heavy on private imports—is the draw, but the kitchen more than matches it with plates like patatas bravas, calamari, and chorizo deglazed in cider. There’s a Tinto de Verano and Kalimotxo on the menu, a nod to the everyday refreshers of wine cut with soda that Spain does so well.

Inside Le Central, Pintxo channels the energy of a public market while delivering authentic Spanish flavors. The small plates are inspired by pintxos—elaborate, bite-sized dishes—but unlike traditional pintxos, they are served without toothpicks and billed per dish rather than by stick. Larger shareable options like grilled octopus, lamb chops, and classic tapas round out the menu, while a curated Spanish wine list complements the flavours.

For anyone craving authentic Spanish flavors in Montreal, L’Española on St. Laurent Boulevard is a must-visit. The store offers an eclectic mix of premium Spanish imports: jamón serrano, Iberico, and acorn-fed hams, chorizo, paella kits, cheeses, olive oils, jams, pottery, and even two walls of espadrilles. Spanish-language books and pantry essentials make it a destination for both cooking and cultural exploration.

Adjacent to the shelves, L’Española’s hot food counter offers a rotating menu of Spanish classics. Diners can enjoy freshly prepared paellas, empanadas, croquettes, and tapas, all made with authentic Spanish ingredients sourced directly from Spain.

Located in Old Montreal, Restaurant Les Pyrénées brings the bold, rustic flavors of Catalonia and the Basque Country to the city, while also incorporating southern French influences into its menu. The offerings include traditional dishes such as paella, cassoulet, and slow-braised lamb, all crafted with fresh, market-sourced ingredients. The restaurant's warm ambiance and attentive service create an inviting setting for both casual dinners and special occasions.

For paella purists, Montréal Paella is an essential stop. Chef Mariano Fernández, who grew up in Valencia—the birthplace of the dish—takes no shortcuts: the rice is Albufera D.O., shipped straight from Spain, and each variety is simmered in its own richly layered broth. The result is paella that’s caramelized, delicate, and deeply flavorful, whether you go for the classic Valenciana with rabbit and chicken or the seafood-packed Mariscos. The restaurant also offers generous tapas, daily specials, and now, a full bar for pairing with sangria or a Spanish cocktail.

With its roots in Spain and its home here in Montreal since 2019, Montréal Paella goes beyond the name—it’s a love letter to Valencian rice culture, set in a welcoming, unpretentious space that has earned it a place among the city’s best Spanish restaurants.

If you’re mapping out the top Spanish restaurants in Montreal, Casa Galicia earns a place near the top—especially if you value tradition, ambience, and consistency. Their Galician roots are clear in every dish, from the brothy seafood platters to the paella and the hearty grilled fish and meats. The wine cellar is serious: reserve wines from Spain’s finest regions help elevate what could be a routine tapas dinner into an event.

Fridays and Saturdays are especially special—flamenco dancers, live guitar, singing—that feel less like entertainment and more like transporting you into Spain’s vibrant cultural fabric.

Boca Ibérica may be labelled a Portuguese restaurant, but its menu maintains an essence of Spain that gives it a unique place in Montreal’s Spanish & Iberian scene. Chef Manuel Martins, rooted in Portugal, builds a menu that features Portuguese classics like bacalhau (cod), grilled fish, and salted cod croquettes—but also borrows from northern Spanish coastlines through octopus, squid, and tapas-style small plates. The wine list similarly crosses Iberia, mixing Portuguese wines with Northern Spanish varietals.

In Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Ole Tapas brings Spanish flavor to the waterfront with a menu rooted in familiar classics. Patatas bravas, croquetas de bacalao, and sizzling gambas al ajillo are joined by seasonal specials crafted by Executive Chef Nikolaos Giannakopoulos, whose Mediterranean background keeps the cooking both simple and soulful. Drinks lean toward Spanish staples like cava and sangria, best enjoyed on the canal-side terrace in summer or in the warm, music-filled dining room year-round. It may be a little outside the city core, but Ole Tapas makes the case that good tapas—and a glass of cava—are worth the trip.