Benjamin Avilés's favourite things in Montreal

While many serve it today, Otto Yakitori stands out as Montreal's progenitor for authentic charcoal-grilled yakitori. Founded in 2016 and named "Otto" to pays homage to its founders' roles as fathers, the izakaya offers a focused menu with skewers of various chicken cuts. Adorned with wild wall art and warm lighting, the menu also features Japanese specialties like sashimi, uni chawanmushi, mazemen, and ramen. Best of all, the sake, beer, wine, and cocktails don’t stop flowing here until the very last minute they’re open.

For those who know, this is a place to linger: Tucked into a quiet stretch of Laurier Avenue West, Il Pagliaccio is a quiet rebuke to the trend-chasing noise of Montreal’s restaurant scene. Helmed by Manuel Silva, a veteran of Montreal’s hospitality, this Italian eatery trades on simplicity and quality. The name, which translates to “the clown,” belies a restaurant that takes its mission—delivering unfussy yet flawless Italian fare—very seriously.

Here, the pasta isn’t just handmade; it’s sourced from a small Italian artisan, while the olive oil and tomatoes make their way across the Atlantic for the kind of authenticity you can taste. Expect dishes like veal piccata brightened with blood orange, or gnocchi that Silva’s guests describe as “pillows of delicate dough.” The vibe is understated: crisp white tablecloths, a wine list favouring Italian classics, and a quiet elegance that lets the food do the talking.

Bistro La Franquette takes the idea of a neighbourhood bistro seriously, even in a part of the city not known for understatement. Opened by chef Elias Deligianis with sommelier and co owner Renée Deschenes, the restaurant leans into clarity rather than show. The menu is concise and seasonal, built around well executed plates that favour balance over excess, from pastas and poultry to seafood and classic steak frites.

The room is warm without being precious. High ceilings, handmade details, and a steady hum of conversation give it a lived in feel, while the service stays attentive and unforced. Wine plays a central role, with a list that leans European and rewards curiosity. La Franquette works because it resists the urge to overdefine itself, letting good cooking and hospitality carry the evening.

Atwater Market, a cornerstone of Montreal’s Southwest borough, is renowned for its Art Deco architecture and rich history dating back to 1933. Open year-round, the market flourishes in the warmer months, with stands overflowing with flowers, herbs, and fresh vegetables. Visitors can explore butcher shops, cheesemongers, and horticultural vendors offering local and hard-to-find gourmet products. Its seasonal restaurants feature an array of options, from Vietnamese to Southern barbecue. The market, accessible by bus or Metro, also offers ample parking. Atwater Market is the perfect destination for discovering high-quality, seasonal produce and enjoying a picturesque picnic by the canal.

Raised in Saint-Henri, brothers Alex and Mat Winnicki grew up eating across Montreal, absorbing the city’s patchwork food culture long before cooking professionally. Their first move with their now-famous restaurant Satay Brothers wasn’t a dining room but a hawker-style stall at Atwater Market, built around Singaporean street staples meant to be fast, flavour-forward, and repeatable.

That DNA still shapes the operation today. The Notre-Dame Street restaurant expanded gradually, mirroring demand rather than chasing scale, while the menu stayed anchored to its originals: satays, laksa, papaya salad, rendang. The cooking favours spice balance over spectacle, with most elements made in-house and desserts drawn directly from family recipes. Satay Brothers works because it behaves like a market stall at heart—casual, generous, and designed to be returned to often, not just discovered once.

At Falafel Yoni, simplicity reigns supreme—and that’s precisely the point. Founded by Israeli-born entrepreneur Yoni Amir and seasoned chef Daniel Maislin, this Mile End counter serves up some of the freshest falafel in Montreal. Here, the chickpea fritters are fried to order, resulting in crisp, golden shells and fluffy, herbaceous centres. Each bite is a love letter to Israel’s ubiquitous street food, delivered with precision.

Much like its minimalist decor by David Dworkind, the menu is unapologetically concise. The falafel sandwich, tucked into a pillowy pita, gets a vibrant lift from pickled red cabbage, creamy tahini-yogurt sauce, and finely diced Israeli salad. There’s also the sabich—a messily delicious combo of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, and hummus. Even their dessert, chocolate tahini balls, keeps it simple yet satisfying.

Born in an alleyway with a makeshift smoker, Aylwin Barbecue started as an underground summer pop-up in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Since then, it’s become one of Montreal’s most talked-about barbecue spots. Now stationed at Atwater Market, it brings the same no-frills energy and dedication to slow-smoked meats that made those early backyard gatherings legendary.

Here, the focus is on Texas-style barbecue with a Montreal twist. Think brisket smoked for 10 hours over hardwood, St. Louis-cut ribs slathered in house-made sauce, and a cheddar-laced “Aylwinator” cheeseburger kissed by the smoker. Sides like creamy mac and cheese with garlic breadcrumbs and tangy slaw balance out the carnivorous feast, while their house pickles cut through the richness with a satisfying crunch.

Its rotating menus of upscale, seasonal fare will keep you guessing, but the buzzy ambiance and service at this Saint-Henri eatery will make you feel like you’re immediately at home.

Club Atwater is a private members’ club set in a historic Tudor mansion in Montreal. Established in 1926 as the Montreal Badminton & Squash Club, it boasts a history of hosting national and international tournaments while remaining a hub for racquet sports enthusiasts. Today, its 35,000 square feet of bespoke space is where world-class squash and badminton courts, a fitness centre, personal trainers, and group classes are housed.

Culinary offerings include the Hanford Cocktail Lounge, a dining room, and the in-house Café Atwater for coffees and pastries. For intimate gatherings, its Cellar offers private dining. Wellness services, from therapeutic massage to concierge support, elevate the member experience here alongside curated events.

Pho Lien has been a Côte-des-Neiges institution for nearly 25 years, drawing crowds daily with its Vietnamese fare. Located at the corner of Côte St. Catherine and Côte-des-Neiges, it focuses on what truly matters: incredible food. Madame Lien Lee, the restaurant’s namesake, has drawn up a menu that keeps loyal locals and students returning for inexpensive bowls of pho and other favourites.

The star attraction here is, unsurprisingly, the soup. It’s got a crystal-clear, aromatic broth and perfectly cooked rice noodles with 15 variations, from classic rare beef to tripe and tendon. Weekenders can enjoy a special spicy soup, while the vermicelli rice plates, like the diced pork with peanuts and salad, round out the menu.

Garde Manger has spent nearly two decades refining the balance between serious cooking and late night energy. Hidden behind a discreet Old Montreal façade, the room opens into two compact dining spaces divided by an open kitchen, where music from the 80s and 90s sets the tempo as service unfolds. The menu leans heavily toward seafood, favouring oysters, razor clams, wild prawns, and raw or lightly handled preparations that keep flavours direct.

Plates are designed for sharing as often as for solo indulgence, with chalkboard specials shifting alongside the seasons. The wine list is broad without being scattered, moving comfortably between France, Italy, North America, and organic or skin contact bottles. As the night progresses, the dining room tilts from polished to celebratory, a transition the restaurant has made its signature.