The Best New Restaurants in Montreal [January 2026]

Yakitori Hibahihi doesn’t treat yakitori as a genre so much as a discipline. The kitchen works patiently over binchotan, turning each skewer into a study in timing and restraint rather than a rush of smoke and sauce. Chicken is explored cut by cut, joined by pork, beef, duck, and vegetables that arrive in a steady, intentional rhythm. The experience is built for sitting, watching, and eating slowly—helped by a ventilation system that makes counter seating genuinely comfortable. Sashimi and cold plates round things out, while rice and noodles close the loop in a way that feels considered. With a deep bench of sake and shochu, Hibahihi lands as a composed, quietly confident newcomer on Plaza St-Hubert.

Hana reframes Korean barbecue through the lens of a classic steakhouse. Co-led by Hanhak Kim and David McMillan, the restaurant centres on prime-grade beef dry-aged in house and cooked tableside on Japanese downdraft grills, with service handling every detail. The experience is deliberate and composed: banchan and small plates set the tone before moving into meticulously cooked cuts, with an optional multi-course tasting that treats Korean technique with formal precision. Designed by Zébulon Perron, the room leans refined rather than theatrical—low light, tailored service, and a calm sense of occasion. Hana doesn’t chase spectacle; it’s about control, craft, and showing how far Korean steakhouse cooking can stretch.

Cococina arrives with a clear point of view and the confidence to stick to it. Opened at the start of 2026, the Old Montreal restaurant draws on Spanish and broader Mediterranean traditions, accented by North African flavours, to create a menu built for long meals and shared moments. Aged ribeye, whole roasted fish, seafood grills, and spice-forward vegetable dishes set the tone—classic forms, carefully seasoned, and paced for conversation rather than turnover. The interior reinforces that intent, with rounded architectural elements, earthy finishes, and a softness that keeps the room animated without feeling busy.

Au Coin earns its place among the year’s strongest openings by taking everyday eating seriously. The menu is structured around pantry plates—fresh salads, charcuterie, and small dishes built for apéro—alongside seasonal hot plates that shift with availability rather than trend. Pizza is a cornerstone: sourdough-based, carefully fermented, and baked in an Italian-imported oven, with toppings that stay restrained and ingredient-led. It’s not a pizzeria, but the pies anchor the room in warmth and familiarity.

The wine program, curated by Florence Pelland-Goyer, leans toward drinkable, food-first bottles with a clear European sensibility, favouring balance over statement labels. Cocktails keep to classic structures and clean flavours. Taken together, Au Coin feels calibrated for repeat visits, a place where thoughtful food and well-chosen wine support the rhythm of daily neighbourhood life.

After decades cooking fancy at Joe Beef and Maison Publique, David McMillan and Derek Dammann came home to the West Island to open the kind of restaurant they'd always promised their neighbours: a place where everyone can afford to eat.

Grille-Nature opened in late November in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, taking over the former Jukebox Burgers space. Chef de cuisine Melinda Gorman runs the kitchen with both chefs, working charcoal grills and rotisserie equipment. The menu is full of market-driven classics: Salaberry steak, blackened shrimp aioli, confit spare ribs, bar steaks, daily butcher's specials.

Café Gentile’s arrival in Dollard-des-Ormeaux isn’t about introducing something new so much as delivering something dependable, albeit at full volume. Opened in late 2025, the West Island location is the family’s largest and most expansive expression yet, offering an all-day Italian menu that moves easily from espresso and pastries to full dinners. The food leans unapologetically classic: arancini, fried calamari, veal and chicken parmigiana, branzino, sausage-studded pastas, and pizzas that balance crisp dough with familiar, well-judged toppings. Sandwiches—especially the chicken cutlet—remain a defining feature, built for both speed and satisfaction.

What sets this opening apart is its versatility: a place equally suited to weekday lunches, family takeout, client meetings, and busy weekend brunches.

Seven years ago, Marcel Olivier Larrea walked away from the Peruvian-Québécois restaurant that bore his vision after partnership disputes. Now Mezcla is back—same name, same chef, completely different rules.

Tucked behind Capisco in Old Montreal, the 24-seat speakeasy serves a blind tasting menu around $129. No menu posted online, no dietary accommodations without calling weeks ahead. Chef de cuisine Kolya Oliver executes ten courses: oysters with cilantro oil, corn cigar stuffed with foie gras, alpaca cromesquis, razor clam ceviche in leche de tigre, truffle tiradito with cancha.

This contemporary Montreal take on the Scottish tavern opened on Notre-Dame West, named after Barbara Bruce—an Ontario Scot who moved to the city in 1981 to build her own interior design firm. Her son William Charbonneau, his wife Camille Desmarais, chef Scott Love from Glasgow, and beverage director Jean-Philippe Faille created this homage to Scottish craft and hospitality.

The menu features haggis with neeps and tatties, Cullen Skink reimagined as a cod sauce, black pudding with white beans, rumbledethump with potatoes and cabbage. Scotch represents all six Scottish regions. IRN BRU appears in cocktails. Quebec wines from Polisson and Jocamart sit alongside organic beers brewed specifically for Bruce. Unpretentious, welcoming, built to last.

Named after those Italian soft drinks that used to be everywhere in Montreal, Pisa Panino is the new sandwich counter from Gianni Matera and Nicolas Chechile of Mattiniero, plus Jonathan Vannelli of Café Olimpico. The trio wanted a neighbourhood spot where you'd come back several times a week—not just for the food, but because it feels good to be there.

Manchester baker Edward Stanford Davis handles the bread, nailing that crusty-outside, tender-inside balance that makes everything work. The décor channels your nonna's kitchen: wood accents, vintage Italian decorations, radio and TV playing Italian stations. Perfect for catching a soccer match.

Four sandwiches, each carefully executed: Porchetta with Swiss and mustard coleslaw, Classico loaded with mortadella and capicollo, Cotoletta with crispy breaded chicken and spicy mayo, Caprese Pisano with burrata and harissa. Prices stay reasonable.

A Levantine snack bar in the Mile End honouring the cuisine of the Armenian diaspora. The menu reads like a greatest hits of Mediterranean comfort: chicken burger with tahini and sumac, kafta burger with lamb meatball and beef, manakeesh sandwich with za'atar and cheese, macarona béchamel with lightly spiced ground beef. Sides include beurek with phyllo and cheese blend, batata harra, tabbouleh with parsley and bulgur, toum.

Desserts lean into the sweet stuff: baklava cheesecake, biscuit du moment with chocolate shavings and pistachio cream.

Opened at the end of 2025, Celeste is backed by the Beatrice Hospitality Group. This Italian-Mediterranean restaurant leans into refinement rather than reinvention, pairing a serene, light-filled space with a menu grounded in technique and clarity. Pastas anchor the offering, supported by raw seafood, grilled proteins, and desserts that keep things clean and unfussy: Expect precise pastas, crudo and carpaccio treatments, grilled seafood, and meat dishes that favour balance.

The Gray Collection opened this Parisian steakhouse downtown, bringing classic French bistro fare to a polished space with burgundy banquettes, cascading pendant lights, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu has all the greatest hits: oysters, shrimp cocktail, beef tartare, foie gras au cognac, Caesar salad, onion soup.

Mains lean heavily into beef: bar steak, wagyu burger, côte de boeuf, beef filet au poivre. A table d'hôte midi runs Monday through Friday with two services. Desserts include Paris-Brest, soufflé glacé au Cointreau, Norwegian vanilla omelette flambéed with Grand Marnier.

The wine list skews French with Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne. Signature cocktails feature Hennessy and elaborate specs.

Orexi brings Aegean dining to rue Saint-Nicolas with an emphasis on the grill and whole grilled fish. The menu reads like a tour of traditional mezze: fried zucchini and eggplant with tzatziki, Greek spreads with grilled pita, saganaki flambéed with ouzo, moussaka croquettes, grilled octopus with fava purée.

Mains focus on seafood at market price—fresh oysters, Mediterranean sea bream, sea bass, red snapper—plus lamb chops with Greek herbs, kleftiko with roasted lamb and vegetables, Ora King salmon, giant shrimp with garlic and Metaxa. Desserts include baklava, loukoumades with honey and Nutella, Greek yogurt trio. The tagline promises refined Mediterranean gastronomy capturing the essence of Greece.

The team behind Ristorante Donato opened the Italian café-cocktail bar Spuntino in Westmount where espresso mornings slide into spritz-filled nights. The name means "snack" in Italian, and the menu delivers on that promise: handmade pastas, Roman-style pizzas, sandwiches running from breakfast through dinner.

Highlights include prosciutto with whipped ricotta and truffle honey, ravioli di ricotta with tomato sauce, eggplant parmigiana, chicken piccata, seared calamari with lemon and chili. Pizzas feature mortadella with pistachio pesto, speck with marinated artichokes, funghi with pecorino.

Cocktails lean Italian: limoncello martini, Aperol spritz with blood orange, affogato martini with Kahlúa and ice cream. The vibe is spontaneous, unhurried, designed for lingering. No reservations needed—just pull up a chair.

La Cave du Parapluie comes from the team behind Le Parapluie, a Beaubien outpost that swaps fine-dining formality for a breezier rhythm — walk-ins only, seafood on standby, and a glass of something crisp never far from reach. Chef Samuel Lamontagne (ex-Montréal Plaza, Parcelles) brings quiet precision to every dish, whether it’s the ranch salad laced with oyster-poached dressing or a plate of mi-cuit trout with smoked cream. Karelle Voyer’s wine list ties it all together: unshowy, balanced, and right on tempo.

Arriving in Westmount, Kif Kif is offering its own take on why Mediterranean food endures. The new address serves plates that land somewhere between Tel Aviv and the Ionian coast: tahini-slicked eggplant, muhammara with just enough heat, and grilled meats that land smoky, not heavy. Even the pita comes out hot from the oven. The kitchen keeps things seasonal and sustainable, and the wine list mirrors that energy with crisp, coastal bottles from France, Italy, and Greece.

Created by siblings inspired by their mother Nunu’s recipes from Mount Lebanon, Báyrūt bridges past and present through a menu rooted in Lebanese heritage. Traditional dishes like mleheyee—lamb shank over warm bulgur with yogurt-ghee sauce—share the table with refined mezze such as truffled hummus, shish barak dumplings, and smoky freekeh. Each plate is built on unprocessed, natural ingredients, served in a space that balances elegance and warmth. Feels less like a concept and more like a return with its contemporary homage to the kitchens that shaped generations.

When the space next to Bonheur d’Occasion opened up, Eric Carpanzano finally got to build it—a deli, at last, complete with hanging meats, tiled counters, and the unmistakable aroma of porchetta in the air. Deli d’Occasion is a pop-up built on precision and appetite, with sandwiches—mortadella and stracciatella, or knockout porchetta layered with marinated eggplant—anchored by Hof Kelsten bread and Carpanzano’s own cured meats. And honestly? Nothing beats a damn good sandwich when it’s done right.

Dutty Yea comes from four high school friends turned restaurateurs who’ve built a spot fusing Trinidad heat with Japanese umami. Dishes like the Pon Pon Jerk bowl layers ponzu-glazed chicken with pineapple salsa and smoked mayo, while the Dutty Nonnie hits with yuzu BBQ and chimichurri potatoes (best paired with a sorrel slush). It’s bold, halal, and unmistakably original at this place that's steps from Préfontaine metro.

Downtown Montreal just got a new shawarma joint with Bei, sitting across from Concordia. It goes straight for the spit—shawarma carved by hand, pitas hot off the grill, and juices pressed to order. It’s Lebanese street food for the city: quick, generous, and on the cheap. While catering primarily to students, it’s open to anyone looking for sharing plates of labneh, halloumi, and falafel. Feels less like a chain arrival and more like a homecoming for the neighbourhood.

The team behind Elena, Nora Gray, and Gia has turned its attention from Neapolitan wood-fired pies to the New York slice. Elena Pizzeria, opening October 8 in Griffintown, is the product of four summers serving backstage pizza by the slice at Osheaga, îLESONIQ, and Lasso—where high-volume demand pushed them to perfect a sourdough-based, 18-inch pie built for reheating and holding. Expect foldable, crisp-edged classics (cheese, pepperoni), cult favourites carried over from Elena (like the sesame-spiked “Dany”), and new standouts like mushroom. Wine remains central, but with a smaller, natural-leaning list and a tilt toward Quebec producers. With its green quartz counter, soft-serve gelato, and standing-room energy, the space is a love letter to the New York corner slice shop—filtered through Montreal precision.

From the team behind NO.900 comes Locali, a Saint-Zotique pizzeria that looks back to move forward. Co-founders Alexandre Brunet and Mélanie Mailhiot opened the first NO.900 a decade ago, but this project channels Brunet’s earlier days at Stromboli, his very first restaurant. The format is New York–style (or, as Brunet calls it, “Québécois style”) with 11-inch and 16-inch pies available whole or by the slice, alongside hearty mains like lasagna and chicken parm.

Nostalgia runs through the menu—fried zucchini from Stromboli’s days makes a comeback, and the dough recipe comes from Fiodar Huminski, fresh off a World Pizza Championship podium. Affordable, family-friendly, and built for regular visits, Locali wants to be the neighbourhood spot where pizza is less of an indulgence than a weekly ritual.

Some of the city’s best new cooking is happening behind an unmarked door near Duluth. At Brocard, a family-run Syrian kitchen with a tight menu and an even tighter crew, everything is made from scratch — from the pillowy mini pitas to the fried cod atop cinnamon-spiced rice. The star dish is the fattet mozat, a lamb shank layered with yogurt, chickpeas, and crisped pita chips, rarely found this side of Hama. Brocard is a labour of love, with matriarch Nahla overseeing the line and the team greeting regulars by name. The hospitality runs deep, and the food speaks for itself.

With no reservations and only 28 seats, Motto isn’t playing hard to get — it’s just that good. This Old Montreal sushi bar from David Malka (of Stellina and Mare) is all about temaki, the hand-rolled cones of nori, rice, and fish made à la minute and served straight to your plate. Chef Daniel Ken leads the show with razor-sharp focus and a calm that radiates across the magenta-lit room. Standout plates like bluefin sashimi with wasabi relish and salmon tataki with truffle ponzu share the menu with a tight cocktail list and a lineup of sake worth exploring.

Cappello makes its case for downtown’s next power table 44 floors up at Place Ville-Marie. The Italian brasserie format keeps things grounded—radiatori in spicy vodka sauce, sage-butter gnocchi, vitello tonnato, branzino with gremolata—dishes that ask for precision rather than reinvention. The drinks follow the same logic: crisp spritzes, classic Negronis, and a Champagne list that stretches from Franciacorta to Dom Pérignon. With a room that feels more polished than flashy, Cappello seems designed to straddle both sides of downtown: corporate lunches by day, lingering dinners once the offices empty out.

One of the most exciting new openings of the summer doesn’t serve dinner, just pistachio ice cream so good it should probably come with a warning. Opened in Rosemont, Patom is a small-batch creamery making both ice cream and sorbet the slow way: whole ingredients, no artificial flavours, and monthly rotating scoops. The pistachio is deep and nutty, the sorbets are 40% fruit, and the chewy cookies (especially the chocolate-hazelnut praline) are an added bonus. It’s already pulling in a neighbourhood crowd, and once word spreads, the line won’t stay short for long.

Some restaurants arrive with a story already built in. When Pasta Andrea closed after 35 years in Lachine, the team taking over—including chef Michele Mercuri—didn’t rebrand. They named it La Table d’André, in honour of the man who made the original space feel like home.

That gesture says a lot about what to expect here: care, continuity, and food with a clear point of view. Housemade pasta, precise plates of trout and porchetta, a beef tartare done right — the menu feels classic without being predictable. It’s the kind of opening that doesn’t scream for attention but earns it, dish by dish. Legacy, meet second act.

Bar Luz brings the spirit of Mexico City’s fondas into Outremont, but with a distinctly Montreal rhythm. The project is led by chef Juan Lopez Luna and sommelier Lindsay Brennan, longtime partners at Alma, who frame the restaurant as a fonda fina—an elevated version of the everyday eatery. The menu builds from Lopez Luna’s Tlaxcala roots, centred on tortillas made from heirloom corn sourced from small farms in Mexico, nixtamalized and milled daily on-site.

Plates move between tradition and reinvention: zarandeado-style fish grilled over charcoal, salads layered with pipián verde, and broths and salsas that lean on time-worn techniques like stone grinding and fermentation. Drinks extend the dialogue, with Brennan highlighting natural wines from Spain and Mexico alongside agave spirits, micheladas, and chile-laced cocktails. The space itself is pared-back yet textured—charcoal walls, Oaxacan pottery, comals and dried herbs in the open kitchen—designed to carry both warmth and restraint, a quiet glow true to its name.

Coco Disco Club was born from an inside joke between Loïc Fortin and Manu Jonik, the kind of name they’d throw around every time they saw an empty storefront. Now it’s a full-fledged 60-seat operation on Duluth—half inside, half terrasse—blurring the lines between restaurant, café, and social club.

Fortin, better known in Montreal’s cocktail circuit as Loyd Von Rose, has pulled together a no-hierarchy kitchen of five chefs from institutions like Damas and Pied de Cochon, where everyone contributes to the menu. That menu jumps from deep-fried lasagna to arancini alla carbonara to a Scotch egg sandwich built around Toulouse sausage, matched by cocktails that mix technical precision with playful names. Coffee is treated with the same ambition, with a custom Zab roast and clarified butter lattes. More than a dining room, the place doubles as a community hub—part third place, part disco-lit love letter to the Plateau.

Miette began with one baker, a sourdough starter, and a van. Founder Thea Bryson set out in 2019 to undo bread’s bad reputation by returning to the fundamentals: organic, locally milled flours, slow fermentation, and low-intervention techniques that highlight grain at its best. What started as a small-scale project has grown into one of Montreal’s most respected bakeries, with loaves that balance restraint and character. Thea’s philosophy of “conscious simplicity” extends beyond the bread itself—Miette works sustainably, sources with care, and treats bread as everyday nourishment rather than indulgence.

That vision expanded with the Miette Sandwicherie in Saint-Henri, housed in the former Rustique Pie Kitchen, where the OG bakery's bread finds new form in seasonal creations like beet-cured salmon gravlax on a sourdough English muffin or peach-topped focaccia. Whether sweet, savoury, or simply a boule pulled warm from the oven, Miette’s work proves that real bread still carries weight.

Janine is one of the newest addition to Little Burgundy’s food landscape, a back-alley gelato bar with a cult feel from the moment it opened. With an interior design by pencilzlabs, the project takes the familiar form of soft-serve and pushes it into more unexpected territory, reworking it as “Mediterranean gelato.” Each week brings a new flavour—think strawberry infused with thyme, or Madagascar vanilla brightened with olive oil and sea salt—served on the terrace until the interior space is ready for guests.

Everything is made in-house with fresh, carefully sourced ingredients, resulting in a texture closer to traditional gelato than classic soft-serve. Named after one of the owners’ grandmothers, Janine is designed with a sense of intimacy: a hidden entrance off Notre-Dame, a small back terrace, and a menu that rewards return visits. It’s an ice cream shop where curiosity pays off, and no two weekends taste the same.