Mon Lapin on Saint-Zotique has built its reputation as one of the city's best restaurants through impeccable consistency on all levels. Since opening, the kitchen has delivered refined cuisine alongside personalized service, an exceptional wine list, and an atmosphere that feels both intimate and alive. It's the kind of place where every detail clicks—and keeps clicking, visit after visit.

This tiny Verdun restaurant blends the owners' Argentinian background with explorations of great cuisines from around the world. The food is impactful yet deceptively simple—the kind of cooking that makes you pause mid-bite. It's a small room with big ideas, and one of the most compelling places to eat in the city right now.

At Montréal Plaza, whimsy isn't a garnish—it's baked into the DNA. Chefs Charles-Antoine Crête and Cheryl Johnson run the kitchen like a well-oiled experiment: playful, unpredictable, but anchored by technique. The Zébulon Perron–designed dining room hints at the surreal—plastic dinosaurs on the pass, Elmo sightings at the bar—but the cooking is no joke. Sashimi de pétoncles arrives on a toy triceratops; a whelk gratin might follow, then foie gras with strawberries. French methods meet global flavour, with Johnson grounding Crête's improvisational streak. Plaza doesn't just blur the line between high dining and irreverence—it makes it irrelevant.

One meal at Moccione and you'll understand why its tables are in such high demand. This Villeray restaurant has single-handedly stolen the show when it comes to eating a fantastically delicious Italian meal. The execution is sharp, the flavours are deep, and the experience keeps people coming back—and telling everyone they know.

Dining at Monarque in Old Montreal is a masterclass in French brasserie technique with cosmopolitan inclusions from other cuisines. Chef Jérémie Bastien helms a kitchen that honours classic methods while keeping things fresh and surprising. The room is a jewel, the service is polished, and the food delivers on every level.

Consider Provisions the next-gen steakhouse of Montreal. This Outremont address flips the porterhouse-and-martinis formula on its head with in-house butchery, hyper-local pasture-raised meats, and a focus on quality and tradition. The smashburgers deliver a caramelized crust and juicy perfection; sandwiches—brisket, Cubano, turkey, halloumi—strike a balance between satisfying simplicity and thoughtfulness. It's food that's as good as it is honest.

Salle Climatisée is a Little Italy gem that marries neighbourhood-haunt charm with thoughtful, seasonal dishes inspired by local ingredients. The compact bistro doesn't chase trends—it celebrates simplicity with a menu that shifts to reflect Quebec's terroir. Low-intervention wines, a François Séguin–designed minimalist interior, and a street-side terrasse round out an experience that's intimate, inventive, and quietly powerful.

Bar St-Denis is rapidly ascending Montreal's culinary ladder, and for good reason. The magic lies in the dedication of David Gauthier, Emily Holmsy, and their crew. Dishes like the deer kibbeh nayeh—raw, creamy, subtly sweet, garnished with mint and onions, drizzled with premium olive oil—showcase premium local sourcing and sharp technique. Every bite promises a new revelation.

When Martin Picard opened Au Pied de Cochon in 2001, it marked a turning point in Montreal's restaurant scene. The Plateau dining room—open kitchen, oversized portions, unapologetic richness—rejected fine dining's polish in favour of something primal: foie gras on poutine, pig's feet reimagined, onion soup turned decadent. Over two decades later, the energy hasn't dimmed. It's loud, busy, and totally committed to indulgence. For those looking to understand Quebec's culinary id, this is where you start. Bring friends, and maybe a napkin for your forehead.

Heni in Little Burgundy focuses on the SWANA region—Southwest Asian and North African cuisines—blending that regional focus with Québécois ingredients in ways that feel entirely new. Marinated olives with sea buckthorn instead of orange zest, kibbeh made with PEI beef or duck hearts, lobster tails spiced with ras-el-hanout on a bed of corn. Wines come from the in-house importation agency Sienna, highlighting new-generation Lebanese winemakers. A place of many new pathways for Montreal.

Pichai is a local forerunner for Thai food augmented by pure creativity and Canadian products. Chef Jesse Mulder has taken his reputation for dizzyingly good eating to new heights here, delivering dishes that are both deeply rooted in Thai tradition and unmistakably his own. A must for anyone serious about flavour.

Lawrence has evolved, but its commitment to exceptional food remains unchanged. What began as a pop-up in 2010 has transformed into an intimate tasting-menu destination in the former larrys space on Fairmount Avenue. Chef Marc Cohen, alongside Sefi Amir, blends whole-animal butchery with meticulous plating and British inspiration. Dishes lean adventurous—brain and morel agnolotti, tongue terrine—while maintaining the depth and elegance that made Lawrence a Montreal institution. The wine program focuses exclusively on private imports from small producers. One of the city's most compelling dining experiences.

Mano Cornuto was built in real time on a then-uncertain Griffintown corner by partners figuring things out as they went. Opened in 2019 by alumni of Foxy, Garde Manger, and Crew Collective, the café landed just ahead of the pandemic and never stopped moving. Instead of closing, it adapted with pizzas, meal kits, shortened teams, and longer days. That stretch quietly shaped what Mano would become.

Now it runs all day, every day, balancing Italian café culture with Montreal pragmatism. Fresh pasta, daily focaccia, familiar plates. The room hums with different crowds cycling through from lunch to late evening. Less about destination dining than building rhythm, and that consistency is what turned a risky address into a neighbourhood institution.

Arthurs Nosh Bar in Saint-Henri blends Jewish culinary traditions with new-gen energy. Raegan Steinberg and Alex Cohen honour Sephardic, Ashkenazi, and Mizrahi cooking in a stylish space with an olive-toned bar and sun-filled atmosphere. The McArthur fried chicken sandwich is a daily standout; weekend brunch brings an American grand slam, Moroccan toast with challah and spiced chickpeas, and a hearty latke smorgasbord. Comfort food classics with soul.

The Winnicki brothers started with a hawker stall at Atwater Market before landing on Notre-Dame Street, and the menu still carries that street-food logic: built to move fast, hit hard, and hold up to repeat visits. Laksa arrives rich with coconut and chili, crowded with fish cakes, shrimp, and quail egg. Char kuay teow comes properly wok-charred, tangled with Chinese sausage and clams. The rendang is slow-braised until the spiced coconut milk collapses into the beef. Pork belly bao get the hoisin-cilantro-cucumber treatment; papaya salad stays sharp with peanuts and chili.

Desserts lean traditional Malaysian: kueh salat layers sticky rice with pandan custard, kueh dada wraps palm sugar in pandan crepe. Most of it traces back to family recipes, and all of it gets made in-house. The room runs casual and loud, the kind of place where tables turn over and regulars don't need menus. Southeast Asian comfort food without the fuss, served by a Saint-Henri operation that's been earning its crowd since day one.

A cornerstone of Little Italy, Impasto merges tradition and innovation in Italian cuisine with unapologetic finesse. Stefano Faita and Michele Forgione celebrate regional Italian cooking through a local lens: house-cured charcuterie, saffron-laced tagliatelle, the famed Gaspor porchetta. The Zébulon Perron–designed space balances industrial minimalism with warm touches, and the wine list—Italian and Quebec labels—elevates every plate. A masterclass in modern Italian dining.

This Hochelaga destination is an exceedingly accessible option for fine dining, where tasting menus tour chef David Ollu's Bouillon Bilk tutelage plus wholly new avenues. The food is looser and more curious than the restaurants that schooled its chefs—menus rotate at a pace that suggests they're still discovering the place alongside their guests. The light, unfussy dining room mirrors that approach. Fine dining without the posturing.

The restaurant that launched a thousand ships. Since 2005, this Little Burgundy institution has shaped Montreal's dining scene, turning classic French techniques into something unapologetically local. Founded by Frédéric Morin, Allison Cunningham, and former partner David McMillan, the menu—scrawled on a chalkboard and dictated by what's fresh—blends Quebecois bounty with bistro indulgence: foie gras, roasted bone marrow, perennial lobster spaghetti. The space is cluttered, candlelit, a little chaotic—the kind of place where dinner could turn into a multi-hour feast. Expect to leave full, maybe a little tipsy, and with a renewed appreciation for why this remains one of Montreal's greats.

Vin Papillon opened in 2013 as the quieter, greener offshoot of Joe Beef and Liverpool House, but it's become something else entirely—less satellite, more touchstone. The reputation was built on playful, vegetable-forward dishes and a wine list championing natural producers before it was fashionable. Today, Fred Morin and chef de cuisine Alan Stewart run the kitchen; Max Campbell of Deux Caves curates the wines. The room remains intimate—white brick walls, a signature ocean liner painting by Fred looming over the open kitchen. Walk-in only, still open at 3pm, still one of the most quietly magnetic places to drink and eat in Montreal.

Liverpool House has emerged from the shadow of its sibling Joe Beef with its own identity. Known for hearty French cuisine and exceptional seafood, the menu features a raw bar and dishes like Italian beef tartare and lobster spaghetti. Opened in 2007, the vibrant, welcoming atmosphere and diverse wine selection make it a favourite for locals and visitors alike.

Hoogan & Beaufort is built around fire, history, and restraint. Set inside a former rail-era industrial building at the Angus Shops, the restaurant keeps its bones exposed—brick walls, steel structure, soaring ceilings—while placing the kitchen squarely at the centre of the room. Wood-fire cooking drives the menu, with nearly everything, desserts included, passing over open flames.

Chef Marc-André Jetté’s cooking leans precise rather than heavy, using seasonal Québec ingredients to build depth without excess—think seafood, vegetables, and carefully handled meats shaped by smoke more than spectacle. The experience is anchored by one of the province’s most serious wine programs, curated with equal discipline. Service mirrors the space: calm, informed, and confident.

Le Mousso treats dinner less as a reservation and more as a scheduled event. With only one seating per night and a fixed start time, the evening unfolds as a shared progression rather than a private table-by-table affair. All 30 diners move through the same sequence together, guided by the chef and sommelier, who contextualize each course as it arrives.

The menu changes with the seasons but stays anchored in local meats, seafood, and vegetables, prepared with an emphasis on precision and contrast. Service is coordinated and intentional, blurring the line between kitchen and dining room as cooks step forward to present their work. The minimalist setting strips away distraction, leaving a format built on attention, patience, and the cumulative effect of many small, carefully considered plates.

At Île Flottante, tasting menus are designed to remain fluid rather than fixed. The kitchen works from daily arrivals, adjusting dishes and combinations as products come in, which gives the evening a sense of movement rather than rigid structure. Vegetables play a central role, often anchoring plates that are finished with carefully chosen meats or seafood when available.

The room itself supports that approach. Split into two intimate spaces with sightlines into the kitchen, the setting encourages attention without formality. Service is attentive and conversational, walking diners through each course as it lands. On St-Viateur, the restaurant has become a reference point for people seeking a tasting menu that values adaptability, seasonality, and balance over spectacle.

Rotating menus of upscale, seasonal fare keep you guessing, but the buzzy ambiance and service at this Saint-Henri eatery make you feel immediately at home. Sharp cooking, warm hospitality, and a room that hums with energy.

An essential address in Montreal for Syrian cuisine. Every spiced and aromatic bite is impeccably sourced from across the Mediterranean, from shared mezze to sizzling grilled platters. The room is elegant, the hospitality is warm, and the food delivers without exception.

Hubert Marsolais and Claude Pelletier's Old Montreal restaurant is a discreet, pensive place to spend hours over opulent dishes that, time and again, provide the most memorable of experiences. Refined without being fussy, intimate without being precious.

Garde Manger works because it understands momentum. Early in the evening, it reads as a candlelit bistro with leather banquettes, wood panels, and a calm, attentive room. Later, the volume rises, the crowd thickens, and the restaurant slips into something closer to a neighbourhood after hours meeting point. That shift feels intentional rather than accidental.

The food mirrors that versatility. Seafood anchors the menu, but richer plates like short ribs or lobster salad give the kitchen room to flex. The open kitchen keeps cooks and diners in constant visual conversation, while cocktails and an eclectic wine program keep tables lingering longer than planned. In Old Montreal, few rooms manage to feel both composed and chaotic in equal measure.

Kitano Shokudo is the kind of place chefs send you when asked where they eat on their nights off. Run by Hiroshi Kitano, a self-taught chef with deep respect for balance and technique, this Plateau bistro is a love letter to Japanese cuisine—elevated yet unfussy. The menu leans into seasonality, with specials that veer into unexpected territory: wild boar mapo tofu, uni carbonara. Fish is often sourced straight from Japan. With fewer seats and a loyal clientele, it's about proximity—to the chef, to the craft, and to soulful cooking that keeps regulars coming back. The omakase is a must.

At Taverne sur le Square, longevity is the point. The room fills nightly with a mix of neighbours, long time regulars, and people who come knowing exactly what they want to order. The setting does much of the work. Leather banquettes wrap the space, the lighting stays low, and the service moves with quiet confidence. Nothing rushes, nothing drags.

The menu reflects that same confidence. Dishes are familiar, not retro, and grounded in high quality ingredients rather than novelty. Pastas are made in house, proteins are handled simply, and the house classics remain untouched for a reason. Wine plays an outsized role here, with a list that rewards curiosity and trust in the staff. In Westmount, few dining rooms feel as settled or as dependable.

This next-gen Cambodian restaurant in Verdun is a lively cornerstone of the city's dining scene. The food is richly aromatic, playing on dishes both traditional and wholly new. A celebration of spice and flavour you can't find elsewhere.

Foxy approaches cooking as a physical act rather than a conceptual one. Fire dictates the menu, the timing, and the mood, whether it is vegetables blistered until sweet or proteins cooked directly over embers. The result is food that feels direct and grounded, shaped by smoke and heat rather than embellishment. Plates arrive meant to be shared, encouraging a table to move collectively through the meal.

Set along Notre Dame Ouest in Griffintown, the dining room stays compact and energetic, with an atmosphere that reflects the kitchen’s intensity. Wine plays a supporting role, chosen to stand up to char and richness without competing for attention. Foxy works because it commits fully to its method and lets repetition, rather than novelty, do the convincing.

La Franquette feels designed for repeat visits rather than occasions. The dining room fills with neighbours, small groups, and regulars who treat the menu as something to return to rather than decode. Dishes shift with the seasons, but the logic stays consistent. Vegetables are treated with care, sauces are confident, and proteins are cooked cleanly, whether that means guinea fowl, sweetbreads, mussels, or a straightforward steak.

Hospitality is a key part of the experience. The front of house sets a relaxed tone that keeps the room moving without pressure, while the wine program offers depth without intimidation. In Westmount, La Franquette has quietly become a reference point for what a modern bistro can be when comfort and precision are given equal weight.

Snowdon Deli is an institution. Vibrant matzo ball soup, cheese bagelach, and the kind of charm that echoes classic Miami eateries like Wolfie's Rascal House. Outlasting local legends like The Brown Derby and Ben's, Snowdon Deli stands as a testament to timeless taste and tradition.

On Saint-Denis, Cabaret L'enfer from chef-owner Massimo Piedimonte brings deep expertise to a personal experience. The XY Contemporary–designed space surrounds diners with an open kitchen of performances. The tasting menu marries Italian roots with French techniques, celebrating local products and craftsmanship. The ambiance grows festive as the night goes on—high skill balanced with simply having a good time, sometimes rocking out to skate punk playlists.

Oncle Lee on Laurier Avenue West redefines Chinese dining with a distinctly Montreal twist. A creation of Andersen Lee and the minds behind Bouillon Bilk, the elegant space—sleek black banquettes, Chinese lanterns—reflects a deep reverence for Lee's heritage. The menu reimagines traditional Chinese dishes through a local lens: chow mein alongside steamed oysters with black bean. Bespoke cocktails and a thoughtful wine list complete the picture.

A Montreal institution since 1980, L'Express on rue Saint-Denis continues to uphold its reputation for timeless French cuisine and conviviality. The menu—largely unchanged over the years—offers classics like sorrel soup, marrow, and veal liver with unwavering consistency. The Luc Laporte–designed room exudes timeless charm, and long-serving staff ensure every visit feels like coming home.

Chez Tousignant channels the classic casse-croûtes of the 1950s and '60s with vintage diner décor designed by Zébulon Perron. Chefs Stefano Faita, Michele Forgione, and Yann Turcotte turn out some of the city's best smash burgers, hot dogs, and poutine—all made with dedication to freshness. The charm is genuine, the execution sharp. Nostalgia with contemporary panache.

This bustling Portuguese rotisserie on the Plateau has been packing them in since 2013—not just for the charcoal-grilled chicken, but for one of the best poutines in the city. São Jorge cheese, grilled chorizo, and a homemade sauce the chef swears makes all the difference. It does. The rest of the menu runs through Portuguese classics in a vibrant, no-frills room.

Fleurs & Cadeaux is a Japanese-inspired snack bar in Chinatown housed in a pink, century-old building on Saint-Urbain Street. The space honours its past as a florist and gift shop while showcasing chef Tetsuya Shimizu's skills: temakis, Japanese curries, sashimi on rice, bento boxes. The drink menu features innovative cocktails, natural wines, and artisan sakes. The basement speakeasy Sans Soleil adds DJ-spun vinyl and a top-notch sound system.

Tucked away in Outremont, Alma is the brainchild of chef Juan Lopez Luna and sommelier Lindsay Brennan. The intimate space marries robust Mexican flavours with Mediterranean nuance, underscored by Catalan natural wines. The chef's signature nixtamalized corn tortillas nod to ancient traditions; the carte blanche menu offers a curated journey through seasonal specialties paired with rare vintages. Wine with soul—vino con alma—permeates every aspect.

Monkland Tavern has been serving NDG since 1995, but longevity's only part of the story. Chef Josh Crowe and co-owner Barbara Irwin deliver a menu dedicated to seasonality and sharp technique—wild mushrooms from Hochelaga, crudo that cuts straight to summer, handmade pasta in butter-laced sauces. Regulars trust the chef's menu, a freestyle tasting built around your preferences and the day's finds. The wine list balances natural-leaning bottles with classic picks. Refined yet rustic—turquoise walls, white tablecloths, a long wood bar lined with locals.

Grounded in chef Paul Toussaint's home country of Haiti and exploring the islands and South America, eating at Kamúy is always a unique celebration of spice and flavour. The cooking is bold, personal, and impossible to find elsewhere in the city.

In Saint-Henri, Elena emerges as a testament to Italian cuisine reimagined. Opened in 2018 by the team behind Nora Gray, the spot pays homage to inspiring individuals like Elena Pantaleoni while integrating seamlessly into the neighbourhood. Emma Cardarelli and Janice Tiefenbach craft dynamic iterations of Italian classics—artisanal pizzas, homemade pastas—complemented by Ryan Gray's meticulously curated natural wine list. A modern trattoria with soul.

Dobe & Andy is a Cantonese BBQ joint in Chinatown that delights with straightforward, delicious fare inspired by Hong Kong's food scene. Since 2019, the Ku family and Webster Galman have charmed diners with authentic, well-crafted meals at pocket-friendly prices. Succulent crispy pork roast, savoury curry braised beef, and a communal approach reflecting deep family ethos. A taste of dedication wrapped in warmth.

MARCUS at the Four Seasons Hotel Montreal fuses luxury with local flair on an expansive third floor designed by Atelier Zébulon Perron. Helmed by Michelin-starred chef Marcus Samuelsson with executive chef Jason Morris, the venue reflects Montreal's vibrant social scene. Distinct atmospheres—oceanic lounge, forest-like bar, restaurant, terrasse—offer range, while Morris's precision ensures each globally inspired dish complements the sophisticated setting.

Chef Robin Filteau Boucher's dream becomes reality with Parapluie in Little Italy. Partnering with maître d'hôtel Karelle Voyer and Simon Chevalier, the 30-seat spot serves French-inspired dishes crafted with seasonal ingredients at accessible prices. Standouts include ravioli in brown butter, Montreal-style trout on horseradish sauce, and eggs mayo with poached lobster. Karelle curates the wine; mixologist Félix Pagé Blouin handles cocktails. A room designed for dropping in and lingering.

Le Violon, in the former Maison Publique space transformed by Zébulon Perron and co-owner Dan Climan, was highly anticipated from the day it was hinted at. Chef Danny Smiles leads a team including co-executive chef Mitch Laughren and chef de cuisine Sara Raspa. The elegant room—veined Portuguese marble, white tablecloths, Parisian green features—orbits Climan's paintings. The refined menu features diverse influences: tahini-drizzled kibbeh nayyeh, gochujang-glazed sweetbreads, strawberry shortcake. Exquisite food, beautiful settings, impeccable service.

Juliette Plaza is the little sister project from Cheryl Johnson and Charles-Antoine Crête's Montréal Plaza. It's everything a person who's experienced the OG would expect, but with its own distinct ambiance and a more snackable menu: devilled eggs, sandwiches, temaki-style rolls, seafood mastery, offal spun in creative ways. Nostalgia and innovation on the walls and on the plate.

McKiernan Luncheonette, from the team behind Joe Beef and Maison Publique, redefines casual dining in Montreal's Sud-Ouest. The sprawling space on St-Patrick Street serves straightforward yet inventive breakfast, lunch, and dinner: rotisserie chicken, unique all-day breakfast options, a modest selection of natural wines and beers. With capacity for large groups and a flair for hosting, it promises more than a meal—it's a culinary event built for community.

Yans Deli is the kind of place that could only come from a chef like Benji Greenberg—trained in fine dining, raised on Friday night briskets, and finally fed up enough to do things his own way. After seven years at Joe Beef, he walked away from the chaos and into a lifelong dream: a modern Jewish deli that actually reflects the way he eats. That means housemade pastrami and veal schnitzel for brunch, but also proper soup, steak and eggs, and a setup that welcomes everyone from families with strollers to folks dropping in after shiva. It's rooted in memory—Romanian-style eggplant salad, Grandpa's seafood cocktails—but sharpened by years in the kitchen trenches. If you're expecting a nostalgia act, look elsewhere. This is comfort food with a backbone, served in a spot built to last.

Some restaurants try to make a splash. Molenne just feels like it's always been here. Housed in a former hay depot from Montreal's first racetrack, this brasserie is built on layers of history: banquettes salvaged from Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, chimney plaques repurposed as décor, a 32-year-old fridge given a second life. But don't mistake it for a nostalgia act. Chef Louis-Joseph Rochefort (Attica, Australia) turns brasserie staples into something sharper: black cod in shiitake broth, braised cabbage with escargots, white charcutière sauce. Gia Bach Nguyen runs the bar with cocktails on tap, while a 5,000-bottle wine cellar stocks everything from rare vintages to solid $50 picks.

This project from the team behind Café Parvis and Furco is arguably their first proper sit-down restaurant, and they've come out swinging. A menu of snacks, sides, vegetables, and desserts surrounds a robust wood-fired offering that fills the sizeable downtown dining room with the smell of smoke. Warm and simplistic in appearance, it's a large and lively spot—pretty loud during high traffic, we'll admit—with the action of the kitchen stoking flames running the length of the space. Who needs flash when the blossoming reputation for good and honest eats is growing this fast?