Verdun Beach borrows its name from summer fantasy but grounds its offering in old-world charm. Modelled after a French guinguette—a casual drinking and dining spot with just enough room for a dance floor—it’s less of a wine bar and more of a mood. Opened in June 2020 by Charles Garant, Philippe Jacquelin, and Marc Frandon (the latter behind natural wine import agency Primavin), the space was a pandemic-era reset for a former Wellington mainstay. The food from its concise, sharply seasonal kitchen is worth more than an order or two: corn salad poured tableside with a velouté of its own kernels, roasted cauliflower over cameline and blueberry purée, or white chocolate and raspberry mousse for dessert. The wine list is arranged by winemaker, not region, and reads like a who’s who of natural wine, from Michel Gahier to La Petite Baigneuse. Come sundown, the disco ball kicks in and the guinguette lives up to its name.
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A curated list of the best wine bars in Montreal
From loud to laid-back to low-key, these are the spots with superb selections where you can easily grab a chair and glass (or bottle).
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