Where to Eat in 2023: 6 Montreal Restaurants to Start the New Year

By our count, there were just over six dozen restaurants, bars, and cafés that opened throughout the last year in Montreal. That’s saying a lot for a city that—while it’s generally bursting at the seams with places to eat out—is largely still licking its pandemic-inflicted wounds.

Here's a half-dozen of our curated list to, well, add to your own list.

Anémone

Opening in Mile-Ex just before 2022 came to a close, Anémone combines fine dining pedigree from chefs Mike Madokoro and Minh Phat Tu with a natural wine selection from partner-sommelier Elena Racevičiūtė. The result is a mix of Chinese, Korean, Japanese and beyond, with dishes like Shaanxi-style biáng biáng noodles, duck breast with koji, and gnocchi-style rice cakes with XO sauce—all with a strong focus on local, seasonal ingredients as well as natural wines.

271 Rue Saint-Zotique O, Montréal, QC H2V 1A4

9 Tail Fox

Not to knock this city’s longstanding Korean restaurants, but few in Montreal give their cuisine the fine-dining treatment. That’s why this new Saint-Henri spot—where chefs Jongwook Lee and WonGoo Joun combine their experience at spots like Maison Boulud and Cadet—is worth trying. Find the flavours you’ll get from dishes like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and seafood pancakes, and taste them as they’re spun into wholly new and gorgeous plates.

3401 Notre-Dame St W, Montreal, Quebec H4C 1P3

Eva’s

Bucky Rooster’s thighs and pies were a pop-up smash hit during the height of the pandemic, but now the Saint-Henri restaurant space it originally took over has finally come into its own under the name Eva’s. You’ll get all the original favourites of Bucky’s like mac and cheese and fried chicken, but Eva’s is expanding the menu with dishes like sashimi tacos and shawarma steak. Oh, and the brunch here is banging, too.

3981 Rue Notre Dame OMontréal, QC H4C 1R2

Bella

To put it simply: carbs and cocktails. If the spritzes, negronis, and nitro espresso martinis on tap at this pub-turned-Italian restaurant don’t get you through the door, you ought to try out the fresh pasta spun by its chef hailing from the Molise region of Italy. Coming here is going to give you a taste of the booze to come at the upcoming Little Italy aperitivo bar Bar Bello, too.

351 Pl. d'Youville, Montréal, QC H2Y 2B7

Kabinet

According to this swank update to an Imperial Russia-inspired bar next door to nightclub Datcha, oysters are out and caviar bumps are in. Here, they’re serving caviar either by the bump, can, or seafood tower-style service. If you don’t want to start the new year by dropping a bill or two on fancy roe, try the rest of their menu inspired by grand hotels found around the world—think escargots, foie gras, beef tartare, cheesy croque monsieurs and more. Oh, and don’t miss the Sunday special of $5 martinis.

98 B Av. Laurier O, Montréal, QC H2T 2N4

Ketiw

Chef Tota Oung of the Cambodian moonshot restaurant in Verdun, Les Street Monkeys, doubled down on his culinary heritage with this soup and sandwich spot where Montrealers can eat upscaled versions of classic street food. Think loaded bowls of noodles in rich broth and soft baguette stuffed with aromatic grilled meats. If heading to the Sud-Ouest is an issue, they offer Uber Eats during the day.

3866 Wellington St, Verdun, Quebec H4G 1V2

This article was written by J.P. Karwacki. Find him on Instagram: @johnnycrust

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