C'était délicieux is a statement you will hear from diners—both locals and visitors alike—at the end of a meal in the city of Montréal. The gastronomic scene features diverse food options, fresh, seasonal ingredient selections and some of the most eclectic mixes to ever be fused together. And what pairs well with the culinary scene? Local liquid delights in the form of a pint of beer or natural wine from the region. Montréal is also known for its weekend brunch, outdoor public markets and of course a celebration blending everything Montréal has to offer, MTLàTABLE. Food brings people together, and Montréal fare delivers the world’s culinary pleasures on a silver platter.
A Clink to Drinks: Microbreweries and Natural Wine
With more than 40 craft breweries across the city, the microbrewery scene is jumping and jiving with beer lovers who are looking to quench their thirst with something local. On a warm, sunny fall day, Messorem Bracitorium’s patio is the place to be with its open space and graffiti walls. Their unique blends of beers include The Petit Jus De Mort: Strawberry + Raspberry + Passion Fruit Sour Smoothie, The Dance of Specters Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout and Presence Completed Pale Ale. Quaint and intimate, Brasserie Harricana boasts a great beer and food menu—the ideal pairing for a cozy autumn day. Isle de Garde, in the heart of the La-Petite-Patrie district, offers beers brewed on site and comfort food. Their beers are inspired by all corners of the globe: German Franconia, Czechia and England, Belgium and the hoppy styles of America. In the area of Little Italy, there is MELLÖN, which literally means friend and the two founding friends behind this microbrewery boast a selection of classics with an adventurous twist; in Old Montréal, a chic experience at the Bistro Brasserie Les Sœurs Grises features a vast selection of beers paired with cuisine showcasing southwestern U.S.-inspired smokehouse meats and tapas.
Alison SlatteryMontréal has been serving natural wines for years and as a result, a mix of extraordinary sommeliers have brought forth their knowledge and made flavourful wines. Vin Mon Lapin in Little Italy takes in all the beauty of a wine that is both vibrant and eclectic; in downtown under the stunning city lights, Pullman devotes itself to delivering the guilty pleasures of more than 400 wines and pairing them with varieties of cheese, charcuteries or small plates; on the 3rd floor of the Society for Arts and Technology (on the same floor as the Satosphere) Foodlab features a farm-to-table menu and a curated wine list that is 100 percent biodynamic and natural; for a Mediterranean twist, Alma, in the heart of Outremont, is a neighbourhood restaurant where the wine and menu are inspired by the sea and the mountains.
On the Weekend, We Brunch
This ritual is a staple on Saturdays and Sundays—it is like going on a weekend road trip, except the food comes to you from all aspects of the culinary world. Leméac has been serving the Montréal community in Outremont for over two decades. The Parisian-style brasserie serves everything from salmon gravlax, Northern shrimp, caraway bread spread and cucumber salad with dill to poached eggs, sausages, bacon, and beans with duck confit. Do not forget to add a side of one of their Morning Cocktails—yes, they get how to brunch. Nestled between Le Plateau and the Latin Quarter, Bistro La Fabrique's concept features a full view from an open kitchen, spacious decor, a bright bar, and the terrace faces Square Saint-Louis for a side of a serenity to go with their seasonal and often changing menu. Located on the east side of the Plateau neighbourhood, the Traditional Middle Eastern family cuisine from Byblos is one-of-a-kind. In Iran, the first meal of the day—often the most important and pleasant—is called Sobhaneh, composed of sweet tea, cheese and bread accompanied by jam, butter, halva, honey and milk. In the Village, the brunch menu at Bistro Tendresse features a bright and friendly atmosphere matched with incredible sweet and savoury vegan creations like poutine made from patatas bravas, minced soy, refried black beans, hollandaise sauce, almond queso fresco, radishes and pickled red onions and the sweet waffle made with matcha, butter cream, berries compote, fresh strawberries and chef's granola.
©Alison SlatteryAs Local as it Gets: Public Markets and Québec Cuisine
To get a sense of the culinary culture within a place, taking a trip to a local public market is the perfect way to appreciate the ingredients that are used on a day-to-day basis. North of the city in Little Italy, the oldest and largest open-air market in North America, the Jean-Talon Market showcases 150 local fruit and vegetable vendors, flower stalls, spice shops, butchers, cheese and fish mongers, a chocolate shop, ice cream parlor, an Italian specialty store, pastry shops and an array of specialty stores. To the east, a beautiful Beaux Arts-style building in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood, sits Maisonneuve Market, housing locally grown items and unique gastronomic finds since its inception in 1910. Highlighting Art Deco architecture just south of downtown, the Atwater Market was established in 1933 which makes it one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Inside, butcher shops, cheese mongers, market gardeners and fruit and vegetable vendors can be found, along with Christmas trees when the season comes around.
© Anne-Marie PellerinWhen it comes to new Québec cuisine, the options are endless. Adding to an already extensive and diverse culinary scene, the standard of food offerings continues to grow. Dine like a local at Montréal Plaza in Plaza St-Hubert. Half-country house, half-chic French brasserie, chef Charles-Antoine Crête’s eclectic menu consists of almond macarons and foie gras, fish tartare and popcorn and marrow, pork and popcorn shrimp. In the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie neighbourhood, Hoogan et Beaufort delivers inventive, seasonal cuisine, using wood-fired cooking and local ingredients avoiding processed products in an elegant and contemporary setting housed in the industrial backdrop of the Angus Shops. Highlighting local meats, seafood and vegetables, Le Mousso features a fixed-price menu and offers a unique experience with one service per evening and a multitude of flavors with carefully chosen pairings.
© Dominique LafondA Fall Favourite: MTLàTABLE
MTLàTABLE is Montréal’s restaurant week and this year it is celebrating its 10th edition from November 3 to 13. A joyous reunion of the fall harvest and a triumph of Montréal’s culinary scene come together for a spectacular feast. The ingredients in Québec are the greatest inspiration to Montréal chefs—merging the seasonality of ingredients, the creativity of the culinary artist and the abundance of products, diners can indulge in their greatest desires and delve deeper into Québec’s wine regions.
© Alison SlatteryNo matter where your travels take you, make sure you check the Travel Advice and Advisories page for your destination twice: once when you are planning your trip, and again shortly before you leave. Safety and security conditions may change between the date you book your travel and your departure date.
