Montréal Restaurants

  1. Au Petit Extra

    The party never ends at this excellent little restaurant that resounds with the laughter of boisterous regulars and visiting film crews. Dishes written on the blackboards are simple - leg of lamb, filet of mahi-mahi or stuffed hare - but flavors are full and distinct. Reservations are advised, but you can sip wine at the beautiful wooden bar if you have to wait.

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  2. Au Pied de Cochon

    Chef Martin Picard takes normally heavy dishes and turns them into a symphony, like Alsacian choucroute (sauerkraut with meat and potatoes) or the trademark ragoût de pattes de cochon (tiny meatballs and vegetables topped with a crisp lid of breaded, deep-fried pig's feet). The logo is of a chef, frying pan in hand, riding a grinning pig. The poutine foie gras (around C$9 ) still has critics buzzing.

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  3. Bières & Compagnie

    Throbbing fusion pop and a grand ex-bank setting make this Belgian-style eatery a prime night spot. When you're not sipping on one of 100 varieties of beer, or slicing into savory wild boar or St-Ambroise beer sausage, check out the 30-odd types of mussels.

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  4. Bistro Le Porto

    This is a charming and cozy bistro, with terrific Portuguese and Mediterranean food and a fantastic selection of ports of all types, colors and vintages. The wait staff are friendly and knowledgeable and gives great advice about what to pair with what. The menu changes regularly, but if you happen to be there when the fish marmite (a kind of enormous stew/soup of seafood) is offered, it is well worth the price (usually topping C$30 ).

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  5. Chez Lévêque

    This classic bistro-resto attracts the beautiful people of Mile End and Outremont to chat fashion, movies and business under irreverent religious drawings. Paris-born owner Pierre Lévêque presents a superb choice of traditional French cuisine including grilled meats (rack of lamb or caribou) and fresh seafood (red snapper, Atlantic salmon or bouillabaisse). Many of the excellent wines are sold by the glass.

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  6. Chez Queux

    In an historic warehouse from 1862, with stone walls, polished paneling and Third Empire furnishings, this gem is the epitome of old-fashioned French cuisine. Settle into a thronelike chair, order the delicious châteaubriand and prepare for a pampering. The little-known rear terrace overlooking the Old Port is a lovely dining spot in summer. The wine list of 300-plus varieties has been featured in Wine Spectator .

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  7. Coco Rico

    People strolling the Main pop into this little Portuguese place all day for the plain, classic chicken sandwich and a little Styrofoam cup of roasted potatoes so good you'll be writing home about them. With only one long counter and flimsy bar stools inside this place always looks empty, most people get their orders to go and eat them on the run.

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  8. Euro Deli

    One of the lower Main's gems - both for people watching and its fresh pastas. Students and punks flop on the outside steps with pizza slices and drinks, inside regulars shoo away newcomers from 'their' tables. This sparse, bustling eatery is cafeteria-style and food changes daily - just go up and choose your pasta and sauce from the counter. If chocolate cake is on offer when you visit, pounce! It's phenomenal.

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  9. Il Mulino

    Arguably the best Italian restaurant in town. This family-style restaurant is low-key and homey with old black and white photos on the walls. Lamb chops are the house specialty and the vegetarian starter plate with sautéed peppers and olives, stuffed eggplant and grilled mushrooms is still considered a classic.

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  10. Jano

    If you're on this block of St-Laurent you'll see two lineups winding down the street, one will be for Schwartz's the other will be for this old-world Portuguese grill restaurant. Warm colors, small tables and a deafening buzz on Friday and Saturday nights mix with the smells of charcoal-grilled chicken, fish, meats and sausages. This is one restaurant where you can order anything on the menu without going wrong.

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  12. La Sala Rosa

    Be prepared for anything at this little gem. The waiters may not speak anything other than Spanish, your orders may or may not come at the same time as your dinner companions, or you may have an interminable wait, but the heaping portions of paella (which comes in five sorts including vegetarian) is masterful and will feed you for days afterwards. Try to make it Thursday nights when the flamenco show packs them in to bursting point.

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  13. Le Caveau

    Nestled amid a forest of skyscrapers, this Victorian villa has been a Montréal institution since 1949. The fine table d'hôte may include bourgeois French courses such as glazed snails, Provençal lamb or marinated salmon. The upper dining floors are most atmospheric, stuffed as they are with paintings and antiques. Reservations are recommended.

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  14. Le Paris

    The quintessential neighborhood bistro. Refreshingly, there's nothing slick or trendy about this place. The dated décor and core of loyal costumers gives it a casual, family, community feel. The menu is about no-frills French food - with classics like duck confit and flétan menieur (halibut dusted in flour and cooked in butter) alongside blood pudding and calf brains for the more adventurous. The place pulls loads of regulars so reserve ahead.

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  15. Les Chenêts

    Magnificent French food like duck à l'orange , served by chef and owner Michel Gillet in an intimate, magically ornate dining room. Gillet owns the world's largest cognac collection (830 different labels), immortalized in the Guinness Book of Records . If dinner prices you out, swing by for lunch. Classics like herring appetizers and mains like steak frites (steak and French fries) are served in the bistro downstairs from the main dining room.

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  16. Mozza

    One of the Village's best kept secrets, this little resto is tucked away in a pea-sized room near the métro and is easy to miss. (Look for the 'Mozza' sign they shine on to the pavement.) The menu includes salad, a starter like escargots in pastis and then a pasta of your choice. The quality of food is consistently outstanding and the service expert. There are two dinner services a night and reservations are recommended.

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  17. Ouzeri

    Recommended for its contemporary twist on traditional Greek food. Considering its oh-so-cool decor and patrons dressed in black, dinner for two is a tremendous bargain for charcoal-grilled mint-flavored meat patties or moussaka, calamari or veal cutlet. There's an extensive wine list; batten down the hatches for Greek dancing on Fridays.

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  18. Restaurant Berlin

    There really is nothing quite like hunkering down here on a frigid Montréal winter with heaping portions of wholesome, piping hot Central and Eastern European fare. A shot of schnapps after the entrée prepares you for the main course. All the classics are here, but the absolute best is the delicious, stomach punishing chef's platter, which includes a sausage, roulade of beef, pork schnitzel, pork cordon bleu, potatoes and red cabbage.

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  19. Restaurant Globe

    In such a pretentious part of town the Globe is a breath of fresh air. The menu is ingredient-driven: Lowbrow items like mashed potatoes alongside 'finer' dishes such as slow-cooked rabbit with crispy fried pancetta. The fine waiters excel in unobtrusive service, allowing patrons to focus on their meal (and the visiting movie stars). Reservations are essential.

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  20. Restaurant Hélène De Champlain

    Right by the Biosphère,with a relaxed, old-fashioned ambience, this place is a wonderful place to take a relaxing break from exploring the park. Service is warm and friendly and there's a range of 'just-right' French dishes like scallop and shrimp brochette or duck confit.

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  21. Scola Pasta

    A longtime favorite with office workers. Don't be intimidated by the pushy lunchtime crowds. Grab a tray, get in line, and prepare for mouth-watering daily specials served over the counter by some of the most gregarious cooks in town.

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  23. Toqué!

    No other place has generated so much excitement on the Montréal dining scene as Toqué!. Chef Normand Laprise gets rave reviews for his superfresh, innovative menus based on blending local produce into eclectic dishes. Even his desserts excite, created around fresh fruit with surprises like basil accents.

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  24. Usine de Spaghetti Parisienne

    The congenial stone and wood interiors with open hearth attract loads of tourists and families, but can you blame them? Its standard dishes like fettuccini with baby clams or filet mignon are great value and prices include all the bread and salad you can eat.

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