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Chez l' Épicier
This place, helmed by chef Laurent Godbout, has a permanent buzz around it. The menu changes regularly, and you'll find beautifully presented dishes like venison and red wine sauce. As for desserts, there probably hasn't been one review in the entire history of this place that hasn't mentioned the chocolate club sandwich with pineapple fries. There's a gourmet delicatessen attached that is excellent for picnic food if you're off to the Old Port.
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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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Chez Nick
This perfect little diner has been smack in the middle of swish Westmount since 1920. The Montréal diner staples are all here - burgers and fries, smoked meat and desserts so high they threaten to topple over. But it's got something for everyone, even the fusion fanatics, and you'll find health fare like brie and Granny Smith apple sandwiches with balsamic vinaigrette on black Russian bread. Lunchtime is rush time and lineups snake out the door.
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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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Cluny Artbar
Hyper young chefs dole out ultra-stylish café fare in this renovated factory shared with the Fonderie Darling art space. Tables are made of recycled bowling lanes and beams and pipes hang from the high ceilings. The menu changes daily so try the lunch special, their hot or cold soups or the whopping antipasto plate with a glass of wine. Their breakfast menu includes everything from croissants to huevos rancheros .
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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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Cube
Cube first offers a feast for the eyes with its simple designer decor (high ceilings, thick white drapes and herds of votive candles) and then for the taste buds with dishes like veal sweetbreads with parsnip and truffle purée or wild sweet bass with peas. Textures and tastes contrast well in the mains and the desserts (chocolate crème with red pepper and raspberry sherbet or Québec strawberries with violet ice cream). Reservations essential.
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Dunn's
One of Montréal's oldest smoked meat institutions with killer sandwiches slapped down on wax paper and served in baskets drowning with fries. The Reuben sandwich (smoked meat, sauerkraut and melted cheese, around C$12 ) is so filling it could knock you out. It's like a rush-hour train station in here at lunchtimes.
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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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Fairmount Bagel
One of Montréal's famed bagel places, people flood in here around the clock to scoop them up hot the minute the come out of the oven. Bagels are the one thing Montrealers don't get creative. They stick to the classic sesame or poppy seed variety, though you can pick up anything from chocolate chip to sundried tomato bagels here too.
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Frites Dorées
If you can deal with the low-life area and derelict regulars muttering about alien invasions at the table next to you, this place does a classic toasté all dress hotdog (relish, mustard and onion, topped with chopped cabbage and on a toasted bun). A city institution, immortalized by renowned Canadian photographer Gabor Szilasi in a one of his classic photos.
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Gandhi
Gandhi's has a core of loyal fans who come here for classics like Tandoori chicken and the extensive curry menu with adventurous fare like malaya , a curry of pineapple, lychees and cream. The starched white tablecloths, ochre walls are simple and understated. Appetizers like pakoras or vegetable samosas are finely spiced, and faves such as tandoori duck, butter chicken and lamb korahi practically melt in your mouth. This place is a gem.
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Green Spot
This diner near Atwater Market resembles a classic truck stop, with miniature jukeboxes at your booth and waiters who talk like they've heard it all. The fantastic breakfast specials, such as two eggs with sausage, fried potatoes, toast, baked beans and melon slices, run until (later on weekends).
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Hoang Oanh
The Vietnamese baguette sandwiches here are the very best in Chinatown. There's an endless choice of fillings but the grilled chicken or tofu varieties topped with mayonnaise, veggies and coriander are pretty unbeatable.
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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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Isakaya
One of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in town. The decor is fairly simple but the fish is frighteningly fresh - the owner, Shige Minagawa, is known for hand-picking his seafood and preparing it in classic Japanese fashion. Daily specials such as lobster sashimi, tuna belly or yellowtail are listed on the chalkboard by the kitchen. Reservations are essential.
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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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Jardin De Jade
The chaotic, loud, free-for-all known as the Jardin de Jade buffet should be a must on your list if only to see it in action. Vegetarian, sushi, dumplings, fish, chicken, ribs, soups, desserts, salads, pizzas...the list literally goes on forever. To see it in its full elbow-bumping glory, try weekdays, when locals, business people and students battle it out over the stir-fry. One of the best deals in town. Price varies depending on day and time.
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Kilo
The house specialty is creamy cakes and tarts with a shot of Grand Marnier or some other liquid decadence, as well as hot sandwiches, snacks and salads. This favored Village meeting point is great for sussing out intentions before the evening gets going.
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l'Amère à Boire
This bilevel brewpub with 25-ft ceilings, two outdoor terraces and a rustic brick interior is often filled with toe-tapping students enjoying the Spanish and jazz beats and unusually good pub food. Patrons slurp freshly brewed pints of the house German- or Czech-style lagers over tapas and burgers (downstairs), or borscht, pirogies and goat's cheese salad (upstairs).
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l'Avenue
Socialites will line up outside at 40 degrees below for an overpriced breakfast, such is the pull of this hopelessly trendy restaurant. The chic set is always well represented, nibbling at a golden croissant or sculpted melon ball, fully aware of the other hipsters doing the same thing. The washrooms are so cool they're worth a visit.
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l'Express
L'Express has all the hallmarks of Parisian bistro - black-and-white checkered floor, art deco globe lights, papered tables, brown mirrored walls - but the food matches the presumption. Seafood dishes like grilled salmon with grey salt or almond-crusted pike, and standards such as pot-au-feu (poached chicken, ribs and marrow bone in clear broth with potatoes and cabbage) are consistently delicious. Reservations are essential.
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La Binerie Mont Royal
Authentic Québécois cuisine is served from this diner-like counter. Full of typical Québécois dishes including tourtière pie, pork and beans or pudding chômeur (a bread pudding with brown sugar syrup) as well as universal comfort food like grilled cheese sandwiches.
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La Gargote
An Old Montréal standard, this bistro pumps along seamlessly with quality fare served in a cozy dining room. This eatery works well on all levels whether you're sitting down with a digestive and the table d'hôte after skating at the Old Port or in summer, taking in the street life as you lunch on the terrace in place d'Youville across from the main building and watching the waiters dodge traffic ferrying food to you from the kitchen.
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La Louisiane
Montréal meets the Deep South in this casual NDG eatery, with amazing results. The menu bears the hearty, delicious flavors of jambalaya, shrimp Creole or chicken étouffé, all armed with mysterious peppers and spices. The diet-blowing Voodoo Pasta has spicy Cajun sausage and tomatoes in white wine and cream. While you're here, be sure to check out paintings of street scenes by N'awlins native James Michelopoulos.
