17 Restaurants That Make Montreal Dining Great

After a fire forced Syrian fine dining destination Damas out of its old premises several years ago, it bounced back better than ever, just a few blocks away. With new digs and a sprawling terrasse (patio) in leafy Outremont, it catapulted back to the top of the city’s food scene. With mezzes such as fattoush salad and creamy hummus, plus mains centered around melt-in-your-mouth lamb with perfectly spiced sauces, chef and owner Fuad Alnirabie and his team usher Levantine cuisine to stunning new heights.

At the heart of Montreal’s relatively new and très luxuriant Four Seasons hotel is celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson’s eponymous restaurant. Headed by Montreal chef Jason Morris (known for exceptionally creative work at Pastel and Le Fantôme), Marcus focuses squarely on a mouthwatering combination of seafood and vegetables, boosted by the presence of a Japanese-style robata grill in the kitchen, among other nods to Japanese cuisine. With a gleaming Art Deco space and a plant-lined terrasse, it’s also a fitting spot for a casual drink, thanks to a crafty cocktail menu that’s equal parts fruity and spicy.

As one of several outposts in renowned chef Daniel Boulud’s empire, Maison Boulud occupies an exquisite space in Montreal’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel, accompanied by a gorgeous garden-side patio. Chef Romain Cagnat delivers a refined mostly-French menu with staples such as beef tartare and foie gras plus prime rib with béarnaise sauce, as well as a divine weekend brunch.

This restaurant’s namesake chef, Sophie Tabet, cut her teeth in MICHELIN-starred restaurants such as L’Astrance in Paris and Dal Pascatore in Lombardy, Italy. Almost a decade ago, she brought those best-in-class skills back to her hometown, and this upscale neighborhood spot is the result of that. Expect French-leaning dishes that draw on Tabet’s impressive pedigree, but with plenty of nods to native Canadian products such as mushrooms to seafood, plus some international twists.

Le Club Chasse et Pêche’s owners, Hubert Marsolais and Claude Pelletier, have crafted a small kingdom consisting of several top Montreal restaurants, but this Old Montreal fine-dining spot is where it all began. The name translates to “The Hunting and Fishing Club” and gives a fairly clear idea of what to expect: The restaurant’s simple yet elegant dishes showcase main ingredients such as Arctic char, seal, and duck, all served in a handsome space with just the right amount of log cabin-inspired decor.

While he’s not as well-known outside Quebec, Normand Laprise is one of the province’s most famed chefs, credited as an innovator who raised historically maligned Québécois cuisine to new heights. His restaurant Toqué! is where much of this happened — open since 1993, it’s still a seminal institution on the French-Canadian dining trail. Expect a tasting menu that spotlights fine meats, mushrooms, cheeses, and seasonal produce; it’s quite a special occasion restaurant, so it would be wise to splurge on the wine pairing option, too.

Come to this rooftop venue for the splendid views of Old Montreal and the St-Lawrence River, but stay for the takes on classic bar and brasserie food. Located on the eighth floor of the William Gray Hotel, the Terrasse dishes up burgers, beef tartare, grilled trout, and steak frites, while also offering an extensive bar menu of spritzes, sangrias, and Montreal-brewed beer from St-Ambroise. If there’s no space on the Terrasse, you can also head to Perché on the hotel’s fourth floor, which offers a full bar and beachy tacos.

Formerly the exclusive Mount Stephen Club, this historic building at the heart of downtown Montreal is now boutique hotel Le Mount Stephen — and the crowning jewel might just be its British restaurant Bar George. Grab a classic cocktail and snacks such as chicken liver toast or mushy pea fritters, or just dive into the hearty main menu with beef Wellington, or a hearty baked cod.

Although this chic spot facing Jeanne-Mance Park hails from the owners of Old Montreal’s Le Club Chasse et Pêche, it takes quite a different path. Regularly featured on lists of the best meals in the city, yet somehow managing to remain low-key, Le Filet delivers a lighter, seafood-oriented menu. Chef and co-owner Yasu Okazaki draws thoughtfully on his Japanese heritage to craft unique dishes in perfect equilibrium — and they’re usually quite photogenic, to boot.

After owners Nada Abou Younes and Sean Murray Smith overhauled former restaurant Les Deux Singes de Montarvie and opened Montreal Île Flottante in its place, a new dining darling was born. This tasting menu-only establishment in the center of the ever-cool Mile End focuses its attention on Quebec’s harvests, stepping away from the meaty focus of many other local icons. The menu changes rapidly but typically features thoughtful and complex concoctions; past dishes such as a savory carrot cake or trou normand with cucumber sorbet convey the vibe you should expect. Take note: Île Flottante is exceedingly vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, but it’s not strictly vegetarian.

Chef Marc-André Jetté and top sommelier William Saulnier make a deft pairing at this stunning venue tucked in a quiet corner on the east side of Rosemont. Jetté uses the restaurant’s in-house fire pit with care to compose careful, refined dishes that go well beyond the rustic norm of fire pit cooking, such as local lamb with oyster mushrooms, turnip and marinated garlic flowers. Jetté’s crew also know when to put the flames aside, like in the restaurant’s restrained pasta dishes that are bursting with flavor. It all goes down in a trendy converted warehouse with a sprawling off-street terrasse in the warmer months.

It’s a très French affair at the Bonaparte Hotel’s in-house restaurant: The robust menu skews classic with dishes such as lobster bisque and filet mignon with five pepper-cognac sauce on a six-course degustation menu. If you’re looking for fewer courses, the classicism continues on the a la carte menu with tartares, soupe à l’oignon, or roasted duck breast.

Chefs Marc De Canck and Olivier de Montigny built this Laurier Avenue restaurant up into one of the city’s go-to special occasion destinations. The pair approach their degustation menus with a firmly French technique—but a great dollop of creativity, too. That means dishes with a few local twists, such as Canadian bison, mushrooms, or seafood, all with picture-perfect styling and delivered with impeccable service. A detailed and predominantly French wine list seals the deal.

With a minimalist dining room on a post-industrial stretch of Jean-Talon Street, the focus at Mui Mui is undoubtedly the food. And boy, does chef Minh Phat deliver. Expect fusion dishes that are laden with creativity—Phat doesn’t place any firm labels on his cuisine, but draws on Chinese, Vietnamese, and French influences (among others). Expect plenty of vibrant textures and spice from a menu that’s rich with fresh vegetables and bold yet well-balanced flavors.

Located in the Sofitel Hotel, right in the middle of downtown Montreal and next to McGill University, Renoir is one of the city’s most reliable hotel restaurants. Hailing from Burgundy, chef Olivier Perret delivers nouveau French dishes that draw on plenty of Québécois produce, on a short but sweet menu with options like maple-lacquered octopus with tarragon, or a morel mushroom risotto. Enjoy it in a classic white-tableclothed dining room, or on the terrasse perched above the bustling Sherbrooke Street below. Don’t skip dessert, as pastry chef Clément Tilly brings perfectly refined sweet treats, helped by his substantial experience in Paris.

For a slice of Paris without leaving Montreal, look no further than Chez Lévêque, which has been dishing up French brasserie classics since 1972. That means tartares, steak-frites, mussels, and sweetbreads (offal is a specialty here). It comes with friendly service in a classy yet eclectic dining room. If you arrive after 9 p.m., there’s a special (and extra-affordable) late night table d’hôte menu; it’s also available at lunch.

This Old Montreal steakhouse is a staple of the city. In addition to an array of cuts of beef (some served with a delectable cognac-pepper sauce), the restaurant spreads its wings with items like a herby, garlicky rack of lamb and buttery chicken kiev. Seafood, particularly oysters and lobster, are another focus, for those who fancy both surf and turf. The ambiance is fantastic, too: Gibby’s is located in a converted 18th century stable, with stone walls, beamed ceilings, and a cozy yet upscale vibe. There’s also a location in the mountain town of Saint-Sauveur, about an hour north of Montreal.