Vacations

Where Vancouverites Should Eat in Montreal

The art scene, the Biosphere and the shopping are nice and all... but the food is going to be the star of your trip.

By Stacey McLachlan /

We have so many excellent restaurants here in Vancouver that sometimes it seems foolish to travel: what sort of meal could you possibly eat that could beat any of our world-class, award-winning rooms? But sometimes you just have to get out of town—whether to take a break from your email inbox or your toddler—and while you’re out there in the wide world, you’re gonna have to eat… so you may as well find somewhere delicious to do just that.

Luckily, Montreal is up to the challenge, and fulfills an important trifecta of criteria for a time-crunched, tight-budgeted Vancouverite: it’s a direct, affordable flight; your Canadian dollar doesn’t suffer from any nasty exchange rates; and the quaint brick architecture and history offer some visual novelty. If you have to leave Vancouver, it’s a pretty ideal place to go—especially if you’re feeling hungry.

Where to Eat in Montreal if You’re a Food-Obsessed Vancouverite

 

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For Japanese Food That Will Remind You of Home: Bar Otto

2695 rue Notre-Dame Ouest

When you have some of the world’s best Japanese restaurants waiting at home, it does seem a little silly to go out to an izakaya here… but when you want sashimi, you want sashimi. In the warmly lit, wood-lined room, you’ll find unique, fusion-y touches here that make it distinct from the usual tuna-roll and karage spots: heirloom tomatoes ($16) appear on the menu alongside more traditional items like pressed, Osaka-style sushi ($26); said tomatoes are served in a tofu mousse with spicy miso sauce. The soft-shell bao buns ($26 for two) are a nod to Korean culture, not Japan, but the cloud-like morsels will disappear in a few bites all the same. barottomtl.com

 

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For When You Don’t Want to Make Too Many Decisions: Casse-Croute MangeDansMonHood

1380 Rue Jean-Talon E.

Burgers don’t need to be complicated: the just need to be good. This seems to be the mission at the hip-hop-blaring underground Casse-Croute MangeDansMonHood, where just two main options await on the menu in the neon-lit little counter-service room, and walls are papered with a collage of nostalgic stickers and paper ephemera. If you’re tuckered out from a day of travel-related decision-making, this simplicity is downright blissful. Grab a double-cheese smash burger (make it Happy, with ketchup, mustard, onions and pickles [$14.50], or Cali, with a creamy signature sauce, onions, lettuce, tomato and pickles [$15.50]; Impossible patties are available for vegetarians) and some fries ($4) or poutine ($9) if you’re extra hungry from overthinking things all day. mangedansmonhood.ca

 

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For an Instagrammable Ice Cream Sundae: Iconoglace

1320 Bélanger

You could get a plain ol’ scoop in a cup or even a swirl of colourful vegan soft-serve, and that would probably be a very nice treat—but for a true sugar rush, lean in to the wild and whimsical concoctions available at this hip ice creamery. Inventive sundaes (prices vary) like the Life in Purple spill out of the cup, piled high with grilled yellow plums, hot caramel, chunks of almond tart and crispy, maple-caramelized soda crackers. iconoglace.ca

 

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For Poutine Because You Have To: La Banquise

994 Rue Rachel E.

It’s an icon for a reason. The greasy spoon diner has made an art of the classic Quebecois dish. Slide into a vinyl booth and explore the long list of topping options on the laminated menu—smoked meat, pickles and creamy slaw ($14.50), for instance. It’s open 24 hours a day so make it your pre-game meal, or your after-hours option… or both if you really want to get your fill of squeaky cheese while you’re in town.  labanquise.com

For a Bagel So Fresh It’ll Burn Your Hands: St-Viateur Bagel

Various locations

Ordering at St-Viateur, an institution since 1957, is a high-pressure experience. You’ll walk into the door and right into a lineup that’s blitzing right towards the front where a crack team of bagel-slingers fulfill rapid-fire orders while handling fistfulls of cash—there’s barely time to peruse the options of fresh-from-the-oven baked goods, much less review the toppings that are available a la carte from the coolers that flank the lineup. And when you do reach the front and blurt out an order for fresh sesame bagels and an adorable mini-jar of Nutella, you’ll realize that there’s actually nowhere to sit—another panic-instigator when you’ve got the freshest bagel you’ve ever held in your life in your hands. But crouching on the stoop, tearing off pieces to dunk into the hazlenut spread and fending off pigeons, any panic quickly subsides and all thoughts turn to whether or not you should get back in line for another round. stviateurbagel.com

For a Splurgy Date Night: Le Boulevardier

2050 Mansfield St.

Le Boulevardier, located upstairs from the chic boutique hotel St. Germain, is decidedly sexy, with mirrored ceilings, handsome leather-and-chrome furniture and a real oysters-and-martinis-for-the-table sort of vibe. The French (France-French) menu is classically inspired but fresh, infused with locally sourced ingredients—think Deer fillets with green Bearnaise ($43) or tender wild-mushroom ravioli with lemon ricotta ($32). If you’re splashing out, though, there’s no better way to indulge than with a seafood platter: the Discovery plate ($75) is piled high with oysters, prawns, snow crab salad, octopus salad and gravlax. eboulevardierrestaurant.com

 

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For Sipping Pét-Nat With the Cool Kids: Stem Bar

2475 Notre-Dame Ouest

Sitting at the bar is a must at the moodily lit Stem Bar on Notre-Dame: it’s where all the action is… and where you’ll have easy access to order another plate of perfectly fluffy salted pancakes with creamy burrata ($21) or razor-thin tuna carpaccio ($21), or ask the tattoo-clad somms to snag you another glass of something natty. stem-bar.com

 

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For an Indulgent Brunch: Janine Cafe-Brunch

3900 Rue Wellington

The Wellington neighbourhood markets itself as the ‘Coolest Street in the World’, and while we can’t necessarily confirm that (the amount of banks and KFC’s don’t necessarily scream ‘hip’ to us), we can declare confidently that it’s at least home to one of the best brunch spots in town. Walk into Janine’s and there’s a lush, Alice in Wonderland-style whimsy at play (mismatched, lushly upholstered chairs; a checkerboard floor; velvet drapery) that puts one in the mood for mimosas ($10). Down the rabbit hole, you’ll also find brioche French toast topped with pulled pork and a bright sunny-side up egg ($23), flights of vibrant, verdant fresh juice ($8) and crispy potato-and-beet latkes with smoked salmon and tartar labneh ($24). janinecafe.ca

For Sneaky, Cheeky Cocktails: Cloakroom

2175 Rue de la Montagne

Cloakroom may be hidden behind a mirror next to a menswear store, but it’s on the Canada’s 100 Best list so it’s not exactly a secret. Still, it feels fun and sneaky to slip into the dark, dramatic speakeasy; snag a stool at one of the low tables, tell the server what you’re in the mood for, and a custom cocktail (prices vary) will appear a few minutes later to make your dreams come true. cloakroombarmtl.com

 

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For Hidden-Gem Dumplings: Fu Chun Soupe Dumpling

1978 Boulevard de Maisonneuve O

Tender soup dumplings served in steaming baskets are always a good idea; if you get to kick back to enjoy these little pork bundles ($8) in a kelly-green room just a few steps down from street-level, awash in both sake and admiration for the colourful mural on the back wall, all the better.  fuchuncanada.com

For Efficient Gluttony: Time Out Market Montreal

705 Saint-Catherine St.

Describing Time Out Market as a giant food court for gourmands doesn’t quite do it justice—maybe “theme park” is a better way to cover it. Foodies will experience a real kid-in-a-candy-store feeling stepping into the 40,000-square-foot marketplace in Eaton Centre: after all, 14 restaurants and six bars await with dining options from award-winning chefs. Think of it as a sampler pack of some of the city’s best rooms—Le Taj for upscale Indian, Paul Toussaint for Caribbean curries and pineapple-rum ribs, modern Asian fare (hello, salmon tartare) from Chanthy Yen. Hopefully you’re not travelling solo, because Time Out is best enjoyed with a group with whom you can split a few (or a dozen) dishes with to take in the taste of this fine city in one gluttonous evening. timeout.com/time-out-market-montreal

 

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For Somewhere to Sleep it Off Between Meals: Sens Hotel Montreal

1808 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest

Sens may be smaller than the chains, but the chic boutique hotel manages to hold its own with convenient features like complimentary bike rentals and a 24/7 fitness room. The 108 rooms here are each contemporary and luxurious (the building got a reno back in 2020), with luxe wall coverings, lush carpeting and design-y light fixtures. Most importantly, it’s in an imminently walkable location with easy access to the Metro so you step out the door and start exploring (and eating: see above) tout suite. From $140 a night. senshotel.com