The food scene is Montreal is truly limitless, with restaurants everywhere you turn. It is no wonder it is amongst the Top 20 destinations in the world for Food according to Time Out. With the paradox of choice, we turned to google to tell us what where some of the most recommended restaurants in Montreal. We tried 10 restaurants across the 4 days and here are our thoughts on some of the best and highly rated restaurants in Montreal!
Tommy Cafe
Tommy Cafe was our first stop after a red eye flight from Vancouver. Located in the heart of Old Montreal, it is hard to miss the stairs that lead you into this two story space. Tommy Cafe offers a selection of breakfast and brunch dishes. We got their Grilled Cheese which was served on a crusty bread, a hearty tomato soup and a side salad. We also tried their Smoked Salmon Bagel which isn’t on their menu but does get requested regularly so the team will make it. It was a filling meal that made for a great start to the day. They also have locations throughout Quebec, Montreal and now a location in Oakville Ontario.
Reuben’s Deli & Steakhouse
Reuben’s Deli & Steakhouse located in the heart of downtown Montreal is known for their steak and smoked meats sandwiches. We visited for lunch on a Sunday afternoon and were seated immediately. The space was like an upscale steakhouse with touches of a sophisticated diner, specifically with their bar that displays all the pickled vegetables – not what you typically think of when you think smoked meat sandwiches.
We ordered the Onion Soup and the Original Reuben Sandwich to share, it was just the right amount of food. I am someone who will get bored of eating an entire sandwich to myself, but not the Original Reuben Sandwich with a side of fries, this sandwich was stacked with grilled smoked meats that wasn’t too salty and had a great bite. This was a great first smoked meat sandwich in Montreal and in fact a favourite from our whole trip. The French Onion Soup had croutons inside which gave the soup a bit more substance and was super flavourful. We think the food here lives up to the hype.
Pho Saigon Vietnam
For dinner on Sunday, we stopped by Pho Saigon Vietnam located right in Chinatown. Now, going to Montreal you wouldn’t typically think of getting Vietnamese food, but we had a craving that we wanted to fill. Once you take the stairs downstairs, you will be greeted with ample seating and a family run business. Here we ordered the special pho and the pork chops with rice and were pleasantly surprised. The dishes came out quickly but the pho broth was flavourful and hearty and the pork chops had a nice charred flavour while remaining tender. If you are craving some Vietnamese food, this is a great option, after all the French did colonise Vietnam.
St-Viateur Bagel
As part of our Hidden Gem’s Bike Tour (find out more in our post Top Things To Do In Montreal) we stopped by the original St-Viateur Bagel Shop. The store has been around since 1957 and contains a wall to recognise how far they have come where you can see photos of the owner, some of the famous visitors and newspaper articles they’ve been featured in. St-Viateur has really created a name for itself and the waiting line is consistent though moves very quickly. Montreal bagels are all hand made and boiled in honey water, making it sweeter than the New York bagel. Our top tip here is to order whatever bagel just came out of the oven. In our case, this was a poppy seed bagel which made for a fantastic vessel for cream cheese. We really think this was well worth a stop – we’ve been told that the original location is the best!
La Banquise
Poutine, poutine, poutine – this salty, potato-y, meaty, cheesy concoction is a must try in Montreal. La Banquise is a diner open 24 hours, serving a variety of poutine and breakfast items. We stopped by on a Monday afternoon and the line for dining in went out the door so we opted to take out and eat around the corner where there was seating. The park is also a great alternative option. Takeout moved quickly, our order of La Classique poutine was ready in about 5-10 minutes. The hot fries are crispy and potato-y, the gravy was very meaty and paired well with the melty cheese curds. Overall a very solid poutine, though we wouldn’t wait in line for it.
Schwartz Deli
When you look up smoked meats sandwiches in Montreal, Schwartz Deli is one high up on the list. We made our way out on a weekday night and the line was out the door. The inside of Schwartz is like your old school diner with table and bar seating, we were lucky to only wait about 10-15minutes but did end up sharing a table with a family of four. The menu is quite simple generally highlighting the smoked meats but also providing chicken, duck and other protein options. We ordered a serving of the Smoked Meat Sandwich and Poutine à la Schwartz’s. The smoked meat was delicious and stacked on in both the sandwich and the poutine. Finishing the sandwich and poutine did lead to craving some vegetables but the smoked meat here was delicious, a bit more crumbly than that of Reuben’s. Still overall a great experience, smoked meats at very affordable prices.
La Beignerie
La Beignerie is a donut and ice cream shop not too far from Schwartz. We walked along Av Duluth E which was car free except at the crossing of each intersection. It made for a lovely after meal stroll. La Beignerie have specialty flavours too listed on the outside on a blackboard but we opted for your classic ‘Natural Iced’ donut. This was the last natural iced donut of the day and we could tell, the glaze was great being not to sweet and the donut’s brioche base was delicious albeit erring to the drier side. That said we still really enjoyed this and would recommend heading to La Beignerie earlier in the day as their donuts are made fresh daily.
Liverpool House
We couldn’t get a reservation at Joe Beef, but we thought why not try their sister restaurant located right next door – Liverpool House. Known for their ‘Oyster bar & market-inspired comfort dishes’, the menu at Liverpool House changes based on the freshest ingredients available on the market.
We ordered the Burrata as an entree with the Hanger Steak and Arctic Char as our two mains. The Burrata is a classic selection that provides a great freshness to start the meal. The Hanger Steak was served medium rare but was quite small with the majority of the plate filled with fries. The Arctic Char with the crispy skin was a good seafood option with a decent sized piece of fish and a side of peppers. Overall given that the meal is more expensive, it did leave us wanting more.
Ma Poule Mouilee
Just across the road from La Banquise is the delightful Portugese chicken spot Ma Poule Mouilee. Stopping by on a very hot Friday, we were enticed immediately by the smell of the Portugese chicken grilling in the open kitchen. After a serving of the poutine (small) and a chicken sandwich we were stuffed. The poutine even at the smallest size was filled with portugese chicken, chorizo, curd, fries and a wonderfully chicken flavour gravy. Even at the smallest size this could have easily fed two individuals or makes for a great dish to share. The chicken sandwich was quite basic, with chicken shredded and served between two buns. A great meal for one, but we could have gone without this. At this point if you still have room for dessert, their Portugese tarts are a great option and really enjoyable- not overally sweet!
Pho Anh Vu
After really enjoying our first Vietnamese Restaurant in Montreal, we could not resist giving another Vietnamese Restaurant a go. We tried Pho Anh Vu who has locations across Ontario and just recently opened their first location in Montreal in 2024. The restaurant felt quite modern with hints of Vietnamese aesthetics plastered across the wall. We tried the Bun Bo Hue and the Pho Tai ( which is offered in 3 different sizes). Both dishes came out very quickly and offered alot of protein. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal here feeling like a hearty meal that reminds us of home.
Montreal truly excels in food with many culinary delights, serving a great mix of french and modern cuisine. You can’t miss out on the Poutine, Smoked Meats or Bagels when in Montreal. Did we miss one of your favourites? Let us know in the comments below.
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