In case you haven't heard, Montreal is gaga over food. The city oozes restaurants, unique culinary traditions and foodies spoiled by an enviable selection of local produce. In recent years, TV chefs Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver both chose Montreal to anchor their first Canadian restaurant ventures. But they're not the only ones who've caught onto Montreal's food obsession. Some dishes have grabbed the international spotlight throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia ... even the likes of Paris and New York are trying to replicate flavors and textures hard to come by outside of Canada's foodie capital.
Poutine just might be Quebec’s signature food. The messy pile of fries, gravy, and cheese curds isn’t new, but in recent years it’s experienced a renaissance, spreading across Canada and beyond. Gourmet versions have appeared in trendy gastro-diners and even the New York Times has jumped on board, celebrating poutine’s arrival in Manhattan.The traditional take is still best for poutine newcomers. That means picking up a basic version—thick-cut, home-style fries, homemade gravy, and fresh curds—from a roadside chip truck. The trucks are found on busy city streets and along highways across the province.
Montrealers swear by their bagels, which are smaller and denser than their famous New York cousins. The Montreal-style bagel is wood-fired, and many of the city’s bagel joints do their baking within view of the seating area. Grab a table near the flame-filled oven for a perfect break on a winter day.The two big-name rivals are St-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel. St-Viateur has several locations around town; the Monkland and Mont-Royal cafes are the most sit-down friendly. Fairmount has one 24-hour location, and its bagels are also available at many Montreal grocery stores.
Shish taouk is Montreal’s street-meat staple. It’s a local variation on a chicken shawarma—marinated, boneless chicken, roasted on a vertical spit and then sawed off and piled on a pita with pickled veggies and hummus—and it is ubiquitous in the city.There’s some confusion over the naming of the dish—shish taouk and shawarma mean different things in different parts of the Middle Eastern dining diaspora these days—so be sure to clarify what you’re ordering. If you just ask for “shawarma,” you’re likely to be served beef.
Montreal’s sandwich of choice bears some similarities to the New York deli specialty, but there are key differences, too, in the process and spices used to cure the beef brisket and in the resulting flavor.The undisputed king of smoked meat is Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen. Schwartz’s has been slicing and serving since 1928, and it’s still in its original location on Saint-Laurent Boulevard. Pull up a chair, order a smoked meat on rye, and take part in an 80-year-old tradition.
As the world’s second largest Francophone city, Montreal is a big draw for French-speaking immigrants. These days it's particularly those from North Africa and the one-time French colonies of the Arab world. More than 20 percent of the city’s residents claim Arab or North African origins, and the result is an impressive array of regional cuisines available to visitors. “Couscouseries” have sprung up, featuring Moroccan, Tunisian, and Algerian specialties. Many of them are clustered in the Plateau Mont-Royal area.
Tassot is a classic Haitian dish, made with jerked goat or beef, marinated in citrus juice. As Montreal’s Haitian community continues to grow (it made up 2 percent of the city’s population in the 2001 census), tassot is increasingly available, along with other staples of French Caribbean and Creole cuisine. One favorite Haitian option is Ange and Ricky, a no-frills spot near Jean Talon Market. Grab a platter of tassot, rice, and fried plantains to go.
Montreal has the highest number of restaurants per Capita in Canada and the second in North America after New York. Montreal’s restaurant scene is very cosmopolitan with menus from literally around the world, with an often added French touch.
More than 85% of the world’s maple syrup comes from Quebec and items such as maple cookies, maple butter, maple candy, maple marinades among others are Montreal’s specialties. In the Spring, during what is called Temps des Sucres (sugaring-off time), people flock to traditional sugar shacks around Montreal to enjoy these treats.
Shaughnessy Village is full of hidden gems when it comes to Asian food. From ramens, to dumplings, or sushi and many more, this neighbourhood next to downtown is a gold mine for Asian food lovers. Miso restaurant stands out for its authentic Japanese cuisine and countless a la carte sushi choices.
Perhaps the best bakery in all of Montreal, Hof Kelsten also makes for a great spot to grab an affordable lunch, as any of their amazing sandwiches will only cost you around $10-$12. Heading to Hof Kelsten for brunch on the weekend is an even better idea, with all of their delicious breakfast fare priced below $15.
More and more vegan joints have been popping up in Montreal, all of which give Aux Vivres a run for its money, but the AV still remains the best in our opinion, mainly for the wide array of options. Every meal is offered at Aux Vivres, from brunch to dinner to dessert, meaning you can get a vegan meal anytime you hit up the restaurant. Vegan tourists should definitely check out Aux Vivres, though I personally want to give a shout out to Resonance, which has the greatest BLT.
Since 1938, La Binerie Mont-Royal has been an institution on Quebec cuisine. Serving all of the classic Quebecois dishes (pâté chinois, tourtière, pork sausages in gravy) a tourist must come here to get a taste of the historical flavours of the region. As the name would suggest, the resto also specializes in "fèves au lard" aka baked beans, which isn't something many eateries can boast in any city. First timers should go with the "Quebec plate" which will give you all the foods you need to eat at a reasonable $13.50.
Arepera is much more of a legit sit-down restaurant, and is arguably just as good when it comes to the classic Venezuelan dish. Order almost any of the restaurant's wide array of arepas and you're almost certain to have an end-bill below $20. Major bonus for some: arepas are entirely gluten-free.
Saint-Sacrement bar is almost always buzzing with activity. What you can look forward to, however, is a high-energy ambiance and a dinner that's both delicious and pretty darn cheap. Nothing is above $15 at Saint-Sacrement, which is great, because that frees up more wallet-room for their amazing drinks and cocktails.
A popular spot among the hipster community of Montreal, Dépanneur Le Pick Up earned its reputation by serving high-quality eats at great prices. Vegetarians will no-doubt recommend the meatless pulled pork sandwich at Le Pick Up (which is actually quite amazing), but just about anything is well-worth your taste buds's attention. If you can, try to get a daily special, a fresh creation made by the Le Pick Up's chefs that isn't much pricier than anything else.