For adventurous diners, Plateau Mont-Royal in Montreal offers a satisfying range of cuisines from around world thanks to the city’s cosmopolitan demographic. We pick the 10 best restaurants to try out in this trendy area of Quebec’s second-largest city,
From the outside, Schwartz’s is an unassuming place. Inside it’s one of the best delicatessen restaurants in the whole of Montreal for all sorts of sandwiches, bagels and other light meals. This Jewish deli is renowned for its spectacular meat which it marinates for ten days before hot-smoking it. You can even order your meat by its fat content, choosing from fat, medium-fat, medium, or lean
Izakayas, Japanese pubs, are becoming popular in Montreal. And what makes Kinoya Izakaya so special is its décor, which mirrors the inside of a Japanese fishing boat or a wooden grotto. Expect a classic Japanese salute on your arrival and tasty sashimi, octopus balls, and okonomiyaki.
A non-meat eaters’ paradise right in the middle of the McGill ghetto, Lola Rosa offers a great selection of homemade vegan and vegetarian dishes. Their burgers, nachos, and burritos are some of our favorite comfort dishes. The restaurant itself is small and cozy, with 20 tables at most, and with babioles, a cartoon character, dangling everywhere. Wooden walls infuse the restaurant with an earthy ambience. Take a look in the drawers of your table while you’re there; quirkily they are stuffed with notes from previous customers.
Aux Vivres Plateau, Montreal | Courtesy Aux Vivres
Aux Vivres speak of their dishes as ‘food with integrity’. They mainly use organic produce, and when they are not, they are supporting local forms instead, simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint. Aux Vivres is an ethical, eco-friendly restaurant that does not use genetically modified ingredients or artificial preservatives. Tofu, tempeh and super grains, such as organic rice, form the basis of many of their delicious and hearty dishes.
Café Chat promote themselves as a chilled out space where you can get away from the bustle of the city, enjoy tasty vegetarian dishes, drinks and…the company of cats. Sit back and relax while stroking a cat, something that is said to reduce blood pressure and raise wellbeing; this cat cafe aims to encourage human-feline interaction and promote kindness to animals.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Restaurant L’Express is an elegant Parisian-style bistro catering for those who want a stylish dining experience. The restaurant has a wooden bar and checkered floor, creating an authentic French atmosphere, and the food is exquisite, from the beef tartare and bone marrow appetizers to the floating island dessert.
The meat at La Salle à Manger is delicious; from mouthwatering venison carpaccio to the perfectly cured pork chop, this restaurant knows how to cook its cuts. The atmosphere is on the casual side for a fine dining experience, but this allows you to enjoy haute cuisine in a relaxed environment, something that patrons love about this restaurant.
Regular customers have been pining for Les Deux to get a Michelin star and it can only be a matter of tme. The restaurant offers superb gastronomic French cuisine in a warm and relaxed environment. The room is small, with only 11 wooden tables, and decorated with eclectic local artwork. Book ahead if you want to get a table.
Restaurant Le P’tit Plateau is a French-style bistro that specializes in delicious meats. Their food excels elsewhere too; from the poached pears to slivered-almond-sprinkled floating islands, the menu is so exquisite that you will devour anything you are presented with. BYOW is a nice touch for cost-conscious diners.
For cheap and tasty chicken, head to Romados. Known by locals as one of Montreal’s best-kept secrets, you can get chicken, chips, and a salad for less than $10. The restaurant was founded by Portuguese Fernando Machado so there are clear Portuguese influences. Even their equipment is custom-made from Portugal and shipped to Canada.
