Story & Photography | Renée S. Suen
Known for being a gustatory haven, Montreal is a must-stop for many travelling diners. In addition to the charms of well-trekked Old Montreal and its cobblestone roads, the trendy Plateau Mont-Royal and the iconic shops and restaurants in Mile End, tourists have plenty of reasons to head outside the tried-and-true core.
Head off the beaten path and you’ll be rewarded by great up-andcoming dining areas. See why many are buzzing about Verdun and Villeray and the delicious things they have to offer.
Verdun
Just southwest of downtown Montreal, the riverside community of Verdun has been garnering attention as a go-to destination. This working-class borough was a so-called dry district from 1965 to 2010, but when its alcohol restrictions were lifted, the neighbourhood blossomed with craft breweries, including Benelux brew pub, cocktail bars like Bar Palco and a host of notable restaurants.
A few blocks inland from the strollable St. Lawrence waterfront and its bike, walking and cross-country ski paths is the neighbourhood’s main thoroughfare, Wellington Street—peppered with a mix of fun, lively spaces.
Visit Harricana’s boutique on Wellington Street to peruse the wide range of hats that are designed and made in the main workshop
There are cafés and restaurant terraces, zero-waste grocers, specialty boutiques like hat workshop Harricana and shops such as La Librairie De Verdun that’s stocked full of great giftables. At the heart is Notre-Dame desSept-Douleurs, a church and neighbourhood hub that hosts concerts and other events throughout the year.
Stop in at Le Toledo for natural sourdough breads, delicious butter viennoiseries, homemade terrine and coffee. An offshoot of its flagship Mount-Royal café-bakery, this spacious storefront hides a larger production kitchen, where artisan treats, including delicate maple meringues that disappear as soon as they touch the tongue, are made.
Le Toledo’s Parisian-style flan has become a popular must, in addition to its award-winning baguettes.
Although its baguette can’t be missed, neither should you pass up on a slice of their vanilla-speckled flan. Hiding under a blistered top, you’ll find an aromatic and smooth set custard that’s surrounded by thick, flaky pastry that’s not too sweet and incredibly enjoyable.
Steps from Wellington Street, Beba serves food and drinks inspired by co-owner brothers Ari and Pablo Schor’s Argentinian background. With flavours that nod to Spanish and Italian cultures, the intimate and cozy corner restaurant is not just a city favourite, but has quickly become a top table in the country.
Excellent nods to Spanish and Italian cuisines by way of Argentina can be found at Beba, a Verdun gem known for flavourful daily specials prepared with restraint.
This exceptional neighbourhood restaurant’s tight, frequently changing menu showcases no less than a dozen dishes that depend on the season, market finds or inspiration. Besides an unassuming but wildly delicious radicchio frisee salad that’s tossed in a bean-based vinaigrette and topped with pecorino, don’t be surprised to find whelks mingling with Italian-style greens, a dish featuring Ferme D’Oree pork, simply executed plates cooked a la plancha and a trio of desserts: dulce de leche flan, tarte au chocolat and pasta frolla.
While many rave about the empanadas packed with spinach and cheese(and flirts with other fillings on the rare occasion), the real treat is when the kitchen procures unique, often premium, ingredients. One visit featured montaditos (open-faced sandwich) of Tottori Iwashi (sardines) on a sesame encrusted bagel-like toast that’s slathered with salted butter, chives and horseradish. Supple and lightly pickled, the firm and intensely flavoured flesh sings against the toasted rich notes of the bread.
Hotaru ika (firefly squid) gets the Aglio olio treatment with spaghetti a la chitarra—its plump and juicy bodies bursting like sea-sweat water balloons when consumed. Lucky diners have also seen snow crab legs that have been set in crab consommé and transformed into a perfect terrine served with some lemon and toasted buttered bread.
While many rave about the empanadas packed with spinach and cheese(and flirts with other fillings on the rare occasion), the real treat is when the kitchen procures unique, often premium, ingredients. One visit featured montaditos (open-faced sandwich) of Tottori Iwashi (sardines) on a sesame encrusted bagel-like toast that’s slathered with salted butter, chives and horseradish. Supple and lightly pickled, the firm and intensely flavoured flesh sings against the toasted rich notes of the bread.Hotaru ika (firefly squid) gets the Aglio olio treatment with spaghetti a la chitarra—its plump and juicy bodies bursting like sea-sweat water balloons when consumed. Lucky diners have also seen snow crab legs that have been set in crab consommé and transformed into a perfect terrine served with some lemon and toasted buttered bread.
Excellent nods to Spanish and Italian cuisines by way of Argentina can be found at Beba, a Verdun gem known for flavourful daily specials prepared with restraint.
Unfussy, and straightforward good, the dining experience is equally matched by the restaurant’s unpretentious drink list. Focused predominantly on French and Italian organic wines that are accessibly priced, the menu is supplemented with classic and modern cocktails, plus local beers and ciders. Besides dining indoors with views of the open kitchen, there’s a park-facing terrace option in the warmer months.
Check out Arthur’s Nosh Bar from Raegan Steinberg and Alex Cohen, a must-stop for brunch worshipers. The hotspot serves a small but serious selection of Eastern European classics that have been given a fresh, contemporary twist, in a hip and energetic space.
From homemade organic gravlax dotted with dill, capers, marinated onions and caviar that’s sided by griddled Russian black bread, to silky scrambled eggs, praise-worthy golden thick latkes and fluffy syrniki(cottage cheese pancakes) bathed in a luxurious blanket of maple syrup and punctuated with a dusting of Maldon salt, this is a feast that’s as delicious as the plates are Instagrammable.
Arthur’s Nosh Bar serves Instagram-worthy brunches that are even more delicious than they look.
If great, non-traditional pizzas and low-intervention wines are your jam, then Elena’s energetic and chic contemporary Italian space is sure to satisfy. Choose from flavourful sharing plates, including antipasti and
salads, but don’t miss out on the wood-fired baked pies, delicious drinks and classic cocktails.
Arthur’s Nosh Bar
4621 Rue Notre-Dame W., Montreal
514-757-5190
arthursmtl.com
Elena
5090 Rue Notre-Dame W., Montreal
514-379-4883
coffeepizzawine.com
Le Toledo
4448 Rue Wellington, Verdun
438-380-2248
letoledo.com
Restaurant Beba
3900 Rue Éthel, Verdun
514-750-7087
restaurantbeba.ca
Villeray
Think Montreal and many conjure up images of Little Italy’s Jean-Talon Market—an open-air stalwart that attracts crowds for its vast array of fresh, local produce and specialty shops jam-packed with meats, cheeses, pastries and other incredible Québec products. But steps away, familyfriendly Villeray is attracting attention for its friendly cafés, fantastic restaurants and trendy, kitschy boutiques.
Lauded in 2021 by Time Out magazine as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, the charming up-and-coming quarter offers all-season outdoor fun at Parc Jarry—including sporting events at IGA Stadium, which hosts the annual Rogers Cup tennis tournament, plus open-air terraces and an eclectic collection of shops.
Quench your thirst at Cafécoquetel. Using beans from local coffee roaster Zab, the menu is filled with specialty beverages that range from the caffeinated to the spirited. Try the rose and pink peppercorn latte or the warming Montreal Fog.
The espresso-based beverages and cocktails at all day Café Coquetel.
Perhaps you’ll be tempted by something with an added kick, with or without alcohol, like: the Dark ‘n’ Stormy (ginger, lime, angostura), an Espresso Old Fashioned (demerara, angostura, orange zest), or a Hot Toddé (lapsang souchong and rooibos tea with lemon, vanilla, honey and angostura).
Known for having the best selection of Quebec ciders, the Comptoir Sainte Cécile is also a local favourite for its made-on-premise fare, including deli-style sandwiches, salads and desserts that use natural, simple ingredients.
Feeling peckish? Trek to Moccione Pizza for Neapolitan-style pies, wines and beer. Consider the Mela Smokey that tops a tomato and eggplant pizza with a blend of cheeses, including smoked mozzarella. Or maybe you’d prefer the Bellota with buffalo mozzarella, Belotta chorizo, confit cherry tomatoes and red onion.
Co-owner Luca Cianciulli shows off Moccione Pizza’s crowd-pleasing Sazeech pizza that’s available for takeout.
There’s also the crowd-pleasing Sazeech that’s crowned with rapini, sausage, confit garlic, mozzarella, pecorino and olive oil. Regardless of which one you select, you’ll be hard-pressed not to eat it straight out of the box on the curbside.
Then there’s modern Canadian Knuckles Cantine & Vins. The neighbourhood gem serves a flood of flavourful and fresh Quebecsourced, vegetable-forward small plates that are an ideal match to its list of thoughtfully curated low-intervention wines. Whether it’s a casual drop-in or a full-evening commitment, don’t miss the house specialty knuckle—a plump cheese- and tomato sauce-stuffed panzerotto that sports a crisp shell that’s thin, supple and light.
The knuckles from Knuckles Cantine & Vins are plump cheese- and tomato sauce-stuffed fried pockets that are excellent with their lowintervention wines.
Work up an appetite by walking around the 400 boutiques of the recently revitalized Plaza St-Hubert. Composed of vendors that have always reflected the multi-ethnic neighbourhood, from bridal shops to natural wine bars, you can even stock up on pantry goods at Épicerie Conserva, which specializes in chef-made products and fresh goods using Quebec-sourced ingredients. Besides produce from small farmers, saucisson from Fous de Cochon, there’s fresh pastas, pickles, Quebec beers and a zero-waste philosophy applied even to the soap sold.
Brouillon’s warm and attractive space serves as a creative hub during the day, and wine bar at night.
No matter what time of day, Brouillon is a third-wave café that has a kitchen pumping out seriously delicious plates by day, natural wine bar by night. It has a warm, cozy modern interior clad in wood, chrome, brass and leather that gives off a great vibe.
Nearby in La Petite-Patrie and Little Italy
On the south end of Plaza St-Hubert, there’s Montreal Plaza, a perennial favourite when it comes to fun, flavour and great ambiance. This is where you expect the unexpected in the most endearing and delicious way. The menu is playful and can feature eccentric combinations, such as Quebec winter strawberries and pancetta, or silky sweet shrimp tartare—all constructed from a backbone built on pristine seafood and fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Montréal Plaza’s whimsical and delicious cuisine is anything but predictable.
Besides daily specials, staples include smoked sturgeon cream between ethereal shrimp chips that collapse into flavourful nothingness, razor clams and whelks broiled like escargot in sumptuous miso butter. Don’t be surprised when the room erupts in song over a classic tune playing overhead, with neighbouring tables swaying to the rhythm, while co-chef and co-owner Cheryl Johnson and the kitchen team continue to churn out original dishes.
Montréal Plaza’s whimsical and delicious cuisine is anything but predictable.
Dishes are often plated in the most unexpected way, like sashimi-grade hiramasa and salmon draped with stressed matchstick apples and melon on a toy brontosaurus’s back.
For quintessential Montreal cool, it’s hard to beat the excellent experience at Vin Mon Lapin. Although securing a reservation can be a challenge, you’ll be well rewarded with an incredible selection of lowintervention wines and unpretentious small plates created by chef Jessica Noël. The wine bar’s recent expansion doubles its cozy and intimate dining room to accommodate the throngs of happy diners.
Vanya Filipovic and Marc-Olivier Frappier’s Vin Mon Lapin is a must for any food and drink lover
Savour and sample farm-fresh ingredients and seafood that appear on the daily-changing menu that might feature springy fresh tonnarelli carbonara that’s enriched with smoked eel from Kamouraska, or an otherworldly fried sourdough-dipped chicken wing that’s been stuffed with moist gizzards and raisins.
Vanya Filipovic and Marc-Olivier Frappier’s Vin Mon Lapin is a must for any food and drink lover
The wise will always follow the lead of the restaurant’s sommeliers, who will guide palates to the freshest, tastiest tipples, and the pro tip of always ordering the gâteau sarrasin. The latter sandwiches layers of moist, honey-sweetened, gluten-free buckwheat cake and a sprinkle of toasted buckwheat kernels between layers of fromage blanc that’s shrouded with airy crisp toasted meringue. The resulting tiered mini-cake is not too sweet and absolutely delightful.
Brouillon
6580 A, Rue St-Hubert, Montreal
514-274-4300
brouillon.com
Café Coquetel
426 Rue Faillon E., Montreal
514-543-3542
cafecoquetel.com
Comptoir Sainte Cécile
232 Rue De Castelnau E., Montreal
514-271-9888
comptoirsaintececile.com
Épicerie Conserva
6604 Rue Saint Hubert, Montreal
514-274-4777
conservamtl.com
Knuckles Cantine & Vins
241 Rue Jarry E., Montreal
438-380-3858
knucklescantineetvins.ca
Moccione Pizza
380 Rue Villeray, Montreal
514-270-4441
mocione.com
Montreal Plaza
6230 Rue Saint-Hubert, Montreal
514-903-6230
montrealplaza.com
Vin Mon Lapin
150 Rue Saint-Zotique E., Montreal
514-379-4550
vinmonlapin.com
Where to stay
Modern luxury: Four Seasons Montreal
Sleek and stylish, this new addition to downtown’s Golden Square Mile is the epitome of contemporary comforts, with thoughtfully designed guest rooms accessible through a dedicated guest elevator, a reception located on the second floor and attentive service that extends from the incredibly warm and welcoming bellhop-doormen to room-service attendants and twice-daily housekeeping.
The Four Seasons Montreal is the embodiment of modern luxury, with top-notch service that treats all guests like the VIPs they are.
This is the epitome of luxury. Besides a skylit swimming pool with upstream current generators that’s surrounded by daybeds, there’s a 24-hour fitness centre designed by celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak, the Guerlain Spa with eight treatment rooms and a Kneipp Hydrotherapy experience.
There’s also Contemplation, a stunning mobile art installation spanning nine floors that features a cascade of gold-leaf accented flowers in the inner courtyard that interacts with the changing seasons.
1440 Rue De La Montagne, Montreal
514-843-2500
Boutique escape: Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection
Sophisticated yet understated, the Andres Escobar design is a blend of art, innovative architecture and contemporary lifestyle needs. The minimalistic and well-designed interior spaces feel lofty and bright with quality design and finishes.
Humaniti Hotel Montreal hits a home run when it comes to urban comfort.
Outfitted with a King-sized pillowtop mattress, eco-conscious bath products and a modern furnished living area that’s separated from the bed by a privacy wall, the Haiku suite is a sprawling 718 square feet of urban comfort.
Humaniti Hotel Montreal hits a home run when it comes to urban comfort.
Take a dip in the rooftop outdoor pool, sweat it out in the two-storey gym, or get pampered at Spa Humaniti before enjoying elevated local fare and drinks at the h3 Restaurant and Lounge.
340 De La Gauchetiere W., Montreal
514-657-2595
Classic refinement: Ritz-Carlton Montreal
Those looking for traditional European-inspired charm will appreciate this charming landmark hotel. Pamper yourself with a maple sugar treatment at The Spa St. James, enjoy afternoon tea at The Palm Court Bar and Restaurant, and indulge in an amazing meal at Maison Boulud.
While the décor leans toward the classical, the rooms and suites are outfitted with intuitive technology and heated bathroom floors.
1228 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal
514-842-4212
Convenience and familiarity: Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel
Steps from the Bell Centre and Ste-Catherine Street, this hotel welcomes guests to 825 newly renovated rooms that are pet-friendly and comfortable. Sheraton Club guests have access to the 37th-floor Club, which includes deluxe continental breakfast, all-day lounge access and evening hors d’oeuvres.
In addition to 51,000 square feet of conference and event space, the amenity-filled complex has a fitness centre, indoor heated pool, Studio Pressurat massage studio and an atrium café bar that offers a welcomed retreat from downtown’s bustle.
1201 Boulevard Rene-Levesque W., Montreal
514-878-2000
