where to eat in montreal

I had no idea before my recent trip to Montreal that it is a food destination! I truly had so many delicious meals while I was up there, and there are just an insane amount of highly rated restaurants all over Montreal, but I just picked a few to highlight if you ever make the trip!

Drogheria Fine

68 Fairmount Avenue, Mile End Neighborhood

My brother took on the role of tour guide as he's been to Montreal several times, and this was his absolute must-stop. It's a little window counter where you can order fresh gnocchi to go in a take-out box. In other words: heaven. It's $5, piping hot, homemade, and covered in mouth-watering tomato sauce. Whether you stop by for lunch, dinner, or a snack at literally any time of the day, it's top-notch.

Also, right next to the gnocchi stand happens to be one of the oldest and most famous bagel bakeries in Montreal, Fairmount Bagels. I had no idea that Montreal is known for its bagels! They are very different than a New York bagel - sweeter, and more crunchy than doughy. We ordered a few Sesame to go and were not disappointed.

Vallier Bistro

425 McGill Street, Vieux-Montreal

We happened across Vallier Bistro as we were just walking the main streets of the city. Its interior is hip and modern and its food is classic. I had the mac and cheese which was amazing and we all ordered poutine for the table. It was my first time trying it and while it won't be my go-to anytime soon, it was pretty good. Some other favorites from the menu were the French onion soup, Vallier salad, and cheeseburger.

Tommy Cafe

200 Notre Dame Street, Vieux-Montreal

Tommy Cafe happened to be right across from our hotel, and there are a few other locations around the city as well. It was a perfect spot to escape cold with some hot chocolate and warm bagels. The inside is so cozy and chic, and the food is simple and delicious. Also, yes! More bagels! These ones were a bit fancier, with fresh fruit and jam! We stopped in here several times on trip, so I highly recommend it!

Creperie Chez Suzette

36 E. St. Paul Street, Vieux-Montreal

I was not going to leave Montreal without having had crepes, so we searched online and found Chez Suzette by our hotel. It's a quaint two-story restaurant (but crowded, so make reservations) with what I feel is classic French-Canadian cuisine, including cheese and chocolate fondue. I had their quiche which was one of the best I've had in my life, along with a delicious salad. And of course, crepes! Nutella and banana is the go-to for me, but they had a whole list of options!

Beauty's

93 Mont-Royal Avenue

Another spot my brother wanted us to visit was Beauty's in the Jewish Quarter of Montreal. It is an iconic establishment in the city, having been pretty much kept the same since it opened as a luncheonette in 1942. Its retro interior and advertising of milkshakes (called "Beauty Smoothies") had me hooked from the start. I had yet another bagel (but I was also tempted by the BLT) and of course a chocolate milkshake which I must have been enjoying too much since I didn't take any pictures of the food! But trust me when I say it was all yummy, and the place was so fun too.

 

Le Petit Depanneur Cafe

179 W. St. Paul Street, Vieux-Montreal

The storefront alone will pull you into this charming cafe. It has food, baked goods, coffee and tea to order for take-away or sit down, but it also has adorable things for sale inside the shop. We didn't actually have a meal here, but we got some coffees and maple fudge to go. Stop in for the decor alone!

Other spots to check out:

• Dugout Patisserie - 22 E. Duluth Avenue - a vegan and gluten free bakery
• Wolf & Workman - 139 W. Paul Street - a gastropub with amazing grilled cheese
• Cafe Chat L'Heureux - 172 E. Duluth Avenue - a cat cafe!!!!!!!
• Le Club Chasse et Peche - 423 Rue Saint-Claude - an upscale meat and fish house

Bon appétit! 

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