For those unfamiliar, Montreal is an island in Quebec’s Saint Lawrence River, and its neighborhoods feel like distinct villages. The 5,000 or so restaurants that call Montreal home are spread across the walkable island, which means you can wander from boulangerie to wine bar to dinner without ever needing a car.

There’s been plenty of ink spilled about Montreal’s top tables, and some of my colleagues have done an excellent job of it. Most best-of lists will lead you to starred and lauded spots like Mon Lapin, Mastard, or Sabayon—all fantastic dining experiences. But I have always thought that the real fun is on the B-sides, where the cuts feel more personal, more surprising, and end up playing on repeat in your memory. Consider this your guide to the Montreal spots locals whisper about, the restaurants tucked into corners and side streets, spread out across the many neighborhoods, that serve food as unforgettable as any headliner. This list spans everything from fine-dining restaurants serving silky foie gras to cafeteria-style eateries with bowls of fiery curry and everything in between.

4629 Park Avenue
(514) 844-6292

Walk too quickly down busy Park Avenue and you might miss KazaMaza’s unassuming facade. The bohemian restaurant channels the warmth and generosity of true Lebanese hospitality. This is where I come when I am craving a taste of home. The mezes are all outstanding, but I highly recommend you leave room for the kibbé labniyé, bulgur-based croquettes stuffed with fragrant minced beef and stewed in a silky yogurt sauce with a cilantro and garlic paste—comfort in a bowl. A glass of ice-cold anise-scented arak is always the best pairing for a meze spread, but Lebanese wines and beers are also on the menu here.

350 Rue de Castelnau E
(438) 380-0970

I can hear the buzz spilling out of Casavant before I reach its sunny corner. This unpretentious French Canadian bistro, dreamed up by industry folks for their own, has a way of turning guests into fast friends. Just steps from the Jean-Talon Market, the restaurant features a menu that leans on seasonality and balances indulgence with creativity. Some dishes have become essential fixtures, like the delicate, buttery tart that debuted as a Provençale and now shifts, shattering under the weight of seasonal fillings. The clever beef tartare is infused with local smoked mackerel, lending it an addictive depth of flavor. The natural wine list alone warrants lingering at the bar.

38 Rue Beaubien E
(514) 722-2175

With just 26 seats, Restaurant Gus feels like a neighborhood dinner party where everyone knows each other. Chef David Ferguson’s outsized personality infuses everything, from the flavor-packed steakhouse classics to the buzzy ambiance. Every dish here is made with intent and care, often requiring days of prep before making an appearance on guests’ plates. Seasonal tweaks keep things fresh, but many steadfast favorites would cause a riot if ever taken off the menu. Sit at the bar, which doubles as the chef’s stage. It’s the best spot in the house to watch your Gus Caesar come together in a seasoned wooden bowl, where yolk and anchovy are whisked to a glossy emulsion. The first garlicky bite will confirm why it’s considered Montreal’s best.

3721 Rue Notre Dame O
(514) 933-3507

Walk into Satay Brothers and suddenly Montreal feels a lot closer to a Singaporean street market. The place is chaotic, colorful, and humming with energy—a lively fever dream brought to life by sibling duo Alex and Mat Winnicki. The beef rendang and bao buns with pork belly papaya salad are all outstanding, but the star here is the laksa, a hearty rice noodle soup studded with shrimp and fish cakes. The spicy coconut milk-rich broth is the perfect remedy on a cold winter day. In summer, their hawker-style stall at Atwater Market brings the same bold flavors to the open air.

6966 Rue Saint-Denis
(514) 276-9717

The first time I stepped into Bar St-Denis, the dazzling light fixture glowing across the dining room stopped me in my tracks. A long, underlit orange bar stretches down one side while an open kitchen anchors the back, setting the stage for food that’s consistently flawless. The menu shifts with the seasons, drawing on French technique with Montreal flair and a sprinkling of Levantine flavors. Dishes are deceptively simple, combining a few ingredients picked at their peak. I keep coming back for the labneh with pistachios, olives, and sumac, scooped up with blistered flatbread. It’s the kind of dish you want to last forever.

551 Rue Saint-Martin
(514) 447-2717

Even after a decade, walking down the alley to Candide still feels like I’m in on a secret—and now you are, too. Housed in a former presbytery, the room glows softly with warm wood tones and signature green banquettes. The evolving tasting menu is a love letter to Quebec, turning foraged, preserved, and market-fresh ingredients into dishes that surprise without ever showing off. It’s a true taste of Quebec’s terroir, and chances are you’ll eat things you’ve never tried before, such as sea parsley, oyster leaves, or blueberries pickled like capers. The wine list is just as considered, featuring gems from around the province alongside standout bottles from around the world. Hot tip: Grab a seat at the kitchen counter and watch the chefs plate with monk-like focus.

9 Avenue Fairmount E
(514) 796-5686

Eating at Lawrence feels like stepping into chef-owner Marc Cohen’s private atelier. A master of quiet restraint, he runs the kitchen solo, overlooking the intimate dining room from the window of his postage-stamp playground. His prix fixe menu shifts with the seasons and reflects his deep ties to Quebec’s small farms. Carefully sourced whole animals are broken down at his nearby butcher shop before reappearing as elegant, nose-to-tail dishes with a subtle British accent that reflects his background. Pork brain? Yes, please! Few can make an off-the-menu cut of meat feel this thrilling. Sitting in Lawrence’s snug dining room always feels personal, like a gifted friend is cooking just for you.

143 Mont-Royal Avenue E
(438) 383-4700

It was a photo of the uni carbonara that first lured me into Kitano Shokudo, but the room itself sealed the deal. Picture a moody, intimate space that feels like a Japanese tavern dreamed up in a Wong Kar-wai movie. The menu is a love letter to Japanese cuisine at large and to fish, from pristine sushi and radiant chirashi bowls to inventive plates like that memorable uni pasta. Every bite of the absurdly fresh urchin seems to melt on the tongue, handled with a reverence that makes this one of Montreal’s most exceptional restaurants.

104 Avenue Laurier O
(514) 271-3095

Three decades in, La Chronique remains one of Montreal’s most venerated temples of French fine dining. The white-tablecloth dining room feels timeless, with graceful service that’s warmly attentive and perfectly in step with the food’s quiet sophistication. Classic French technique meets impeccable ingredients plated with restrained elegance. Foie gras devotees will be pleased to know that it’s a permanent fixture here, seared so the edges caramelize while the center stays impossibly silky, and paired with seasonal accompaniments. The award-winning cellar is stacked with rare finds, promising pairings as refined as the cuisine itself.

83 Rue Saint-Zotique E
(514) 379-3024

Thai in Little Italy? Absolutely. Step inside Pumpui, the bright, cafeteria-style curry shop-grocery store mashup, and you’ll immediately find yourself elbow-to-elbow with locals who know what’s up. The menu dazzles with uncompromising Thai flavors, from creamy, spice-kissed curries to fragrant stir-fries, but don’t miss the chicken wings: crisp, juicy, and slathered in sweet-spicy sauce, they’re the menu’s sleeper star. If a daily special is offered, order it, you won’t regret it. Thoughtfully chosen craft beers, local drinks, and wines make perfect partners for the bold dishes on the menu.

3535 Rue Saint-Denis
(514) 282-5155

Dining at Quebec’s Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie (ITHQ) restaurant is always a treat because it feels like scoring a front-row seat to the next wave of local cuisine. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the sleek, contemporary room with light, while a massive walk-in wine cellar looms like a treasure trove across the room. Make no mistake, this isn’t an amateur operation but rather Quebecois gastronomy at its finest, with regional ingredients handled with precision and creativity. Students and chefs display their formidable collective talent in both the kitchen and front-of-the-house. The menu constantly evolves but the local cheese platter is a must, though that’s no excuse to skip the fabulous desserts.

1212 Rue Saint-Zotique E
(514) 303-1204

Luciano Trattoria might fly under the radar with its humble facade and “cucina semplice” tagline, but step inside and you’ll see why locals guard it like a secret. Everything is made by hand, from ricotta gnocchi as light as clouds to tagliatelle that clings to sauce. And oh, that tomato sauce, less a condiment than a signature, tangy-sweet and utterly addictive. Don’t skip the polpette, a tender, juicy recipe passed down from the chef’s nonna, simmered in that same iconic sauce and dusted with grated Grana Padano. The room is unpretentious, the menu short, but the flavors run deep.

1638 Rue Notre Dame O
(514) 925-7007

At Foxy, everything revolves around fire. The dining room glows with warmth and flickers of flame, setting the mood for seasonal, plant-forward plates meant to be shared. Vegetables emerge blistered and caramelized from flames, crudos get a quick kiss of glowing embers, and meats carry a whisper of smoke. The flatbread du moment, a perennial favorite, is always charred just right and topped with whatever the market is showing off. Co-owned by Véronique Dalle, an award-winning sommelier who sharpened her craft at some of Montreal’s top restaurants, Foxy features a wine list that’s every bit as compelling as the food.