Going to Montreal soon with a group of friends (all ladies with kids in high school or college) for a girls weekend. We usually cook one or two nights and eat out a few nights. Can anyone recommend 2-3 not to be missed restaurants in Montreal? We all are foodies (one is a vegetarian but does eat fish on occasion) and are open to any cuisine! Thanks! Staying near the Palais Du Justice.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
Montreal is a compulsive dining-out city and if you miss one place you will find half-a-dozen more. The website restomontreal.ca lets you search by neighbourhood, style of cuisine, etc., although it doesn't rate places itself. Other sites do, as a Google search will show. One bonus: Some of the smaller restaurants, although a minority, allow bring-your-own-wine (shortened to AVV in French) with no corkage fee.
My choice for all-round value and atmosphere is Quartier-General, in the upper half of the Plateau area. Its lunch menu (not weekends) is a particular deal. https://www.restomontreal.ca/en/3277/le-quartier-general
On weeknights a reservation is wise.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33991 posts
Is Ruby Foo's still going? Or that smoked meat place I can't remember the name of maybe by Dorchester Square or nearby?
Happy memories....
Posted by
1172 posts
Garde Manger is a great one http://gardemanger.ca/index_en.php
Restaurant Chasse galerie also is always well ratedhttp://www.lechassegalerie.com
My dad always, always goes to Gibby's.. it is a steakhouse though so not sure about your vegetarian friendhttp://www.gibbys.com/alacarte.php
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Nigel, Ruby Foos is long since gone. Sorry about that. I think maybe Dunn's is the smoked meat place you remember on St .Catherine Street.
To the OP
Leslie Chesterman is a local newspaper restaurant critic. Google her name for a list of "best restaurants", many of which will be in Old Montreal close to your hotel. You will be spoiled for choice in that part of the city. One I have always wanted to go to is Garde Manger, on rue St Paul. Chuck, the chef, has a TV. programme and he is terribly good looking. I know .... shallow.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33991 posts
Dunns!!!!!
If visiting Montréal must have smoked meat. Must.
Ruby Foo's .... R.I.P. Many good memories, three generations of us.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
Dunn's! Now it's a chain! I feel a certain suspicion about any place that includes Famous in its name and Dunn's has a branch as far west as Vancouver. Still, a good smoked-meat sandwich should travel well. http://www.dunnsfamous.com/en/locations/
My fave is Reuben's at 888 St-Catherine west. Typical 1960s resto décor (lots of red), big menu of steaks, and you can specify how much fat you want in the tower-of-smoked-meat sandwich. Downstairs. This is the heart of the shopping crawl; you can cross the street to Simon's to fill a closet with knitwear. http://reubens.ca/
There's another Reuben's a couple of blocks west in the eleven-hundred block, a bit more upscale I think. The two places are run by competitive cousins, or so legend has it.
The bigger legend is Schwartz's, once called the Hebrew deli on St-Laurent, approaching its 90th birthday in the same location. The meat is still stacked in the street window and the folk tales suggest you can invite abuse from the staff. This was The Main, heart of Montreal Jewish tradition now turned chic without eliminating the variety of ethnicities who have ventured into its commerce.
https://schwartzsdeli.com/ca/en
Posted by
OP
USA
9 posts
Thank you all for the recommendations. I do not think we will suffer while eating in Montreal. Looking forward to this trip.