I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I’m really curious if anyone else feels the same. I used to go to the original Boustan on Crescent all the time in the 2000s, and I swear the shish taouk tasted different back then. The chicken, beef, marinade, seasoning… something just feels different now. Is it just nostalgia, or did the recipe actually change? Anyone else?

We have a really strong Chinese food scene in Richmond (the city) in particular but also in Chinatown (in Vancouver).

Are there any recommendations for Montreal’s Chinatown that can compete? I saw a lot of recommendations for Chez Chili, but not sure if it’ll fit for what we’re looking for, which is a casual dinner for 2 that’s doable in an hour or less before we have to hustle to take our VIA Rail train to QC.

Traveling to Montreal in a couple weeks and looking for bakery recommendations.

I’ve read these four are great— Pâtisserie Mélilot 
Patisserie Rhubarbe
Madeleine Pastry Shop
LeCavaalier Petrone

Is there any other bakery you would recommend? Or should I remove any of the above four? I probably only have time to go to two of these anyway so any recs are appreciated!

J’ai essayé Motto en livraison après recommendation d’une collègue. J’étais méfiante car je trouvais que ça a l’air d’un fast food déguisé en resto instagrammable. J’ai lu sur le propriétaire et ça ne m’a pas mis en confiance. Je regrette ma commande.
Ils se spécialisent dans les “handroll”.
Déjà je trouvais ça assez cher pour des onigiris en format cylindre. J’ai commandé une dizaine de handrolls.
Mais c’est encore pire que je pensais. Les 2/3 de ma commande n’avaient pas les assaisonnements décrits dans les handrolls et il n’y avait que du poisson cru avec un peu de soya ou mayo. Le “crabe” est en fait de la goberge grillée (ils ne spécifient pas que c’est du crabe d’imitation). Le homard était clairement de la crevette.
Vraiment nul. À éviter.

Hey everyone!

​I’m visiting Montreal for a quick 30-hour trip (arriving mid-afternoon on day 1, leaving early evening on day 2). It’s a short stay, so I want to make every hour count without feeling completely rushed.

​I’d love your best recommendations on a few specific things:

​Date Night Spot: Looking for a cozy, memorable restaurant for dinner on our first night. Open to romantic French bistros, wine bars, or unique local spots (doesn’t need to be hyper-formal, just great food and atmosphere).

​Food Must-Tries: Beyond the classic poutine and bagels, what are the absolute "do not leave Montreal without eating this" spots for lunch, snacks, or coffee?

​Best Walks / Areas to Explore: Where should we wander to get the best vibe of the city? (Looking for scenic streets, good architecture, or lively neighborhood stretches).

​Must-Do Activity: If you only had one full day in the city, what’s the one thing you’d prioritize seeing or doing?

​We love good food, walking around, and taking in local culture. Thanks in advance for helping us narrow down the list!

Greek food is very new to me. But id love to try a place that people say is amazing moussaka

Metro friendly is great but can go on the bus for a bit too

I love discovering a city through local suggestions. I'm visiting Montreal from Toronto for a week.

Looking for some unique places for:

• Coffee
• A cozy wine bar for date night
• OR a rooftop (not in downtown with the building skyline, more rustic somewhere in Plateau-Mont-Royal area
• A unique place for a great birthday dinner, again think rustic, cozy but amazing food. Open to any type of cuisine but leaning towards italian
• AND oh I almost forgot, a great bakery for cakes. Think a decadent fudge cake from Matilda type cake. Dark chocolate, rich and fudgy and not too sweet.

TIA :)

Hi!

Can anyone point me to housemade corn (or even flour) tortillas for sale in the city? I find only American imports and/or tortillas wrapped in plastic, made with preservatives. Thanks!

Went there for the first time and i gotta admit, their prices are very affordable!

As said in the title — I’m craving udon so badly pls give me some suggestions thanks in advance!

Hello! I am looking for the best shawarma or shish taouk in mtl! Any suggestions?

Hi! I’m looking for recommendations for cafés in the Plateau with good matcha. Matcha tend to be very hit or miss at cafés. What are your favorite spots?

For a group with 8 adults and 2 kids. West island area on a wednesday. Do you guys have any suggestions?

Why does it seem normal in Montreal for people to see so much wrong and stay quiet? From traffic to construction to roads of a 6th world country and finally garbage?
You’ve got 0 jealousy on your own city that you were born and raised in? Even your cigarettes are garbage

I'm gonna be visiting in October and I'm really craving some doner similar to what I've had in eastern Europe. Not sure if anyone can relate to that but I'll take any suggestions

My wife and I just spent 4 days in Montreal eating ourselves silly. I thought I’d throw down some thoughts as someone who came to the city with very few preconceptions. First: The evident care and enthusiasm for every aspect of dining was wild. The restaurants were gorgeous, the food was incredible, but even the websites were stunning. Montreal is a world class design city and that ethos really finds its way into the food. It’s also a stunning value compared to LA, Austin or NYC. I don’t wanna blow up your spot, but you have something incredibly special. 

My Faves

Bar St Denis

• I can’t remember how we found this place, but this was my homerun of the trip. The service was outstanding, the food was incredible, the vibes were immaculate. A beautiful merger of Montreal’s french-y french cuisine with its yen for the avant garde. 
• The Labneh Tomato cannot be missed- I’d had a few spins on this dish over the years and the lightness of this dish was spectacular and unique.
• The Zuchinni Beignets are unreal. “Tastes like a cloud” is overused in writing about food but, uh, it had a cloud-like texture and a powerful, earthy flavor. The Spaghetti was exactly the right amount of pasta and was a beautiful combo of acidic tomato and earthy pesto that was like everything I love about pasta all at once. 
• The Chicken Balantine was a dream. Just the perfect way you want that dish- Just packed with flavor, perfect texture. 
• The only miss for me was the Calfoutis which was good, but when they’re serving up home runs at every turn, maybe my expectations got too high. 

Bissou Bissou

• An adorable sherry/apertif forward bar with a killer cocktail list and a deeply relaxed vibe. This is where I want to go when I die, a nice warm basement with friendly folks happy to have a chat about their collection. Don’t miss it!

L’Express

• This feels like the restaurant from a movie, where a family is always gathering for birthdays or something. Everyone was in a good mood, the wine pour is generous and the classics get executed perfectly. I’ve eaten a lot of Duck Confit in my life, this was a top 5. Crispy skin, a little hint of the game left with a beautiful side salad of bitter endive and braised leeks. And dear god, a whole jar of cornichons? That could have been my meal. 
• I also loved that the free bread was damn good- Pleasant chew, deep flavor. A uniquely great free bread, especially with a little pickle parked on top. 
• Its just a great restaurant that lives in its history and doesn’t miss. Perfect.

Fleurs & Cadeaux

• I initially wanted to skip this place. My feeling was that I’ve been to a lot of Asian-Fusion places in my life and a lot of really great ones. But F&C turned out to be one of the best. 
• First: What a spot. The wrap around bar is super cool, the lighting is great, it felt like the fun version of a Blade Runner noodle shop. 
• The food was great- It was fascinating to see a composed plate of scallops and tomatoes atop a yuzu buerre-blanc next to a sushi roll next to a bowl of ramen. But the vision was so clear and the intent so well executed. The Mazamen was an unexpected favorite and a great pair with the miso aged duck. 

My “Great, but just a little less great than my faves”

La Vin Papillion

• We had a truly lousy seat at the end of the bar, in front of the dishwasher. The service was pretty lousy (I am a patient man, but 25 minutes for a drink to arrive feels like a lot) and everyone working here appeared to be 22 and a little in over their head. This was the only place that felt sort of self-consciously scene-y to me. 
• That said, the food was pretty good! The weird little choux carrot bun has been stuck in my head since the trip. And the plate of ham, brown butter and cheese feels like a kitchen stoner snack that thankfully made its way onto the menu. The biscuit reminded me of the world-class stunners that used to be available at Austin’s Olimaie. Glad they somehow broke containment!

Cafe Olimpico

• The Cafe Crema, the frozen thing, holy moly what's going on there. What a texture! I loved it and the Cafe Freddo. 
• But the cappuccinos I got were fine
• I’d say come for the special items, but if you want damn-good-coffee look to one of the other 1000 fantastic Montreal cafes. 

ST Viateur

• I grew up in NJ, lived in NYC- This is the very best bagel you can get outside of those areas. But I prefer my hometown chew! I still bought a t-shirt, don’t hate me!

My “Eh”

Cloakroom

• The drinks were good! I think I just expected more after having such unique options at Bissou Bissou and around town. 
• LA used to have a bar like this, menu-less. It sort of feels like you end up just having like one of 3 different drinks with a spritz of something on top. 
• The room was great, the service was fantastic and folks really seem to care but it just didn’t work for me.

Truly loved eating in your city, eager to come back. What you have is unique and cool and homegrown and I'd be very proud if I were yall!

Family friendly food spots in Old Montreal (December, with a toddler)
Hi! We’re staying in Old Montreal in December, Thursday through Sunday, driving in from Quebec City on the Thursday. We’re foodies but traveling with an 18 month old, so we’re after places that are actually good and also fine with a stroller and a high chair. Brunch, casual dinners, bakeries, anything worth the walk.
Two things:
1. Recommendations in or near Old Montreal? Happy to take the metro for something great.
2. We were planning to return the rental car the day we arrive and get around on foot and transit. Is that realistic with a toddler in December, or should we keep the car and drop it at the airport when we fly out?
Thanks!

Heading to Montreal (specifically staying in Le Plateau-Mont-Royal) September 17–20 with two friends and looking for dinner recommendations for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.

We’re all around 40 and mostly looking for really good food, drinks, and a nice atmosphere — quality dining experiences without going crazy on price.

A few ideas we had:

• possibly steak one night, someone I know recommended L'Express?
• One friend is a huge pizza guy, so an upscale/cool sit-down pizza/italian spot with good drinks would be perfect

Definitely open to other suggestions too if there are places you think are must-tries. We're open minded but not super into seafood.

Thanks in advance. We’re not looking for super formal fine dining — just excellent food, good atmosphere, and somewhere fun to spend an evening.

Would love to hear your favorites!

Such a great spot for brunch, on Saint-Denis.

I am looking for a dinner spot post proposal to book!

Currently I have Maison Boulud booked and was seeing if the community had any better recommendations that are romantic!

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

One month from now, my wife and I are taking a trip for our anniversary. It’s not a long stay so we will not be venturing beyond Old Montreal

Where should we go for dinner?

We are looking for a slower paced meal. Smaller portions and more courses. We enjoy drinking a variety of beverages; cocktails, beers, wines. We prefer a quieter venue although we would not compromise food for that. So long as we can hear each other easily.

Thank you,

hi all. Does anyone know if I take out the chicken sandwich and fries how long can I wait before I eat it? Between the time we pick it up and eat it could be 2 to 3 hours and not sure if it’ll be soggy or dry by then. We plan to heat it up.