11 editor picks in Montreal.
11 french fine dining places in Montreal we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Montreal | French Fine Dining across every city.
French cooking is Montreal's home turf and its fine-dining backbone. Toque has anchored the high end since 1993 with Normand Laprise's Quebec terroir menus, Jerome Ferrer's Europea holds a Michelin star downtown for its lobster cream cappuccino, and starred rooms now dot the neighbourhoods, from Mastard and Hoogan et Beaufort in Rosemont to Sabayon, pastry chef Patrice Demers's 14-seat counter in Pointe-Saint-Charles. On the bistro end, L'Express on Saint-Denis still cuts its steak tartare to order, and Joe Beef in Little Burgundy remains the landmark that rewrote Montreal dining.
Joe Beef is the Little Burgundy landmark that rewrote Montreal dining, serving decadent, seafood-heavy French-Quebecois cooking on Rue Notre-Dame.
OrderThe lobster spaghetti and whatever seafood is chalked on the board.
TipReservations are hard; try the walk-in bar or book a month out for the tiny dining room.
L'Express is the Paris-style bistro on Saint-Denis, a Michelin-recommended classic feeding Montreal tartare, marrow and cornichons past midnight since 1980.
OrderThe steak tartare cut to order, with a jar of cornichons.
TipIt runs late daily; a solo seat at the zinc bar is the easiest table in the city.
Toque has anchored fine dining in Montreal since 1993, chef Normand Laprise plating Quebec terroir in a formal room on Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle.
OrderThe seasonal tasting menu built on named Quebec producers.
TipLunch is the calmer, cheaper way to taste what Laprise is doing with the season; the tasting menu still needs booking ahead.
Jerome Ferrer runs Europea, a one-Michelin-star French kitchen on Rue de la Montagne in downtown Montreal, famed for its lobster cappuccino and long tastings.
OrderThe signature lobster cream cappuccino with truffle.
TipThe multi-course tasting is long and theatrical; go hungry and leave the whole evening free.
Mastard is chef Simon Mathys's one-Michelin-star room in Rosemont, Montreal, plating precise, produce-driven cooking without any starched formality.
OrderThe tasting menu built on the day's Quebec vegetables and fish.
TipIt is small and books out fast; reserve well ahead and aim for a weeknight seat at the counter.
Sabayon is pastry chef Patrice Demers's one-Michelin-star, 14-seat tasting counter in Pointe-Saint-Charles, Montreal, where dessert leads the meal.
OrderThe full tasting menu with the pastry-led finale.
TipReservations open the first Wednesday of each month at noon for the month ahead; set an alarm.
Hoogan et Beaufort earned a Michelin star for its wood-fired, produce-led Quebecois cooking in Montreal's Rosemont-Angus district on Rue Molson.
OrderWhatever comes off the wood hearth, plus the bread service.
TipThe open kitchen and hearth seats are the best in the house; ask when you book.
Le Mousso is Antonin Mousseau-Rivard's ambitious tasting-menu room in Montreal's Centre-Sud, a dark, theatrical space built around one long set menu.
OrderThe set tasting menu; there is no a la carte.
TipTrust the kitchen and take the wine pairing; the menu changes with the season and rarely repeats.
Montreal Plaza is chef Charles-Antoine Crete's playful, generous restaurant on Rue Saint-Hubert, one of the most joyful high-end tables in Montreal.
OrderWhatever the kitchen is riffing on; the menu is deliberately chaotic and fun.
TipIt works for a big group and a long night; ask for the tasting if you want the full Crete experience.
Monarque is a polished French brasserie in Old Montreal, pairing an all-day raw bar and steak frites downstairs with a more ambitious dining room above.
OrderOysters and steak frites in the brasserie, then the raw bar.
TipThe brasserie takes walk-ins at lunch; book ahead for the quieter upstairs dining room.
La Chronique is a long-running fine-dining room on Laurier Ouest in Montreal, plating precise French-market cuisine and pouring a serious wine list.
OrderThe market tasting menu with a wine pairing.
TipIt is small and old-school; dress up a little and let the sommelier lead the pairings.
Guided tour · 1 hour
You will enjoy a food tasting of maple syrups and various maple products from our maple grove. You will learn about the history, harvesting, and different uses in cooking.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Discover the Mile End neighbourhood in Montreal on a guided foodie walking tour. Enjoy 7 food/drink tastings, and learn about the history of Mile End and its culturall...
Guided tour · 3 hours
Taste your way through Montreal’s Mile End on a guided tour featuring warm wood-fired bagels, classic poutine, street-style gnocchi, and a savory Mediterranean secret dish.
