Montreal's Portuguese charcoal chicken is butterflied, marinated and grilled over hot coals, then basted in garlicky piri-piri, a Portuguese-community legacy.

Portuguese immigrants settled around the Plateau and Saint-Louis from the 1950s, bringing charcoal-grilled frango and piri-piri sauce. Rotisseries like Romados and Ma Poule Mouillee near Rue Rachel turned churrasco chicken into a Montreal staple, served with fries, rice and hot sauce to long weekend lines.

3 editor picks for Portuguese charcoal chicken in Montreal, ranked by editorial score. All Montreal signature dishes · Portuguese charcoal chicken across every city.

Romados ★ 4.7

$$PortuguesePlateau

Romados is a Portuguese rotisserie and bakery on Rue Rachel in Montreal, drawing daily lines for its charcoal piri-piri chicken and custard tarts.

OrderA charcoal chicken with spicy sauce, plus a pastel de nata for dessert.

TipOrder the chicken and a couple of natas together; the queue at noon is worth beating early.

Ma Poule Mouillee ★ 4.5

$$PortuguesePlateau

Ma Poule Mouillee is the tiny Plateau counter grilling charcoal Portuguese chicken over Rue Rachel, its piri-piri birds and francesinha drawing daily lines.

OrderA half charcoal chicken with piri-piri and a poutine topped with chicken.

TipSeating is minimal and cash speeds things up; get it to go and eat in nearby Parc Lafontaine.

Chalet BBQ ★ 4.3

$$RotisserieNdg

Chalet BBQ has roasted hardwood-charcoal chicken in NDG since 1944, an unchanged Montreal rotisserie whose quarter-chicken and gravy fries define the genre.

OrderA quarter chicken with fries and the house barbecue dipping sauce.

TipThe room looks frozen in the 1960s on purpose; dine in for the full retro rotisserie experience.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Portuguese charcoal chicken makes more sense with someone from Montreal explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

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