Mexican$$$outremontWed-Sat 18:00-23:00
Alma is an upscale Mexican restaurant on Avenue Lajoie in Outremont, Montreal, turning house masa, seafood and mezcal into a refined tasting menu.
Order: The tasting menu built around fresh masa and Mexican seafood.
Tip: Take the mezcal and agave pairing; the bar program is as considered as the kitchen.
Greek$$$$mile-endMon-Fri 11:30-15:00, 17:30-22:45; Sat-Sun 17:30-23:00
Estiatorio Milos is the original of the global Greek seafood group, still on Avenue du Parc in Montreal, grilling whole fish picked fresh from ice.
Order: A whole fish chosen from the display, grilled and priced by weight.
Tip: Fish is sold by weight and adds up fast; the fixed-price lunch is the smart way to try the grill.
French fine diningChef Normand Laprise$$$$downtownTue-Fri 11:30-13:45; Tue-Sat 17:30-21:30
Toque has anchored fine dining in Montreal since 1993, chef Normand Laprise plating Quebec terroir in a formal room on Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle.
Order: The seasonal tasting menu built on named Quebec producers.
Tip: Lunch is the calmer, cheaper way to taste what Laprise is doing with the season; the tasting menu still needs booking ahead.
FrenchChef Jerome Ferrer$$$$downtownMon-Sun 18:00-21:30; Tue-Fri 12:00-13:30
Jerome Ferrer runs Europea, a one-Michelin-star French kitchen on Rue de la Montagne in downtown Montreal, famed for its lobster cappuccino and long tastings.
Order: The signature lobster cream cappuccino with truffle.
Tip: The multi-course tasting is long and theatrical; go hungry and leave the whole evening free.
French fine diningChef Simon Mathys$$$rosemontTue-Sat 18:00-22:00
Mastard is chef Simon Mathys's one-Michelin-star room in Rosemont, Montreal, plating precise, produce-driven cooking without any starched formality.
Order: The tasting menu built on the day's Quebec vegetables and fish.
Tip: It is small and books out fast; reserve well ahead and aim for a weeknight seat at the counter.
FrenchChef Patrice Demers$$$$pointe-saint-charlesThu-Sat 18:00-22:00, by reservation
Sabayon is pastry chef Patrice Demers's one-Michelin-star, 14-seat tasting counter in Pointe-Saint-Charles, Montreal, where dessert leads the meal.
Order: The full tasting menu with the pastry-led finale.
Tip: Reservations open the first Wednesday of each month at noon for the month ahead; set an alarm.