Le Violon is a contemporary fine-dining restaurant in Plateau, Montreal.
Le Violon is chef Danny Smiles's contemporary restaurant on the Plateau in Montreal, named to North America's 50 Best in 2026 for its generous cooking.
Editorially verified July 1, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Must order: The chef's menu; the pastas and shared plates are the strength.
Tip: Book two weeks out for weekends; the room is warm and loud in the best way.
Address: 4720 Rue Marquette, Montreal, QC H2J 3Y6
Cabaret l'Enfer is Massimo Piedimonte's tasting-menu restaurant on Saint-Denis in Montreal, a moody, music-driven room serving a deeply personal menu.
Order: The single tasting menu with the paired drinks.
Tip: It is one seating and one menu; arrive on time and let the soundtrack and kitchen set the pace.
Cabaret l'Enfer is Massimo Piedimonte's tasting-menu restaurant on Saint-Denis in Montreal, a moody, music-driven room serving a deeply personal menu.
Order: The single tasting menu with the paired drinks.
Tip: It is one seating and one menu; arrive on time and let the soundtrack and kitchen set the pace.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
