40 mid-range places in Montreal, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good restaurants in Montreal, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All Montreal food.
Schwartz's Deli ★ 4.9
plateau · 3895 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2W 1X9
Schwartz's has hand-sliced Montreal smoked meat on Saint-Laurent since 1928, the city's most famous deli and a permanent queue on the Plateau.
Tip: The line moves fast at the communal tables; the takeout counter next door skips the wait entirely.
Dieu du Ciel ★ 4.8
mile-end · 29 Avenue Laurier Ouest, Montreal, QC H2T 2N2
Dieu du Ciel is Montreal's best-loved brewpub, a cramped Laurier corner where flagship beers like Peche Mortel stout were first poured to a devoted crowd.
Tip: It is small and gets packed; go early evening and start with the Peche Mortel imperial stout.
Schwartz's Deli ★ 4.8
plateau · 3895 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2W 1X9
Schwartz's carves hand-sliced smoked meat to order on Saint-Laurent in Montreal, the counter-and-queue benchmark for the city's defining sandwich since 1928.
Tip: Order it medium-fat off the takeout counter and eat it standing; the deli caraway rye is not optional.
L'Express ★ 4.7
plateau · 3927 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2W 2M4
L'Express is the Paris-style bistro on Saint-Denis, a Michelin-recommended classic feeding Montreal tartare, marrow and cornichons past midnight since 1980.
Tip: It runs late daily; a solo seat at the zinc bar is the easiest table in the city.
Romados ★ 4.7
plateau · 115 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2W 1C8
Romados is a Portuguese rotisserie and bakery on Rue Rachel in Montreal, drawing daily lines for its charcoal piri-piri chicken and custard tarts.
Tip: Order the chicken and a couple of natas together; the queue at noon is worth beating early.
Schwartz's Deli ★ 4.7
plateau · 3895 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2W 1X9
Schwartz's keeps carving smoked meat until midnight on weekends in Montreal, a rare late-night chance to eat the city's signature sandwich at a real deli.
Tip: The takeout counter is quicker than the dining room after 11; order medium-fat and eat it on the walk.
Le Petit Alep ★ 4.7
villeray · 191 Rue Jean-Talon Est, Montreal, QC H2R 1S8
Tip: Order muhammara, sujuk and the grilled meats; it takes no reservations, so arrive a touch early.
Olive et Gourmando ★ 4.7
old-montreal · 351 Rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Montreal, QC H2Y 2A7
Olive et Gourmando doubles as one of Old Montreal's best casual brunches, its Rue Saint-Paul bakery-cafe plating tartines, the Cubano and pastries all day.
Tip: The lunch rush is long but quick; come before noon for tables and the full pastry case.
Hof Kelsten ★ 4.6
mile-end · 4524 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1R4
Hof Kelsten is Jeffrey Finkelstein's bakery on Saint-Laurent in Montreal, turning out challah, rye and babka plus a lunchtime smoked-meat sandwich.
Tip: Come for the challah on Friday and the babka any day; the counter also does a serious matzo-ball soup.
Olive et Gourmando ★ 4.6
old-montreal · 351 Rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Montreal, QC H2Y 2A7
Olive et Gourmando is the beloved Old Montreal bakery-cafe from Dyan Solomon, packed daily for its Cubano, banana bread and pastries on Rue Saint-Paul.
Tip: The queue at lunch is long but fast; order the Cubano sandwich and grab a chocolate brioche to go.
Romados ★ 4.6
plateau · 115 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2W 1C8
Romados is the Plateau rotisserie and bakery in Montreal whose charcoal chicken and custard tarts pull a lunchtime line out the door onto Rue Rachel.
Tip: Order the chicken and a couple of pasteis de nata; cash keeps the fast-moving queue moving faster.
Le Petit Alep ★ 4.5
villeray · 191 Rue Jean-Talon Est, Montreal, QC H2R 1S8
Le Petit Alep is the beloved Syrian-Armenian bistro by the Jean-Talon Market in Montreal, a Bib Gourmand pouring Lebanese wine over warm mezze.
Tip: The casual Petit Alep next to formal Alep is the one you want; it takes no reservations.
La Banquise ★ 4.5
plateau · 994 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2J5
La Banquise is Montreal's round-the-clock poutine institution on Rue Rachel, slinging more than thirty gravy-soaked variations to a 24-hour crowd.
Tip: Weekend nights bring a long post-bar line; go on a weekday afternoon for a seat straight away.
Ma Poule Mouillee ★ 4.5
plateau · 969 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2J3
Ma Poule Mouillee is the tiny Plateau counter grilling charcoal Portuguese chicken over Rue Rachel, its piri-piri birds and francesinha drawing daily lines.
Tip: Seating is minimal and cash speeds things up; get it to go and eat in nearby Parc Lafontaine.
La Banquise ★ 4.5
plateau · 994 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2J5
La Banquise never closes, making it Montreal's default 3am stop for poutine, its Rue Rachel dining room filling with a post-bar crowd every weekend night.
Tip: The line after last call is long but fast; go for the classic and split a wild variation with friends.
Moccione ★ 4.5
villeray · 7495 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2R 2E5
Tip: Book ahead or aim for an early weeknight; the fresh pasta of the night is the thing to order.
Romados ★ 4.5
plateau · 115 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2W 1C8
Romados serves a big plate of charcoal Portuguese chicken and fries for cheap on Rue Rachel in Montreal, one of the Plateau's best-value filling meals.
Tip: A half chicken with fries feeds one generously; the custard tarts are a cheap sweet finish.
Arthurs Nosh Bar ★ 4.5
saint-henri · 4621 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC H4C 1S6
Arthurs Nosh Bar is a sunny modern Jewish diner in Saint-Henri, Montreal, updating latkes, matzo-ball soup and challah French toast for a weekend brunch.
Tip: Put your name down and grab a coffee nearby; the wait on weekends is real but the latkes are worth it.
Guillaume ★ 4.4
mile-end · 5170 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1R8
Guillaume is a modern Mile End bakery on Saint-Laurent in Montreal, prized for its sourdough loaves and a chocolate croissant many rank among the city's best.
Tip: Bread sells out by afternoon; morning is best for the croissants and the seasonal fruit danishes.
Isle de Garde ★ 4.4
rosemont · 1039 Rue Beaubien Est, Montreal, QC H2S 1T3
Isle de Garde is a handsome Rosemont brasserie in Montreal brewing European-leaning beers, from saisons to cask ales, poured in a wood-lined Beaubien taproom.
Tip: Ask for the cask ale if it is on; the kitchen does proper snacks to go with the saisons.
La Banquise ★ 4.4
plateau · 994 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2J5
La Banquise is Montreal's 24-hour poutine temple on Rue Rachel, ladling gravy and squeaky curds over fries in more than thirty over-the-top combinations.
Tip: The classic proves the kitchen; add smoked meat or guacamole once you have tried it straight first.
Ma Poule Mouillee ★ 4.4
plateau · 969 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2J3
Ma Poule Mouillee grills charcoal Portuguese chicken to order on Rue Rachel in Montreal, its piri-piri birds and chicken poutine drawing a permanent line.
Tip: Get a half chicken with hot piri-piri to go; the tiny room has almost nowhere to sit.
Larrys ★ 4.3
mile-end · 5201 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1S4
Larrys is the all-day Mile End cafe and wine bar from the Lawrence team, an easy Montreal spot for pastries by morning and small plates with wine by night.
Tip: No dinner reservations; come early evening or wait it out with a glass at the bar.
Elena ★ 4.3
saint-henri · 5090 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC H4C 1T3
Elena is the Nora Gray team's sunny coffee, pizza and wine room in Saint-Henri, Montreal, spinning sourdough pizza and Italian small plates off Notre-Dame.
Tip: Daytime is coffee and pastries; the pizza and wine crowd arrives after five.
Moccione ★ 4.3
villeray · 7495 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2R 2E5
Moccione is a tiny, charming Italian trattoria on Saint-Denis in Villeray, Montreal, hand-rolling pasta and pouring Italian wine in a snug neighbourhood room.
Tip: It seats barely thirty; book ahead or aim for an early weeknight table.
Kazu ★ 4.3
downtown · 1844 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montreal, QC H3H 1M1
Kazu is the tiny, roaring Japanese counter on Sainte-Catherine in downtown Montreal, famous for its 48-hour pork, salmon bowls and long sidewalk queue.
Tip: Expect a line and cash-friendly bowls; go at opening or off-peak to skip the wait.
Chalet BBQ ★ 4.3
ndg · 5456 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC H4A 1V9
Chalet BBQ has roasted hardwood-charcoal chicken in NDG since 1944, an unchanged Montreal rotisserie whose quarter-chicken and gravy fries define the genre.
Tip: The room looks frozen in the 1960s on purpose; dine in for the full retro rotisserie experience.
Nouilles de Lan Zhou ★ 4.3
downtown · 1006 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2Z 1J5
Nouilles de Lan Zhou hand-pulls its noodles to order in Montreal's Chinatown, the dough stretched at the window over bowls of cumin-spiced beef broth.
Tip: Ask for your noodles thin or wide when you order; the beef soup is the one to get.
Tri Express ★ 4.3
plateau · 1650 Avenue Laurier Est, Montreal, QC H2J 1J4
Tri Express is chef Tri Du's cramped, joyful sushi counter on Laurier Est in Montreal, a Plateau favourite for inventive maki eaten elbow to elbow.
Tip: The space is tiny and cash-friendly; go early or expect to wait for one of the few seats.
Yokato Yokabai ★ 4.3
plateau · 4185 Rue Drolet, Montreal, QC H2W 2L5
Yokato Yokabai is a lively Hakata-style ramen shop on Rue Drolet in Montreal's Plateau, simmering a rich tonkotsu broth many locals rate the city's best.
Tip: Order the tonkotsu and add a flavoured egg; the counter fills fast at both lunch and dinner.
Le Mal Necessaire ★ 4.3
downtown · 1015 Rue Saint-Alexandre, Montreal, QC H2Z 1N9
Le Mal Necessaire is a green-lit tiki cocktail bar hidden down a Chinatown staircase in Montreal, mixing rum drinks served in carved pineapples.
Tip: Look for the green pineapple sign off Saint-Laurent; the pineapple cocktail is the one to photograph.
Le Rouge Gorge ★ 4.3
plateau · 1234 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montreal, QC H2J 1Y1
Le Rouge Gorge is an easygoing wine bar on Avenue du Mont-Royal in Montreal, known for a fairly priced glass list and cheese boards in a warm Plateau room.
Tip: It is one of the Plateau's better-value wine bars; the by-the-glass list is where to explore.
Le Mal Necessaire ★ 4.3
downtown · 1015 Rue Saint-Alexandre, Montreal, QC H2Z 1N9
Le Mal Necessaire mixes rum tiki drinks down a green-lit Chinatown staircase in Montreal, a late-night hideout for pineapple cocktails and dim lighting.
Tip: It gets loud and full after midnight on weekends; the pineapple cocktail is the late-night signature.
Tri Express ★ 4.3
plateau · 1650 Avenue Laurier Est, Montreal, QC H2J 1J4
Tip: Let the chef send out specials rather than ordering off the menu; the room seats barely a dozen.
Nouilles de Lan Zhou ★ 4.3
downtown · 1006 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2Z 1J5
Tip: Watch the noodles being stretched at the counter and order the cumin-spiced beef soup.
Nouilles de Lan Zhou ★ 4.3
downtown · 1006 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2Z 1J5
Nouilles de Lan Zhou fills a table for cheap in Montreal's Chinatown, its hand-pulled beef noodle soup one of the best-value hot bowls in the city.
Tip: One big beef soup and a plate of dumplings feeds two for the price of a downtown sandwich.
Ma Poule Mouillee ★ 4.3
plateau · 969 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2J3
Ma Poule Mouillee delivers a big plate of charcoal Portuguese chicken and fries for cheap on Rue Rachel in Montreal, a filling Plateau meal on a small budget.
Tip: A half chicken feeds one generously; the chicken poutine is the indulgent-but-still-cheap upgrade.
Beautys Luncheonette ★ 4.3
plateau · 93 Avenue du Mont-Royal Ouest, Montreal, QC H2T 2S5
Beautys has served its lox-and-bagel Special from a turquoise Plateau luncheonette in Montreal since 1942, a family-run brunch institution on Mont-Royal.
Tip: Weekends bring a long sidewalk wait; go on a weekday morning to slide straight onto a counter stool.
Larrys ★ 4.3
mile-end · 5201 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1S4
Larrys runs an easy all-day brunch from its Mile End cafe in Montreal, the Lawrence team turning out pastries, eggs and a daily changing board.
Tip: Mornings are calmer than the wine-bar evenings; the daily specials board is where the kitchen shows off.
Le Cartet ★ 4.3
old-montreal · 106 Rue McGill, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E5
Le Cartet is a bustling market-cafe and grocer in Old Montreal, packed at weekends for a generous brunch platter of eggs, charcuterie and pastries.
Tip: Weekend brunch means a wait at the communal tables; the loaded brunch platter is built for sharing.