Elena is an italian restaurant in Saint Henri, Montreal.
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.
Editorially verified July 1, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Must order: A blistered sourdough pizza and a spritz.
Tip: Daytime is coffee and pastries; the pizza and wine crowd arrives after five.
Address: 5090 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC H4C 1T3
Marconi is Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly's inventive bistro near Little Italy in Montreal, plating clever, short-menu seasonal cooking off Avenue Mozart.
Order: Whatever the two-line menu is doing with the day's produce.
Tip: The menu changes constantly and is short; ask the room what to order and trust it.
Cadet is a Bib Gourmand bar and bistro on the Main in downtown Montreal, matching a smart natural wine list with sharp, snacky plates until late.
Order: The tartare and whatever seafood snack is on the board.
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins and stays lively late; it is a strong pre or post-show stop.
Casavant is a warm Bib Gourmand bistro near the Jean-Talon Market in Villeray, Montreal, pairing convivial French-Quebecois plates with a lively natural list.
Order: The daily plats and a bottle from the growers' list.
Tip: It is a genuine neighbourhood room; book midweek and settle in for the night.
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.
Signature: Muhammara, Sujuk
Order: Muhammara, sujuk and the garlicky grilled meats.
Tip: The casual Petit Alep next to formal Alep is the one you want; it takes no reservations.
Bouillon Bilk is a minimalist, high-end dining room on the Main in downtown Montreal, plating precise, inventive cooking by the Quartier des Spectacles.
Order: The tasting menu, or the pasta and fish plates a la carte.
Tip: It sits by the theatres; book the pre-show seating, then linger over dessert once the crowd clears.
Le Filet is Bouillon Bilk's seafood-focused sibling facing the mountain in Montreal, a dim, sultry room turning out delicate fish plates meant for sharing.
Order: The oyster and crudo plates, then whichever whole fish is running.
Tip: Portions are tapas-sized; order broadly across the menu rather than one main each.
