Saint-Henri along the canal trades on coffee roasters, pizza-and-wine rooms and a scrappy market at the foot of the Atwater clock tower.
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.
Order: A blistered sourdough pizza and a spritz.
Tip: Daytime is coffee and pastries; the pizza and wine crowd arrives after five.
Tuck Shop is a snug, no-sign neighbourhood restaurant in Saint-Henri, Montreal, cooking a short, market-driven menu of pasta, fish and Quebec produce.
Order: Whatever pasta or fish is on the short handwritten menu.
Tip: There is no sign and few tables; book ahead and trust the room to steer you through the short menu.
Tacos Frida grills proper Mexico City-style tacos in Saint-Henri, Montreal, its al pastor carved off the trompo onto small corn tortillas made in house.
Order: Three al pastor tacos with pineapple and a fresh agua fresca.
Tip: Order by the taco and try a few fillings; the salsas on the counter do the heavy lifting.
Foiegwa is a neon-lit French-American diner in Saint-Henri, Montreal, plating steak frites, escargot and a cult double cheeseburger late into the night.
Order: The Foiegwa burger, or the escargots and steak frites.
Tip: Late-night weekends are the vibe; the burger and a martini is the classic order at the bar.
Cafe Saint-Henri is one of Montreal's pioneering micro-roasters, roasting for its own cafes from a Notre-Dame Ouest flagship in its namesake neighbourhood.
Tip: The Notre-Dame flagship is the one to visit; ask what single-origin is on filter that week.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Gia Vin & Grill is a warehouse-cool wine and grill room in Saint-Henri, Montreal, pairing an Italian-leaning natural list with wood-fired meats and pasta.
Signature pour: Italian red by the glass
Wine focus: Italian and low-intervention wine
Food: Wood-grilled Italian plates
Tip: It is as much a grill as a wine bar; order a bottle from the Italian list and a wood-fired cut to share.
Tacos Frida carves al pastor off the trompo in Saint-Henri, Montreal, onto small house-made corn tortillas for some of the city's most authentic street tacos.
Try: Al pastor tacos
Tip: Order three tacos and hit the salsa bar; the al pastor and pineapple pairing is the standout.
Tacos Frida keeps its Mexico City-style tacos cheap in Saint-Henri, Montreal, with house corn tortillas and grilled fillings at a few dollars apiece.
Try: Street tacos
Tip: Three or four tacos makes a filling, low-cost meal; load up at the free salsa bar to stretch it further.
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.
Order: Latkes with smoked salmon, or the challah French toast.
Tip: Put your name down and grab a coffee nearby; the wait on weekends is real but the latkes are worth it.