Restaurants in Montreal, Canada

Montreal restaurants can be found in great abundance throughout the nineteen boroughs that comprise this cosmopolitan city located in the southwestern portion of the province of Quebec. Montreal is second only to Paris when it comes to the largest, primarily French-speaking cities in the entire world. As such, dining in Montreal is dominated to a certain extent by French cuisine, which, for any lovers of the French gastronomic tradition and heritage, is a welcome disclaimer. The city is, however, too ethnically diverse to be restricted to just one kind of food.

Although French fare is predominant, other prevalent cultural traditions are reflected in the city’s many Chinese, Thai, Italian, Greek, and Eastern European restaurants. Dining in Montreal is an experience that can be enjoyed by absolutely everyone. There are even traditional American fast food joints housed in historic buildings for those, shall we say, less adventurous diners. The best Montreal restaurants are spread throughout the city, from Old Montreal and Downtown to the Golden Square Mile, Cote-des-Neiges, and Little Italy.

Depending upon the pace you wish to take on your trip, you can enjoy dining in Montreal in a range of different settings. In the morning, the cafes are bustling with people enjoying a café au lait or an espresso, and during the warm spring and summer months, umbrellas are set outside at myriad cafes for people to enjoy drinking and dining in Montreal outdoors. Lunch may be taken later in the day and dinner is almost always served late, as is the tradition in many European countries, obviously including France. These traditions remain in tact for the large French population in the city, as well as for its visitors.

The café experience is especially enjoyable in quaint and historic areas of the city like the Old Port, where you will sense the history and cultural heritage of the city with its cobblestone streets, old cafes, historic buildings, and seemingly countless restaurants. In fact, some of the best Montreal restaurants can be located in the Old Montreal district, know as much for its pleasing ambiance and welcoming atmosphere as for its broad selection of bars, clubs, cafes, and shops. You may wish to try some of the local favorites, including beef carpaccio (thinly sliced raw beef served with capers and olives, generally served in a sort of balsamic marinade), gamberi (shrimp in a garlic sauce), or rack of lamb. The French gastronomic tradition is evident in the careful preparation and flawless presentation that are ubiquitous throughout the best Montreal restaurants. For a comprehensive, French-style dinner in Montreal, you may want to consider having a long meal at one of the fine restaurants in the city where you can experience a gorgeous, seven-course meal. This normally involves a soup, salad, sherbet, several main dishes, desert, and oftentimes a cheese plate.

St. Laurent is a magnificent street for locating excellent Montreal restaurants of all kinds, as is Bernard Street, St. Patrick Street, and St. Urbain. These are just a few of the locations that you will find a range of Montreal restaurants. As you get to know the city and come to find out which of the delicacies are most appealing to you, you will naturally begin to narrow your search and then can offer advice to others as to where to go for an amazing meal in Montreal.