© Alison Slattery
Brasserie Le Pois Penché
1230 De Maisonneuve Boulevard | Website
Spectacular seafood platters, French brasserie classics that bring comfort and a festive ambiance are all on the menu at Le Pois Penché, an authentic Parisian brasserie in the heart of downtown Montréal.
© Chez Delmo
Chez Delmo
275 Notre-Dame Street West | Website
Continuing the long tradition of gastronomy in Old Montréal, Delmo is an historic venue updated with contemporary flare. The owners revived this eatery, which originally opened in 1934, and murals by Carlito Dal Ceggio now adorn the interior. The menu showcases a variety of traditional fish and seafood specialties the likes of Dover sole, lobster Thermidor, lobster bisque and walleye amandine as well as novelties such as lobster rolls and salmon tartare.
© Germain Hôtels
Le Boulevardier
2050 Mansfield Street | Website
Le Boulevardier is downtown’s new French go-to. The chef draws his inspiration from Auguste Escoffier, the “godfather” of modern French cuisine, with a menu that shines the spotlight on a few French dining classics. Extra touches include the bistro-chic decor, which amps up the already inspiring experience.
© Jimmy Hamelin
Restaurant Leméac
1045 Laurier Avenue West | Website
Leméac has become a much-loved spot since its opening in 2001. The Outremont restaurant is always buzzing with diners for lunch, dinner or their famous brunch. Their menu offers a lot of brasserie classics with a contemporary touch. Do not miss out on what is probably their most famous dish: the tall and delicious pain perdu with maple caramel and dulce de leche ice cream.
© Alexandre Parent – Studio Point de vue
Henri Brasserie Française
1240 Square Phillips | Website
Located in the stunning, landmark Birks building downtown, Henri Brasserie Française charms at first glance by its gorgeous 19th century-inspired décor with brass accents, ornate ceiling, and stained-glass windows. The menu is steeped in French brasserie classics such as duck confit, lobster thermidor or tarte tatin.
© Tourisme Montréal, Mayssam Samaha
La Chronique
104 Laurier Avenue West | Website
White tablecloths, a luminous dining room and a flawless fine cuisine are what distinguish La Chronique, an elegant restaurant that’s called chic Laurier Avenue its home since 1995. If you’re a fan of foie gras, you’ll be happy to know that theirs is unmissable.
© Two Food Photographers - Alison Slattery
L’Express
3927 Saint-Denis Street | Website
Open since 1980, L’Express is an absolute institution in Montréal. Whether you decide to sit at the long bar or in the dining room with the checkered floor, the French classics on the hand-written menu will absolutely transport you to a lively Parisian brasserie. The Île flottante for dessert is a must!
Le Molière par Mousso
1594 Saint-Denis Street | Website
Le Molière is a new French brasserie is a part of Espace Saint-Denis. Designed like a backstage area, patrons can enjoy dinner while feeling like they’re part of the show. Award-winning chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard (Le Mousso) is the Gastronomic Director of the project while star chef Daniel Vézina (Laurie Raphaël) is a consultant. This promises to be a great eating establishment.
© Tourisme Montréal - Marie Deschene
Café Cherrier
3635 Saint-Denis Street | Website
Café Cherrie is another French institution operating on Saint-Denis Street since 1983. Open all day, it’s a great spot to linger, indoors in the classically decorated dining room in the winter or on the vine-wrapped terrasse in the summer. Their menu offers classics of French cuisine such as black pudding with caramelized apples, duck confit or classic lemon tart.
© Ritz-Carlton Montréal
Maison Boulud
1228 Sherbrooke Street West | Website
Star chef Daniel Boulud’s eponymous restaurant located inside Montréal’s Ritz-Carlton hotel is the epitome of class and elegance. It’s also a great place to enjoy contemporary French cuisine imbued with the chef’s personal touch and featuring local and seasonal ingredients.
© Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile
Le Renoir
115 Sherbrooke Street West | Website
Montréal’s Golden Square Mile and the Sofitel Hotel are home to Le Renoir, an exquisite restaurant rooted in French cuisine but with an inventive and contemporary approach. Don’t skip desserts, as they are among the best restaurant desserts in Montréal.
© Alison Slattery - Two Food Photographers - Tourisme Montréal
Monarque
406 Saint-Jacques | Website
Whether you prefer the hustle and bustle of a brasserie or the more restrained ambiance of a fine dining restaurant, Monarque offers both. Duck confit, bouillabaisse and Paris-Brest are among the classics served brasserie side, while a more inventive seasonal menu is offered in the dining room.
© Megann Di Muro
Holder
407 McGill Street | Website
This bustling Old Montréal brasserie is always an excellent choice for lunch or dinner. The light-filled dining room is classically designed and the staff greatly efficient. It’s also loud, like any authentic French brasserie. On the menu you’ll find classic dishes such as tartares, liver pâté and foie gras.
© Alison Slattery
Paname
4847 Wellington Street | Website
Located on the “Coolest Street in the World”, Paname is a great addition to the French restaurant scene in Montréal. Their menu invites guests to rediscover some French classics while featuring local and seasonal ingredients.
Chez Alexandre
1454 Peel Street | Website
This downtown French bistro has been serving Montrealers and visitors since 1977. Its distinctive red Peel Street façade and bistro chairs attract customers who flock to taste its authentic cuisine, with items such as nails in garlic butter, Toulouse-style cassoulet and profiteroles adorning its menu.
Mignon Steak
2523 Notre-Dame Street West & 101 Rue Saint-Paul West | Website
With a relatively short menu on offer, Mignon Steak concentrates on some delightful dishes that it makes well, mainly its famous steak frites served with its decadent signature Mignon Sauce.
Croissanterie Figaro
5200 Hutchison Street | Website
Open every day from 7am to midnight, La Croissanterie Figaro is a delightful French Bistro located on a quiet street in Outremont. The Art Deco décor and the lovely garden-terrasse make this place quite special. The menu consists of simple fare such as flaky croissants, great sandwiches, salads, quiches, flammekueches and more.
© Alison Slattery
Casavant
350 De Castelnau Street East | Website
Casavant is a neighbourhood restaurant open 7 days a week in the heart of Villeray. Serving updated and modernized version of classic French dishes such as beef tartare, Grenoble-style fish, sausage with mashed potatoes and more. Their low intervention wine list is remarkable and should be explored.
© La Prunelle
La Prunelle
327 Duluth Street East | Website
This BYOW restaurant located in the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal is a light-filled space that is both elegant and modern. In addition to a list of French classics such as fish and meat tartares, steak and fries and veal sweetbreads a few seasonal specials make appearances on the menu every week.
© Alison Slattery
Kabinet
98 Laurier Street West | Website
Formerly a cocktail bar, Kabinet has morphed into an elegant and sumptuous French bistro with plush velvet seats and an entire list of fish eggs. In addition to the caviar bumps, you can order some classic French dishes such as snails in garlic brown butter with an anchovy persillade, foie gras terrine, onion soup, baba au rhum and so much more.
Restaurant Paloma
8521 Saint-Laurent Boulevard | Website
This tiny neighbourhood restaurant is a collaboration between a father and daughter duo, him at the helm in the kitchen and her taking care of the excellent wine list and the service. The cuisine is an ode to the comfort dishes of the South of France, more precisely Nice, with a little Italian flair sprinkled about every now and then. It’s an absolutely excellent place to eat and drink, especially in the summertime when you can enjoy their secret back garden.
© La Casina
La Casina
5314 Parc Avenue | Website
The brainchild of two Canadians and two French citizens, the restaurant is a perfect blend of French sophistication, welcoming Canadian spirit and Italian culinary mastery. Enjoy a selection of remixed classics including fresh fish accras, tuna tartare, indulgent pasta dishes, a great wine list and much more. La Casina also features a takeaway menu that can be enjoyed at home or on the go plus the space can be reserved for private events.
For more French restaurants, try one of these:
Plein Sud, Le Pégase, Le Valois, Bonaparte, Chez Delmo, Brasserie Bernard, Marché de la Villette, Au Petit Extra, Jérôme Ferrer, Joséphine, and Chez Lévêsque.
Mayssam Samaha
Mayssam Samaha is a food and travel writer and blogger and the founder behind the blog Will Travel for Food. She travels the world in search of the next culinary discovery. From Iceland to South Africa, she’s already visited over 30 countries and there’s nothing she enjoys more than wandering around a farmers’ market in a foreign city. She is also the founder of the SAISONS intimate dinner series highlighting Québec products and chefs.
