Restaurants:
Marci
6600 Saint-Hubert Street | Website
You dine at Marci because you want to enjoy their comfort food classics such as pizza, casino clams, and Caesar salads and because you’re a music afficionado. Marci is “a restaurant-bar, with an important musical component”. Its vintage inspired décor adds to the feeling of comfort and familiarity, so pull up a stool at the bar and enjoy your evening.
Chai-Yo
3603 Saint-Denis Street R.01 | Website
Chai-Yo is the newest establishment from the team behind award-winning, plant-based restaurant Chu-Chai. In keeping with their vegan philosophy, Chai-Yo combines Chinese and Thai street food with family recipes to create a unique cuisine.
Parapluie
44 Beaubien Street West | Website
The opening of Parapluie comes as a welcome addition to a stretch of Beaubien Street West that’s still mostly devoid of restaurants. This little neighbourhood restaurant’s menu is rooted in French cuisine and features local and seasonal ingredients and chef Robin Filteau Boucher’s special touch.
Lulu’s Pasta Bar
1346 Notre Dame Street West | Website
Pick a dish among some of Lulu’s great choices or create your own pasta dish by choosing among 3 varieties of fresh semolina pasta made on the premises, 5 sauces and countless toppings. Everything is made to order and served in fun, oversized paper cups to enjoy on the go.
Octo
4045 Ontario Street East | Website
Opened by industry veterans, Octo is a revisited Chinese restaurant serving “Montréal-style dim sum” or dim sum with chef/owner David Hibon’s spirited touch. With menu items ranging from $4 to $23, Octo is sure to become a hit. Don’t miss their duck spring roll with passion fruit dipping sauce, an instant classic! Note that there are no reservations at this 44-seat spot.
Le Bon Vieux Temps
2051B St-Denis Street | Website
Indulge in oysters, seafood, charcuterie and more tapas-style specialties along with wonderful signature cocktails at this new cocktail bar that just opened in the Latin Quarter.
Pony BBQ
1608 Sainte-Catherine Street West | Website
Pony is a new Korean BBQ place from the teams behind Otto Yakitori and Bar Otto and 9 Tail Fox. Stepping into Pony feels like a trip to the streets of Seoul. The striking and over-the-top décor is playful with neon lights and street signs covering the walls. There’s an extensive menu of quality meats and veggies to cook at your table as well as some classics such as bibimbaps. Pair your meal with some soju, signature cocktails, natural wines and more.
Copilote
4263 Ontario Street East | Website
Located on the same block as Hélicoptère and Hélico Café, Copilote (get the pun?) is a new project from the teams behind these two popular Hochelaga-Maisonneuve spots. There isn’t a lot of information on this new establishment yet, but we can almost guarantee it will be good considering the team’s success with their other places so keep an eye on their social media platforms.
Other notable openings this month:
Coyote Resto is a new taco bar at 2931 Masson.
Eera Café Gallery is a café with Persian-inspired cuisine and decor.
Focaccia is a halal Neapolitan pizza spot with a Tunisian flare also serving maklouba and other specialties.
Viva Restaurant Bar serves Italian and Portuguese food with pasta, pizza and seafood specialties.
CAFÉS, BAKERIES & PASTRY SHOPS
Pâtisserie Kol Chkor
1560 Dudemaine Street | Website
Kol chkor is a type of baklava and this pastry shop specializes in the sugar-soaked crispy bites as well as many other Lebanese sweet treats.
Machimachi
1241 Bishop Street| Website
Machi Machi, a chain offering bubble tea and Taiwanese-style milk tea, has just opened its first Quebec store downtown Montréal. The design of the space with its organic shapes and pastel colours is gorgeous. The drinks are made from top-quality ingredients and served in their unique glass bottles.
Maison Halwa
123 Laurier Avenue West | Website
Founded by Michele Halwaji (winner of the Food Network’s Girls Scout Cookie Championship in 2020), Maison Halwa is a sweet little spot on Laurier Avenue where you can grab a coffee and a treat or an entire custom cake.
ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS, REOPENINGS & MOVES
Café Saint-Henri has opened its 9th location at 1001 Robert-Bourassa in downtown Montréal in a space designed by Allied and Moment Factory. They will be serving their usual excellent brews and bread and pastries from Le Pain dans les voiles.
COMING SOON
Juliette Plaza, a new project by the Montreal Plaza team, is opening soon next door to its sibling.
Restaurant Panacée by former Foxy chef Catherine Couvert Desrosiers will be opening in the Village in the next few months.
Master sandwich makers Bossa are bringing their skills to Le Cathcart with Bella Sandwicheria, a new spot that will be slinging Italian-style sandwiches downtown.
June Saloon a new western-themed bar from the people behind popular June Buvette, is opening soon in Montréal’s southwest neighbourhood.
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.