What's new in Montréal

• The award-winning minds at Moment Factory return to their Montréal roots with Ancestra Lumina, a 2 km-long wander through the trails of the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery featuring cutting-edge projection and lighting effects that sets the funereal setting aglow into a transformative celebration of life. The experience opens November 19, 2026, and advance tickets are highly recommendcd

• The Kanatahkwèn:ke Cultural Arts Center, housing the Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center, Turtle Island Theatre, Kahnawà:ke Tourism and the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, features an exciting season of programming in Kahnawà:ke. Dedicated to Indigenous history and creativity, Kanatahkwèn:ke is sure to become one of the area’s most vital cultural hubs.

• Named for one of the city’s most memorable mayors, Parc Jean-Drapeau has undergone a major glow up in recent years and stays active all winter long, including the renovated Mount Boullé wilderness area, criss-crossed with immersive trails that are perfect for outdoor winter exploration. Skating fans will love the Skaters’ Trail with DJ accompaniment and skate rentals close at hand, while the rest of the park features snowshoeing trails, cross-country skiing, ice climbing, bird-watching, fat-tire biking and so much more.

Montréal’s top-tier arts spaces present an exciting list of unmissable exhibitions and cutting-edge artistic premieres throughout the winter months.

• The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA for short) presents the solo exhibitions of Berlin-based Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles until February 14, 2027 alongside Montréal-born painter Allison Katz : Jeu d’esprit to March 14, 2027 and Beyond the Pedestal: Sculptures in the Collection, from the 1960s to Today which closes on March 7, 2027. Montréal sculptor Anne Kahane receives a well-deserved solo overview with Anne Kahane: Structures running November 19, 2026 to April 4, 2027 and internationally renowned Québec-based choreographer Marie Chouinard presents her first solo show BECOMING BREATH with daily dance performances, installations and interactive installations February 20 to May 9, 2027. The ongoing overview From the Functional to the Fabulous: 600 Years of Decorative Arts and Design features some local icons including an original BIXI bicycle!
• As part of the Contemporary Native Art Biennial, the McCord Stewart Museum hosts multidisciplinary artist Carrie Allison’s beadwork-focused exhibition askōhtēskanohwē until February 28, 2027, while Sovereign Stitches + Wild Weaves brings together more than 35 Indigenous artists from around the world for an unmissable group exhibition running November 27, 2026 to March 29, 2027. From November 6, 2026 to January 10, 2027, the McCord Stewart also displays the classic Ogilvy’s department store Christmas mechanical window displays, beloved by Montréalers for over 75 years. The Mill in the Forest is free to all passerby out front, while The Enchanted Village is presented indoors in the Museum Theatre.
• PHI and paysages studio co-present Mossbed in the Place des Arts exhibition room, an immersive aural experience blending sound art and contemporary music inspired by moss set to a new composition by Sébastien Sauvageau. Admission to this 20-minute piece is free to all, and an ideal way to warm up on a winter stroll through the Downtown core. At the PHI’s primary locations in Old Montréal, they’re also presenting Stephanie Commilang’s ANTHEMS and Jean-François Bouchard’s Turn or Burn both until March 14, 2027.
• One of Québec’s legendary boîtes à chansons (or folk clubs), Chez Bozo closed its doors in 1960. Reopened and re-christened Maison des Bozos this year, this small hall presents Québec’s musical heritage in intimate concerts steeped in a truly historic setting including a performance by France D’Amour on November 27, 2026. Don’t miss a viewing of their infamous handprint and signature wall including marks left by Félix Leclerc, Alys Robi, Clémence Desrochers and Édith Piaf.
• Housed in a former ferry ship and moored in the waters of the Old Port of Montréal’s Pier 14, Bota Bota, spa-sur-l’eau has charmed and calmed locals and visitors alike since its opening in 2010. Their recently-inaugurated second boat features new whirlpools both indoor and outdoor featuring unbeatable vistas of the city, a state-of-the-art large-scale sauna and four new cold plunge pools. We already feel more relaxed just thinking about it!
• Find more of the season’s must-see exhibitions and special events here.

A year-round culinary destination

Montréal’s status as a gourmet’s paradise went up a rightful notch following the MICHELIN Guide’s appearance in the city last year, shining the spotlight on some restaurants long fêted by those in the know including Restaurant Europea, Mastard and Sabayon. This year, two local favourites join their celebrated ranks with well-deserved and highly sought-after stars.

• A meal unlike any other, La vie, la mort, le dessert (“life, death, dessert”) is a mouthwatering 5-course meal and awe-inspiring immersive experience served in the Society for Arts and Technology [SAT]’s 360-degree dome co-presented by Tourisme Montréal. Under the guiding hand of chef Clément Boivin and pastry chef Catherine Lépine-Lafrance, the tasty treasures on diner’s plates are paired with performances by Charles Cardin-Bourbeau, Cat Dio, Duo étranger, Jean-François Casabonne and members of the Opéra de Montréal, guaranteeing an unforgettable feast for the senses. Reservations for the run November 25 to December 19, 2026 can be purchased here.
• It takes a lot more than a little snow to keep Montréalers indoors, and the city loves its rooftop terraces even in the winter months. The tables atop the Hotel William Gray are housed in heated domes with a stunning view over Place Jacques-Cartier and La Grande Roue ferris wheel, while the historic Clock Tower Point at the Old Port also glows with domed diners throughout the winter months as Bateau-Mouche serves guests 4- to 6-course gourmet meals under stellar views of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the Saint-Lawrence River.
• Hoogan et Beaufort, under the guidance of chef Marc-André Jetté, utilizes wood-fired cooking in its mouth-watering creations based on locally sourced seasonal ingredients. But that’s not all—alongside the restaurant’s star, Chef de Vin Hugo Duchesne also received the 2026 Michelin Sommelier Award. Nestled in the Rosemont—La-Petite-Patrie neighbourhood, a visit here also offers a glimpse of Montréal life outside of its busiest tourist areas.
• Offering some of Canada’s finest omakase experiences, chef Vincent Gee’s eight-seat Sushi Nishinokaze is well worth the wait for a seat, featuring masterfully constructed sushi on expertly cooked shari rice, all served up on a “living gallery” of old and new ceramics that changes every month. What it may lack in size, Nishinokaze more than makes up for in taste and genuine experience.
• Resting on the border between Little Italy and Mile Ex, 2026 Bib Gourmande recipient Restaurant Limbo features a unique take on Italian food influenced by both French and British cooking, served in a gorgeous dining room with a stainless-steel bar. Bonus points for their creative remakes of classic film posters like Apocalypse Now and album covers including My Bloody Valentine’s Isn’t Anything rechristened with the restaurant’s name. Limbo joins Montréal’s other Bib Gourmandes Annette bar à vin, Cadet, Casavant, Le Petit Alep, Parapluie and Rôtisserie La Lune.
• And that’s not all! MICHELIN also added six Montréal establishments to its list of Recommended Restaurants: Bar St-Denis, Hélicoptère, Juliette Plaza Bistro, Kitano Shokudo, Oncle Lee Kǎo and Renoir.
• Top Chef Canada winner Francis Blais joins Montréal’s gourmet scene with Bistrot à Franky, featuring interior design by Zébulon Perron and art direction by famed filmmaker Xavier Dolan, the perfect setting for spot-on classic Parisian cuisine. 
• The Restaurant du Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, under the guiding hands of chef Martin Juneau and executive chef Anis Mouldi, opens this fall in the famed halls of its namesake theatre, offering the perfect meal before or after a show in the Quartier des Spectacles neighbourhood. 
• Chef Darcy Gervais-Wood—trained at the Michelin-starred Septime in Paris—brings Bistrot Boisselet to the Little Italy neighbourhood near Jean-Talon Market, offering a refined take on bistro classics and an exceptional wine list.
• They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and chef Camilo Lapointe-Nascimento’s Cam’s Déjeuner specializes in homemade breakfast sandwiches and perfectly-brewed coffee, a great way to start the morning off right. 
• Get romantic at Lovebird Montréal, an intimate cocktail and music lounge below Hôtel Nelligan, featuring live performances and dramatic lighting perfect for date night. 
• Restaurant Plume, co-founded by Bouillon Bilk’s Raphaël Leclerc-Gileau and Brigitte Emond Serret, puts the emphasis on warmth and hospitality, with a menu inspired by traditional French cooking with thoughtful updates. 
• If you’re looking for classic French fare in an elegant setting, look no further than Routy in the Mile End. Don’t miss their hot / cold dessert of ice cream drizzled with dark chocolate.
• Sample Listening Bar joins the ranks of Montréal’s music salons, promising a curated vinyl-heavy playlist and expertly-made highballs from the team behind Coldroom and Bisou Bisou.
• Canada’s 100 Best list of restaurants and bars also shines a spotlight on Montréal’s La Lune, Limbo, Sushi Nishinokaze and Pasta Pooks on their 2026 list, bringing the city’s hold on the list with 28 placements including the unpretentiously delicious Mon Lapin, ranked at No. 2.
• Our friends at Spade & Palacio Tours’ Women in Wine Walking Tour spotlights one of the highest concentrations of women winemakers in Canada residing right here in Montréal. Guiding attendees to four stops featuring female accomplishments in the world of wine including tastings of women-owned wineries, visits to women-owned wine bars and restaurants, an informative look at techniques and delicious snacks along the way. Open to locals and visitors alike, the tour concludes at La Buvette Chez Simone, one of Montréal’s finest wine bars—and when the evening ends is up to you! 

New restaurants join Montréal’s dining scene every season, and this winter there’s some new kids on the block opening their doors all over the city. See our list of new must-try spots here

No first visit to Montréal is complete without a visit to some of the city’s most beloved and recognizable sites and sights. From the top of Mount Royal to the underground RÉSO city network, our list of 10 unmissable MTL experiences awaits!