Montréal

Restaurants

About Montréal Restaurants

When in Rome... Or rather, when in Montréal, do as the Québécois do. That is, eat like a local. Québec does have a distinct cuisine: traditional French dishes and techniques prepared with regional ingredients such as wild game (venison, boar and the like), freshwater fish like trout and salmon, maple syrup, and seasonal wild vegetables like mushrooms, ramps and fiddleheads. All sorts of fruits and vegetables flourish in Québec and the neighboring provinces, and imported produce is commonplace during the colder months. Fine Québec cuisine can be found at restaurants such as Aix Cuisine de Terroir, Toqué!, and Chez L'Épicier. What passes for comfort food in Québec may sound strange to the uninitiated, and there's no question about it being healthy, but as late-night post-bar food or "I'm-feeling-bummed-out-today" food it can't be beat. The three standouts are poutine (frites topped with gravy and melty cheese curds), pizzaghetti (pizza topped with spaghetti, or sometimes pizza with a side of spaghetti), and smoked meat (beef) sandwiches. Where are the best places to find said comfort foods? They are everywhere. Basically, find a queue at a street vendor or take-out counter, and get in it. Maple sugar shacks are popular too, but most of them are only open during sugaring time (that's spring to non-residents). At a traditional sugar shack you can enjoy a hearty meal of eggs, sausages, crepes (pancakes), maple syrup toffee, and maple syrup-laced coffee. -- Joseph K. Hall Jr., 10Best Editor