Montreal is a culinary mecca and has a huge variety of food options, from diners and fast food to low-cost ethnic restaurants to haute cuisine. The city was recently ranked 2nd best dining city in North America after San Francisco and ahead of New York. The large local Jewish population has contributed local specialties including huge smoked meat sandwiches beef brisket Schwartz's is undisputably the most authentic smoked meat restaurant and small, crusty bagels the undisputed classic bagel places are St-Viateur's and Fairmount Bagels. Other specialties are "all-dressed" pizza pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers, pizza and spaghetti with smoked meat, and Quebecois favorites like split pea soup and poutine.
Poutine
No visit to Montreal is complete without at least one plate of poutine. This unique dish is a plate of French fries drowned in gravy and topped with chewy curds of white cheddar. There are variations on the theme â adding chicken, beef, vegetables, or sausage, or replacing the gravy with tomato sauce poutine italienne. Every Montrealer has their favourite poutine restaurant where it says that you can get "the real stuff" but La Banquise, on the Plateau at 994 rue Rachel est, usually tops the list.
Many Montreal restaurants are "apportez votre vin" bring your own wine. This may sound like a hassle, but you end up paying much less for wine with dinner if you bring it yourself. There's usually a SAQ government liquor store or a dépanneur convenience store, with a limited selection of typically inexpensive wine nearby; ask your waiter where it is. Your waiter will open your wine for you; corkage fees are rare, but don't forget to factor this service into your tip so make sure to ask. If you are driving from the United States, you may find Canadian liquor prices quite frightening. Even the duty-free shops along the border are rarely cheaper than an American liquor store although these are still cheaper than the SAQ. Visitors can bring in 40oz of hard alcohol, 1.5L of wine, or a 24-pack of beer.
Separate bills l'addition or "facture" in French are common and you may be asked ensemble ou séparément? together or separately? The standard tip for acceptable restaurant service is 15% and is not included.
Never call a waiter "garçon"! Use "monsieur" or "madame".
markets
To buy your own food or regional products, the public market at Jean-Talon, 7075 avenue Casgrain metro Jean-Talon or De Castelnau, is the place to go. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m, the market is especially noteworthy for its selection of produce. Even though they're not strictly part of the market, the many stores lining it on the north and south sides complete it wonderfully with superb selections of cheese, meat, and just about anything edible. The surrounding streets are heavily Italian-flavored and feature a number of excellent grocery stores, butchers, bakeries, and restaurants.
Across town, the Atwater Market is also superb, though quite different from and much smaller than Jean-Talon. Here, you'll find the city's best butchers, as well as good selections of cheese, fish, and produce. Located on avenue Atwater, just south of rue Notre-Dame Lionel-Groulx station
brunch/breakfast restaurants
In Montreal, certain restaurants' specialty is breakfast/brunch.
L'Avenue 922 rue Mont-Royal est famous for their eggs Benedict, also serves lunch and dinner
Chez Cora Various locations, see (http://www.chezcora.com/) anything you want, very diversified menu
"Chez Jose" 173 Avenue Duluth Est amazing sandwiches and pastries. the almond croissant is amazing
kosher
Kosher
Kosher refers to Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with Jewish law is termed kosher in English, meaning "fit" in this context, fit for consumption by Jews according to traditional Jewish law.
Morty's Steakhouse 5395 Queen Mary
Yakimono sushi bar 4210 Boulevard Décarie
Exception II 5039 Queen Mary
Chez Benny 5071 Queen Mary
Chez Benny Express 2075 rue St-Louis
Pizza pita 6415 Décarie
Casalinga 5625 Décarie
Famous Pizza 2145 rue St Louis
Yoel's Dizenogff grill 3460 Stanley, 2nd Floor
Tatty's Pizza 6540 Darlington
Paradise Kosher 11608 De Salaberry
Milk 'N Honey 5756 Avenue Du Parc
Ristorante Maestro 6136 Cote Saint Luc Rd
Pizza Maestro 5800 Cavendish This is in a mall, located in the food court near McDonalds
Jerusalem express 5800 Cavendish This is in a mall; it is next to Subway
Le Grill 6445 Décarie In the Quality Hotel Midtown
Ernie And Ellie’s 6900 Décarie In a mall called Décarie Square but is a business-casual type place
Café Dizengoff 5500 Westbury in the Jewish YMCA it has two separate kitchens so mornings are the dairy menu and afternoons are the meat menu
desserts
Montreal has a number of excellent ice cream parlours, many of which make their own ice cream.
Plus que Parfait 60 rue Fairmount ouest. Gelato
Havre aux Glaces 7070, rue Henri-Julien Gelato; situated in the Jean Talon market
Meu Meu 4458 rue Saint-Denis Gelato
Ripples 3880 St-Laurent Gelato
Bilboquet 1311 rue Bernard ouest Ben and Jerry's-style ice cream - sweet, with chunky bits
Montreal also has restaurants dedicated to desserts.
Juliette et chocolat Various locations, try the one at 1615 rue Saint-Denis all chocolate deserts, you can even have shots of chocolate!
Rockaberry Various locations, try the one at rue Saint-Denis huge cakes, great cheesecake