17 Best Restaurants in Downtown and the Golden Square Mile, Montreal

Co-owned by Win Butler and wife Régine Chassagne of famed Montréal band Arcade Fire, this popular Haitian rum house with tropical décor is flanked by the most fabulous patio in the city, bar none. Besides the views, the main draw here is the make-your-own Ti' Punch setup—a bottle of rum, ice cubes, sugar cane juice, lime wedges, and other fixings. Combine that DIY drinking experience with sultry jazz tunes and you've got a two-story space that's filled with character and strong tropical vibes. Food-wise, expect creole classics like mais moulu (polenta), conch ceviche, fried plantains, and fried chicken, along with a vegan dish, pumpkin in a coconut sauce with white rice.

For after-dinner dancing and more drinking and tropical music, head next door to Ti-Agrikol; "ti" means little in Haitian Creole.

Refined Le Taj carries a piece of Montréal's history with its ornate mud wall originally made for India's pavilion at World Expo ’67. With northern Indian cuisine in mind, which isn’t as spicy as its southern counterpart, thalis—platters comprising a variety of curries—are ideal for sampling unfamiliar flavors. Vegetarians and vegans feel right at home with the veggie-heavy menu, notably the saag paneer (white cheese with spinach), the tandoori vegetable platter, and the channa masala (chickpeas seasoned in coriander, garam masala, mango powder, onions, and garlic). 

The decor at this restaurant reflects its philosophy: fresh, thoughtful, and simplified (yet not simple). The market-based menu changes often and includes dishes that are just as beautiful to look at as they are delicious. House specialties feature local and seasonal products such as juniper, fiddleheads, asparagus, pears, and maple syrup; game like deer and duck; fish such as oysters, lobster and crab; and an assortment of Québec cheeses.. The wine selection includes private-import wines.

This multilevel restaurant filled with young professionals lures in patrons with its lively atmosphere and deliciously updated English food. The signature fish-and-chips is deservedly popular, as are other classics like bangers and mash and shepherd's pie. The Burgundy Lion can get boisterous with good cheer in the evening, fueled by the extensive beer list and the 200-plus varieties of whiskey. It's a popular spot to watch football (that's soccer to North Americans) and hockey. Classic British breakfasts like "bubble n' squeak" (cabbage, eggs, onions, and smoked meat) and French toast made with crumpets make for busy weekend mornings.

The open-concept kitchen is renowned for its for "haute" Portuguese cuisine, including roasted salted cod, seafood bouillabaisse, and a whole array of appetizers like giant shrimp and grilled octopus or the roasted sardine fillets. Wine connoisseurs are attracted to the impressive list of Portuguese wines.

Aficionados are willing to wait for a seat at this small café, where the foam on your latte or café au lait is artfully arranged in waves, hearts, or curlicues. The delicious coffee is imported from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, and elsewhere via the famed 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters in Vancouver. Patrons can choose alternatives to dairy milk, such as soy, almond, and oat. Don't drink coffee? Try the molten hot chocolate or the homemade iced tea. Baked goods are sourced from six different local bakeries, all of which are delicious. Myriade now has a second, Instagram-worthy Downtown location inside the Club Monaco store at 1000 Ste-Catherine Street West, and even a third one at 4627 rue St-Denis in the Plateau.

What was once a fur showroom in the 1970s now hosts Café Parvis, a stylish yet eclectic eatery with floor-to-ceiling windows, half-stripped mint-green paint, and luxuriant plants hanging from the ceiling. If morning visits are for artisan coffee and pâtisserie du jour, dinner is for ordering shareable wood-oven baked pizzas enhanced by fresh salads and the on-point selection of organic wines.

Located in Montréal's Downtown core, Deville Dinerbar is a whimsical alternative to the otherwise rather serious dining options in the area. A palette of neon pink, white, and black keeps the dining room sleek, sexy, and exciting (but not diner-kitschy). The meat-heavy menu, with dishes like the substantial Deville burger, shepherd's potpie (peas, corn, braised short ribs, and puff pastry), or fish-and-chips on a brioche bun are all filling choices, so be sure to leave room for the Deville Food Cake, a chocolate lover's dream. Check out the creative cocktail list, too.

A boisterous Japanese pub and restaurant (known in Japan as an izakaya), Imadake serves small plates meant to be shared with a beer or cocktail in hand, and you won't find any sushi on the menu. The name "Imadake" means "only for now" and is a reference to the restaurant's ever-changing menu and "live in the moment" philosophy. You can pick from a variety of dishes, including ramen and noodle bowls as well as house specialties like the korokke (mashed potato croquettes), the okonomiyaki (a Japanese savory pancake) with oyster mushrooms, the shiitake mushrooms and green onion skewers, the miso-marinated black codfish, or the deliciously spicy karaage (chicken with wasabi mayo).

You could almost walk right by this tiny establishment on this seedier stretch of Ste-Catherine St., but the line of people waiting to get in is a telltale sign. Popular plates include the tuna rice bowl or the messy barbecue pork neck—you'll be licking sauce off your hands, but you won't be sorry. The juicy shrimp burger and the veggie bowl with tofu, lettuce, tempura flakes, and a little chili oil on rice are both great options for lunch. Arrive 15 minutes before opening time or well after 8 to beat the queue.

With its airy, all-white and green, plant-filled decor, dining at LOV (Local, Organic, Vegan) is like sitting in a beautiful greenhouse. This fashionable restaurant is the kind of plant-based establishment that even die-hard carnivores will line up to enter. The restaurant works with local farmers to limit its carbon footprint. Starters here include tempura hearts of palm rings with lemon-truffle aïoli and mushroom and vegetable dumplings with almond butter kimchi sauce. Highlights among the mains are buckwheat sweet potato gnocchi and mushroom risotto with cashew cream. There's another location at 464 McGill St.

If you're in the mood for a big, nourishing, market-fresh salad served in a colorful ceramic bowl in a pastel setting, Mandy's is the place to go. Choose from among 15 different varieties of salads, such as the Habibi salad with quinoa, parsley, mint, chickpeas, roasted sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and feta, mixed with tahini dressing; the Clean Green with basil, cilantro, mint, broccoli, cucumber, edamame, purple cabbage, green onions, and pumpkin seeds, garnished with tamari dressing; or the Crunchy Sesame with romaine lettuce, mixed greens, avocado, mandarin oranges, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, crunchy noodles, and toasted sesame seeds with the Asian sesame vinaigrette. If you don't believe that a meal can be a meal without meat, there are several options that do include meat. For a business that started out in the back of a women's clothing boutique and now has several locations throughout town, Mandy's has come a long way.  There's a second location downtown on McGill College, as well as ones in Westmount, the Old Port, and Mile End.

The salmon and avocado tartare is a must at this surprisingly affordable Japanese tapas restaurant and lounge. Vegans and vegetarians will appreciate plates like the shiitake lettuce cups, avocado tacos, and black truffle mushroom dumplings. Carefully selected wines and classic cocktails combine with sleek lighting (the dragon changes color throughout the night) for a memorable dining experience. There are also locations in Griffintown and Westmount.

Time Out Market, the popular "anti-food courts" gastro halls opening in cities around the globe, unveiled its Montréal location in late 2019. The industrial-chic, dimly lit 40,000 square-foot space features a black ceiling, gray and concrete surfaces, and warm, oil-finished maplewood floors. Low-intensity pin lights illuminate the dark surfaces and the blond wood tables and benches, creating an understated effect. TOM Montréal includes 16 “unique food concepts” (Time Out's description for the stalls), representing 12 of the best restos in the city, in addition to four bars. Currently, gourmets and gourmands will find such epicurean delights as Casa Kaizen (plant-based Japanese-Mexican fusion tacos), Le Red Tiger (Vietnamese), Moleskine (pizzeria), Le Taj (Indian), chef Paul Toussaint's Haitian/Caribbean dishes, and Campo (Portuguese chicken and poutine). A partitioned bar area, demarcated by a custom iron grill to gently separate it from the food hall, boasts the original arched windows from the now-defunct Eaton department store. It consists of the Time Out Bar, Beer Bar, and Wine Bar. There's also a dedicated mocktail bar concocts delicious non-alcoholic libations.