19 Best Restaurants in Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal), Montreal

Undoubtedly the most strikingly beautiful coffee shop in Montréal, perhaps even in North America, Crew Collective & Café is housed inside a former 1920s-era bank that's fitted with 50-foot-high vaulted ceilings, intricate tiling, and bronze chandeliers. It's no wonder Forbes named it of the five most beautiful co-working spaces in the world. The café doubles as a co-working space for Web start-ups, so it’s only fitting that patrons be able to order their coffee and nibbles directly online, in real-time, without ever having to queue. Expect barista-approved brews, gourmet sandwiches, and an appetizing range of baked goods, including vegan, soy- and nut-free options. Be sure to go before 4 pm, as the cafe closes at 4 on weekdays, and 5 on weekends. 

A far cry from the cliché-clad tavernas found elsewhere in the city, Ikanos serves refined Aegean gastronomy in an elegant and sleek environment. No blue-and-white checkered tablecloths in sight; the muted neutral palette puts the spotlight on the food. The menu includes the ever-so-popular grilled octopus and the equally enticing grilled rack of lamb (both courtesy of a state-of-the-art wood burning oven), complemented by a curated selection of Greek wines. 

You'll want to keep coming back again and again to this adorable little gourmet convenience store and café with its mint-green facade and single origin coffee. Le Petit Dep proudly stocks local products, including prêt-à-manger soups, salads, and comfort foods such as chili, pasta, and vegan shepherd's pie. There are also mouthwatering home-baked goods and candy in bulk. There is a second Old Montréal location at 461 rue St-Sulpice.

The expertise and irreproachable service at Le Serpent truly make it an essential stop on any Montréal foodie itinerary. The industrial-looking space caters to trendy diners, and almost paradoxically, serves sublime Italianate plates that could be mistaken for comfort food if they weren’t so elegantly presented. Nothing disappoints here, from the sommelier picks to dishes like the foie gras parfait or the iconic lobster risotto. 

Influential types arrive at lunchtime en masse for a table at this bustling bakery and sandwich shop where vegetables are organically grown in a nearby garden and fresh crab is flown in for salads. Crowd pleasers include Le Cubain panini (pancetta, roasted pork, Gruyère with lime, cilantro, and chipotle) and the vegan sandwich with chickpea and harissa spread, pickled beets, creamy sauce, and minty slaw. Baked goods are also consistent winners.

Frequently named one of Montréal's best restaurants and Canada's third best by canadas100best.com, a meal at Toqué! is not so much about sustenance but rather experience. Toqué is slang for "a little stubborn," as in the chef's insistence on using fresh, local ingredients; consequently, the menu changes daily in accordance with market offerings but foie gras, duck, and wild venison are on constant rotation. Some patrons wouldn't consider ordering anything but the seven-course, C$182 dinner tasting menu.

A relatively new addition (opened in late 2019) to the plant-based sushi zeitgeist, Bloom on rue St-Paul aims to prove that it's possible to enjoy sushi without harming our oceans and the fish who live in them. With its white-painted brick and stone walls, blond wood surfaces, and low-hanging cloth lamps, this gorgeous resto is like a cross between a spa and a traditional Japanese restaurant. Choose between a wide array of artfully plated makis, futomakis, nigiris, gyozas, salads and soups, each dish a captivating fusion of tastes. Complement your meal with a kombucha or a bottle of organic pinot noir or Tsukinokatsura Junmai Iwai sake. 

Inspired by Paris’s golden-age brasseries, Brasserie 701's spectacular setting features high ceilings, neoclassical architecture, giant arched windows, and lovely chandeliers. The menu incudes the usual suspects expected at a brasserie, from tartares, filet mignon, and escargot to foie gras.

There's no need to cross the pond to find perfectly battered fish and delicious chips, as they can be found right here in Old Montréal. The cod is a staple, but the salmon dipped in beer batter is also a menu favorite, and for a Canadian touch, try the haddock covered in golden maple syrup batter. Vegetarians will appreciate the smoked tofu in chipotle batter and there's gluten-free available as well. End your British experience with the new deep-fried Oreo dessert. Wine and a range of beers are also served. This long, narrow restaurant hustles during weekday lunch. 

Despite the name—French for "Hunting and Fishing Club"—this isn't a hangout for the local gun-and-rod set. Impeccable service and top-notch ingredients have made this one of the best restaurants in the city; the name is simply referencing the wood-and-leather decor. The menu changes often, but hearty meat dishes like American wagyu and freshly caught fish are consistently delicious. Leave room for dessert, which is prepared by one of the most renowned pastry chefs in town.

Blink and you'll miss it. While the address is written on the building's facade, the restaurant's nondescript exterior and lack of a sign mean you may be searching for a while. Popular options at this atmospheric see-and-be-seen locale, steered by local celebrity chef Chuck Hughes, include bountiful platters of seafood, squash agnolotti with poached lobster and lobster bisque, and hanger steak with pommes Anna and wild cauliflower mushroom. The bar, where flirting is in high gear, is a fun option for dining and hanging out. The kitchen closes at 10 pm, after which the party rages until 3 am. Minors are not permitted on the premises. Although there are a few vegetable-centric appetizers on offer, fish and meat feature prominently on the menu, so vegetarians should probably head elsewhere.

A culinary landmark like few others in the city, Gibbys is one of Montréal's most famous steak houses. Part of what makes it so attractive is the 200-year-old historic building in which it's located, featuring vaulted-ceilings, wood beams, stone walls, and candlelit dining rooms. Oven-baked oysters Rockefeller, two-pound lobsters, and some of the best aged steaks in the city are the most popular picks here, not to mention gigantic beef Wellington and creamy clam chowder.  There is a second location in St-Sauveur, in the Laurentians.

As the name suggests, the focus of this restaurant is ham in all its many incarnations. The menu changes seasonally but charcuteries and marinated vegetables imported from Europe are ever-present. The dining room is modern and spacious, with huge windows and long communal tables that stimulate conversations. And diners of all sorts do convene here, from trendsetters to suit-and-tie corporates along with flip-flop-clad tourists.

As a gourmet grocery shop, takeout counter, and French restaurant rolled into one, this splendid space was quickly adopted by local foodies. Instead of being dejected by the brunch queues on Saturday and Sunday, visitors should take advantage of that time to browse the restaurant’s inviting grocery shop for gourmet souvenirs to take home.

This low-key destination is the perfect spot for an intimate yet elevated meal, where diners can safely anticipate irreproachable dishes (including the $125, five-course tasting menu with wine pairing) and a finely curated wine list. The decor is grandiose and includes a very large mural taking up one long wall, a vintage tin ceiling, and floor-to-ceiling doors and windows. The creative market-based menu changes frequently and focuses on the use of local products. Staples include suckling pig, arctic char, and chanterelle mushrooms with kale and bleu d’Élizabeth cheese.

This elegant patisserie is housed in a historic, beautifully renovated three-story graystone in Old Montréal. Baskets of buttery brioches and flaky croissants await, and the prominent pastry display holds rows of seasonal fruit tarts and classic French desserts like mille-feuilles (made of delicate layers of puff pastry and airy vanilla-scented custard) and Paris-Brest (made of choux pastry and a praline-flavored cream). The acclaimed pastry chef here, Christian Faure, is the recipient of France's highest culinary honor, Meilleur Ouvrier de France. A pastry school takes up space on the upper floors, while the ground floor is dedicated to various delectable take-out or eat-in sweet and savory options. There are two other locations, one in Westmount and one downtown.

For fine dining in Old Montréal, head to this chic, contemporary restaurant serving expertly presented Canadian fare, from oysters to PEI côte de boeuf. A chic, illuminated bar showcases the wine collection, with 400 selections including some Québécois bottles.

Housed inside a welcoming space with alcove windows and stone walls, this airy, colorful restaurant serves traditional Portuguese with plenty of seafood dishes. Share a few tapas plates, like the grilled sardines fillets, cod fritters, the grilled asparagus, or the baby potatoes with herbs before delving into the main course. Leave room for natas, the legendary Portuguese tarts filled with a vanilla-scented custard.