A veritable culinary capital, Montréal is home to numerous fine dining restaurants where one can indulge in delicacies of every kind, from Spanish tapas to Mediterranean dishes to Quebec cuisine. Here are four Montréal establishments that guarantee a gastronomic experience.
RESTAURANT PASTEL
124 rue McGill / restopastel.com
The ultimate restaurant experience consists of a delicious meal, impeccable service, sophisticated decor, inspiring ambience, and pleasant company. This is exactly what Pastel aims to offer its clientele, and it certainly seems to have found the recipe for success! Located in Old Montréal, the restaurant delivers a true dining experience every evening with beautifully presented, sophisticated cuisine. Thanks to the open kitchen, diners can appreciate all the work involved in producing the various dishes in the six-course tasting menu from chef Yoann Van Den Berg. Pastel serves innovative cuisine where every ingredient—the vast majority of which are local—is perfectly plated. A delight for the eyes that tastes even better than it looks!
LE MOUSSO
1023 rue Ontario Est / lemousso.com
Antonin Mousseau-Rivard is a true artist whose culinary creations can be likened to beautiful works of art. Thanks to his creative genius, evident in both form and content, this chef has worked his way up the ranks of the Montréal restaurant scene and now sits at the top with his inventive brand of Quebec gastronomy. An evening at Le Mousso is full of innovative dishes, organized into a 12-course tasting menu that leaves plenty of room for the chef’s unbridled creativity. Thursdays to Saturdays, the restaurant welcomes 30 guests to a single 6 p.m. seating. Everyone is served at the same time to heighten the element of surprise and transform the meal into a truly memorable experience. Though the menu changes with the season, the quality and originality of the fare remain a constant. In short, a delicious way to celebrate in Montréal!
DAMAS
1201 avenue Van Horne / restaurant-damas.com
A journey to the Middle East awaits you at Damas, one of the city’s most beautiful—and most delicious—restaurants. Everything has been designed to delight the senses, from the inviting decor of warm earthy colours and exotic details to the friendly family-style welcome and Syrian comfort food that brings everyone together. The menu features a host of hot and cold mezes, grilled meats and fish, and desserts. Enhanced by the mouth-watering presentation, every bite transports diners to another world, where the sun warms the skin and the air is full of exotic scents. When Mother Nature allows, the restaurant sets up a lovely 70-seat terrasse to take advantage of the joys of summer. A 10-course tasting menu is available upon request, for a chance to experience Syrian dining at its best. Try it—your taste buds will be eternally grateful!
ZANTE MONTRÉAL
1112 rue Sherbrooke Ouest / restaurantzante.ca
Zante has been treating Montrealers to traditional Greek cuisine since 2007. Known for its fresh, savoury tower of zucchini chips, grilled octopus, and pan-fried cheese flambéed with ouzo, this Montréal culinary institution offers a full menu of crisp salads (including its famous traditional Greek salad), meats, pasta, seafood, and fish—namely the house specialty: whole butterflied sea bass, grilled with olive oil, lemon, and capers. As for the atmosphere, while the indoor dining room is more formal, the outdoor terrasse is perfect for festive get-togethers, especially when the sun goes down and Sherbrooke Street comes alive. It is the ideal place to feast the eyes and palate.
