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Best Food in Montreal (2026)
No visit to Montreal is complete without a smoked meat sandwich from Schwartz's Deli (3895 Saint-Laurent Blvd). Expect lines, but the juicy, peppery brisket on rye is worth t… 🥐 Iconic Smoked Meat
No visit to Montreal is complete without a smoked meat sandwich from Schwartz's Deli (3895 Saint-Laurent Blvd). Expect lines, but the juicy, peppery brisket on rye is worth the wait. A medium sandwich costs around $12 and is best paired with a pickle and a cherry soda.
🍁 Poutine Pilgrimage
Poutine is a must-try, and La Banquise (994 Rachel St E) serves it 24/7 with over 30 variations. The classic with fresh cheese curds and gravy is $10, but try the T-Rex with ground beef and pepperoni for a heartier option. For a gourmet twist, head to Au Pied de Cochon (536 Duluth Ave E) for their foie gras poutine.
🥟 Chinatown Dumplings
Montreal's Chinatown on Rue de la Gauchetière is home to Qing Hua Dumpling (1076 Rue Clark), where hand-pulled noodles and juicy pork dumplings cost under $10. Arrive early to avoid the lunch rush, and don't miss the pan-fried buns. Cash is preferred.
🧀 Bagels and Brunch
Montreal bagels are smaller, denser, and sweeter than New York's. St-Viateur Bagel (263 St-Viateur Ave) and Fairmount Bagel (74 Fairmount Ave W) are the classic rivals, both open 24/7. A dozen sesame bagels cost about $8. For brunch, try L'Avenue (922 Mont-Royal Ave E) for creative eggs Benedict starting at $15.
🍝 Little Italy Pasta
In Little Italy, visit Jean-Talon Market (7070 Henri-Julien Ave) for fresh produce and artisanal cheeses. For dinner, Impasto (48 Dante St) serves handmade pasta in a cozy setting, with mains around $25. Reserve ahead, as it's popular with locals.
🍦 Sweet Treats
Kem Coba (multiple locations, including 56 Rachel St W) offers artisanal ice cream with unique flavors like maple and lavender, starting at $5 for a single scoop. For classic pouding chômeur (poor man's pudding), try the version at Chez Ma Tante (1647 Rue Amherst) for around $8.
🍺 Nightlife Bites
The Plateau neighborhood is perfect for evening food crawls. Try the duck confit poutine at Le Garde-Manger (408 Saint-Francois-Xavier St) for $20, or grab a slice from Pizza Toni (multiple locations) for $5. Many bars offer late-night menus until 1 AM.
🚇 Getting Around for Food
Montreal's metro system is efficient for food hopping. The Orange Line connects Schwartz's (Sherbrooke station) and La Banquise (Mont-Royal station). A single fare is $3.75, or buy a day pass for $11. Walking is best in the Plateau, where many eateries cluster within a few blocks.
Honestly the guide's pretty spot on, but I'd throw in Patati Patata on Rachel for the best burger in town. It's a tiny place with maybe 10 seats and their patat burger with fried onions and their special sauce is like $8. Way better than most pricier spots and they're open late enough for a post-dinner snack.
One thing about the smoked meat that people miss - if Schwartz's line is too long (which it always is), walk two blocks to Main Deli on Saint-Laurent. It's the same recipe from when they split, slightly less crowded, and the meat is just as good. A medium sandwich is about $10 and you'll be in and out in 15 minutes tops.
For a sweeter breakfast than L'Avenue, try Le Passé Composé on Roy East. Their brunch menu is around $15-18 and the foie gras poached eggs are ridiculous. Make a reservation though, the wait on weekends can hit an hour easy.
The guide nails the classics, but I'd add that Montreal's Greek food scene is worth a detour. Head to Parc Avenue near Fairmount for places like Rotisserie Panago, where you can get a full souvlaki plate with grilled meat, rice, and salad for about $14. It's a neighborhood staple that flies under most tourist radars.
For a different bagel take, Fairmount's all-night drive-through window is a lifesaver when you're craving one at 3 AM after a night out. You pull up, order through a speaker, and they hand you a warm bagel through the car window. St-Viateur doesn't have that, and it's a small thing that makes a big difference in winter.
The guide mentions Kem Coba, but if you're near Jean-Talon Market, try Bilboquet on Saint-Denis Street for their hazelnut chocolate gelato. A small cup is $6 and the texture is creamier than most places in the city. They've been around since the 90s for a reason.
Montreal hidden gems for a trip in 4 months?
if you want a bar that tourists never find, check out Chez Baptiste on Ontario east near Pie IX. it's a tiny corner tavern, cash only, and the crowd is all neighbourhood regulars playing cards. order a bière en fût and you're set.
also worth knowing, the bagel debate here is really Fairmount vs Saint Viateur, but the sleeper is Bagel St-Lo on Saint Laurent, they wood fire them and there's never a line.
For bagels skip the obvious spots on Saint Viateur and go to Beaubien Bagel on Beaubien est, way fewer people and the sesame ones are just as good. For a bar, honestly Bar Le Mal Necessaire on Saint Laurent is tiny and mostly locals, no signage out front so tourists walk right past it. If you want something different entirely, hit the Bain Colonial on a weekday morning, it's a 1920s public bathhouse in Villeray that feels like stepping back in time.
Skip the bars and go to Dépanneur Le Pick Up on Saint Zotique in Rosemont for lunch instead, it's a tiny old dep turned lunch counter with pulled pork sandwiches that mostly locals from the neighbourhood hit up. Afternoon is the move, it gets dead quiet around 3.