Where to have a dinner and breakfast in Montreal?

September 5, 2017 10:49 PM

We just have the night and morning there, and want to make the most of it.

We're staying at Hotel Zero 1 (downtown). We'll get in in the late evening, and leaving the next morning, so we don't have a ton of time; it'd be nice to get in a good dinner and breakfast, and maybe a tourist-y thing along the way.

Bonus points for places with poutine nearby. One of us is vegetarian, but one of us isn't.

posted by The Notorious B.F.G. to Travel & Transportation around Montreal, QC (2 answers total)

Best answer: You'll be very near Cadet, one of the few restaurants here to which I've been three times. Small, shareable plates. The food and service has always been excellent. But no poutine.

For poutine, I'd take a quick cab ride to La Banquise. There's also one of Montreal's better taco places quite near you, in Chinatown: La Capital. But, yeah, I'd probably go either Cadet or La Banquise.

As for breakfast, I'd try a bakery. Mamie Clafoutis on St.-Denis will be close. Patrice Pâtissier isn't as close -- maybe 5K away? -- but it's great if you're into well made, classical French pastries. (Libertine is in that same area and has such fantastic pastries -- very out-of-the-box stuff.)

Hope that's helpful.
posted by veggieboy at 5:33 AM on September 6, 2017 [4 favorites]

Montreal's answer to NY Pastrami is smoked meat... it has become one of Quebec's national identity foods. The best places are up the street on St. Laurent, not far from your hotel. Chez Schwartz is perhaps the most well known and I would say the best, open til 2 am but always crowded with a waiting line. Across the street is the Main Deli Steak House - more of a formal restaurant with a full menu, open until 5 am.

For breakfast.... Montreal bagels from Fairmount Bagels in Miles End a bit further up St Laurent.... maybe get a taxi to take you. You get a bagful, also a plastic container of their cream cheese and lox dip, and then go to a cafe for an italian coffee and eat bagels on the terrace. Or just eat anything with maple syrup on it.
posted by zaelic at 12:57 AM on September 7, 2017 [2 favorites]