"Schwartz's Deli While New York has its pastrami, Montréal is the home of smoked meat. (The preparation of both is similar: A beef brisket is cured in spices for a week, then hot-smoked and finally boiled before being served.) Though others may question the claim, Schwartz's boasts that it is the original home of smoked meat, serving it since 1928. Regardless of who was first, Schwartz's is the most popular smoked-meat option in town. Order a sandwich, on rye with only yellow mustard to accompany the meat, and you'll soon understand why the citizens of Montréal are so passionate about the dish."

"The French chef Daniel Boulud made his name in New York, where he oversees seven restaurants and has since expanded his culinary empire to six other outposts around the globe. His venture in Montréal makes perfect sense, with Québecois cuisine combining French traditions and techniques with New World ingredients—not unlike Boulud himself. The space—by Super Potato, one of the hottest design firms today—is elegantly restrained, with smoked glass details, wooden floors, and a contemporary enclosed fireplace warming and lighting the room. Boulud uses the best of Québec’s produce in dishes centered on local foie gras, duck, and salmon. The result is refined yet soulful contemporary French dishes, prepared by Maison Boulud executive chef Riccardo Bertolino. In warmer months, guests can dine alfresco, while in the winter you can take in the snowy scene from the restaurant’s enclosed greenhouse. Image courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Montreal ."

"L'Express, on rue St-Denis in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood, opened in 1980 and has about it the air of a beloved institution. Indeed, with its timeless style, it feels even older than it is. This popular spot serves classic renditions of bistro fare—steak tartare, bone marrow, onion soup—into the early morning hours (2 a.m. except for Sundays, when it closes at 1 a.m.). When the kitchen ventures into new territory, the results are impressive. The spaghetti with mushrooms is unconventional in its presentation (topped with a healthy serving of arugula)—one of those dishes you try on the road and then want to re-create at home. Reservations recommended."

"This perennially popular bakery and sandwich spot can feel somewhat out of place. With its cozy atmosphere in a plant-filled space, and its menu of warm panini, delicious sandwiches on artisanal breads, generous salads, and perfectly executed pastries, it is the sort of restaurant you'd expect to find in one of Montréal's cooler neighborhoods. Instead, it's in the heart of Old Montréal. That is a definite plus for travelers visiting the city's historic sights. It also means, however, that there is a lunch-hour rush when nearby office workers vie for tables. If you can plan on an early or late lunch—you're on vacation, after all—you can avoid the worst of the crowd. Olive et Gourmando is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so if you are looking for a place for dinner, the same owners are behind the new Foxy (in the Griffintown neighborhood), which is quickly proving as popular as their first restaurant."

"Chef Martin Picard is one of the leaders of Montréal's restaurant scene, introducing diners—and other chefs—to a new appreciation of the bounty of local ingredients grown and produced in Québec. (He is also a television celebrity both as the host of The Wild Chef on the Food Network in Canada and thanks to a visit by Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations .) His restaurant, Au Pied de Cochon, opened in 2001 in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood, and it continues to be an exceedingly popular and lively place. As its name implies, the eatery has a menu that's heavy on pork, as well as foie gras. While it may not be the place to start a diet, you'll finish your meal satisfied."

"Normand Laprise is a legend in the culinary world of Montréal, a pioneer who elevated the city's dining scene with an emphasis on local and seasonal products, putting the bounty of Québec at the center of his menu. When he opened Toqué at its original location, in 1993, it also breathed some new fun into the gourmet experience. For generations, haute cuisine in Montréal was synonymous with imitations of French cuisine, and old-school French at that. Laprise brought an emphasis not only on the best of Québec's products, but also playful and unexpected flavor combinations—fruit water mixed with savory meats, rhubarb paired with foie gras. In 2004, Laprise's success meant he had outgrown his first location, and he moved to the current one in the city's Quartier International. It remains one of the city's favorite special-occasion dining destinations, for both locals and visitors."

"Though the name translates as "hunting and fishing club" and clubby decor (inherited from the previous restaurant) prevails, Le Club was never, in fact, a private club. The menu also pays a nod to the restaurant's name with its local fish and game dishes that are served in the dark, intimate, somewhat stuffy rooms. (The same group has three more casual options if that sounds more appealing: Le Serpent, the buzzy Le Filet, and the family's Italian cousin, Il Miglio.) In the winter, Le Club is open for dinner only, while in the summer a terrace provides the perfect setting for a long, leisurely lunch of chef Claude Pelletier's sophisticated take on Québecois cuisine."

"When Bouillon Bilk first opened in 2011, Montréal's restaurant critics were intrigued. The chef, François Nadon, had worked at several of the city's top restaurants but was largely unknown, and the restaurant was located on an undistinguished stretch of boulevard St-Laurent. But it soon became both a critical and popular favorite. The contemporary, minimal space is decidedly unstuffy compared with many of Montréal's leading restaurants. Similarly, the menu may be gourmet but it's also daring, with ingredients and preparations from Asia complementing French dishes and techniques. You can start with Japanese yellowtail, move on to a pasta dish, and end with a selection of Québecois cheeses, if you choose. There are also fresh oysters on the menu at both lunch and dinner."

"For 20 years, Olive et Gourmando has been one of the city's favorite cafés, a popular place for pastries, sandwiches, and salads in the city's historic heart. Diners in search of a larger menu, or even dinner, however, have long been frustrated by the fact that Olive et Gourmando closes at 5 p.m. The 2015 opening of Foxy, from the same owners, in the newly trendy Griffintown neighborhood was thus highly anticipated. It turned out to be worth the wait. Foxy shares the same approach as its older sibling, focusing on fresh ingredients prepared simply so that their flavors shine, but here many of them are grilled over charcoal or roasted in the wood oven. Flatbreads topped with roasted or grilled vegetables and the grilled steak and fish dishes are must-orders. While Olive et Gourmando serves only breakfast and lunch, Foxy opens at 5:30 p.m. daily and serves dinner."

"If you grow tired of tasting your way around menus of typical Québecois dishes, Stash Café is an appealing alternative in Old Montréal. This budget-friendly Polish restaurant has the feel of an inviting tavern, with seating in old church pews. The menu consists of Polish favorites: perfectly prepared pierogis, kielbasa, and hearty borscht. If you are in Montréal on a gray winter day, it's a menu that will warm you up before you bundle up again to continue your sightseeing."

"Barroco, in Old Montréal, has the feel of a supper club, with a lively bar and cozy dining room. The decor is an appealing mix of classic and cool—stone walls and wood-beam ceilings are paired with leather banquettes, Edison-bulb light fixtures, and retro-chic wallpaper. The cocktail menu is creative and surprising—the Maple Old-Fashioned is a popular only-in- Canada choice. If you are just here for drinks, you can pair them with oysters or charcuterie or cheese plates, though you may want to stick around and order a main as well: The short ribs and paella are the restaurant's best-known dishes."

"Chef Normand Laprise's impact on Montréal's culinary scene starts with the dishes served at Toqué, but it extends to the many restaurants headed by young chefs who honed their skills in his kitchens. Among the most notable is Montréal Plaza, opened in 2015. Charles-Antoine Crête, who worked with Laprise for 14 years, presides over this contemporary brasserie along with Cheryl Johnson, a former sous-chef at Toqué. The choice of location—on the Plaza St-Hubert, an outdoor shopping street with 400 businesses linked by a trademark green canopy—surprised some given that it's a high-end gourmet restaurant, but the 70-seat Montréal Plaza includes a number of small rooms that create a sense of intimacy in what could be a cavernous space. The menu consists of small plates intended to be shared, with dishes like baloney cannelloni and a Caesar salad with chicken livers embodying Crête's approach to cooking: irreverent, fearless, and (almost) always surprisingly delicious."

"Some Americans may think of Montréal's anglophone, francophone, and Indigenous communities when they think about the city's diversity, but it is also remarkably international. Case in point, almost 20,000 Syrians live in Québec, and more than 90 percent of them are in Montréal—a number that will likely increase in coming years given the province's commitment to resettling refugees from the country. Fuad Alnirabie, the chef and owner of Damas in Outremont, is a Syrian-Canadian who is introducing Montréal to his native country's cuisine. The best strategy is to order an abundance of hot and cold mezes —hummus, baba ghanoush, octopus salad, fried dumplings—or leave the work of choosing to the kitchen and opt for the five- or six-course tasting menu."

"Outremont is a mostly residential, mostly francophone neighborhood of Montréal that in recent years has seen the opening of a number of restaurants as the gentrification of the Plateau spreads to its neighbor. Provisions is one of the new generation of restaurants, with just 28 seats and no menu. Rather, diners put themselves in the hands of chefs Pablo Rojas and Hakim Rahal for a five-course ($65) or seven-course ($75) meal. The dishes, served under a tin ceiling, are determined by what is at its peak of freshness on any given day, but you can expect exquisitely prepared fish and meat, and vegetables often in unexpected, flavorful combinations. While the courses may be small, they are rich in flavor."

"La Chronique opened in 1995 and has regularly been on the lists of Montréal's top restaurants for more than 25 years. Chef/owner Marc De Canck is originally from Belgium but has long been one of the leading figures in the city's culinary scene, often mentioned in the same breath as his contemporary Normand Laprise. While the latter has a reputation for sometimes daring and flashy presentations, De Canck is known for simpler but always impressive dishes. Today the kitchen is overseen by Olivier de Montigny, De Canck's stepson, who upholds the restaurant's reputation by continuing to serve classic French dishes—foie gras, sweetbreads, and perfectly prepared fish from the Atlantic and Québec's lakes and streams. La Chronique is not trendy, but it's a consistently reliable favorite if you want to enjoy an elegant meal, flawlessly prepared, during your time in Montréal."

"Since the 1960s, Montréal has been home to a sizable Haitian community who have immigrated to the largest French-speaking city in the hemisphere. One of the most popular Haitian restaurants in the city is trendy Agrikol, which counts two of Arcade Fire's members as backers (including Régine Chassagne, whose parents were born in Haiti). The decor, with Haitian art and Caribbean accents, helps create the illusion that your evening out includes a short trip to a tropical island. The oxtail stew, short ribs, and fried fish are all authentic and tasty, and are best paired with a ti punch (rum, lime, and fresh-pressed sugarcane juice) or a bottle of Prestige, Haiti's national lager."

"A 2016 addition to Montréal's dining scene, Moleskine is, arguably, three restaurants. There's a takeout window selling meals to go and ice cream, a casual downstairs restaurant serving sandwiches, salads, and both coffee and beer on tap, and a gourmet dining room on the second floor. The industrial-chic decor with chain-metal curtains and mismatched chairs around communal tables has helped make it one of the city's trendiest restaurants. The food is more fun and festive than fussy: Crudos, creative salads, and pizzas from the wood-fired oven are all recommended. Moleskine is from the same team behind the popular Pullman wine bar, right next door."

"Get Your Pho on in Montreal While the map says it's located in Montreal 's Chinatown, do not let yourself be scared of labels. The area is more of a melting pot of several Asian cultures rather than the Chinese alone—luckily for us, if I do say so: the more the merrier! Pho Bang is one of the best Vietnamese eateries I've been in North America, and I'm positive it will rock your socks too. The decor, as in most Asian restaurants, is simple and even a little bit corny, but what does it matter when you are about to have the best pho of your life, right? Make sure to order #33—you can thank me later. The nems are out of this world! Insider's tip: Avoid the rush at lunch hour by arriving before 12 or after 1 in order to not be rushed by busy office workers."

"The Absolute Best Bagels in Montreal New York City vs Montreal . Oh, the debate. In the ongoing Great War of the Bagels between the two cities, Montreal has always been the favorite contender, both among the proud locals and the tourists. Let's be honest here—Montreal wins, and there is no such thing as better bagels than Montreal bagels. If you agree with the premise of this highlight, then you might want to add this to your next Montreal trip: the Fairmount Bagel Bakery in the Mile End area. Founded by Jewish immigrant Isadore Shlafman in 1919, the knowledge was transmitted from generation to generation, and the family still uses the same methods even today. Everything is done by hand, and with love! It's very rewarding, as a consumer, to buy things locally and encourage an almost-century-old family-owned business. And in this case, it's double the reward: good conscience, and full stomach. What's not to like?"

"Fancy Food at a Fraction of the Cost Ask any Montrealer the question "Which is the fanciest restaurant in town?" and chances are Toqué! will be a frequent answer. Indeed, quite fancy. But also quite expensive. Luckily, chef Charles-Antoine Crête, once mentored by Toqué's Normand Laprise, decided that a more accessible and younger version of the famous restaurant would fit perfectly well with the new Place des Festivals—in style, location, and ambience. And he wasn't wrong. I always go for the beef tartare, and not once have I been disappointed. The menu changes according to the season, but there is a constancy in quality, regardless of the time of the year. This is definitely the best way to get a taste of Montreal 's finest, sans the waiting list and the steep check."

"Indulge Your Chippy Craving Fish and chips is a well-known staple of British cuisine, and while the British troops left Canada well before the 20th century, this lovely dish still lingers in Montreal . Brit & Chips' mission is to capture as authentically as possible the experience of a good old-fashioned "chippy" and add a tiny twist of Montreal 's essence. The result? A delicious selection of six types of fish dipped in just as many batters, from maple syrup to Guinness. Try the maple-syrup battered haddock with a generous side of fries and a traditional London Pride."

"Chinese Fare with a (Huge) Twist The inspiration behind Orange Rouge's dishes is up for debate. Some might call it a spin on Chinese; some might say it's nothing like traditional Cantonese fare. Others will simply not be bothered to try, but simply return again and again. What is it about Orange Rouge that has locals lining up for a table? It is one of the restaurants in Montreal 's Chinatown worth the trek. For starters, Orange Rouge has a beautiful outdoor patio on a pedestrian street. And it also serves refreshing cuisine, with dishes like a chrysanthemum salad, sautéed squid, wild leeks, smoked tofu, and char siu braised pork, as well as some Asian-inspired cocktails."

"Despite the rather audacious dual claim of frozen custard and Italian pizza specialties, Gema Pizzeria succeeds in pleasing all critics, thanks to refined, traditional, and extremely tasty fare, which is mostly made from produce bought at nearby Jean-Talon Market. Because of the pizzeria's location in Montreal 's Little Italy , it would not be wise to make false Italian food claims, and luckily, Gema Pizzeria is authentic. The decor, undertstated yet upscale, is welcome in the otherwise kitschy area. The Impasto pizza has become the menu favorite, but you can't really go wrong. But keep some room for dessert: You don't want to miss out on homemade frozen custard."

"Bringing The Deep South to Montreal If there's one thing you need to know about Dinette is that they serve the best mac and cheese in town. Not that the other items on the menu aren't just as good—I have not heard a single complaint about this place—but the m&c is simply the stuff of dreams. The best way to go about tasting Dinette's hearty cuisine is by opting for their "meat and three's" special: choose your meat (fried chicken is a must in these parts) and three side dishes (fried sweet potatoes, cornbread, and braised greens are always a good choice). Please note that you may want to unbutton your jeans at this point. Dinette Triple Crown offers a vast selection of housemade hot sauces and high-quality bourbons. If you're new to this relatively potent liquor, order the bourbon lemonade cocktail for a sweeter introduction. You will want to order seconds. Visiting in the summertime? Ask for a take-away picnic basket to eat in the park across the street at no extra cost."