Foodchain

Health food restaurant · Downtown Montreal

Foodchain

Health food restaurant · Downtown Montreal

1212 McGill College Ave, Montreal, Quebec H3B 4J8, Canada

Highlights

Foodchain is a vibrant café whipping up innovative, health-conscious fast food with creative salads and smooth smoothies, perfect for a guilt-free bite downtown.

1212 McGill College Ave, Montreal, Quebec H3B 4J8, Canada Get directions

eatfoodchain.com

@eatfoodchain

$$ · Menu

@eater

"With a not-your-average-salad menu complimented by several interesting smoothie options, this McGill College outpost is perfect for those seeking something on the healthier side. The chain is backed by some big names, including Montréal Plaza owners Charles-Antoine Crête and Cheryl Johnson, Hof Kelsten’s Jeffrey Finkelstein, and top interior designer Zébulon Perron." - Daniel Bromberg

13 Restaurants Worth Trying in Downtown Montreal - Eater Montreal

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@onthegrid

"Foodchain, Ville Marie by Havas Montréal. Foodchain embodies everything we wish food chains actually were: healthy, easy and accessible. While technically a salad bar, this restaurant offers more than just a bunch of different veggies mixed together—the menu is built on the science of complementary flavours and unconventional pairings. Oh, and not gonna lie, we’ve got a soft spot for the branding, too."

Montréal

test

@eater

"Given that it counts owners of borderline-wacky dining destination Montréal Plaza as some of its key players, Foodchain isn’t your garden-variety salad spot — but options like fennel-daikon and cucumber-pickle (featuring both cucumbers and their pickled counterparts) are innovative, and hit the spot with sharp dressings." - Kaitlyn McInnis, Tim Forster, Ashley Joseph

The 22 Best Places to Get a Salad in Montreal - Eater Montreal

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@eater

"From the people behind Montréal Plaza and Hof Kelsten comes this upstart salad place sidesteps the customizable lettuce-and-toppings approach in favour of carefully thought-out creations that consist mainly of shredded, chopped and julienned vegetables. Don’t skip the pain magique, a flaky pastry made with caramelized onions, cheese and herbs." - Tim Forster, Mallory Frayn, Ashley Joseph

The Best Lunch Options in Downtown Montreal - Eater Montreal

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@infatuation

"You’re having vivid dreams about foie gras and your hands smell like butter no matter how many times you wash them - it might be time to remind your body what the color green tastes like. Head to Foodchain for one of their creative and healthy salads and soups. It’s located between two huge shopping malls (Place Ville Marie and Le Centre Eaton de Montréal), so it’s a perfect place to start your afternoon or refuel in between buying a scarf for your mom and a collection of “Welcome To Montreal!” coasters for your cousin. Just make sure you order some of the pain magique, literally “magic bread,” which is a cross between pizza and a croissant - because balance is important." - Ashley Joseph

Foodchain - Review - Downtown - Montreal - The Infatuation

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EB Belt

Google

Next to place Montréal Trust Peel metro station. First time there, I only ordered 1 blueberry smoothie and it took forever, 3 customers after me got their order before mine... Can't change the ingredients in your order (instead of almond milk I would prefer apple or carrot juice but not possible). Base salads are interesting, I tried one but there was a lot of purple and white cabbage very ordinary salad. I give it one last try and I loved the mango smoothie really fresh, delicious, flavorful, creamy and tropical. They automatically charge you 5% more on your bill to tip the staff but you can ask to be removed.

Maria Teresa Vélez

Google

Delicious and extra fresh. LOVE the salad combinations just don't get the magic in the Pain Magique... it just seems to me an average good bun, nothing special.

Ashley K

Google

Lots of sweet salads, less for the savory/salty junkies among us. Cauliflower/mushroom is great, and so is kohlrabi/celery (available in summer only). Warm winter meals aren't very good value. Lots less veg for the same price (mostly rice; see below). Also beware the "compostable" plastic; it's mostly a feel-good marketing tactic.

Kay

Google

Meat lovers: this place was not designed for your welfare in mind , that juicy pork chop which you've been waiting for won't be available at this spot. ( even that rib eye pan seared to perfection ain't available) Salad lovers : be ready for great staff, very helpful and knowledgeable about the subject. Preparation is quick +- 2 mins during lunch hour. Fresh ingredients, I had number #7, last time had number #4. Candidly I prefer this salad place due to the fact that I had food there 3 times and I am super duper satisfied. On the flip side of things, the bread is not out of this world. To the owners : keep the good work.

Josephine Koopman

Google

Beautiful space with well-run operations. Salads are well crafted with a great balance of flavors (I ordered the 07). Healthy, yummy and quick. Would gladly return!

dominic auger

Google

Very healthy and good salads! I took the one with apple and Aneth and its delicious. All salads are very different than one you tasted before. Its not expensive and very quick service

Fiona Ham

Google

On my first visit I was extremely disappointed because I arrived to pay for my order and they only accept payment by cards. No cash. So, I left. A girlfriend of mine took me out a few months later to try it out and the curry was very delicious. I wouldn't go for the brownie a second time. Didn't have that wow factor I look for in a brownie.

Alanna Devine

Google

Foodchain makes unbelievably delicious fast, fresh, healthy vegan (plant-based) food. Eating one of their legendary salads is sure to put a smile on your face and a satisfied feeling in your stomach. I am also honoured to get to partner with them through DEVINE SWEETS to get our fabulous vegan peanut butter cups (featured below) out to the masses (available through Foodchain and Lufa Farms). Three cheers and two thumbs up for Foodchain!!!

EB Belt

Google

Maria Teresa Vélez

Google

Delicious and extra fresh. LOVE the salad combinations just don't get the magic in the Pain Magique... it just seems to me an average good bun, nothing special.

Ashley K

Google

Kay

Google

Josephine Koopman

Google

Beautiful space with well-run operations. Salads are well crafted with a great balance of flavors (I ordered the 07). Healthy, yummy and quick. Would gladly return!

dominic auger

Google

Very healthy and good salads! I took the one with apple and Aneth and its delicious. All salads are very different than one you tasted before. Its not expensive and very quick service

Fiona Ham

Google

Alanna Devine

Google

Jolie C.V. H.

Yelp

I've walked by this place a few times but never really thought much of it. Somehow, it just reminds me how close we are getting to the age of Terminator when robots will take over all our jobs. Not only in the name of the place, Foodchain (are we on the top or the bottom?), but also in how our salads are prepped. With all the great reviews on Yelp, I had to investigate. Here's how it works. They pre-portion everything so you cannot substitute anything. Once you place your order, it all gets tossed into one of their giant commercial grade food processor that divides the cashier area and their open kitchen like metal offensive linemen or bouncers which then slices all the ingredients to perfection. It's actually a very clever concept. I can see this helping people eat veggies they might normally shy away from because they are cut so small and mixed in well with other ingredients. Thank you, Yelpers. So far, this is the best tasting salad in Montreal. That's saying alot because I'm from California, home of the "salad as a meal" concept. I ordered the Cabbage Radish (#2) and a gluten free brownie. The salad was very tasty. It came with a kimchi dressing which was nice and spicy. I like that the dressing is always "on the side" so you could use as much or as little as you want; and they are generous with the dressing portion. Lots of plastic. Although it's all compostable material, it still didn't feel right because I don't know enough about it. I would have preferred a paper bowl for dine-in guests. Hell, even for take-out, now that I think about it. That's what many health nut places in LA do it. No lettuce as fillers so all you get is the good stuff: veggies, fruits, seeds, and nuts. The brownie is gluten-free and is really good for being gluten-free. The staff was very nice and friendly. Gave me some suggestions and extremely knowledgeable about their menu and products. They have 8 salads to choose from. I'm definitely going to try and cross them all off the list.

Shahanaz B.

Yelp

Since this year I am being a vegetarian; this restaurant has been on my radar for long time. It's a cute, modern and adorable fast food but healthy spot. The service is super quick since it's a fast food. I was honestly surprised how quick it was compared to McDonald's... . My server was an eye candy... but he was super nice and friendly, and he did a great job in serving. I decided on Fennel Daikon, since it has two of my favorite ingredients Coriander and Cashew , with fennel, lime and wakame sauce. It was super delicious and filling. If hungry for something light; this is the perfect spot in the heart of downtown.

Cindy D.

Yelp

I'm usually not the vegan/vegetarian type but lately I've been trying a few spots out of curiosity, so when I heard about this new fast food concept I had to try it. It opened just a few days ago so of course there are still a few adjustments that need to be made but in terms of design the place is gorgeous, the location is great next to the McGill metro station, PVM, Eaton Centre just to name a few. The service was nice, our order arrived very fast and the staff took their time to explain the concept to us: they cut all the fresh vegetables and fruits on site, all menus are veggies or fruits only and they get protein from the variety of nuts they add to each menu. I ordered the mushroom and cauliflower salad which was sooooo fresh, perfect for hot weathers like today, the crunch of the cauliflower and various little nuts matched very well with the softness of the mushrooms (I have to admit that I looooove fresh mushrooms) I also had their apple juice which actually tasted like apple (apple cider to be more precise). Overall the meat lover that I am really enjoyed my experience,and I will be back :-)

Justine S.

Yelp

The food here is wayyyyyyy too advanced for my taste buds. Ordered the banana muffin, the magic bread, #5 endive green pear salad, and the two different kinds of juices (cranberry, apple). First off, the juice is sparkling juice! Which I didn't realize until I had a sip. Not a fan of sparkling juices. The salad is just on another level of taste levels. It's so nuanced and healthy tasting. I've never had anything like it yet I also have no desire to taste it again. I can't say it was bad though! It's just too out there for me. I did really enjoy my banana muffin though (from hof kelsten). The decor of the restaurant is really cool though. Very instagrammable.

Konstantina P.

Yelp

As a big fan of of Charles-Antoine Crête and Cheryl Johnson who run Montreal Plaza, I was intrigued to experience their fast food philosophy and see what they can possible do with veggies that would make eating salad instead of a burger for lunch interesting. As I approached the store located on McGill street in the hub of downtown, the line around noon was outside the door and I gasped! But alas, I decided to do the queue anyways. I swear within 5 minutes, I was already in the door and placing my order. Simple concept: choose the veggie combo you prefer out of 8 possible combinations, add protein if you like, pay and wait for your order number to be called. I had my salad in hand in less than one minute! Now that's fast!! The space was very limited inside; as it was a nice day, I grabbed a seat on a bench outside to dig in. I opted for combo 2 which included cabbage, radish, and parsley; plopped my little helping of seeds on top, added the generous amount of kimchi dressing, shook the container and voila! The salad was amazing! The vegetables were fresh and crispy, the seeds were hearty and crunchy, and the spicy dressing made for a perfect combo. I thoroughly enjoyed the flavours and textures, and was amazed that veggies could taste this good. The helping is generous but as I had skipped breakfast, I devoured it! The salad cost me 12$ but I was full and compared to what I'd spend at another fast food joint, the price is just right and well worth it. On a side note, every item used to package and transport the salad, including the bowl and takeout bag, is actually biodegradable! Go green! We can agree that the made to order fast food concept at this place is done to perfection: quick service, super delicious and fresh food, and a limited carbon footprint. Crête and Johnson have done it again, and I will surely return to try another one of their salads soon!

Kathy S.

Yelp

Food of the future (hopefully). I really felt as if I was on Mars when eating here. The food was cut so strangely (yet amazingly fresh) by robots and the flavors were so unique! I opted for the #1 (yellow beet and green apple). The apples and beets were sliced so thinly it had a refreshing crisp to it. It was covered in dill and accompanied by some ground nuts and a mustard sauce. As another reviewer said this dish (#1) was a little too tart (my word for it is zingy). I did finish half of it for lunch and my husband finished it when I got home and he loved it! I saw them bring in their ingredients as I was eating, it's all fresh and seems to be from a farmers market. I wish they had some gluten free bread to serve with it and some regular juice for my kid (fresh squeezed). It would also be great to add some actual lettuce to balance/soften out the textures. I do appreciate that several of their dishes are gluten free dairy free. Glad to see they compost now. Also, cheaper than Mandy's which is a plus!!

Jeremie L.

Yelp

Amazing place located downtown. I found that the salad portion was pretty big for the price (around 10$ each). I had the Cucumber Pickle salad which exceeded my expectations. The ingredients were fresh and the dressing was delicious. Perfect for a quick lunch or takeout.

Johanne H.

Yelp

I was eager to try out Foodchain as it a new concept. I went on a Friday evening and only two customers were in the restaurant, ordering is super quick and they'll start making your order right away. I believe you can only pay by card, either debit or credit. You had the option of adding an Extra to your salad for 4$ either quinoa, tofu, legumes/beans or sunflower shoots. I skipped this option to try a salad as it is meant to be. The menu is only 8 salads and a few did not appeal to me right from the start. I went with cucumber and pickle, not your regular salad that's for sure. This is a salad without lettuce, the veggies are cut on the bias which gives you different sizes of vegetables. It made it easy to pick out the red onion on my part. The mint in this salad really gave it a fresh taste, it was really tasty. The turnip adds a nice fresh crunch to this. I enjoyed the mustard dressing that had a real "clear up your sinuses" kick to it. The seeds packet included adds a nice crunch to your meal. At first I thought the salad was small, it filled only about half the bowl but once I finished it, I can say it was a good portion. The only sad part was the pain magique, although it wasn't bad, it surely wasn't magic. I will try it again but mine seemed undercooked, the texture felt too chewy. I am a true Mandy's fan and I feel like you can't compare these two restaurants because Foodchain has no lettuce in their salads. I truly enjoyed my meal and look forward to going back and try a new salad combination.

Bernardo E.

Yelp

This is a great place to eat if ur on a Keto-Diet... the cashiers speak both English and French and are easily able to communicate. They have menuda in both French and in English. I enjoyed my meal very much

Ben W.

Yelp

One of the best salads I've ever had. Came here a couple times when I was in town for the weekend. Loved the juxtaposition of unedited rap music playing in the salad restaurant. Will definitely go back for a healthy quick bite.

Xochitl M.

Yelp

I got my salad in a blink! I took the Chou-fleur champignon with lemon sauce and I loved it. It was so fresh and delicious.

Charles-Olivier T.

Yelp

We went there for a healthy meal and it was very good. The ingredients are simple and it's a good vegan option. The big plus is the size of the portions. I ordered Cabbage Radish. There's a total of 4 ingredient plus the sauce. For the price you pay it's A+ Will definitely keep in mind when it comes to good, fast and healthy food.

Serge N.

Yelp

Good value when you consider the other options available in the area. Definitely healthier and fresher than any other salad bars. Quick service, clean spot and good wifi -- what else?

Martin S.

Yelp

The Good: Beautiful restaurant with beautiful people. Good service, good ambiance and very fast. The Bad: Salad portion was very small contrary to what was written in the Gazette. Salad was abnormally cold to the palate. Not of variety in the salads. Also, the pain magic was also abnormally cold. Overall, the place and location was nice but the food was disappointed.

Abir F.

Yelp

This is my first time here. My friend and I were lookibg for something healthy, affordable and refreshing. I absolutely love this place. I got the Endive salad which was super fresh. I would definitely comeback but try something new each time!

Sebastien L.

Yelp

A great healthy option for lunch takeout in downtown. While ingredients are quality + delicious, portions are also a good size.

Joseph V.

Yelp

This place has some seriously awesome salads. Produce is super fresh. Some reviewers say they found the dressing salty, but the pickle salad I had tasted great. Dressings are all served on the side, so you can regulate. I'll def go back!

Lauren R.

Yelp

Such an excellent spot for salads! They're fresh, crunchy, full of flavours and textures, just yummy. The sizes are quite large too and the prices are fair (9-11$). My ultimate favorite so far is the cucumber pickle, with cheese, mustard and mint. It's the perfect balance of salty and sour. The chou-radis one has some pretty spicy kimchy coming with it, be careful with your dosing ;) Definitely a runner-up for Mandy's.

Amy S.

Yelp

Fantastic! My salad was so fresh and ready before I even finished filling my water. I really enjoyed my meal, a fresh raw salad of thin sliced cauliflower, mushrooms, onion and parsley mixed with feta and topped with a seed blend and a citrus dressing. It was very filling and I can't emphasize how fast this food is prepared. Our group of nearly 40 people was served in less than 20 minutes! I will definitely be back next week.

Belinda P.

Yelp

Fresh and flavourful express salads! One of my favorite centrally located. Nice spot for lunch

Gary S.

Yelp

I enjoyed lunch at Foodchain very much. I had the cauliflower mushroom salad. It was delicious and filling. The crunchy topping and the lemon sauce were particularly good. Trés bien!

Smadar B.

Yelp

Just had my first salad at Foodchain and unfortunately I am very unimpressed. I got the fennel-coriander-cashew salad, which is essentially a bowl filled with just those 3 ingredents. The problem with a 3-ingredient salad featuring one main vegetable is you end up not feeling like you're eating a salad, but like you're eating slice after slice of that 1 vegetable. A truly good salad needs to be complex, so each bite is a little bit different. Usually, a one-note salad can maybe be salvaged by adding a really good dressing. In this case, the wakame dressing that came with the salad had potential, but tasted extremely salty--even to someone like me, who usually loves a salty bite of food. To add insult to injury, for whatever reason, the chef(s) decided it would be a good idea to add thinly sliced lime peel/rind into the salad, resulting in the occasional overly bitter and sour bite, which I frankly found disgusting. Adding a hint of citrus zest to a salad can add a depth of flavour and be a good thing, but honestly, 2-cm wide sections of the peel? Not a great idea. Apart from the dressing, the salad came with a small container of nuts, which added a welcome crunch to the salad. However, the mix included coriander seeds, which have an extremely overpowering flavour and I personally find are rather unpleasant to bite into. Finally, I found the cost ($12.65) outrageously expensive for such a simple, one-note salad... The combined worth of a salad made up of a fennel bulb and a handful of herbs and nuts is not $11 before tax. On a positive note, the salad was ready 2 minutes after I'd ordered it, and the staff was friendly. I think the idea behind Foodchain is great, but as someone who loves a good salad, I can't recommend this place. P.S. -- adding some protein to your salad options in the form of tofu, tempeh, lentils, or legumes definitely wouldn't hurt and would go a long way towards justifying your prices.

Jess R.

Yelp

Excellent. I had the daikon salad and it was a huge helping. There was a really nice balance of flavours with the veggies and the dressing. The staff were friendly and the food arrived promptly. We sat in the restaurant and took in the atmosphere. Cozy place! I'll be back

@eater

13 Restaurants Worth Trying in Downtown Montreal - Eater Montreal

The 22 Best Places to Get a Salad in Montreal - Eater Montreal

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@eater

The Best Lunch Options in Downtown Montreal - Eater Montreal

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@infatuation

Foodchain - Review - Downtown - Montreal - The Infatuation

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EB Belt

Google

Maria Teresa Vélez

Google

Delicious and extra fresh. LOVE the salad combinations just don't get the magic in the Pain Magique... it just seems to me an average good bun, nothing special.

Ashley K

Google

Kay

Google

Josephine Koopman

Google

Beautiful space with well-run operations. Salads are well crafted with a great balance of flavors (I ordered the 07). Healthy, yummy and quick. Would gladly return!

dominic auger

Google

Very healthy and good salads! I took the one with apple and Aneth and its delicious. All salads are very different than one you tasted before. Its not expensive and very quick service

Fiona Ham

Google

Alanna Devine

Google

EB Belt

Google

Maria Teresa Vélez

Google

Delicious and extra fresh. LOVE the salad combinations just don't get the magic in the Pain Magique... it just seems to me an average good bun, nothing special.

Ashley K

Google

Kay

Google

Josephine Koopman

Google

Beautiful space with well-run operations. Salads are well crafted with a great balance of flavors (I ordered the 07). Healthy, yummy and quick. Would gladly return!

dominic auger

Google

Very healthy and good salads! I took the one with apple and Aneth and its delicious. All salads are very different than one you tasted before. Its not expensive and very quick service

Fiona Ham

Google

Alanna Devine

Google

Jolie C.V. H.

Yelp

Shahanaz B.

Yelp

Cindy D.

Yelp

Justine S.

Yelp

Konstantina P.

Yelp

Kathy S.

Yelp

Jeremie L.

Yelp

Johanne H.

Yelp

Bernardo E.

Yelp

Ben W.

Yelp

Xochitl M.

Yelp

I got my salad in a blink! I took the Chou-fleur champignon with lemon sauce and I loved it. It was so fresh and delicious.

Charles-Olivier T.

Yelp

Serge N.

Yelp

Good value when you consider the other options available in the area. Definitely healthier and fresher than any other salad bars. Quick service, clean spot and good wifi -- what else?

Martin S.

Yelp

Abir F.

Yelp

Sebastien L.

Yelp

A great healthy option for lunch takeout in downtown. While ingredients are quality + delicious, portions are also a good size.

Joseph V.

Yelp

Lauren R.

Yelp

Amy S.

Yelp

Belinda P.

Yelp

Fresh and flavourful express salads! One of my favorite centrally located. Nice spot for lunch

Gary S.

Yelp

I enjoyed lunch at Foodchain very much. I had the cauliflower mushroom salad. It was delicious and filling. The crunchy topping and the lemon sauce were particularly good. Trés bien!

Smadar B.

Yelp

Jess R.

Yelp

Foodchain

Foodchain

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Highlights

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