Montreal: Where to Eat, Drink, and Explore
Montreal rewards a slow itinerary—cobblestone mornings in the old city, long lunches, and a bar scene that punches well above its weight.
Here’s a guide to the city’s best eating, drinking, and wandering, from a 19th-century Roman institution to a speakeasy hidden inside a suit shop!
Home Base
Le Germain Hotel Montreal
A One MICHELIN Key hotel in downtown Montreal, with Bar Flâneur just off the lobby for oysters and cocktails before you’ve even unpacked.
WHERE TO EAT
The dinner to book first! Opened in 1992 by Lorenzo and Emma Aureli—whose family has run Roman restaurants since 1898—Da Emma has been in its current home since 1998.
The restaurant occupies a 19th-century brick building that was once the city’s first women’s prison. Today, it’s a candlelit cellar serving Emma’s traditional Roman recipes.
A newer standout that opened in 2018, Monarque is split between a formal dining room and a more casual brasserie.
The menu leans on French technique with international touches, with dishes like duck consommé and sea trout with dashi and daikon.
Ritz-Carlton | Golden Square Mile
Worth a reservation for a long, elegant lunch. If you have time to build in some downtime, book a treatment at Spa St. James inside the hotel. The 5,500-square-foot spa includes a relaxation lounge, waterfalls, and access to the hotel’s rooftop pool.
Afterward, head to Mama C inside Hotel Nelligan for a glass of bubbles and stretch the afternoon a little longer.
A cornerstone of Montreal’s French bistro scene since 2001. Think duck confit, steak tartare, and a late-night pain perdu that’s reason enough to linger over dinner.
The classic lunch stop: smoked meat, unfussy, and exactly what you want after a morning at Atwater Market.
A solid, low-key rotisserie chicken pick to close out a day spent walking Westmount.
WHERE TO DRINK
A chic cocktail-and-oyster bar in the lobby of Le Germain. Perfect for an aperitif before dinner.
Terrasse Perché | Old Montreal
Located on the fourth floor of the William Gray, Terrasse Perché is the more intimate of the hotel’s two rooftop options, with a California-leaning menu and lounge atmosphere.
Terrasse William Gray | Old Montreal
Head up to the eighth floor for unobstructed views over Place Jacques-Cartier, the St. Lawrence River, and the Ferris wheel.
A good addition to a first-night bar crawl through Old Montreal.
Tucked just off the main streets of Old Montreal behind a secret-door entrance. Cozy, a little hidden, and great for ’80s music and well-made cocktails.
Cloakroom Bar | Golden Square Mile
A 25-seat, no-menu speakeasy hidden inside a men’s tailoring shop. Opened in 2015 by bartender Andrew Whibley, Cloakroom was ranked the second-best bar in Canada in 2023.
There’s no menu—just tell the bartender what you like and let them take it from there.
What to Do
Wander Old Montreal
Old Montreal is made for a slow morning on foot. Notre-Dame Basilica, Place d’Armes, Rue Saint-Paul, Place Jacques-Cartier, and the Old Port waterfront are all within a few blocks of one another.
McGill + the Golden Square Mile
Walk the McGill University campus, then make your way down Sainte-Catherine Street through the Golden Square Mile for shopping.
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Birks are both worth stopping at along the way.
Atwater Market + Westmount
Spend the morning at Atwater Market, then head toward NDG and Westmount. The Westmount lookout, Greene Avenue, and St. Joseph’s Oratory are all within easy reach of one another and make for a great half-day loop.
Mile End
Save Mile End for a slower morning. Start with a bagel at St-Viateur Bagel, opened in 1957 by Holocaust survivor Myer Lewkowicz and baking around the clock ever since.
Then grab coffee at Café Olimpico, a Mile End fixture since 1970, when Rocco Furfaro opened it as much for soccer broadcasts as for espresso. From there, head toward Mont Royal for a lookout over the city.
Montreal is one of those cities that’s easy to settle into. Eat well, walk everywhere, stop for a drink when somewhere looks interesting, and don’t over-plan it. There’s always another neighborhood, restaurant, or bar worth wandering into.
Already looking forward to the next trip.
Cheers!
Jordan