Food is always better with friends. But with tapas, the social element is an indispensable part of the experience. You order a range of the appetizer-size plates with a group of people, so everyone shares and gets to have a variety of tastes. It’s a style of eating that we can’t get enough of. Here are some of our favorite places to have tapas in Montreal.
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Club Espagnol de Quebec
With the name “Espagnol” in their title, it’s no surprise that they serve some of the city’s most authentically delicious Spanish tapas. They’ve got tasty Spanish offerings like fried chorizo and serrano ham. The hall-like atmosphere and TVs showing fútbol matches make for the perfect environment to enjoy the Spanish cuisine. Their jugs of sangria are a sweet way to wash everything down.
Casa Tapas
The name doesn’t lie: this place is a damn fine home for tapas. Make sure you try their lamb filet—it’s succulently slow-cooked in an almond-tomato sauce and a served with a colourful array of peppers. Vegetarians need not fear, because their menu is full of delicious meat-free dishes like a Spanish Caesar Salad (where greens replace romaine) and citrusy artichoke served with aioli.
Confusion
Once you taste these tapas, there won’t be any “confusion” about how delicious they are. They don’t come cheap, but the variety of flavours to be found in dishes like rabbit leg confit or seared duck tartar are more than worth the expense. For dairy lovers, they have a range of cheese dishes like saganaki flambé or dates stuffed with feta.
Pintxo
This restaurant provides a different take on Spanish food by serving offerings from the Basque cuisine. The “tapas” here are actually pintxos, which are more or less the Basque equivalent of the Spanish dish. The difference in name won’t bother you one bit when you take a bite of one of the dishes, which come in delicious varieties like bison rib, halloumi cheese, and garlic shrimp. Wash ‘em down with their extensive wine list, consisting exclusively of beverages imported from Spain.
Taza Flores
Even if the variety of the decor at this place, which ranges from antique to modern, doesn’t win you over, you’re sure to love their tasty tapas. They serve up an authentic Spanish tortilla, artichokes with a mushroom filling, and more. The dishes pair perfectly with their wide selection of red and white wines. If you want some music to go with your meal, their flamenco nights help to create the perfect Spanish experience.
Barraca Rhumerie & Tapas
If rum is your thing, this is the tapas bar for you. True to their name, they offer over 55 kinds of rum from 18 different countries. You might want to get some food in your stomach before you start drinking, and you’ll have no problem doing so with their extensive selection of Latin-inspired tapas like paella croquettes and stuffed dates with chorizo. The nightly performances by DJs and live musicians make for a fun atmosphere.
Restaurant Cielo
Cielo specializes in creating an indulgent lounge experience, and their tapas are a key part of their success. They offer delicacies like foie gras, quail, and duck carpaccio, as well as more common but no less delicious foods like sopresatta and mussels. Make sure you save room for dessert, because their gnocchi on Nutella plate is a unique hybrid you won’t soon forget.
Imadake
4006 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Come here for a unique Japanese spin on tapas that you’re sure to love. They serve up East Asian favorites like tempura, seaweed salad, and miso-marinated codfish, all in tapas-sized plates perfect for sharing. They also have a wide array of Asian-fusion cocktails like their Roppongi Hil (sake, syrup, and soda) or their Tokyotini (gin, ginger syrup, and sake).
Reporter
Given that it’s in in in the mezzanine of Le Westin Montreal, you won’t be surprised by the classy and chic atmosphere at this tapas bar, but you might not know that the quality of the food matches the vibe. They’ve got a variety of dishes, including smoked salmon rolls and cold cuts, as well as an expansive selection of cheeses. Their commitment to serving food from local farmers makes them proud members of the slow food movement.
Grill Barroso
The Portuguese cuisine served at this restaurant makes it different from the Spanish norm, but you’ll be glad you tried something new once you taste their tapas. The open-concept kitchen creates a friendly vibe which is perfect for sharing food. The food doesn’t disappoint, either—they’ve got great seafood like sardines and octopus. If you’re in a meaty mood, have a taste of their spicy sausage.
Bistro Lustucru
Freshness is the goal at this tapas bar, and they certainly live up to their aim. They serve a French-influenced menu featuring food straight from the market for some of the freshest tapas in town. The freshness allows for an extensive raw menu, so tartar lovers will be right at home here.
Lobby Bar
The name probably doesn’t make it sound like much, but the drab title hides a delicious fusion tapas menu. Their untraditional selection includes Indian delicacies like samosas right along side Mexican treats like guacamole. If you’re not too full after your meal, enjoy dancing to the tunes spun by the live DJ.
La Sala Rossa
They have all kinds of Spanish favorites here, such as paella and albondigas, but their tapas are definitely our favorite. On top of the great food, the wide range of entertainment they attract and cheap drinks make it one of the hippest venues in town. It’s not just variety they offer, either—many of the world’s most popular indie rock bands have performed here.
Buvette Chez Simone
Wine and cheese has always been one of our favorite classy pairings, and here they make it even classier than we thought possible. Their wide selection of both wines and cheeses ensure that you’ll find something to please your palette. Save room for the tapas, though, because you’ll definitely want to be hungry for their brie and chorizo with sliced apricot or their duck tartar.
Tapeo
Spanish cuisine is filled with tasty options, but churros have always had a special place in our hearts. We’d eat the dessert from pretty much anywhere, but this place does a particularly good job with it. They serve the fried dough bites with a rich chocolatey dipping sauce that compliments them perfectly. Before dessert, they serve a wide array of tasty small dishes like cod with white truffle oil and sauteed mushrooms with bacon.
Le Belvedere
900 de La Gauchetiere Street West
Hidden in the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure is one of the coziest casual tapas bars in the city. Not only do they have a wide range of tapas, but their assortment of cocktails and wines go perfectly with the dishes. The kitchen is open until midnight, so you can keep satisfying your tapas cravings late into the night.
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