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Eat and Drink

Filter by city: Montreal | Laval | Québec City

Montreal's food scene has plenty of restaurants that'll make your head spin, but only one that does it for real.

At first glance, Portus 360 looks like another sleek spot perched high above downtown. But spend a little time inside and you’ll notice something unusual happening: the entire dining room is moving.

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If you've been daydreaming about wandering through neon-lit alleyways, sipping sake, and snacking on share plates in Tokyo — but your budget won't stretch to an international trip — you're in luck. There's a restaurant in Montreal that'll give you the full izakaya experience, no long-haul flight required.

Tucked into the Quartier des Spectacles, Iru Izakaya is a vibrant Japanese brasserie that feels straight out of Shinjuku. It's a love letter to the hustle, neon glow and communal spirit of Japan's late-night pub culture — and it's exactly where you want to be when Montreal's grey streets start to feel a little too familiar.

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If your idea of a perfect evening involves a cozy corner, a glass of wine, and food that makes you close your eyes after every bite, there's a restaurant in Old Montreal that'll steal your heart... without stealing your entire paycheque!

Nestled along the charming, cobblestoned streets of Saint-Paul Street East, Maison Saint-Paul is a hidden gem Montreal restaurant that's keeping one of the city's best-kept secrets: all-you-can-eat steak for under $50.

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If you've been daydreaming about sipping wine and sampling pasta under the Tuscan sun, but your budget can't stretch to a plane ticket to Italy, don't worry. There's a hidden gem restaurant in Montreal that'll transport you to Europe — no international flight required!

Tucked in the heart of downtown, Il Cortile (The Courtyard) is one of Montreal's best-kept secrets. A charming courtyard restaurant that feels like a Roman holiday in the middle of the metropolis, it's perfect for a one-night-only vacation.

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Poutine is one of the first things people think of when they think of Canada—especially Quebec and especially Montreal. It's our beef and potatoes, so to speak.

Locals enjoy it, but because of poutine’s icon status, it's exceedingly popular among tourists, too, and touristy eats can get pricey. I'm a cheapskate, but I still want to enjoy the occasional serving of fries, curds, and gravy. So, I set out on a quest to find Montreal's cheapest poutine.

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As one of the biggest fast food companies in the country, Tim Hortons has made a lot of changes to its menu over the years, but not all of them have been hits. Some of the coffee chain's fan favourites quietly disappeared, while others were replaced with new creations that just didn't measure up. For plenty of people, the cravings for those long-lost treats never really went away.

With that in mind, we recently asked MTL Blog readers which discontinued Tim Hortons menu items they still miss the most, and the comment section quickly turned into a nostalgia trip. From donuts that were gone too soon to savoury dishes that deserve a second chance, here are some of the top picks locals say they'd love to see return to the menu.

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Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably already know that Montreal is full of fantastic restaurants.

From internationally acclaimed kitchens to local neighbourhood favourites, the city has no shortage of great food. But not every spot makes it onto a travel guide or TikTok itinerary for out-of-towners.

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Costco might be known for bulk deals and bargain groceries, but the food court is its own reward after a long haul through the aisles.

In a recent article, MTL Blog crunched the numbers to show just how much cheaper a basic grocery trip can be at Costco compared to other Quebec chains. And while the savings are real, plenty of shoppers make sure to stick around for the cheap eats.

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Montreal might be thousands of kilometres from Rome, but when it comes to Italian restaurants, the city seriously holds its own — especially once terrasse season hits.

From tucked-away courtyards to sun-soaked patios lined with Aperol spritzes, Montreal has plenty of spots that channel la dolce vita without the cost of a plane ticket. And while hopping on a Lizzie McGuire-esque trip to Italy might not be in the cards this season, that doesn't mean you have to skip the fantasy entirely.

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Montreal’s bar scene has always been lively, but not every spot survives the times, the rent hikes, or the chaos of city life.

With that in mind, we recently took to Facebook to ask MTL Blog readers to name a Montreal bar they wish had never closed. The responses were instant, passionate, and full of heartbreak (and a few hangovers).

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Montreal’s pizza scene is always evolving. And one of its most exciting new contenders is operating out of a space smaller than most living rooms.

Tucked into a 400-square-foot space above a paint shop in Montreal's Lachine borough, Forno Pizza Frankie's doesn't look like much at first glance. There are no tables, no dining room, and no neon signs. But inside, two brothers are quietly crafting some of the best pies in the city. Donny and Daniele Mellozzi opened the takeout-only spot in August 2023. It's not a traditional restaurant, though. And that's by design.

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A beautiful summer's evening spent strolling the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal can only be topped by sitting down to enjoy some of the most delicious French cuisine the city has to offer at Brasserie 701.

Developed by executive chef Cédric St-Pierre, sous-chef Soufiane Hanbali and their team, the new Brasserie 701 menu is simultaneously high-end and welcoming with refined takes on iconic French dishes.

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