I'm a Montreal chef — Here's where to find the city's best cheap eats and what to order
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
One of the cruel ironies of working in Montreal's restaurant industry these days is that you don't make enough money to eat out often. With stagnant wages, inflation, and skyrocketing rent costs, it's harder than ever for cooks to go out and experience firsthand the best food Montreal has to offer.
Fortunately, the city still has several excellent options for cheap food. In fact, you can still find cheap eats in Montreal for under $20 if you look hard enough. To save you the trouble, I've compiled a list of some of the city's most affordable meal options so you can save your money for the special occasions.
From my perspective as a Montreal chef, these restaurants are affordable, consistent, and, most importantly, delicious.
Café San Gennaro
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 69, rue Saint-Zotique, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: San Gennaro is the sister restaurant to Bottega. They serve Roman style pizza, espresso, and pastries. It is also a great place to sip an Aperol spritz on the terrasse.
What To Order: I like to get two slices of pizza, usually one potato and smoked gouda, and one burrata, a pistachio bombolone, and a coffee to go. Simple, delicious.
Euro-Deli Batory
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Polish
Address: 115, rue Saint-Viateur O., Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Part butcher shop and part cafe, the Batory serves some of the best Polish food in the city.
What To Order: Everything is good, so I recommend bringing a couple of people and sharing as much of the menu as you can. The pierogies are excellent, as are the bigos, cabbage rolls, and smoked sausages. The soups are also excellent, especially the pea and the barley.
Boucherie Hongroise
Price: 💸 💸
Cuisine: Butcher shop
Address: Boucherie Hongroise, 3843, boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Boucherie Hongroise has been a go-to stop for me for years. Hungarians take their sausages very seriously. Take $20 with you and, with a bit of luck, you'll leave with change to spare.
What To Order: Get the hot sausage sandwich, served on a Portuguese roll with sauerkraut and hot mustard. Even better, if the schnitzel is available, get a schnitzel sandwich with hot mustard, a slice of swiss cheese, hot peppers and pickles. Wash it down with a black cherry cola. Thank me later.
Pizza Bouquet
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 45, rue Beaubien E., Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: It took a long time, but Montreal finally has a New York-style pizza-by-the-slice joint worth getting excited about. No gimmicks here, just authentic pizza done the right way. You can get a giant slice for under $5, or share a whole 16 inch pizza between two for under $15 each.
What To Order: I especially like the soppressata, and the pepperoni and peperoncini. If they have a seasonal special, definitely get that. The summer corn pizza is a must-try.
Fameux Gyros Elatos
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Greek
Address: 550, rue Jarry O., Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension, QC
Why You Need To Go: This unassuming spot has been quietly serving some of the best gyros in the city for years. Seasoned Parc-Ex residents have a preferred restaurant for nearly every Greek dish, and Elatos is the overwhelming stand-out for pitas.
What To Order: I typically order a couple of gyro pitas, but the souvlaki is equally good. If you're sharing, get both.
Bossa Prêt à manger
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 4354, rue Wellington, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Bossa spent a long time on my list of places to try before I finally was able to make the trip. It did not disappoint. It should be pretty clear from this list that I love sandwiches, and here you'll find some of the best in the city. They'll set you back around $15, but rest assured, you won't be eating for hours after one of these.
What To Order: Their Philly hoagie is fantastic, the best version I've had of this classic Italian deli sandwich. The chicken parm sub is also delicious. If you can, try both. If you can't, go twice!
Mange Dans Mon Hood
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American snack bar
Address: 1380, rue Jean-Talon E., Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: I'm pretty particular about burgers, and Mange Dans Mon Hood gets it right. Growing up, I loved the burgers my grandma made in a cast-iron skillet. I didn't realize until much later that she was making a classic smash burger. Smash burgers are everywhere now, but Mange Dans Mon Hood stands out among the rest. Burgers here cost under $10 if you want it on its own, or round up to around $15 for a combo with fries and a drink. A meal under $20? Easy.
What To Order: I like the Cali burger, and the 'Ol Dirty Fries. A good burger sauce is one of my weaknesses, and you can find it here on both of these items.
Wilensky's
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Sandwiches
Address: 34, av. Fairmount O., Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Look, I love Wilensky's. I've probably eaten here more times than any other restaurant in the city. I'll never stop going, and I'll never stop telling other people to go. It's a Montreal institution. Sharon is my idol in this industry. They do everything exactly right there. If that wasn't reason enough to love it, there's nothing on the menu that costs over $5.01, so you just know you're getting bang for your buck.
What To Order: Go, get two specials (one with the Swiss cheese, one with the cheddar), a side of half-sours, and keep going back for the rest of your life.
You're welcome, Montreal.
The interior of Montreal's newest vegan poké bowl restaurant: Nofish. Courtesy of Nofish. 
Two vegan poké bowls from Nofish in Montreal. Courtesy of Nofish. 