From the creators of Sea Salt, Bird Bar, Slice & Soda, and Kali Bistro comes Aqua E Farina, a new Italian restaurant with not one, but two locations in Montreal and a particularly crowd-pleasing concept.
Aqua E Farina, which stands for water and flour in Italian, makes you the artist of your own meal masterpiece... or should we say "pasta-piece." Its menu is a palette of pasta, sauce, protein and topping options, giving you the creative freedom to build a personalized bowl of noodle goodness.
Partially because the last time I tried to cook anything I gave myself food poisoning from a well-intentioned but poorly executed attempt at making hollandaise sauce, but also because I love the experience.
Mezkal (5834 Av du Parc) is a Mexican restaurant situated in Montreal's Plateau. They've got tacos, burgers, soups, and a whole lot more... all for about $4.95.
Of course, Mezkal also has drinks on the menu, too, like daiquiris and margaritas.
They're a little more expensive than the food, coming in at just over $8. But, still, a delicious Mexican meal and an awesome cocktail for about $15? Sign. Me. TF. Up.
I think I say this every single day of my life, but whatever, I'll say it again: fall is the best season. Hands down. Ever. You can't convince me otherwise.
And one of the main reasons why fall is so awesome? The weather finally cools down enough so that you can enjoy hot, steamy, yummy dishes. Like dumplings (my bae forever), or - my side bae - ramen.
In Montreal, there are a whole bunch of awesome restaurants to cop a steaming and delicious bowl of ramen. But now there's a whole new spot coming in to make all of your slurpy dreams come true.
Ramen 9000 (4609 Notre-Dame O.), a pop-up ramen shop taking over St. Henri's beyond amazing Dalla Rose ice cream shop for the season, opened up very recently.
They specialize in one dish: vegan ramen. But they do give you the option to add eggs or pork if you want to, as well as marinated tofu.
The spot itself starts serving ramen at 12:00; it's a standing room only type of situation, but you can order your ramen to go if you want. They only make 50 portions a day, so you're definitely going to want to get there and taste these ramen delights ASAP.
It's got all the raw fish (yassss) you could possibly want, mangoes, avocados, edamame beans, seasoning... and then, to top off this food miracle, it's tossed onto a bed of rice. (Or quinoa or vermicelli, depending on the sort you've had).
I firmly believe that there's no such thing as too much poke, which is why I was super thrilled to find out about a brand new poke spot opening up in downtown Montreal.
Although the official opening date is yet to be released - their Facebook promises that they'll be opening up very soon, though - the menu is going to be chalk-full of poke and Hawaiian delights which, according to their website, will feature a "funky twist from various culinary influences."
No matter what, I think we should each be respectful of each other's lifestyles.
While I myself am not a vegan, it still makes me incredibly happy to see that my vegan friends have more and more options available to them when it comes to eating out.
Vegan restaurants and spots to eat are popping up all over Montreal, which I think is an awesome thing. And very soon, there'll be a brand new awesome spot to nosh on vegan/vegetarian food in the city.
Lov (464 Rue McGill) is a soon-to-be-opened vegan restaurant, situated in Old Montreal.
No word on the official opening date just yet, but it's rumored to be set to open up this fall.
Although the menu is yet to be released, the food at Lov is going to be all-natural, inspired by local ingredients, a and feature an innovative twist.
If fresh donuts are your life/your bae/your everything, like they are for me, then have I got some awesome news for you. Very soon, Montreal will be blessed with a brand new fresh donut shop, serving up tasty flavours like "Snap Crackle Pop", with marshmallow icing and Rice Krispie chunks.
New York's super famous Halal Guys is finally in Montreal, and trust me, it's delicious. It's located right in front of Concordia University, so if you and your friends need an awesome new place to eat/study/chill near the downtown campus, stop the search. You've found your new spot.
A relatively new fine dining Mexican restaurant situated in Old Montreal, there's nothing Emiliano's does that's not totally and completely on point. From their drinks (ft. lots of tequila) to their fine Mexican cuisine (tortilla lasagne, anyone?), Emiliano's is one of the most perfect spots to grab your friends and discover.
To be totally honest, I don't know what's to love the most about this place. Is it the adorable decor? Is it the super chill and fun vibe? Is it the super chill menu, featuring lobster rolls and ceviche? Well, TBH, it's definitely a combination of all three that makes this one of the most prime spots to check out with your friends. Also, bonus points for the summery vibe - the perfect remedy for those early fall blues.
A brand new Cuban cafe in Montreal's Chinatown, Cafe Bonita serves up authentic Cuban coffee (including Café Bombón!) and pastries. Plus, its adorable turquoise exterior wall makes it the perfect spot to make all your aesthetic Instagram dreams come true.
When inexpensive dishes and tasty cuisine meets, there's honestly no better recipe for awesomeness. And this NDG Korean spot has got those two elements down pat. Featuring wholesome and delicious Korean food for super inexpensive prices, this is certain to satisfy your craving for awesome food and fresh spots. Grab your friends and make a night of it; and, as always, thank me later.
Fresh, gourmet salads are huge right now, and Liv is one of the newest spots in the Plateau to do gourmet salads right. They offer a huge variety of fresh and tasty salads (such as their Big-C, with black truffle caesar dressing and croutons made from Fairmount bagels), infused water made on the daily, a super chill atmosphere, and much, much more.
If you're a fan of good food, good drinks, and good vibes, then this downtown Montreal spot is for you. An izakaya - which basically means a spot where you're going to have the best time of your life - located downtown, Otto specializes in Japanese grilled yakitori, but also does other Japense pub food exquisitely.
Tow words: Portuguese chicken. Okay, in case you need a little more context than that: Campo is a brand new spot in downtown Montreal, serving up deliciously charred and flavoured Portuguese chicken, chicken wings, poutine, and everything delicious under the sun, basically. Bonus points for its super casual and awesome atmosphere, perfect for discovering with your friends.
Indian food is awesome, but do you know what's just a touch more awesome? Indian snacks. And this Villeray Indian snack bar specializes in Indian snack food and drinks, all for super inexpensive, and served up in a super trendy, intimate, adorable space.
The owners of Bouillion Bilk have banded together to bring us their signature delicious food, but in a whole different setting. Super casual, welcoming, friendly, and, in a word, amazing, Cadet serves up high quality food in an awesome setting, making it a fantastic spot to check out with your friends this autumn.
Seriously, friends, if you're looking to explore a brand new eatery in Montreal this fall - well, you should get yourself to Le Diplomat. Featuring seriously unique twists on classic dishes (like calamari made with coconut milk or labneh snow crab), and a friendly yet refined dining atmosphere, Le Diplomat is totally the place to check out this fall.
A brand new taco spot very soon to be open right in Montreal's Little Italy, Caifan will serve up authentic tacos (yass), drinks, and more, all in a super eclectic and fun setting. Perfect place to check out on Taco Tuesday with your BFFs? Quite possibly!
This uber popular spot hasn't been open for a very long time, but it's already making a huge splash. Mainly due to the fact that it serves up awesome food, and awesome mojitos, in a super chique setting - but Habanera also has an awesome Cuban vibe, which is perfect for those days when you just miss those awesome days of summer.
I think, at this stage in the game, I don't even need to tell you how awesome Montreal's food scene is. We're constantly praised for having awesome cuisine; seriously iconic restaurants; and new spots to nosh opening up left and right.
My personal favourite part of Montreal's dining domain? The diversity. We've got so many different cultures in Montreal, and that really shines through in our food selection.
Our diversity and obvious passion for cuisine makes Montreal one of the best spots for dining, I think, and one of the ways it really shows is through the sheer number of spots that open up all the time in the city. Even right now, as you're reading this, a new spot is probably opening up somewhere - and there are definitely a whole bunch of awesome, hot spots to eat that have already opened up in the past few months. But no worries if you can't keep track of it all. That's what I'm here for.
1. For mac and cheese, check out Macbar et Fromage
Mac and cheese lovers, rejoice. At this Ontario spot, you can choose from more than 10 different macaroni and cheese combinations, all of them super unique - like their Pesto and Tomato, with brie cheese and pesto - and tasty.
Ice cream is bae, and although Montreal has some core ice cream spots, there's nothing like a brand new place to get our fave frozen desserts. Dalla Rose, in St. Henri, serves up tasty, creamy, sweet ice cream delights made with organic dairy - including ice cream sandwiches served on homemade cookies.
Tacos are life - but I don't think I have to tell you that. There's nothing quite in the world like a fresh and authentic taco, and one of the newest places to get your taco fix is at NDG's Taco Bar. Although they really focus on serving up some ace tacos, they also have some other options on the menu, like alambres and guacomole.
This adorable and trendy Sud-Ouest spot specializes in awesome Jewish fare and diner type food. A selection of their menu? Latkes, gravlax sandwiches, and a wide array of salads.
Bao buns are fluffy, filled with pure happiness, and gloriously steamed to absolute perfection. The ones at Montreal's Hào are all of these and more, and come in two separate flavours: pork, featuring soy marinated pulled pork, and vegetarian, with tofu and mushrooms.
Located on Montreal's Boulevard Saint Laurent, Caribou Gourmand specializes in trendy and tasty bistro food. Protip? Try their trout and caviar tartare, it'll change up your lunch game.
Real talk, Poké is amazing. It's got all the fixings of an awesome dish (raw fish, rice, and a whole lot of creativity), plus it's got Poké right in the name. Which is perfect for those of us who are adequately obsessed with Pokémon GO.
If you love Middle Eastern food, raise ya hands. I know everyone's hands are raised proudly in the air right now, since Middle Eastern food is pure happiness - and for those of us who are in actual love with falafels, have I got some amazing news for you.
The Halal Guys, an incredibly famous - and delicious - Middle Eastern food emporium originating in New York City, is coming to downtown Montreal. No news on the exact date, but according to their Facebook page, we can expect it to open up this summer.
For those of us who are aware of what The Halal Guys is, then let me tell you, I am just as excited as you are. But I also get that some of us haven't waited in a ridiculously long New York City lineup to catch a taste of some of the most flavourful foods ever to grace our tongues; and that's cool.
All I can say to you is that eating The Halal Guys' famous dishes, like their ever-popular platter drenched in their tasty red and white sauces, is one seriously awesome experience.
The restaurant started out life as a food cart, and has evolved to include numerous food trucks and restaurants in New York.
The Halal Guys' Montreal location will be the first one ever in Canada. They're known for serving up some incredibly mind-blowing dishes, including gyros, pitas, falafels, and much, much more. So, fans of food, rejoice. This one's for you.
Alright, guys, I'm just going to get straight to the point here: jerk chicken is love.
Moist, flavourful, and with just the right amount of spice, this Caribbean specialty is seriously magical. And although we have a lot of awesome places to nosh on jerk chicken in Montreal, new spots are always welcome with wide, open arms. (There's a variety is the spice of life pun here somewhere, I know it).
And it seems as though a brand new jerk chicken spot will be opening up in Montreal very, very shortly.
Local Jerk (8 Avenue Duluth Est) is opening up in Montreal's Plateau very shortly. The menu will include jerk chicken, as well as things like goat, pumpkin, and chickpea roti/curry; "rice and peas" croquettes; smoothies; iced coffee; and much, much more.
Gabi Sandler | MTL Blog