Ahhh…Montreal and food!

Montrealers place a high value on the art of dining with family and friends. We have a richer culinary landscape than most North American cities. If you like the pleasures of the table, regardless of the size of your appetite or budget, you’ll be in heaven here. The city has some 6,000
restaurants. Here the key word is Choice. Whether you want an inexpensive eatery, haute cuisine, or something in between, many choices await you in Montreal. Indeed Montrealers love to go out and eat out! It’s the way many live. You may partake in this convivial culture without having to go far.

The BYOB

For those who enjoy wine with their meal, quite a few of our restaurants have a permit authorizing patrons to Bring Your Own Bottle of Wine. You can always find what you need at a nearby liquor store or even at the corner grocery. This proves to be a winning formula. Some of my European guests can’t get over this—they think it’s great. “What a novel idea!” say those who can’t imagine bringing their own bottle of wine to a restaurant. “It just isn’t done.” Well, here it is done and you can enjoy this rare freedom. In fact, many of the wonderful restaurants situated right around us on the Mont-Royal Plateau hold this type of licence. Some happen to be among my favourite Montreal Restaurants.

Buying Wine

There are two methods to buying wine. The Provincial Government regulates this business through the SAQ (la Société des alcools du Québec). Their outlets are conveniently situated on commercial streets throughout the City of Montreal and many are close to this Bed and Breakfast. The wine sold an SAQ Outlet is bottled by a producing winery or co-op where the grapes are grown.

The second method is a SAQ product found in the grocery stores and convenience stores called dépanneurs. The SAQ imports these wines in bulk and blends, bottles and distributes to these stores. Generally speaking, you’ll find greater variety and quality at the SAQ outlets. There are two formats, Express and Classique. The Classique SAQ stores are larger and offer a larger variety of more specialized stock. We have both formats in our neighbourhood. Their staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to help you find the bottle of wine to take with you to enhance your dining pleasure.

Three Favourite Local BYOB Montreal Restaurants

Le Poisson Rouge, Le P’tit Plateau, and Le Flambard are in easy walking distance of Boulanger-bassin B&B. Each one is small, with about fifteen tables. Weekends are very busy and it’s best to reserve. There are two seatings on weekends. The first is 17:30 to 18:30; the second seating begins at 20:30. Le Flambard is open seven days a week and the entire summer. Le Poisson Rouge and Le P’tit Plateau are closed Mondays and Le P’tit Plateau, the entire month of August.

All have a table d’hôte—the “host’s selection”—including first course (usually soup or salad), main dish, dessert and beverage. Prices range from $24 at Le Flambard $32 at Le Poisson Rouge to $36 at Le P’tit Plateau. Prices do not include taxes (15%) or service which typically is 15% of the pre-tax total. The service charge is never included on the bill, so it’s up to you. These three Montreal Restaurants offer French cuisine. Le Poisson Rouge is Lyonnais. Le Flambard offers a classical menu, and Le P’tit Plateau features southern French cuisine. All three are fabulous! I’ve recommended these Montreal restaurants many times to my guests, confident that they will have memorable experiences.

The cosmopolitan nature of the City of Montreal, with people from all over the world, gives us a wide variety of restaurants. This gastronomical aspect is an important element of life here, and an integral activity of Le Plateau Mont-Royal. Literally hundreds of Montreal restaurants are found within walking distance from this Bed and Breakfast. Half a block from Boulanger-bassin B&B, is a wonderful café at La maison des cyclistes. Half a block the opposite way is Kamela Couscous, where Ali the chef offers the best Couscous Royale in town. One block east of Kamela is Au P’tit Lyonnais, a veritable French Bistro. Further up de Brébeuf Street on Mont Royal Avenue is designer pizza, takeout sushi, sushi in a convenience store, a tapas bar, Asian sit down or takeout. That’s within two square blocks. Should you venture further to Duluth Avenue, a ten-minute walk through Lafontaine Park, you find everything from Afghan Kurd to Indo-French. There’s a great restaurant on Duluth Avenue called Govinda, a vegetarian buffet that I enjoy.

If local traditional cuisine interests you, try Au pied de Cochon, also on Duluth Avenue, the name (“At the Pig’s Foot”!) is misleading—they have fabulous sea food platters! Not far on Saint Laurent Boulevard is Schwartz’s Hebrew Delicatessen, famous for their smoked meat. The Hungarian Deli a few doors south makes great sausage on a Kaiser. If sandwiches are your thing, Santropole on Saint Urbain Street at Duluth Avenue is a good place with one of the most charming summer outdoor garden-restaurants in the whole city.

The Véhicule Press book Cheap Thrills: Great Montreal Meals for Under $15 lists and describes 90 Montreal restaurants that have been discovered by local passionate foodies. I have a copy and guests find the information useful. A good many of the places listed are in other parts of Montreal and environs. I look forward to helping you sort out where you need to go and can help with reserving a table.

Oh, and I should mention, the breakfast you find here at Boulanger-bassin B&B is great; most guests tend to skip lunch!