Double Whammy of Sushi and Matcha Lands in Westmount

Westmount is about to be home to Montreal’s first matcha bar, courtesy of a double opening on Sainte-Catherine bringing sushi spot Ryú and an accompanying tea bar, Livia.

Both open in the same premises near Greene Avenue in the coming days — Ryú arrives Friday, August 24 and is an expansion of the downtown sushi counter by the same name, while Livia, opening Monday, August 27, is a brand new concept.

Livia is set to run heavily with the matcha trend — the Japanese powdered green tea has cropped up in all sorts of drinks and snacks from lattes to baked goods, and Livia is set to use it in a range of creations, from various coffee drinks to waffles. The tea shop boasts that it will use ceremonial grade matcha — the highest of the three “classes” that matcha is typically divided into (the lower two grades are “premium” and “culinary”, the latter of which is primarily for cooking).

Riding the health-conscious wave that is sometimes associated with matcha, Livia will also do so-called “superfood” drinks, such as turmeric-spiked golden tea or beet drinks. The café will serve only limited food until September 10, but when its full menu arrives, expect more cleansing fare like açai bowls, poke, and salads.

Ryú/Supplied

Cohabitating with Livia in the same space is Ryú, the sushi restaurant that rebirthed itself on Peel Street in 2017, after shuttering its more formal restaurant up north on Laurier Avenue (although the company does have longer-running locations in Laval and at Trudeau Airport).

Ryú will follow a similar format to its sibling on Peel, with the menu touting a selection of maki, nigiri, and sashimi, like the albacore tuna miso roll, wasabi scallop, and (when available), various uni (sea urchin) dishes — all of which are made with certified sustainable seafood.

It’s all located in a woody space designed by David Dworkind (see: Falafel Yoni) and Guillaume Ménard (Le Blossom), with some splashes of greenery — it’s all rather harmonious.

Ryú/Supplied

STATUS — Ryú opens Friday, August 24 at 4185 Sainte-Catherine W — Ryú is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, and 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Livia opens Monday, August 27 at the same location: hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day — it will serve a limited food menu until September 10.

• Ryú [Official]
• Ryú Returns to Inner Montreal With A Downtown Sushi Bar [EMTL]