/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65170967/shutterstock_1217932756.0.jpg)
As the leaves turn and you brace for another impending winter, take heart — there’s a big new batch of restaurants planning to throw open their doors this winter (plus, as many as three food halls). Here’s a rundown of some of the most notable options, from an Antonio Park-affiliated grill in Laval to an Ivorian sandwich spot on the Plateau. There’s also a number of existing restaurants planning new locations — we’ve detailed some of these further down the page.
Time Out Market Montreal
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19165076/Campanelle_aux_champignons_truffle_et_jus___Cre_dit_photo__Il_Miglio.jpg)
Who: British arts, culture, and lifestyle magazine Time Out, in conjunction with the Eaton Centre and its owner, real estate company Ivanhoé Cambridge.
What: One of three food halls set to open in the city in relatively close succession. It’s a local outpost of Time Out’s existing market concept, which started in Lisbon, Portugal, and now counts siblings in New York and Miami. It will feature 16 stands, all run by existing Montreal restaurants — about half have been announced, and they run the gamut from casual options like Portuguese chicken favourite Romados’ through to a casual edition of esteemed restaurants Montréal Plaza and Le Club Chasse et Pêche.
When: Probably mid to late fall.
Where: On the second floor of the Eaton Centre shopping mall on Sainte-Catherine Street, downtown.
Bloom Sushi
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19165031/68256878_2406557506104612_2619959187618136064_o.jpg)
Who: A partnership between the owners of Old Montreal vegan restaurant LOV (Dominic Bujold, who also founded the Pizzeria No. 900 chain), and Plateau vegan sushi-makers Sushi Momo.
What: An upscale vegan sushi restaurant that’s promising rolls so filled with umami flavours that patrons won’t notice that they’re free of fish. It’ll be an evening-friendly place with sake and kombucha cocktails, too.
When: September.
Where: 368 St-Paul West, in Old Montreal (the former location of Portuguese restaurant Taberna).
Le Central
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19165029/68698185_647998669046948_3569963214273773568_o.jpg)
Who: The Société de Développement Angus, best known for the Angus Yards commercial development project in Rosemont (the site of restaurants like Hoogan & Beaufort).
What: A food hall and gourmet market featuring 40 vendors — some of these will be épicerie-esque stands selling gourmet wares, but about 25 will be restaurants, catering to the mix of tourist and business crowds in the area (it’ll be in the base of a new office building). Many of these will be outposts for existing Montreal restaurateurs — doughnut makers Trou de Beigne, coffee shop The Standard, and Sherbrooke charcutier La République Démocratique du Jambon will all have their own spots, and new concepts including a Laotian restaurant from the owner of Vietnamese restaurant Le Red Tiger will also be in there.
When: A precise date is TBA, but sometime in the fall.
Where: 1207 Clark Street (at Sainte-Catherine), right near the Place-des-Arts complex.
Chifa
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19167342/61316214_844323675947321_1264515762958106624_o.jpg)
Who: Marcel Larrea and David Dumay as owners, with David Schmidt of Japanese-Peruvian restaurant Tiradito, and its downstairs bar, Club Pelicano.
What: Tiradito chef Marcel Larrea is trying his hand at a new style of Peruvian fusion —
When: Mid-October.
Where: 1080 de Bleury, downtown (right by Tiradito).
Le Cathcart
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12788401/01ENG_Esplanade__The_PVM_Esplanade_is_transformed_into_a_new_site_for_events._It_connects_McGill_College_Avenue_with_PVM_spaces_and_the_new_culinary_exhibition_via_the_glass_pavilion..jpg)
Who: Restaurant and bar group A5 Hospitality, as well as architecture firms Sid Lee and Menkès Shooner Dagenais Letourneux. Canadian real estate giant Ivanhoé Cambridge owns Place Ville-Marie (as well as the Eaton Centre, Place Montréal Trust, and many more), so it’s involved on a more overarching level.
What: A mixed food hall and bar concept (it’s billed as “Le Cathcart Restaurants and Biergarten”) for Place Ville-Marie. It’ll feature nine “street food” vendors (catering to the office crowds in a more take-out style format), three restaurants (more formal, sit-down affairs), a café, and a German-style beer garden. The centrepiece will be a wooden deck with plenty of seating and greenery, and a glass ceiling above. The businesses inside are yet to be announced — some (but not all) will be run by A5 Hospitality, and there will not be any chains invited.
When: Late fall, or possibly early winter.
Where: In the basement of Place Ville-Marie — but there will be a large glass ceiling open to the plaza above, so there certainly won’t be basement food court vibes.
Damas’ Downtown project
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19165067/67200740_2568631643183423_5238630834235244544_o.jpg)
Who: Fuad Alnirabie, the chef-owner of renowned Outremont Syrian restaurant Damas.
What: OK, it’s not actually a new Damas (it’s unnamed at this stage) — it’ll be a 20,000 square foot venue split between a higher-end restaurant, then a retail side focused on gourmet goods, but also incorporating a café and casual restaurant, in the style of Italian food destination Eataly.
When: December, if things go smoothly.
Where: In the Forum on Atwater Avenue, on the western edge of downtown Montreal.
Westwood
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19164789/67166536_359708688049805_4157253937067458560_o.jpg)
Who: A5 Hospitality. See also: numerous restaurants and bars including Jatoba, Kampai Garden, Nhau Bar, and Flyjin. Antonio Park is also involved.
What: The sudden spike in restaurant options in Laval continues — this project is being billed as a grill and seafood-type spot, headed by chefs Renaud Letellier (ex-Bouillon Bilk and Hoogan & Beaufort) and Pinou Thong (Park), with a sharp design from Zebulon Perron. As with many A5 establishments, it looks to be a hybrid resto-bar: in the owners’ own words, “staying seated is strictly optional”.
When: Sometime in September.
Where: Place Bell in Laval, local 312.
La Cale
Who: A group of north-side locals with backgrounds in the music, arts, and culture scenes.
What: Montreal’s first no-waste pub: it’ll have no paper napkins or plastic straws, drinks will only feature edible garnishes, and take-out will be in mason jars. The aim is that the only “waste” will be compostable organic matter — and even the meal portions will be variable to cut back on food waste.
When: It was slated for earlier in the year, but the bar’s social media promises that it’s opening soon (and the fabric napkins are all ready to go).
Where: 6839 St-Hubert, in Petite-Patrie.
Baguette Brochette
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19165083/69576051_527431964668504_4660979040256000000_o.jpg)
Who: Jad Ezzeddine is the sole owner — he’s drawing on his Ivorian heritage for his first restaurant project.
What: A sandwich shop specializing in pain brochette, a sandwich popular in Côte d’Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast) — baguettes filled with grilled, skewered meats, and other toppings. It’ll also serve sandwiches featuring popular fake meat from Beyond Meat.
When: Sometime in September.
Where: 3800 St-Denis Street, on the Plateau.
The Farsides
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19167295/COLOR_LOGO_4x.jpeg){kind=logo}
Who: John Edward Gumbley and his hospitality group, Jegantic, best known for Old Montreal club Bord’Elle. “Spice king” Athiraj Phrasavath (formerly of Mercuri, SLK RD), will head up the kitchen.
What: A Hawaiian-Thai fusion restaurant and cocktail spot — expect dishes like a massaman curry with taro root pancake, Kahuku-style garlic shrimp, and “drunken lobster” pad thai. Cocktails should be fittingly tropical, and the restaurant’s decor will draw on street art.
When: Fall, with an exact date TBD.
Where: 690 Notre-Dame W, just west of Old Montreal.
Expansions
- Villeray Portuguese spot Emilia — known for some eye-catching twists on staples like Portuguese chicken and natas — is soon to open on St-Viateur Street in Mile End.
- Parc-Extension Indian staple Bombay Mahal has a location in the works for 101 Mont-Royal W, in a former sushi joint by the St-Urbain corner.
- Parc Avenue coffee mainstay Caffe In Gamba is planning its first expansion on the other side of Mile End — signage for it recently went up on St-Viateur near Casgrain.
- “Fancy burger” chain Notre Boeuf de Grâce is planning a number of new locations, including one for the Plateau and another in the Village.
- Sushi restaurant Ryu is working on a location in Griffintown — it’ll be in the base of condo development Le Se7t.
- Superb Rosemont sandwich counter Sandwicherie Sue is planning to open on Duluth Street on the Plateau.
- Pricy NDG seafood mavens Lucille’s are still planning a dive bar for St-Henri, named Lucy’s.