Just one block from where Maude Théroux-Séguin and Robert Herrera run Les Cavistes, the pair recently launched a chic new sibling spot with a hybrid café-wine bar formula. Though beverages are a priority here, food doesn’t play second fiddle. Cerise’s tapas menu is divided into fried, fresh, cooked, and raw options — there’s goat cheese with pistachio praline and cherry coulis, tuna tataki, tagliatelle with beets, and sea bream ceviche with grilled pineapple salsa. 

A stalwart on Montreal’s wine bar scene, Les Cavistes keeps up with the city’s young guns even after a decade of operation and a comparatively less central location. With more than 100 privately imported labels from around the globe, it meets the expectation of one bearing the “caviste” (wine seller) name. Those feeling peckish can opt for the happy hour oyster and bubbly special (two glasses and seven oysters for $29.50) or more substantial plates like the steak frites, farro risotto, or boudin (blood sausage) with a celeriac and artichoke purée.

Unarguably the best place to grab a cocktail in Ahuntsic, 132 Bar Vintage is a Montreal mixology destination in its own right. The bar’s drink experts are slinging classics (white negronis, mai tais, and east sides) and creative twists like the “peg leg” mixing Irish whiskey and scotch, or the El Maillette, owner Jean-Maxime Giguère’s reinterpretation of the Cuban El Presidente. Expect a super cozy space that feels more like hanging out in a friend’s basement than a raucous cocktail bar.

Le Petit Flore transports part of Paris to Ahuntsic with light bistro fare and espresso drinks. Come evening, the café transforms into a bustling brasserie with a three-course table d’hôte, including options like puff pastry with confit gizzards in the appetizer category, beef bavette with potato gratin or creamy spaghetti with clams for mains, and crème brûlée for an impeccable finale.

Montreal has its share of easygoing, French-leaning BYOBs, but Le Millen stands out with some highly regarded tasting menus. Whether selecting the seven-service option at $85 or the nine-service one at $105, diners will enjoy restaurant staples like chicken consommé, Le trou normand (a palate cleanser), and a cheese plate. In between, you’ll enjoy chef Jérémie Gélinas-Roy’s gorgeous plates of stuffed pasta, foie gras, or veal cheek with pickled blueberries and seaweed crumble.

Still on Fleury Street, but technically beyond the eastern edge of the neighbourhood, in Montreal North, lies this no-nonsense, old-school casse-croûte, with a menu composed of hot dogs, fries, and poutine. They are all delicious, but its steamés (steamed hot dogs) are legendary. Open until 4 a.m. daily and with a drive-through, it’s popular among East End residents looking for a quick, always-satisfying bite.