In the heart of Villeray, Tapeo’s broad menu includes hot and cold tapas offerings, and a wide range of Spanish wines. If you’re coming as a group, the chef’s table (seating up to 18 people) allows guests to see chef-owner Marie-Fleur St-Pierre in action. The desserts — including hot, mouthwatering churros and crème catalane — are especially recommended. Mondays are reserved for private groups. 

Keeping it simple and tasty, Bo’ Dégât, near Beaubien metro, serves tapas and wine in a sleek modern setting. Choices include spicy pork rolls, omelettes, and Spanish-Portuguese bacalao (salted cod). The desserts have a Montreal flair, with churros in the shape of the city’s logo. All up, it’s a fun menu with several vegetarian options, and a great place to go with friends. 

The younger sister restaurant to Marie-Fleur St-Pierre’s excellent Tapeo, Villeray’s Mesón is a casually elegant bistro offering weekend brunch, and lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Dishes include octopus with paprika, and mussels in a piri piri marinade, but the rarity here is cocas, a Catalan flatbread that can be sweet or salty. 

Though Taza Flores isn’t strictly Spanish, its tapas menu maintains a Mediterranean flair, blending Spanish and Moroccan influences. The casual elegance of the interior design reflects the tastes of founders Gilbert and Harry Marciano, restauranteurs with international experience but an affinity for Montreal. It’s got a warm atmosphere, friendly vibes, and a great location in Mile End. 

A restaurant and event space, La Sala Rosa is well-named — the décor is mostly vivid red. From the bar, serving (among other things) orange sparkling wines, and upscale cocktails featuring artisanal gins, to the wide-ranging menu, it’s a Plateau institution. It’s the host to the Flamenco festival each year, along with weekly Flamenco shows. Not to be confused with La Sala Rossa (with two S’s), a music venue upstairs.

This cosy side-street niche in Outremont dresses up toast with chorizo and quail eggs, and infuses paella with squid ink. New to the Montreal scene, it is rapidly coming into its own, with attractive blue tile and exposed brick, making for a lively and welcoming interior.

The aptly-named Village eatery Paella 1334 has several variations on that classic Spanish rice dish. These range from a lush five-vegetable options to chorizo, seafood, and chicken versions. The kitchen is open late, and a table d’hôte menu is available. They also deliver. 

Casa Galicia is a culinary tour of Spain, with Valencian-style mussels, Gallegan scallops, and Galician zarzuela (a seafood stew) — and, of course, the ubiquitous paella. Weekends liven up the place with a Spanish guitarist and flamenco dancing. Its cellar proffers a range of fine Spanish wines, many of which are tough to find in North America. 

Serving a blend of Basque and Catalan cuisines, Les Pyrénées sources fresh ingredients, including Manchego cheese, smoked paprika, and mussels. Dishes are carefully-spiced and prepared artfully, and it’s all served up in an elegant atmosphere in Old Montreal. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are many and varied. 

A fairly new addition to St-Henri, Cordova experiments with classic ingredients to make creative open sandwiches, croquettes, and other small plates. Its menu also sports quite a range of conservas — high quality canned, preserved seafood that will make you rethink any aversion to tinned fish. The cocktails are equally playful; it’s also a café by day, and comes with a dog-friendly terrasse. 

OK, this one’s outside Montreal (about an hour away by car, in Dunham), but it’s worth the trip. Located in the wine region of Brome-Missisquoi, La Bodega is located in a historic building, with a sunny, relaxed patio surrounded by greenery. Whether it’s tapas dishes such as grilled sardines, aubergine gratinée, or variations on paella, this place has all options covered.