Montreal Bistros and Brasseries

Two offsprings of the simple French cuisine, bistros and brasseries have fused somewhat in Montreal, so it makes sense to combine the two into a single category.

In general, bistros are smaller and culinarily they lean toward "home-style" cooking, while brasseries are larger, nearly always well-lit, with a good selection of beers, flexible hours and cheery atmosphere. Brasseries' focus is typically on food that can accompany beer (from brasser, to brew [beer]).

Selected Bistro / Brasserie Restaurants

• Bistro L'Entrepont — 4622 Hotel de Ville, (514) 845-1369
  Small restaurant serving delicious French bistro cuisine dishes. Remarkably, this restaurant is open Mondays when most other quality restaurants are closed. Quiet side street location. Reservations essential.


• Café Cherrier — 3635 rue St-Denis, (514) 843-4308
  Café Cherrier has been serving bistro-style French cuisine since 1931.


• Café des Beaux Arts — 1380 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, (514) 843-3233
  Café des Beaux Arts is not your typical museum restaurant - with a bona fide chef (Richard Bastien), quality food and attractive decor it qualifies as a dining destination onto its own. 70 seats in the main room and a 55-seat private dining room.


• Café Méliès — 3536 boulevard St-Laurent, (514) 847-9218
  Bistro fare served in an ultra-modern décor (matching the interior of Ex:centris movie theater with which the restaurant is sharing the building as well as the owner).


• Laloux — 250, avenue des Pins Est, (514) 287-9127
  Nouvelle Cuisine "with a twist". Romantic atmosphere, despite somewhat barren location.


• Le Reservoir — 9 Duluth East, (514) 849-7779
  A micro-brewery which has gradually evolved into a bona fide bistro/brasserie restaurant. Good beer selection. The crowd is fairly typical of Le Plateau (mostly 20- and 30-somethings). Also open for weekend brunch.


• L'Express — 3927 rue St-Denis, (514) 845-5333
  L'Express is simultaneously the coolest bistro in Montreal and its relatively well-kept secret. There is no sign on the door and they don't need one - everybody who is anybody in Montreal knows exactly where it is. Reservations are recommended (especially during the "regular" dinner hours), but the wait is probably going to be acceptable if you come come after 10:30 pm. The restaurant is open late (until 2 am).


• Narcisse — 95 rue de la Commune Est, (514) 392-1649
  The wine bar boasts more than 40 wines by the glass.