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]).

Select Bistro / Brasserie Restaurants

• Bistro L'Entrepont
  4622 Hotel de Ville (Plateau Mont Royal), (514) 845-1369
  Small restaurant serving delicious French bistro cuisine dishes.


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


• Café du nouveau monde
  84 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest (Quartier des Spectacles), (514) 866-8669
  Located inside the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, this restaurant/café (easily identifiable from the street thanks to its glass walls) is open to everybody, whether or not they've come to see a play at the theater. That said, the best hours to dine are actually when there's something on stage (that is to say between 8pm and 10:30pm) because the café is not that busy. The menu consists mainly of French bistro dishes.


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


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


• Le Reservoir
  9 Duluth East (Plateau Mont Royal), (514) 849-7779
  A micro-brewery which has gradually evolved into a bona fide bistro/brasserie restaurant.


• L'Entrecôte St-Jean
  2022 rue Peel (Downtown Montreal), (514) 281-6492
  L'Entrecôte St-Jean's menu may be short (essentially containing just one main dish - its signature steak) but the execution is flawless and the restaurant's success is a proof that the strategy worked. "Aucune surprise" indeed.


• L'Express
  3927 rue St-Denis (Plateau Mont Royal), (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).

Please keep in mind that our site does not attempt to provide comprehensive restaurant listings. These are simply the restaurants picked by our editors and contributors - subject to all the subjectivity such a method implies.

That said, if you think we're missing something - and that includes you, self-promoting restaurateurs - feel free to let us know!