After months of the city’s food and drink establishments suffering, May 28 saw Montreal terrasses open. Since indoor dining* is not quite yet the next step at this time, the terrasses provide a revenue stream for some operations, finally giving them more than just takeout orders to stay alive. Many smaller establishments without terrasses simply put tables and chairs (or even just chairs) on the sidewalk to draw customers.
The city’s outdoor bar terrasses are slated to open on June 11. With all Montreal terrasses open, the city can receive summer lifeblood transfusions needed for its recovery. Without being able to save what’s left of its formidable restaurant scene in 2021, Montreal would have difficulty remaining North America’s best city. The photo gallery below documents the historic day of May 28, when les Montréalais partied like it was 1999.
* Restaurants with indoor seating adjacent to huge windows that can slide open in the summer are apparently considering themselves as having conditions that are “close enough” to those of an outdoor terrasse. Not sure what the Gouvernement du Québec has to say about that.
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal / Mile End
Le Darling cocktail bar, 4328 St-Laurent Blvd; adjacent, Bagel Etc. (Leonard Cohen’s former breakfast hangout)
Bar Datcha night club, 98 Laurier O.
Bishop & Bagg, “country pub inspired, hearty and made with the best ingredients”
Bowhead, “Montreal’s very first vegan pub”, 3723 St-Laurent Blvd
Café Novanta, “a typical Italian pizza bar, run by the friendly brothers”, 90 Avenue Laurier O.
Café Olimpico, since 1970, a family-run Italian espresso cafe, 124 St-Viateur O.
Dieu du Ciel! brew-pub, “motivated by humanist values and ethics”
Dirty Dogs bar and grill, 3685 St-Laurent Blvd
JackRouge, “A trendy place for professionals”, 4560 St-Laurent Blvd
Le Toledo, Boulangerie | Barista | Cafétéria urbaine; 351 av. du Mont-Royal Est
Shaker Kitchen & Mixology ; the 3518 St-Laurent Blvd location is the 14th Shaker branch in Quebec
Taverne Les Torchés, where “We want people to come into a permissive and warm space”; 74 av. du Mont-Royal Est
Saint-Henri / Little Burgundy
Arthurs Nosh Bar, 4621 rue Notre-Dame O. “The first new Jewish restaurant in Montreal in years feels deferential to tradition, and modern, all at the same time”, wrote Eater in 2016.
Bar Bara: “Fresh pasta and antipasti. Coffee and Italian sweets from early in the morning, and wine until late at night.” At the bar, at the table, or to grab from la dispensa.
Barley, “Montreal’s first cereal bar” offers a mixture of healthy options or junk foods; whatever you choose, Barley is worth trying at least once. 2613 rue Notre-Dame O.
M2 boasts of “a splendid outdoor patio in the summer months, and room for your groups of up to 300 guests.” Due to the sheer size of its darkish interior, M2 tends to always seem empty when you pass by, although the outdoor terrasse gets noticeably busy at times.
Tacos Victor was opened by Victor Soto of Tultitlán, Mexico. The tacos aren’t cheap, but they are damn tasty. 4280 rue Notre-Dame O.
Taverne sur le Square, 1 Westmount Square, Westmount, voted #4 in a “Best French Restaurants in Montreal” poll by Cult MTL readers in the 2020.
Tuck Shop was opened to provide “a small neighbourhood restaurant with a simple seasonal menu in a comfortable atmosphere”. The terrasse seats only around 8-10 people.
Venice, focusing on health-conscious Californian leaning fare, 4001 rue Notre-Dame O; for those who care, the owner has faced ethics complaints, as reported in spring and autumn of 2019.