The best restaurants in Montreal's Mile End you need to eat at

Just ask Dave Grohl or Joe Jonas: Mile End's coolest dive bar is also home to one of the city's best burgers and negronis. Throw in a long bar, benches, a pool table and televisions broadcasting sports matches and you've got a party.

Falafel Yoni’s is Mile End’s hipster restaurant for Middle Eastern street food. It’s a good place to drop-in for a quick bite with their fast, friendly service and a minimalist menu which makes decisions easy. Patrons can choose between a falafel pita, a falafel salad, a sabich (an egg and eggplant) or a hummus plate. The sandwiches here are rich in flavour, making this a hearty and satisfying eat on even the coldest of Montreal’s winter days.

The restaurant that once was the highly-regarded Les Deux Singes de Montarvie reopened in 2017 as Île Flottante, and has earned rave reviews for its vegetable-forward tasting menus ever since. Head chef Sean Murray Smith uses primarily local and seasonal ingredients to put together his ever-changing menu of innovative dishes, but because the list is changing so often, it’s hard to know exactly what you’ll get when you go in for dinner. What we can promise is that it’s innovative, and we can definitely promise it’ll be good.

Known best for its cocktails and its brunch service, Sparrow is a cozy spot on St-Laurent Boulevard between Fairmount Avenue and Saint-Viateur. Complete with low lighting, vintage decor and exposed brick walls, this spot is great for dates and other intimate gatherings. Its dinner menu’s vegetarian with dishes like garam masala cauliflower and the grilled cheese with tomato chili chutney. Its brunch menu is comprised mainly of edgy spins on classic weekend morning favourites, like buckwheat pancakes and a Turkish breakfast plate.

The highly anticipated opening of the new restaurant on Mile End's Laurier West, helmed by 25-year-old chef Anderson Lee, is serving up chic Chinese-inspired dishes in a sexy, late-night environment. Working alongside Mélanie Blanchette, François Nadon, and Émile Collette (Bouillon Bilk, Cadet, Place Carmin alums), Chef Lee draws on inspiration from the rich tradition of Chinese cuisine while paying homage to his roots.

The first installment of this Italian joint from the owners of the beloved Club Chasse et Pêche, Il Miglio serves up the best fresh pasta in the area. It’s a casual lunch counter that caters primarily to the ever-growing body of office workers in the Mile End, and no two lunch days are the same here. Headed up by pasta maker Giovanni Rasile, Il Miglio’s offerings on any given day are determined by what’s written on its chalkboard menu. In addition to its hearty pastas, Il Miglio serves a number of pastries prepared by Club Chasse Et Pêche’s head chef Masami Waki.

This cozy upscale pizzeria makes for a superb date spot, tucked away on Maguire Street off of Saint-Laurent Boulevard. Its low lighting and copper tiled ceilings give it a warm and inviting ambiance, as does its gooey Neapolitan pizzas. You can’t go wrong with their Margherita, but if you’re looking for something a bit more exciting, the spanakopizza or the chèvre and pancetta pies are strong bets.

More often than not, you’ll find a wait at this no-frills house-made dumpling jaunt. That’s because it serves some of the best dumplings in the citywhich come steamed, boiled, served in chicken broth, or pan-fried and complete with a crispy skirt. It’s relatively affordable too:  $20 will get you enough to leave the restaurant full and with leftovers in hand. Choose between lamb, seafood, chicken, beef, vegetarian-friendly (egg and chive) and vegan-friendly (tofu and vegetable) fillings.

Located on the edge of Mile End near the Van Horne overpass, Le Butterblume is a trendy breakfast and lunch spot with a cool, airy interior. We recommend sitting at the bar: You’ll get a close-up view of the chefs preparing your dish with speed and finesse. tartines, served on a thick slice of homemade bread and topped with a poached egg, are a crowd favourite among a long list of gems. But be warned: Le Butterblume is often busy, so you may end up waiting. Once you’re in, however, the impeccable food and buzzy atmosphere are worth it.

This spot is a take-out counter, not a restaurant, but it still makes this list because it serves some of the best gnocchi in the city. The secret? Its gnocchi is set to cook in a homemade pomodoro sauce until it reaches gooey perfection, to be served in Chinese food takeout boxes and topped with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes for only $5 a pop. It’s a great place to stop for a quick and filling lunch on Fairmount and Clark.

A busy spot during brunch time, Larry's is an English-inspired restaurant known for serving meats butchered next door at their butchery that crafts some amazing charcuterie. Every dish is an inventive take on a classic no-frills dish found in the UK. Try their smoked salmon and deviled eggs or their baked eggs with celery root and mushrooms. If you’re looking to get really down to earth, their bubble and squeak (a cabbage and potato-based dish) is an essential part of any English breakfast.

Known for being the first vegan restaurant in the city, Aux Vivres has been serving meat- and dairy-free food to the Mile End since 1997. It’s grown in popularity tremendously since—you’ve probably seen its signature packaged sandwiches and bottled dressings at numerous vendors around the city. While their whole menu is full of filling meat and dairy substitutes, their brunch offerings are particularly notable with huevos rancheros made with tofu scramble or their golden pancakes topped with cashew cream.

This Park Avenue gem does Middle Eastern cuisine fantastically. It’s known best for its mezzes; pick three or five dishes from a list of 11 that includes hummus, baba ghanouj and labne. While this is undoubtedly the best route for a vegetarian-heavy crowd, KazaMaza also serves a number of meat dishes like keftas (minced lamb skewers) and mazwats (braised lamb shanks). The fatteh, above everything else, reigns supreme here with its layers of baked pita, hummus and meat with a drizzling of pomegranate.

One of the city’s best Greek restaurants is in the Mile End. Located on Park Avenue, this restaurant is on the pricier end, but its whole grilled fish and seafood dishes are well worth it. While Milos serves delicious plates of lobster and calamari, the one dish critics and loyal patrons alike can’t stop talking about is the Milos special, an ornate pile of fried zucchini slices topped with tzatziki sauce and fried saganaki cheese.

Another noteworthy hub for Greek food on Park Avenue, Mythos is a vibrant spot best visited during the summer when their terrasse is open and there’s space to empty outside after dancing to their live music late into the night. Indulge in any number of melt-in-your-mouth authentic Greek offerings like spanakopita and stuffed vine leaves. This spot is also great for groups, giving parties an option between two different set menus at $52 and $60 per person.

Located among the many trendy boutiques that line Laurier Street West, Bar Henrietta is easily distinguishable by the warm ball-shaped chandeliers that line its perimeter. While this spot is first and foremost a bar that serves an array of well-picked wines and cocktails, it also boasts a bountiful Portuguese-leaning food menu that betrays the size of their kitchen. Expect fresh oysters, squid ink rice, and numerous bright and refreshing salads as well.

This trendy Japanese restaurant on the corner of Fairmount Avenue and St-Laurent Boulevard is highly regarded for its ramen. Its interior is quaint and homey with its wood furnishings and colourful tiled walls, and its service is quick and simple: Ramen orders are taken via little slips of paper and are served within minutes, making this an easy go-to for a quick lunch out.

If you’re one of those people who think that Mexican food isn’t well represented in Montreal, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not coming to this restaurant. Ta Chido’s long been a favourite of locals for dishes both Mexican and Tex-Mex, from heaped bowls of guac with tortilla chips and mole sandwiches to quesadillas and some seriously awesome tacos. Grab yourself a margarita and sit on their street terrasse and enjoy the view.

First and foremost an English-style pub, Bishop & Bagg, located on St-Viateur and Clark streets, is home to a vast menu of brunch, lunch, and dinner items. Try their seared steak or Bagg Burger if you’re feeling famished. Those looking for something a little lighter, fear not: Bishop & Bagg offers several pub snacks to enjoy alongside a pint, like spiced nuts and marinated sausage. Whatever you get, it’ll be a great follow-up to drinking from their extensive gin collection.

This tiny self-described “phyllo bar” serves up hit steaming platters of spanakopita, tyropita and prasopita, as well as cookies and coffees perfect for a little pit stop at one of their few tables. The hand pies are so great, they draw Greek immigrants city wide. There are more seats in the summer on their small terrasse on Parc Avenue, perfect for sneaking peeks all those killer Mile End looks.

A mainstay on Bernard Street, Nouveau Palais is where you go for a beer and a burger with friends. The old school diner booths might lead you to expect a certain kind of food, but prepare to be pleasantly surprised—even the popular burger and fried chicken are made with a refined market-fresh approach. To get real fancé try the arctic char on Jerusalem artichoke mash with wilted leeks and crème fraîche

Mexican home cooking is one of the hardest things to find in Montreal, so thank Maria for this bonita restaurant. Chef María del Rocío Chávez serves up popping flavours without a burrito bowl in sight! It’s all about small terracotta plates-full of braised shrimp, seared meatballs, cactus salad, ceviches and more, which you can mix and match to compose a meal. Or pair a margarita with a full plate of tender mole chicken complete with sides

Pinkies up for the caviar tastings here, where blinis and accoutrements serve as a backdrop to your choice of roe. The other small dishes recall a Parisian tea shop (is that a thing?), with romance in overdrive and flavours ranging from creamy, indulgent pressed foie gras on brioche to a lip-smackingly snappy octopus alla puttanesca, with the requisite capers and green olives. The cocktails are classic, including a whole selection of mules (from Moscow to Mexico).

You go here for the history more than for the food—though there’s nothing wrong with a good ole Wilensky Special. The slices of deli meats with yellow mustard in a flattened bun have been pleasing palates in this iconic Jewish eatery since 1932, when the neighbourhood was known simply as “the Main”. Fans of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz will have their own reasons to visit. Watch for opening hours, they’re really limited.

The recently refurbished interior only improved on the old timey, homey comfort of this classic family-owned diner, where the salads are the size of your head and the quality has been unchanged (and unmatched) since the eponymous Beauty, aka Hymie Sckolnick, opened it in 1942. Get your breakfast with a toasted bagel on the side (even if you order the pancakes! Carbs are life) and treat yourself to one of their smoothies, so indulgent they’re more like milkshakes.

Mile End is home to this go-to for top-level sushi, where chef Junichi Ikematsu lets his creative juices flow either in the selection of delicately balanced makis or in the omakase, a five-course chef’s menu where you get to taste the extent of his skills. Pair dishes like Genmaicha smoked trout with salmon roe beurre blanc and chestnut mushrooms relish (drooool) with one of the private import sakes—which you can buy to-go, too, by the way.

Fine French dining lives here. The food might just be prettier than you at La Chronique, in its deft presentation that’s sometimes more art than function, but whose flavours back up what’s being laid down. The meats and seafoods are all as local and small-farm as can be, and the seasonal approach to the menu ensures the fruit and veg were just picked, like, that morning. Let the house discern what wines to serve with each dish, you won’t be sorry.

You could say this is the Down Under of Mile End! This Australian pie shop is at the very outreaches of the neighbourhood, on Parc Avenue near the corner of Mont-Royal, but it’s worth including for its sheer yumminess. It brings to Montreal a tradition we hadn’t tasted yet—Australian meat (and veg) pies including flavours like steak and mushrooms, butter chicken and veggie curry. One of these small suckers will fill you up for DAYS. But still, get dessert to go: the Lamington is a real treat.

Share refined small plates at this dark and moody address on Mont-Royal from the team behind Le Serpent, it’s the perfect spot for a tête-à-tête. The specialty is fish and seafood but that’s not exclusively what’s on offer, with pasta dishes, risottos, veal cheek and duck magret adding a very pairable contrast on chef Yasu Okazaki’s menu. Ask what’s new on their wine list, they’ve always got something interesting on the go.

Nonna, is that you? Naw, it’s Toni, cooking up pies like lost generations did, full of rich, tart tomato richness and crispy, toothsome texture. The round New York style pizzas here require a real bite—the incredible dough is one of the main selling points, alongside the rich, candied, snappy tomato sauce and the basic (and perfectly so) toppings. The square Roman style slices are extra thick and indulgent. Highly recommend.

Okay, locals might not call this Mile End, but the map says it is—so we’re including it. Chez Claudette is a fan favourite for classic Québec casse-croûte including burgers, hot dogs and an endless selection of designer poutines (including one named after Céline Dion, topped with smoked meat, bacon, onions and, believe it or not, pickles). It’s packed full at brunch time, and late-night when the crowds spill in after the bars have closed.