Revealed: Time Out has rounded up the greatest events, parties, restaurants, bars and cultural institutions in Montreal this year.
From dungeon play in a church to the appearance of a mysterious, giant orb in the heart of the city, here’s our list of the year’s best Montreal events, restaurants, bars, cultural institutions and clubs.
Presenting the 2024 Best of the City Awards:
1. Best New Restaurant: Sabayon
Nestled in Pointe-Saint-Charles, a few steps from Saint-Henri (recently crowned one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world), this new eatery is small on space but big on taste. An intimate spot helmed by the chef of the shuttered Patrice Pâtissier—one of our favourite patisseries in the city—and his partner, renowned sommelier Marie-Josée Beaudoin, seats just 14 guests, and the seasonal menu, crafted in collaboration with local producers, offers three experiences: an evening tasting menu, cooking classes, and tea time.
Runner up: eating the best cherry pie of our lives in Romies magical garden.
2. Best New Bar: Terrasse Alizé
The buzzy new terrace concept from H3 Group and Chef Jean-Sébastien Giguère (the chef-partner behind La Cabane du Coureur, Le Coureur des Bois, Climats at Time Out Market Montréal and Restaurant h3) is bringing next-level food to a hidden spot in the heart of the city. Perched on the 9th floor of one of the buzziest hotels downtown, this new terrasse is raising the bar. Heated and covered, Terrasse Alizé—situated atop the Humaniti Hotel Montréal—expect an urban oasis filled with plants, perennials and an elevated hidden garden that’s open rain or shine. Sip on an Alizé Mojito (hello, rum, peach puree, maple, and mint) while digging into calamari served with shishito pepper tapenade and spicy mayo, and pork and beef tacos with pico de gallo and salsa verde made from the restaurant garden—just a few of the menu’s highlights.
3. Best New Dish: Gaspé tuna bucatini with horseradish at Marcus restaurant
A design and culinary gem, a stay at the Four Season Hotel Montreal isn’t complete without a visit to MARCUS Restaurant + Terrace and MARCUS Lounge + Bar, by celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Helmed by Executive Chef Jason Morris, the Montrealer who honed his skills in Michelin-starred kitchens around the globe from New York to Scandinavia. Be prepared for inventive, modern dishes served in an extremely stylish brasserie. After a cocktail in the supremely sexy bar (the Forbidden Fruit is an intoxicating mix of Belvedere Vodka, passion fruit, citrus, Tonka beans, black pepper and egg white), opt for the chefs counter experience, where you’ll discover 7unique off-the-menu dishes. Seated at a marble counter overlooking the pass, you’ll have a birds eye view of the kitchen in full swing—with Chef Morris popping by from time to time. Each of the 7 dishes served are unique to the We’re still thinking about the Gaspé tuna bucatini with horseradish. Bonus: the exclusive chef's counter menu arrives on a scroll with a wax seal.
Runner up: the best cherry pie of our life from Romies.
4. Best Pop-Up of the Year: Le Petit Dep Taverne de Noël
18 giant illuminated Santas, twinkling lights, and tinsel? Christmas kitsch has exploded inside of this cozy Plateau spot in the best possible way, and we can’t get enough. Feeling thirsty? Order a Chocolaretto (hot chocolate with dark chocolate, Ameretto, and chantilly). Or Le Grinch (Gin or vodka, Martini Blanc and crème de menthe). The holiday menu features family-friendly dishes like pizza, and more sophisticated sharing plates (charcuterie platters, hummus and pita chips, and gravlax, for starters).
5. Best New Gallery: The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts new exhibition space dedicated to Inuit art
Demonstrating its dedication to Indigenous art, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) has unveiled a new exhibition in a prime ground-floor location, replacing the former Inuit art gallery, which was tucked away in a dim corner on the fourth floor of a separate building. The new 2,000-square-foot space more than doubles the area previously devoted to Inuit art. Uummaqutik: essence of life at the MMFA highlights works from 70 Inuit artists, and will present a rotation of about 120 works over the next 5 years.
6. Best New Nightlife Venue: Le 9e
Hidden from view for 25 years, this stunning 1930s Art Deco space—complete with original, larger-than-life vertical murals by Natacha Carlu and magnificent white alabaster vases—finally opened, and our jaw was on the ground. In addition to one of the best new restaurants in the city (Île-de-France) and a stellar bar (Le French Line), Le 9e is also home to candlelight concerts, Baroque choirs, chamber music, balls and comedy shows, the 9th floor of the Montreal Eaton Centre has never been cooler.
7. Best Nightlife Event: Cirque de Boudoir’s Monstrocity Halloween
Dungeon play in a church? This unmissable event is where fetish meets a frighteningly fun Halloween party thanks to live stage performances, erotic Gogo dancers, amazing DJs, a trippy atmosphere and the sexiest crowd in town. This year’s monsters theme brought out fetish monsters, sexy monsters, kinky monsters, mythical monsters, demonic monsters, horror monsters, monsters from other planets and dimensions, and monstrous characters inspired from all fiction and history.
8. Best Off-Broadway Show: POTUS or Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
This side-splitting play where one four-letter word rocks the White House, resulting in a PR nightmare that devolves into a global crisis (and the women surrounding the commander-in-chief are left to save the day) brought down the house at the Segal Centre. The brilliant performances left us dying with laughter.
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9. Best Burlesque Show: Montreal Burlesque Festival
Naughtier than ever, the Montreal Burlesque Festival was back again this year with a lineup of talented international performers including a former Miss Nude Universe, burlesque legend Tiffany Carter, and workshops that are guaranteed to titillate, tease and dazzle. The 3-day event was a nod to Montréal’s cabaret glory days during the Prohibition era, and Scarlett James and her international roster of top performers turned up the heat, pushing seduction to the extreme.
10. Best Public Artwork of the Year: Orb
From Cairo to Place Des Arts, a majestic sphere created by famed Spanish street artist Spy made its home in Montreal this fall. Mural, in collaboration with Place des Arts, has installed Orb, a prestigious artwork by renowned (and mysterious) Spanish artist SpY (his first in-situ piece in Canada), and it’s magical. Composed of 90 circular mirrors, it reflects its surroundings, constantly transforming with the light and movement, offering each downtown visitor a unique perspective.
11. Best Event of the Year: Fierté Montréal Festival
The 18th edition of the Fierté Montréal Festival featured thousands of marchers to celebrate the progress of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities' rights, live in-person performances, concerts and activities on the Esplanade of the Olympic Park—Montreal Pride’s main site—as well as in the LGBTQ+ Village and downtown. With major free shows featuring more than 150 artists, there was also free admission to all events on the Esplanade of the Olympic Park.
12. Best Immersive Experience of the Year: Musée Imaginarium
Penguins and a giant pool of poutine? Vintage backdrops and pink Christmas trees? Montreal’s new selfie museum is an immersive experience, perfect for all ages, featuring fantastical settings that make selfies and photoshoots extraordinary. Don’t miss the Black Box, a space illuminated with light and mirrors that will make you feel like you’re floating in another reality. Time Out Tip: Polaroid rentals are available on-site for a throw-back experience.
13. Viral Moment of the Year: Fox sightings in downtown Montreal
Did you hear about the fox sightings in downtown Montreal in early November? Not to be confused with one of the city's best restaurants, Foxy, there were three fox sightings within a week. Navigating some of the busiest streets in the city, a fox was captured crossing a very congested street in front of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, just steps from the Montreal hotel named the best in the world, heading west.
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