15 Montreal restaurants you can rely on for a Thanksgiving feast this weekend

When you combine Montreal's red zone lockdown with Canada's own Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proclaiming that Thanksgiving was cancelled in his September 23 press conference, Montrealers' hopes for a weekend-long, turkey-stuffed food coma were crushed.

Or were they? The city's restaurants and bars may have been forced to close their dining rooms, but their kitchens remain intact. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: There's no time more important than now to support local businesses, and one of the best ways to do it right now is picking up any one of these ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat options at the following institutions for a Thanksgiving feast.

Stay hungry, Montreal.

Burgundy Lion

Burgundy Lion came out of the gate strong with a full Thanksgiving dinner package with all the fixings that comes in sizes fit for 2, 4, and 6 people (with vegetarian options available). Put a ham or veggie loaf at the centre of your table, plus a choice of four sides, a four-pack of Stella or a bottle of red or white wine, and a $20 dessert add-on option that comes with either an apple crumble or two pumpkin pies. If that's not enough, the restaurant is providing one meal for a family in need through Nourrir Henri / Feed the Hen, which helps people in the resto's neighbourhood fight hunger and reduce food waste. Prices vary; orders must be placed by October 7.

Club Chasse et Pêche's Trifecta project

For a more soigné Thanksgiving affair, consider the cook-it-yourself options from Trifecta, a project that combines the kitchens of Club Chasse et Pêche, Le Serpent and Le Filet together. The menu is made up of the three restaurants' greatest dishes, each requiring little more than a slight assembly at home. Oysters on the half-shell, octopus salad, linguini with speck, a miso wagyu beef steak, foie gras risotto... Why not treat yourself a bit this weekend? Prices vary; menu is ongoing.

Mon Lapin

Casgrain BBQ wasn't the end of Mon Lapin's adjustments to the pandemic; they're putting a full feast option on their menu replete with a whole duck confit with spices, onions with rosemary and schmaltz & vinegar gravy; apples stuffed with chestnuts; mashed potatoes; Brussel sprout salad with marinated green tomatoes, honey and smoked vinegar; chili jelly; and a squash pie topped with crunchy grains. If that sounds good, order it NOW as quantities are limited and orders are closing tonight! Prices vary; pickup and delivery occurs on October 9 & 10.

Time Out Market Montréal

Is everyone at home arguing over what to order? Go for the whole smorgasbord option! Time Out Market Montréal is continuing to do takeout and delivery right now, and five restaurants—Paul Toussaint's Caribbean eats, Le Red Tiger's Vietnamese cantine, Marusan's Japanese comfort food and Il Miglio's new pasta menu for the season—are all on offer. Show up with the fam and pick what you want, bring it back home (or get it delivered!) and chow down.

Beau Mont

Normand Laprise's Beau Mont is forging forward with a takeout menu that features braised lamb shanks and ribs, fried scallops bluefin tuna tartare and a lot more on the pre-cooked side, while there's also a long grocery selection to pick from if you want to fill your house with the smell of some expertly crafted food items that only need a bit of heat; cooking instructions are supplied on their website for everything if you go for the second option. Prices vary; menu is ongoing.

Kamúy

Chef Paul Toussaint's keeping the energy up he had when he first opened his restaurant Kamúy after the first week of August had passed. Now the pan-Caribbean restaurant has flipped to doing takeout with cocktail kits, the menu couldn't get more impressive. There's no strict Thanksgiving meal here on offer, but it offers up a great alternative if you're finding turkey getting boring. Place the lomo al trapo steak at the centre of the table and split some sides like sweet potato dumplings, seafood skewers, ceviche and more.

Grumman '78

Keep it creative and different this Thanksgiving season with some taco kits from Grumman '78. They're fit for feeing anywhere between two and three people with 12 tortillas, lime and corinader for toppings, and any one of the three options: Pakoras made from green peas, chick peas, potato, spinach, onion and cilantro that's topped with homemade hummus, plus a cucumber & mint "Russian" mayo; fried turbot fish sticks, coleslaw and salsa; and pork banh mi with pulled pork, pickled carrots & daikon and sesame seeds. $19 to $24 per taco kits; menu is ongoing.

Foxy

Over in Griffintown, Foxy's keeping its fires stoked by offering a special Thanksgiving menu for two. Have apple and cheddar soup, their house feta with grilled pita topped with aubergines, cucumbers, sesame, pistachios, AND their tumeric cauliflower with zhoug yogurt, almonds and apricots to start (yes, that's just to start); follow that up with a whole marinated chicken that's been cooked on coals with jalapeño and a special Olive+Gourmando gravy; a "Monster Squash" side dressed in maple syrup and fried garlic; raddichio salad with dates, apples and caramelized pecans; and a caramel apple pie for dessert (and pick up some wines while you're at it!). $120; menu is available until 12pm on Thursday, October 8 with pickups occurring on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 4 pm onwards.

Joe Beef

If the video above doesn't say it clearly enough, Joe Beef is open for business. Consider, this Thanksgiving, throwing caution to the wind and digging in to one of their luxurious menus for two that have a spaghetti lobster, veal pojarski, or seafood pie options—or go for that smoked chicken they're going on about. $135 to $145, depending on the option; menus are ongoing.

Hoogan et Beaufort

Hoogan and Beaufort is continuing their takeout menu from earlier this year, and if you haven't tried it yet, this Thanksgiving's the perfect opportunity. There's a ton to eat from their ready-to-eat options, whether it's the seafood or the BBQ option you prefer (hey, the time for grilling isn't over yet!). The fish option's good for two people, while the meat is enough for four or more people. $115 5o $292; menus are ongoing.

L'Express

Montreal's favourite French restaurant isn't doing any Thanksgiving specials—they never change their menu in fact, but they don't need to. There's no better way to celebrate Turkey Day this year around than by filling up the table with a ton of French classics they've got for takeout, from roasted quail to their infamous foie de veau. Prices vary; menu is ongoing.

Hélicoptère

This Hochelaga-Maisonneuve restaurant that stole our hearts immediately after opening is continuing its menu for two option. One of the cheapest options around for a two-person menu, it's a build-it-yourself option that lets you select any one of three appetizers, entrées, sides and desserts. Check out what's cooking for yourself and take a trip out there if you're not in the neighbourhood. It'll be worth it. $50; menu is ongoing.

Jun I

Sushi for Thanksgiving? It's a pandemic, who the hell cares. If this idea piques your interest, you might as well go for the jugular and get the best sushi available in town from sushi chef Junichi Ikematsu. Their omakase menu for two people is your safest bet to really give the day that Thanksgiving feel, starting with a bento zenzai packed trout, octopus, mackerel and red tuna, 14 pieces of nigiri, sashimi and maki chosen by the chef, and ending on a special dessert of the day. $150; menu is ongoing.

Maison Publique

Chef Derek Dammann's got the restaurant's usual takeout menu on offer, but we're including it here because ordering the whole damn thing up is perfect for the season: Foie gras parfait, duck fat financiers and summer fruit? QC tomatoes, brown butter stracchiatella and pumpkin seed? Cavatelli with rabbit? Cooked lamb leg and summer vegetables? We don't need to say more. Prices vary; menu is ongoing, likely to change due to seasonal shifts.

Les Weekendeurs

If you haven't tried Le Weekendeurs' menu boxes yet, this Thanksgiving would be a good time to try them out. They offer ready-to-assemble food from a growing list of local restaurants—Sumac, Mauvais Garçons, Moleskine, Grumman '78, Les Street Monkeys, Tendresse, Restaurant Wellington—plus local pantry products that all get delivered to your doorstep. Essentially, you can build your box of dishes that are sourced from any number of the aforementioned restaurants, and that'll keep the dinner this weekend nice and vibrant. Prices vary.

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