5 unique food-critic-approved Montreal dining experiences

by Maria Barillaro
Dining out and looking for something different? From food bloggers to restaurant critics, we scoured the reviews from the best of the best to find these 5 exciting dining experiences that will entertain your taste buds with unique flavours. [Image credit: Geneviève Dallaire]

Lesley Chesterman, the Montreal Gazette’s food critic, is one of the city’s most influential restaurant reviewers. She released a list of her top restaurant picks and first on the list was this Syrian restaurant on Van Horne. The restaurant was reopened in 2015. “The old Damas was good. The new Damas is extraordinary,” writes Chesterman in her review of the Top 14 Montreal Restaurants of 2015. The colourful dishes, hot and cold appetizers, and mouth-watering grilled delicacies are just a few of the reasons Montreal’s top food critic loves Damas.

Mayssam Samaha, the food writer behind the Will Travel for Food blog, is a Montreal-based writer who knows her food. In a recent post about the city’s top Greek restaurants, she included Mile End restaurant Faros, which she describes as a trip to the Greek islands. Known for their authentic grilled seafood dishes and Mediterranean cuisine, this is one restaurant you definitely must try – especially if you’re partial to the delicacies of Greek cuisine.

Shut Up and Eat! is a Montreal blog that’s as entertaining as it is informative. From recipes to restaurant reviews, you’ll find honest opinions of some of the city’s most amazing restaurants. But when it comes to mac and cheese, how many options can one restaurant have? According to this blogger, many! “With 11 different versions of it, they have successfully brought it off the side dish menu.” So not only is it delicious, but Macbar et Fromage is changing the way we see mac and cheese.

Looking for a place to enjoy a fabulous Italian meal? MTL Food Snob recommends this charming Saint Jacques restaurant. From her description of the quaint décor, ambiance, and the mouth-watering meals, Nora Gray was a definite hit for this local foodie. Just the pictures of the unique cocktails, sautéed vegetables and panna cotta dessert are enough to prove this is where every lover of real Italian food should go for a beyond-amazing meal.

Montreal Food Divas have been all over the city this summer, tasting Mexican food wherever they can find it. And El Gordo was a hit for these food critics. The shrimp tacos really impressed the food connoisseurs, with lots of authentic toppings and a perfect balance of tastes. Sounds like a visit to this restaurant won’t disappoint. “You leave feeling relaxed and satisfied and wanting to go back again, especially after smelling the plate of nachos being delivered as we were walking out!”

Montreal’s cultural diversity makes dining out a real treat. You can go out every night and never sample the same thing twice. These restaurants are some of Montreal food critics’ unique finds serving up truly delicious food. Try one, or try them all. Enjoy!