Fresh from retaining its status as the country’s culinary capital on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list, Montréal is riding high this summer with a dizzying array of activities and developments, from hot new restaurant and hotel openings to unique sporting events and vibrant festivals. We break it all down here.
EAT & DRINK: Hot restaurants
Montréal earned an impressive 28 entries on the prestigious Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list, Little Italy gem Mon Lapin earned the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. Also placing in the top 20 were Beba (#8), Monarque (#11), Montréal Plaza (#13) and Toqué! (#19).
Montréal also snagged three accolades on the Top 10 Best New Restaurants list, with Sabayon (#5), Casavant (#6) and Parapluie (#9) all recognized for their break-out performances in their inaugural year. Mon Lapin resident oenophiles Vanya Filipovic and Alex Landry were named Best Sommelier team.
Not to be outdone by its cuisine, Montréal’s cocktail scene received a strong showing on the Canada’s 50 Best Bars list. Cloakroom Bar (#3) and Atwater Cocktail Club (#4) were named among the top bars in the country, and Kate Boushel from Groupe Barroco was named Canada’s Best Bartender.
New openings:
- Le Violon: Chef Danny Smiles (Bremner, Double’s, Auberge Willow Inn) has opened his highly anticipated new fine-dining restaurant on the famous Le Plateau street corner that was once home to Maison Publique. The cuisine at Le Violin is Mediterranean-meets-Montréal with a seafood-forward menu showcasing seasonal Québec ingredients.
- Claire Jacques: This Villeray-Saint-Michel buvette from Laurence Théberge (Patrice Pâtissier) and Philippe Guilbault (Mastard) and has become a fast favourite in the neighbourhood thanks to its charming ambiance, craft cocktails, and a curated apéro menu featuring delicate small plates and artisanal desserts.
- Papito: Located in the Quartier des Spectacles district, this warm and spacious dining room from the Café Parvis and Bar Furco family is a welcome addition to the city’s bustling downtown. Guests can savour meaty mains like sausage, duck, fish, lamb and prime rib cooked over charcoal and wood-fire grills in an open kitchen. Charred proteins are accompanied by seasonal vegetable dishes and scratch-made sauces
ROOMS: New and renewed
New hotels and major renovations to old favourites are on the horizon this year. Here are a few properties to keep on your radar:
- Sofitel Montréal Golden Mile: France’s pioneering luxury hotel brand has announced the complete beautification of its Canadian flagship. Located on prestigious Sherbrooke Street, the property will undergo a major makeover of all facilities – including guest rooms, lobby, common areas and the Renoir restaurant. The hotel will remain open during the three-phase project, which is expected to finish by fall 2024.
- Le Petit Hôtel Notre-Dame: The second outpost of this whimsical Old Montréal boutique hotel is set to open soon on Notre-Dame. The 17-room property will echo the same signature style as the original Petit Hôtel on Saint-Paul, which includes attentive and personalized service, complimentary breakfast and barista coffee, and premium bath products. The second location is part of an ongoing expansion plan for the Petit Hôtel chain by The Gray Collection.
- Hôtel SonoLux: Slated to open in Old Montréal in 2025, SonoLux will be the city’s first sound and light immersive hotel. Guests, artists and collaborators will connect through curated audio and video experiences in the 36 unique guest rooms and across multiple exhibition spaces equipped with transformative acoustics, experimental video art and augmented hospitality.
BUILD: New developments and infrastructure projects
From restorations and renovations to newly built neighbourhoods, these exciting development projects promise to change Montréal’s urban landscape.
- The new Royalmount mixed-use development promises to be an eco-innovative neighbourhood that brings together private residences, office spaces, sustainable attractions and more. The leafy oasis will be well-stocked with shops, theatres, hotels, park spaces, and a large-scale public art walk featuring 15 works by local and international artists. The Royalmount project will also be home to the new Groupe Écorécréo Aquarium de Montréal and Le Fou Fou, a 2,800-sq.-m. European-style food hall set to open on Sept. 5.
- A unique new centre for food and culture is in development in the heart of trendy Griffintown. Constructed inside a series of iconic 1960s-era Métro cars, the MR-63 Pavilion will offer visitors a rotating mix of art, design and culinary programming that spotlights local talent. The multi-purpose pavilion will feature exhibition halls, restaurant and bar spaces, and a digital auditorium, all set to open in 2025.
- Construction is almost complete at the ambitious new Espace St-Denis. The multi-purpose entertainment complex is welcoming visitors to explore various new performance and restaurant spaces, including Le Studio-Cabaret, Le Molière brasserie, and a rooftop piano bar. Set for completion in 2027, the final phase of the project will see the integration of the legendary Théâtre St-Denis. In its new era, the grande dame of the Quartier des spectacles will undergo a major metamorphosis to upgrade theatre facilities and restore ornamental period details.
TOUR: Sin and the City
Bootlegging, brothels and bookies are just some of the topics covered in a new Prohibition-era inspired walking tour from MTL Detours. Montréal’s Sin City Golden Age Era immerses visitors into the city’s debaucherous past during a two-hour journey through the former Red-Light District. Designed for an 18+ audience, the tour features scandalous stories of raucous nightlife, organized crime and nefarious characters who rose to prominence during this complex and captivating period in the Montréal’s history. A portion of all ticket proceeds from the walking tour will be donated to Stella Montréal, a community organization that aims to improve the quality of life and working conditions for woman-identified sex workers.
PLAY: Seasonal urban sports festivals
Adrenaline junkies looking for a contact high can watch plenty of action in Montréal this summer season with a slew of heart-racing urban sports festivals on deck.
- The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series (Aug. 24-25) comes to Canada for the first time ever this summer. Dozens of men and women will launch themselves from sky-high platforms at Montréal’s Old Port with judges scoring athletes on their incredible aerial acrobatics.
- JOAT International Street Dance Festival (Aug. 27 to Sept. 2) welcomes more than 150 artists for a multi-day showcase spotlighting breaking, popping, hip-hop, krump and other street dance styles. Visitors can participate in choreography workshops and watch epic dance battles at all levels of competition and age groups.
- The world’s top men and women volleyball athletes will face off in front of hyped-up fans at SMASH (Aug. 28 to Sept. 1). Hosted at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the elite beach volleyball tournament keeps things action-packed both on and off the court with live music, food and more.
- Suspenseful, dizzying and unforgettable, Psiobloc (Aug. 30-Sept. 1) is an extreme climbing competition like no other. More than 300 free climbers will attempt to scale a 20-m. wall overhanging the Parc Jean-Drapeau swimming pool with just their bare hands and grit at their disposal.
- Jackalope (Sept. 13-15) invites some of the most daring athletes from around the world to compete in skateboarding, bouldering and other high-adrenaline action sports. The multi-day festival also features live music, pop-up shops, and food trucks.