We spent a month travelling Canada and the U.S over the Christmas and New Year break. This was the first time any of us had been to Canada, where we visited the two French-speaking cities of Montreal and Quebec City.

I was curious about how ‘French’ each of the cities was and how this was reflected in their cultures. Turns out almost everything in Montreal – street signs, subway maps, supermarket labels – was written in French. At restaurants, waiters spoke both French and English and menus were available in both languages. There was definitely a French vibe in the air.

Montreal was the first of the two places we visited. Naturally, I couldn’t wait to try this city’s food. Here are the five favourite places we ate at in Montreal!

Schwartz’s Deli

You can’t go to this city without eating at Schwartz’s Deli. In my opinion, this is where you should go if you had to pick one place to eat in Montreal.

This eatery is one of the oldest delis in the city. It’s loud and chaotic inside, with tables squeezed in next to one another and walls adorned with newspaper clippings and celebrity photos.

The specialty at Schwartz’s Deli is smoked meat. By far the most popular (and dominant) protein on the menu is smoked beef. Every table around us was tucking into plates piled high with thick slices of the rosy meat and hefty smoked beef sandwiches.

Behold the glory of Schwartz’s smoked meat sandwich. This is not your average beef sandwich. For starters, it’s almost twice the size of a regular sandwich. It’s also not that easy to pick up and eat with your hands. It’s stuffed to the brim with layers of smoked beef smothered with good old yellow mustard. The combination of the heat from the mustard and tender, marbled meat is just delicious. Sturdy slices of rye bread hold the sandwich together well. This is a gloriously messy affair and the most epic sandwich I’ve ever eaten.

Have you ever seen a more alluring plate of meat? Here, slices of smoked beef are served simply, piled high on top of one another ready to be devoured. There is a good mix of tender slices, fattier pieces and gnarly, scored ends. The meat just melts in the mouth. It’s subtly seasoned with peppercorns and other spices.

The serving sizes here are generous (relative to Australian standards, at least). The four of us shared a large plate of meat, two sandwiches, a pickle and chips and left feeling very content.

We visited for lunch during the off-peak season in Winter and had to wait around 20 minutes for a table. I’ve heard that queues stretch outside along the street during Summer. In that case, it’s best to arrive early or eat at off-peak hours to avoid the (well-worth it) wait.

https://www.schwartzsdeli.com/

Timeout Food Market

This is the best food court I’ve ever been to. It sits on the first floor of the Centre Eaton de Montréal on Saint-Catherine Street West. Actually, to say that this is a food court does not do it justice. It’s more like a marketplace of food stalls run by some of the most well-known chefs and restaurants in the city. The eateries sit along the edges of the space, with long, wooden communal tables completing the ‘food market’ feel.

You’re sure to find something to tickle everyone’s tastebuds here. There were so many options to choose from that we walked around the market at least twice before deciding what to eat. It’s not all typical French or European cuisine either – you’ll find Japanese Ramen, Carribean Jerk Chicken, homemade Pasta and Vietnamese Pho among the many offerings.

Unsurprisingly, we all got something different to try. Here’s what we ate:

This dish seems like it belongs at a high-end restaurant rather than a downtown Montreal food court. That’s the great thing about eating at the Time Out Market. On the plate are three fork-tender pieces of braised pork, potato puree and roast vegetables. The quality of the dish is just superb – the pork is soft and unctuous and the vegetables perfectly cooked.

I was a bit skeptical about this ramen and it did not disappoint. It has a Tonkotsu base with springly noodles and slices of chashu pork. The soup has depth and is flavoursome without being too powerful – a tell-tale sign of a good tonkotsu ramen.

This dish drew me in because it’s unlike anything I’ve had before. Here, Foie Gras is chilled and shaved on top of a braised pork risotto. The shavings melt into the creamy rice grains and add a layer of depth and richness. Although I’m not a big fan of Foie Gras, I really liked this dish.

LOV

LOV is a hip, instagram-worthy restaurant that serves vegan and vegetarian food. The name LOV stands for local, organic and vegetarian. The intriguing menu features classics like Mac n’ Cheese and Poutine alongside plant-based burgers, salads and veggie bowls. The ‘Signatures’ section draws our attention the most, with dishes like tempeh Lasagna, buckwheat sweet potato Gnocchi and Zoodles with mushrooms and truffle.

Throughout the menu, you’ll see ingredients like milk and cheese replaced with dairy-free alternatives such as cashew cream and vegan mozzarella. Traditional meat is replaced with the likes of Tempeh bacon, black beans, mushrooms and tofu. There’s even a dish called ‘Not a cheese plate’, where vegan gorgonzola and gouda are the star of the show.

We visited the McGill Street venue, which was buzzing on a weeknight. The interior reminded me of a garden-side cafe with its hints of white, green and and natural wood.

This fusion dish was a punchy start to our meal. It consisted of chips topped with kimchi, wakame and a sesame dressing. The flavours were quite strong here.

This sounded so interesting that we knew we had to try it. It’s a wheat-free, plant-based take on truffle pasta. Thin zucchini spaghetti act as the base for a fragrant truffle sauce laced with meaty roasted oyster muchrooms and rocket. Vibrant orange tapioca ‘caviar’ provide a luxurious touch. The flavours are really delicious and it’s a great alternative to a traditional pasta dish.

This had the most familiar flavours out of all the dishes we tried at LOV. Although the gnocchi was made from buckwheat and sweet potato, it had a very similar texture to regular gnocchi and tasted just as good. We really loved the hemp basil pesto sauce and couldn’t even tell that the parmesan was vegan.

This veggie curry was packed full of flavour. The coconut milk curry was laden with sweet squash, carrots and kale. Coconut flakes and toasted cashews add crunch and flavour. This was surprisingly filling and very satisfying.

This colourful salad bowl is exactly what you need if you’re after a bit of a detox. It’s got a bit of everything – mixed salad greens, rocket, quinoa, lentils, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pickled radish, corn, and crunchy seeds. Mix it all together with the creamy green goddess dressing. We were craving a salad after a few too many nights of eating out and this was the perfect choice.

https://lov.com/en/

Bagels at Fairmount Bagel

There are two famous bagel bakeries in Montreal: Fairmount Bagel and St-Viateur Bagel. I recommend going to at least one of them to try Montreal-style bagels, which are smaller and thinner than their U.S equivalents.

Our plan was to go to both bagelries but we only made it to Fairmount Bagel (thanks to a lack of prior research and a Google Maps blunder). If you visit St-Viateur, be mindful that there are two outlets which are about a 30 minute walk apart – a sit-down cafe and a bakery. The bakery is a couple of blocks walk away from Fairmount Bagel.

Fairmount Bagel is a tiny hole-in-the-wall shop in the Mile End area of Montreal. You can see where the bagels are made right behind the shop counter. The space inside is small so this is more of a place where you buy and take away to eat. Pick from a large array of bagel varieties like sesame, poppy seed and cinnamon and raisin. The bagels are freshly baked daily and I loved this slightly sweeter, denser style of bagel. I must say that I prefer this over the New York style bagel.

Slice + Soda

We stumbled upon this place one afternoon while wandering around Old Montreal. It sells homemade soda and New York style pizza by the slice.

The pizza is the draw here – each slice is huge (relative to regular standards) and the crust has the perfect puffed, chewy texture. It’s made fresh daily and each piece is reheated to order. Or you could buy pizza to take away and eat in the comfort of your own accommodation, like we did!