Montreal's best bar and restaurant openings (and most painful closures) of 2024

In a city where food and drink culture runs as deep as the Saint-Lawrence, every new opening feels like a celebration, and every closure cuts like a knife.

This year, Montreal’s dining and nightlife scenes delivered plenty to talk about—from Art Deco restaurant revivals to reinvented classics, cozy bakeries to sleek speakeasies. But it wasn’t all triumphs; some beloved institutions bid their farewells, leaving behind empty storefronts and heavy hearts.

We asked local food writers, photographers, and bloggers to share the spots that defined 2024, whether they were the bars and restaurants they couldn’t get enough of or the closures that left a void in the city’s culinary fabric. From the effortlessly cool vibe of Polari to the crave-worthy fried chicken that vanished with Dinette Triple Crown, these are the highs and lows of a year Montreal food lovers won’t soon forget.

What new restaurant opening were you most excited about in 2024?

Alison Slattery, @twofoodphotographers: “Le Violon, Polari & Birbante & Bona Fide.”

Victor Yu, @randomcuisine: "Opened in early January, Ohayo Cafe was the one I was most anticipating, given Chef Hiroshi's talent and the success of his restaurant, Kitano Shokudo, which made Canada's Best 100 Restaurants list."

Alessandro Rea and Michael Grande of @mangiabeneboys: “We were excited about Dorsia, Oncle Lee, Bella Sandwicheria, and Yubari, but we also still haven’t tried Le Violon, Bona Fide and Papito, which have definitely been on our new restaurant radar.”

Scott Usheroff, @cravingcurator: "La Lune, Le Violon, Romies, Birbante, Regashi, Panache, the arrival of Dmetro at Nora Gray and, of course, La Spada."

Charles Nguyen of @mtlcharles: “Pinophyta has been a delightful discovery! Finally, downtown Montreal has a truly authentic Guangdong/Cantonese restaurant enhanced with subtle Sichuan notes.  The clay pot rice with crispy bottom crust and lap cheong perfectly showcases this balance and is a must-try.”

Daniel Brombeg, co-founder of @themain: “Probably Le 9e / Ile-de-France, but more because of its history than anything else. A few friends opened restaurants this summer so I was happy for them, too.”

Tommy Dion of @lecuisinomane: “À ce moment-ci, ce n’est pas encore ouvert : Rôtisserie La Lune. Côte à côte avec Le Violon.”

Ivy Lerner-Frank, @ivylernerfrank: “Le Violon. It's elegant without being fussy, the food is bright, hyperlocal, and delicious, and the team is smooth and incredibly welcoming.”

Rachel Cheng, @rachelhollycheng: “I was eager to see the renovated Art Deco space of le 9e, and it is a total gem, from its stunning interior,  attentive service, to its excellent cocktails. Up in Little Italy, I am so glad that Blés de pays has finally opened a storefront – they are the bakery with the most transparency and traceability about the provenance of ingredients, so that we can celebrate not only the bakers but also the grain growers and millers.”

What new bar opening were you most excited about?

Alison Slattery, @twofoodphotographers: “Le Mal Nécessaire & Star Bar (serving up Pizza Bouquet).”

Natacha Guiragossian of @natachaeats: “Bar Dominion, an old classic that was brought back and reinvented.”

Alessandro Rea and Michael Grande of @mangiabeneboys: “Three spots that come to mind would be Salon Badin, Bowie, and the reopening of Le Mal Nécessaire.” 

Daniel Brombeg, co-founder of @themain: “The new Mal Nécessaire is pretty stunning. Drinks are on the pricier side but at least they're boozy as hell.” 

Tommy Dion of @lecuisinomane: “Bar Vivar.”

Ivy Lerner-Frank, @ivylernerfrank: “Polari! I love the garage space, the wine is great and reasonably priced, the food is simple. and delicious Can't wait for the summertime when the firehouse door rolls up, the terrasse is open and there's no vehicular traffic on de Castelnau.”

Rachel Cheng, @rachelhollycheng: “Anyone who has devoured a hot slice under the neon Pizza Bouquet sign has probably wished they could get a beer or cocktail with their slice. This is why their opening of Star Bar dominated my group chats, motivating us to brave the crowd of ghouls and goblins at Halloween to savour a slice on their opening night.”

What was 2024's most painful closure for you?

Clay Sandhu, Food Editor for Cult MTL, @claysandhu: “Paloma. That was such a special restaurant and I doubt there will ever be another one like it.”

Alison Slattery, @twofoodphotographers: “Dinette Triple Crown—I’ll miss that mac n cheese.”

Victor Yu, @randomcuisine: "I would say Panda Doré. It was the only place in Chinatown where one could get the Shanghainese Sheng Jian Bao, a hybrid between a steamed bun and a soup dumpling."

Scott Usheroff, @cravingcurator: "Marconi was a personal favorite to eat and shoot so this was a painful loss, Mehdi, Alex, Mike, Gab, the whole team was top."

Natacha Guiragossian of @natachaeats: “Marconi! So sad and unpredictable! A great spot loved by many.” 

Charles Nguyen of @mtlcharles: “The closure of Dinette Triple Crown is a real loss. They were our go-to for fantastic Southern fried chicken and waffles, and their picnic baskets were a true lifeline during the pandemic. So sad to see them go.”

Daniel Brombeg, co-founder of @themain: “Tough one, but I felt sad when Momesso closed at the beginning of the year. Those kinds of places are slowly disappearing.”

Tommy Dion of @lecuisinomane: “Les Brasseries T! et Beaumont.”

Ivy Lerner-Frank, @ivylernerfrank: “Yin Ji Chang Fen moved to Brossard, leaving a huge gap in classic Chinese chang fen, congee, and dim sum in the central part of the city. We loved zipping down to Shaughnessy Village for some preserved egg and pork congee and a youtiao on a cold day, and they made the best har gao in town, too. I'll miss them and can't wait til they find a new location on the island, hopefully soon.” 

Rachel Cheng, @rachelhollycheng: “Montreal lost an altar to local ingredients and my favourite place for sweets when confectionary goddess Catherine Lepine Lafrance hung up her apron at Dinette Nationale. I was also sad to lose Sachère Desserts, where Sonya Sammut was making cake dreams come true (think hojicha and tonka bean with cherries), even though she is now sharing her cakes through baking classes.”