MTLàTABLE is lighting a torch for a city's emblematic scene

November in Montreal ain't the best of times, least of all for the city's restaurants and bars.

It's a time of the year when Montrealers tend to bunker down before a long winter, but instead of being hibernators feasting down to the bone, it can be a hard time to get us out of the house, let alone around the block.

That's what makes MTLàTABLE's celebration of gastronomy so essential.

It's a showcase of what the city has to offer, tempting diners to keep discovering the food around them and go beyond their everyday neighbourhood haunt or the latest opening on the scene.

"This festival has been a hit since it was launched."

Don't take our word for it: 11 years back, it started out with 75 restaurants—but these days? It’s reached as many as 180. Last year, MTLàTABLE saw 92,000 customers take to the city’s tables, generating as much as $6.5 million for the participating restaurants and a positive reception from 85% diners who said they’d revisit where they ate.

"We see a substantial impact during MTLàTABLE," says Patricia Lévêque of the French institution Chez Lévêque that dates back to 1972. "This festival has been a hit since it was launched... We've always seen an increase during the event and a new clientele that we're working hard to retain."

Now is the winter of our content

When MTLàTABLE began, “we were looking for the time of year when the restaurants needed the business,” says Patrizia Dri, a strategic advisor to and veteran of 25 years at Tourisme Montréal, and one of MTLàTABLE’s creators.

"It was put together to help them make them more income, yes, but… Montrealers are part of the narrative. We want to make sure that whatever is done, it’s accepted by them."

That local focus is what’s so novel here: Your average tourism board exists to entice, well, tourists, but Tourisme Montréal's MTLàTABLE? It's become an invitation for a metropolitan-sized dinner party where locals can eat up what’s around them—not only during the notortiously slowest time of the year, but also for the slowest time in recent memory: The COVID-19 pandemic, when the event became a massive rallying cry to support local business.

It’s by no means a panacea (what ever is?), but MTLàTABLE provides much-needed solace to whatever’s ailing the industry. Even now, as inflation assaults restaurants and bars with rising costs and a weakened ability to attract customers, initiatives like this can get people out and through the doors of a place to eat.

"This event not only allows us to showcase the breadth of our culinary and beverage offerings but also brings people together to celebrate the rich gastronomic tapestry of Montreal."

"By attracting both residents and tourists to explore the diverse offerings, MTLàTABLE contributes to the city's economy, supporting the restaurant industry and fostering a sense of community around the joy of food," chef Jérémie Falissard of the Barroco Group's Fugazzi explains.

"This event not only allows us to showcase the breadth of our culinary and beverage offerings but also brings people together to celebrate the rich gastronomic tapestry of Montreal."

"We’re honoured to be alongside so many incredible restaurants."

"Montreal has a vibrant restaurant scene, and the abundance of choices may sometimes be overwhelming," says Joyce Phanekham, the general manager of Hang, a haute Vietnamese restaurant that's new to the event.

"MTLàTABLE gives people the opportunity to try new places and be exposed to different types of cuisines from around the world. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the amazing culinary options the city offers. We’re honoured to be alongside so many incredible restaurants."

"MTLàTABLE gave us our first opportunity to be known by locals and to be part of a whole community."

That's a sentiment shared by Zoya de Frias, who runs her African fine dining restaurant Le Virunga with her mother Maria-José de Frias. They've been a part of MTLàTABLE since 2017.

"As it gets colder and darker outside, MTLàTABLE gives us yet another reason to love Montreal and celebrate its culinary diversity. A time that would normally be a little depressing for all of us is transformed into a time when we plan dinners and get together," Zoya says.

"MTLàTABLE gave us our first opportunity to be known by locals and to be part of a whole community. There are customers who discovered us through it, and have kept coming back ever since."

All carrot and no stick

While the promotional, concierge-style engine of MTLàTABLE exists to serve as many diners and restaurateurs as possible, the criteria has precision to it.

That’ll range from basic prerequisites like restaurants needing to be open at night and during a majority of the event's duration, not being part of a chain (i.e. in excess of 4 locations) to highlight the independence and distinctiveness of the Montreal scene, and to not being a cafeteria-style. Table service has to be featured to ensure a presence of hospitality.

There are some technicalities for the chefs. Menus need to be provided by a specified date (typically the first week of September) but can be submitted once applications open in May with some leniency towards places that cook with seasonal ingredients, and there needs to be a significant discount (hence the table d’hôte format of a minimum of three services with at least two options with an option of add-ons like lobster tails) of at least 15%.

But those constraints have become collaborations, and few people can say no to good meal on the more inexpensive side of things.

"It’s an occasion to create memories for a new clientele, and I've found many of those clients have come back for special occasions over the years."

"You could say I am a fan," says Constant Mentzas, chef-owner of Garde Côte and self-appointed fishmonger at Palomar, who's participated in every edition of MTLàTABLE since his first restaurant.

"It’s a great occasion for restaurants to showcase themselves to a wider array of clients, ones who might not go out as freely as others get a chance to try out what Montreal has to offer."

"There are some voices out there saying that it attracts 'bargain shoppers'," Mantzas adds, "but to me, that’s the wrong way of looking at it. It’s an occasion to create memories for a new clientele, and I've found many of those clients have come back for special occasions over the years."

A longer table where everybody's invited

As for what’s to come in the future?

“One thing I’d like to see is to not only promote restaurants, but to connect the event with, say, museums and their exhibits to make sure that other offerings of the industry have something to offer during MTLàTABLE—to create a great festivity in November,” Patrizia Dri hopes.

But for Dri, above all, she wants the event to engender an even greater embrace of the city’s gastronomy, and to make sure more industry players take part.

“I want to make sure the industry is healthy. MTLàTABLE is there to remind locals of how lucky we are to have such a diversity, and to always educate them about new restaurants and step outside of their neighbourhood,” she adds.

Looking back, “working on MTLàTABLE helped build who I am and what I’m leaving as a gift to the city."

This year, MTLàTABLE is running from November 3 to 19, 2023.

Editor's note: This work was not sponsored by MTLàTABLE or the restaurants featured here. It's just an excellent event, and they're all excellent people doing excellent things.