Denise has worn a few hats since opening in 2018, but one thing hasn’t changed—it remains one of the most dependable, unpretentious wine bars in the city. A true buvette in Parc-Ex, it’s intimate without being insular: 30 or so seats around a lively bar, a few more on the terrasse when the sun’s out, and a regular crowd that clearly treats this place like a second home.
The kitchen changed hands in 2024, but the new team—Korlin Kaetzel and Julia Mallette—has kept the magic intact, just with a more personal twist. Their plates pull from Japan, Southeast Asia, and North Africa, guided by market finds and whatever they’re craving. It’s quietly ambitious cooking: crushed potatoes with seaweed hollandaise, raw beef with kefir and lemongrass, halibut dressed with elderflower capers and olives. Lydia Roussel runs the floor and the wine list with care and charm, spotlighting the Americas, Iberia, and a rotating board of low-intervention finds. Denise is still Denise—just a little sharper around the edges.
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A curated list of the best wine bars in Montreal
From loud to laid-back to low-key, these are the spots with superb selections where you can easily grab a chair and glass (or bottle).
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