Le Super Qualité: a lovely and delicious Indian snack bar

Le Super Qualité is a small restaurant with the flavors of South India, offering a delectable and affordable menu to enjoy in one of the most original settings!

Le Super Qualité—whose full name is Super Qualité Snack Bar Indien—is a cozy spot that opened its doors at the end of August 2016. The three owners, Guillaume Lozeau, Étienne Clément, and Jennifer Zachanawich, met during a trip several years ago and quickly realized they were primarily driven by the desire for culinary discoveries. “We’re all food lovers,” Étienne explains.

“Le Super Qualité Snack Bar Indien is kind of a joke. In India, everything is special. They have unique marketing techniques—everything is ‘super amazing,’ ‘super special,’ ‘maximum quality,’ and this name could actually be the name of a restaurant over there. We thought it was funny.” The owners chose the Rosemont neighborhood, on the edge of Villeray, for its lively atmosphere. “We liked the idea of there being so many young people and students, but we’ve realized that our clientele is much broader. We have plenty of families, people from all walks of life, and we’re noticing that a lot more people are open to trying dishes they’ve never heard of, which is also amazing!”

Before Le Super Qualité, Guillaume and Jennifer owned Cook Caravane, a catering service offering Indian, Indonesian, and Thai cuisine. Among other things, they provided lunch boxes, also known as tiffin or dauba box. The restaurant still offers the option to order food to-go in a metal container with a $20 deposit, which is refunded when the container is returned. “We also offer doggy bags for people who live far away, but we find the metal option more original and especially more eco-friendly.” The catering service will resume once the restaurant is running more smoothly.

Tucked discreetly on Bélanger Street, this small Indian restaurant boasts a modern decor and unique design, showcasing all the flavors of South India. The cozy 18-seat space is charmingly distinctive, with a yellow neon sign, turquoise walls, a blue counter, and a cash register set on a faux bicycle. The restaurant’s aesthetic contrasts with the typical Indian spots found in Montreal. The decor was designed by the owners, with the help of designer David Dworkind, and it’s been a big success! We particularly love the neon sign that reflects in the window, seemingly bringing good vibes. When the weather gets warmer, the restaurant also has one of the nicest street terraces around.

“The diversity of Indian cuisine is vast, but in Montreal, it often doesn’t seem to reflect that.” Le Super Qualité Snack Bar Indien offers some of the best flavors the Indian subcontinent has to offer. It primarily features South Indian street food, along with cocktails and various regional specialties. The idea is to provide flavorful, unpretentious dishes inspired by home-cooked, grandmother-style cuisine. Chef Guillaume recently returned from internships in India’s traditional kitchens, learning a few authentic family recipes. The menu is created by all three owners, but Guillaume is the one who brings it to life.

They offer small, original appetizers perfect for sharing, along with a few main courses, including a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian thali. The dishes change with the seasons and the availability of fresh ingredients. For example, appetizers might include cabbage salads, wheat shells, and fried accras. “Depending on the vegetables and fresh ingredients available, we work with recipes from a specific region of India.” Price-wise, everything remains very affordable—one reason Le Super Qualité Snack Bar Indien is on our list of great, cheap eats in Montreal.

As for drinks, the spot offers beers, ciders, and Indian-inspired cocktails.

“We created the kind of restaurant we’d want to be customers at. It’s a place we’d want to go—a relaxed, unpretentious little snack bar with friendly service and great food: a solid neighborhood spot. We like to know our customers by name.” The success of the restaurant has led the owners to open a counter at the Le Central food court, bringing even more happiness.

Le Super Qualité Snack Bar Indien is also one of our top picks for the best Indian restaurants in Montréal!

Written by Élise Tastet


Last update: October 15, 2024

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