The 22 Best New Restaurants of 2022
After two quiet years, the restaurant scene came back to life in Montreal in 2022 with the end of confinement and the reopening – hopefully for good – of the dining rooms. There have been many new restaurants this year, some of which are already among our favourites.
As the year draws to a close, it’s time for the awards. We’re offering you a list of the 22 best new restaurants in Montreal in 2022 according to our team of seasoned tasters. We hope that the coming year will be just as rich in gastronomic discoveries; despite the few pounds accumulated during the holidays, we can’t wait to bite into the new year!
Special mention to Mitch Deli, which moved to a new location on Beaubien Street in 2022. A reopening we had a great time covering!
Let’s also mention a few very attractive arrivals outside of Montreal. In Quebec City: Honō Ramen (the little sister of Honō Izakaya), Franky Johnny, La Midinette and Melba; Pavane in Granby; and Le petit bar à vin in Chelsea, in the Outaouais. We still have many new addresses to try throughout the province, we promise to do more next year!
Finally, a tribute to the great departed of 2022, who join the too-long list of restaurants that have closed since the beginning of the pandemic: Joon, Dominion Square Taverne, Le Coq de l’Est, Manitoba, Élice, Boris Bistro, Patrice Pâtissier and all the others, we thank you for all the beautiful moments spent in your company, and we wish you all the happiness in the world in your future projects.
On that note, we wish you an excellent end of the year and a new year filled with beautiful discoveries!
Peace, love and feasting.
Neotokyo
Opened just in time to make this list, Neotokyo does not disappoint with its cyberpunk decor straight out of a sci-fi movie and its excellent Japanese-inspired cuisine: delicious ramen and mazemen with their classic accompaniments, karaage, gyoza, edamame and company. Another great achievement by Yann Levy, to whom we already owe Gokudo, Biirū and Escondite.
Montreal
Buvette Pompette
Inspired by the Iberian counters popular in Spain, Buvette Pompette is an unpretentious, friendly place to enjoy a glass of wine or a pint with friends. Add a menu of small, affordable and tasty bites to share, and you have a winning formula for a memorable evening. A new spot that is sure to be a hit with natural wine lovers!
Montréal
NOMI
After Kampai, Jatoba, Flyjin and Hà, the A5 Hospitality group is back with another excellent address with Asian flavors. NOMI is a Japanese-inspired buvette set in a magnificent space where blue and orange tones dominate. Executive chef Olivier Vigneault (Jatoba) and his sidekick Rémi Lemieux (Au pied de cochon, Le Bernardin) have put together a fun izakaya-style menu, supported by a solid wine and cocktail list.
Montréal
Anemone
To say that we couldn’t wait to find out what Minh Phat Tu (Mui Mui, Orange Rouge), his loyal colleague Elena Racevičiūtė and Mike Madokoro (Bar Suzanne) had in store for us with this new project is an understatement! Taking over the reins from the late Manitoba, the trio offers a captivating, deliberately indefinable cuisine at Anemone that blends the two chefs’ many influences while giving pride of place to local products. One of our favourites of the year!
Montréal
Sekoya
Although its name recalls the land of the rising sun, and it belongs to the same owners as Torii Sushi, Sekoya is not a Japanese restaurant. Chef Kevin Bates Breault, who worked in Richard Bastien‘s kitchens, offers a delicious European-inspired market cuisine. All this in a magnificent decor by Gauvreau Design.
Laval
Les Mômes
Don’t be fooled by their baby faces, Marie Voyer and Yoann Van Den Berg’s superb new bring your own wine address in Villeray is solid! The young couple, who run the restaurant and the kitchen by themselves, have chosen to limit the number of seats in order to treat you with the utmost care. And it is felt! The service is attentive and the cuisine is worthy of a great restaurant. A beautiful discovery!
Montréal
Ketiw Comptoir Cambodgien
The team behind Street Monkeys introduces us to two Cambodian street food classics: the num pang sandwich, a cousin of the Vietnamese bánh mì, and khuy teaw, a noodle dish similar to phở soup or ramen, but with the unique feature that the broth is served on the side. A delicious and affordable new address on Wellington!
Montréal
Nikkei
Nikkei is the meeting of Peru with the Japanese diaspora and, above all, the fusion of the cuisines of these two peoples. “Our chefs incorporate Peruvian foods into Japanese recipes and vice versa. In short, each dish on the menu has a touch of both countries”, says Renatto Miranda, one of the partners of Partners Barranco, who is behind this excellent new address.
Montréal
Restaurant Moccione
Technically, Moccione is not a new restaurant, but after two years of absence, its reopening in a new, more beautiful and spacious location was one of the most anticipated of 2022. And we were not disappointed: chef Luca Cianciulli and his team deliver the goods with a modern Italian cuisine as impeccable as ever, in a beautiful modern and warm space. Hats off to them!
Montréal
Kabinet
Chef Jean-Michel Leblond offers a unique concept, inspired by a 1971 Parisian hotel lobby (quite a sophisticated reference!) with a Slavic accent. In addition to an excellent cocktail menu and a wine list brimming with beautiful bottles, the address offers a selection of local and imported caviars, served with blinis on pretty tea trays, or in a “bump” on the back of the hand with a shot of vodka. We love it!
Montréal
Cabaret L'enfer
After nearly two years of struggle, chef Massimo Piedimonte (ex-Mousso, Maison Boulud, Noma) has finally revealed what he’s been up to in his small 33-seat space on St-Denis Street. Backed by several loyal companions, including mixologist Émile Archambault, who works here as a maître d’, the chef offers a breathtaking discovery menu that demonstrates his mastery of Italian, French and modern techniques.
Montréal
Nolan
This chic neighbourhood restaurant in Little Burgundy won us over at first sight. We like the tasteful and warm décor, the lively atmosphere, and the casual but attentive service. In the kitchen, chef Vincent Lévesque-Lepage (Knuckles) amazes us with small dishes to share, and more substantial plates inspired by seasonal arrivals. You’ll feel at home in no time!
Montréal
Millmans
A friendly little diner that opened in May on Verdun’s bustling Wellington Street, Millmans has quickly become a brunch staple, joining Well, Janine, Archway and other all-day breakfast options in the neighbourhood. Chef-owner Nicholas Gaudette (Lavanderia, Dandy, Café Maman) operates alone in his small kitchen to whip up hearty comfort food: fluffy pancakes, hearty breakfast sandwiches, smoked salmon bagels, plus a few lunch classics – burger, fried chicken sandwich, BLT, etc. A great place to have lunch with the kids after the Saturday morning karate class.
Montréal
Paradiso
When we heard that Nora Gray‘s former chef de cuisine, Kira German, was opening a fresh pasta counter with Will Weston (ex-Joe Beef, Liverpool House, Taverne Monkland), we knew immediately that the result would be worthy of our praise. Paradiso is aptly named: its owners call it a “pasta church”, a place of worship dedicated to fresh pasta. With a selection of pasta that changes daily, sauces to die for, and a small grocery section filled with sublime products to bring home, the address deserves a little pilgrimage to Westmount.
Westmount
Lulu Épicerie
Lulu is a little slice of Lebanon nestled between Vin Papillon and Liverpool House in Little Burgundy. The star here is undoubtedly the shawarma, juicy and tasty, served on a marqouq, a large, thin flat bread baked on a metal dome called a saj. However, one should not neglect the sublime man’ouchés and the delicious charcoal grilled meats. The more nostalgic will also be happy to find several products imported directly from Lebanon, in addition to very nice ephemeral collections of items created in collaboration with Ya Habibi Market.
Montréal
Bossa Masson
Already established on Wellington Street for a few years, Bossa opened a second location this spring a little further northeast, on Masson. The offer is similar, but the location is equipped with a larger kitchen, which allows for even more gargantuan sandwiches, fresh pasta and other Italian delicacies. In the grocery section, you will find a selection of fine products imported from Italy.
Montréal
P2
There is definitely something in the air in Verdun. Voted “coolest street in the world” by Time Out (no less!), Wellington Street has experienced a phenomenal boom in 2022 with new openings almost every month. Besides the aforementioned Millmans and Ketiw, Paname was without a doubt the most spectacular new addition to the Well this year. This beautiful French bistro is helmed by the strong team at Le Palco, joined by Romain Jean-Baptiste, with talented chef Raphaël Leclerc-Gileau (ex-Bouillon Bilk) in the kitchen. The restaurant offers reinvented classics of French cuisine with a modern and contemporary touch. Since the fall, Paname also serves brunch from Friday to Sunday.
Montréal
Folfol
The demand for take-out from the famous Damas restaurant was so great during the pandemic that the owners decided to open a counter across the street on Van Horne. You’ll find your favourite hot and cold mezzes, plus a selection of decadent burgers and sandwiches to make any Syrian food lover drool. Everything can also be delivered via take-out apps.
Montréal
Kouzina Niata
A few blocks from Folfol, on St-Viateur, another ready-to-eat counter made us salivate at the beginning of the year: Kouzina Niata; a very nice address launched by two “local guys” of Greek origin: Angelis Sarbanis and Lampros Tsalamengas. Niata is the name of a small village in the south of the Peloponnese, which was once part of the city of Sparta. The counter offers one of the best moussakas in town, in addition to excellent spanakopitas, salads and delicious baklava, among other Greek specialties. If you have a sweet tooth, try the baklava cheesecake— you won’t be disappointed.
Montréal
