Au Petit Extra: A Warm and Welcoming French Bistro

At the corner of Papineau and Ontario Street East in Montreal, the white tablecloths and time-worn mirrors of Au Petit Extra have been welcoming regulars since 1985. More than four decades later, the bistro remains true to classic French cuisine and a generous wine list.

A Story That Carries On

Over the decades, Au Petit Extra’s story was written with Jean-Filippi and Jérôme Fèvre-Burdy, the house’s leading figures, who have since passed away. Their longtime partners, Sara Castonguay and André Baillargeon, have carried on the legacy of a bistro they helped shape.

Since 1990, its kitchen has also fed the Cabaret Lion d’Or, its storied neighbour. The crowd is eclectic, from people who work in the neighbourhood to artists stopping in for dinner before taking the stage.

A Setting That Has Weathered the Decades

The 115-seat dining room keeps things simple: pale walls, patinated mirrors and white tablecloths create an understated French setting, both elegant and relaxed. “What we love most about our restaurant is its versatility, the way it keeps moving,” say the owners. Tables are rearranged to suit groups, and some team members have been there for more than two decades, which gives the place its family feel.

Classics Handed Down

Chef Étienne Desaulniers, who arrived in September 2026, evolves the menu with the seasons while staying true to the house repertoire. Quebec duck still holds pride of place, served as a confit with salade landaise, gizzards and pommes sarladaises. The fish soup with pastis, rouille, Emmental and garlic croutons, along with the warm goat cheese salad with honey-caramelized walnuts, are among the dishes regulars order without a second glance. The AAA striploin with shallots, mushrooms and fries ranks among the best steak frites in town, alongside calf’s liver with lardons and braised lamb shank with gremolata.

Vegans aren’t forgotten, with a Provençal stew topped with crispy tofu and a parsnip purée made with soy milk. For dessert, Madagascar vanilla crème brûlée shares the menu with a passion fruit-mango meringue tart and a pistachio fondant.

Alongside the à la carte menu, the bistro offers a very affordable lunch table d’hôte from Tuesday to Friday, with a starter, main course and dessert, and a formula that changes from week to week.

An Impressive Selection of Wines by the Glass

The list, built by the bistro’s co-owner and sommelier, leans heavily on private imports, with more than 30 wines by the glass and particular attention paid to estates committed to eco-responsible practices. French vineyards take centre stage, from Alsace to Languedoc by way of the Jura, with a few forays into Spain and Portugal. Several wines can also be ordered by the pot lyonnais, and a list of more than 150 private-import bottles awaits the more curious.

Au Petit Extra remains a sure bet for very well-executed classic French cuisine at fair prices, with Parisian touches that have lost none of their charm. It’s a house that moves through the eras while staying faithful to the classics that built its reputation.

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Updated on October 25, 2026

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