Bistro Rimbaud: A Franco-Québécois Bistro in Rosemont

At Bistro Rimbaud, France and Québec meet. A nod both to Café Rimbaud, the Gerry Boulet song that is one of chef David Bernard’s favourites, and to the poet Arthur Rimbaud, the name promises a warm neighbourhood bistro where French classics cross paths with the spirit of local cuisine. Even the spelling was thought through: “bistro” rather than the French “bistrot,” the Québécois way, to counterbalance the very French reference.

Back to the Roots

The restaurant is the project of David Bernard and Aurélie Létourneau, who met at Joséphine. Aurélie spent about ten years specializing in restaurant marketing. David, for his part, had dreamed of owning his own restaurant ever since he started cooking at 19.

A graduate of the ITHQ with an internship in France under his belt, he cut his teeth in kitchens with a gastronomic approach, including Club Chasse et Pêche, Le Cadet and Place Carmin. After also helping open high-volume restaurants downtown, he wanted a more personal cuisine. A stint at a small neighbourhood restaurant on the Plateau, where regulars came back up to three times a week for their steak frites, reminded him of the true value of that model. “Good products, good prices, and never cheat the customer,” he sums up.

Pork, Nose to Tail

The heart of the menu is whole pork from Ferme d’ORée, a small farm run by a couple who have practised responsible farming for more than 20 years. David handles all the butchery himself to showcase the prime cuts as much as the lesser-known pieces that deserve more attention. The chop, for example, is served in its jus with a choice of side: mushrooms, fries or salade niçoise. Other cuts become house-made charcuterie and pâté en croûte, one of the kitchen’s points of pride, and even the rind is turned into a ragù-style sauce.

Inspired by the nose-to-tail philosophy born in the United Kingdom, the approach extends to the head, snout, trotters and blood. “With the animal we receive, literally nothing gets thrown out,” David points out. This rigour makes it possible to offer quality products at accessible prices. The kitchen sources from just two suppliers, family businesses David has worked with for years.

To round it all out, three signature cocktails change with the seasons. Still young and set to grow, the wine list carries the house’s Franco-Québécois spirit with mostly French wines, a few local finds and bottles chosen first and foremost because they pair well with the cuisine. Whether you’re in the mood for a simple glass, a nice bottle or a magnum to share, there’s something for every taste and every budget.

Hosting the Neighbourhood

David and Aurélie put the décor together entirely on their own. Inspired by the unpretentious corner bistros they discovered in Paris, they scoured antique dealers, thrift stores and second-hand shops, as well as Marketplace, to unearth frames, books, accessories and furniture. The result is warm, a little eclectic and nostalgic, as if the place already had a long history.

The semi-open kitchen looks onto the bar and the rest of the 40-seat dining room. David and his cook Josh form a two-person team there, never hesitating to go meet guests and take part in service.

Set in Rosemont, in the former home of La Menthe poivrée, which fed the neighbourhood for some 20 years, Bistro Rimbaud quickly found its place among the locals. Many walk in after glancing at the menu while passing by, proof that this Franco-Québécois bistro was designed, above all, as a neighbourhood restaurant.

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Updated on November 09, 2026

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