L’Express: A Beloved and Iconic Montreal Institution

L’Express is an iconic Montreal institution and one of the best French restaurants in the city. A table known to all, this address is a true classic, celebrated for its impressively consistent cuisine — a distinction that earned it a Bib Gourmand in spring 2025.

François Tremblay, Colette Brossoit, Pierre Villeneuve and two silent investors opened L’Express on December 19, 1980 (!) on Saint-Denis Street. The restaurant is also part of our list of Montreal institutions. Pierre and the late Colette came from the theatre world and, at the time, Saint-Denis was a lively and highly frequented cultural artery.

They wanted to open a restaurant where people could dine after the theatre — but above all, a place where everyone would feel comfortable. Stage technicians and leading actors alike were meant to feel equally at home.

L’Express was therefore created with this idea of conviviality and social inclusion at its core. To this day, the restaurant offers starters, daily specials and main courses at reasonable prices; the same philosophy applies to the wine list, where glasses and bottles offer some of the best value in the city. L’Express features two wine lists: a “Regular Wine List” and a “Parallel Wine List.”

The original owners, however, opened the restaurant with little real experience in hospitality. At first, Colette worked in the kitchen and Pierre served as maître d’ in the evenings. The menu was simple, yet even without a clearly defined offering, guests flocked in. After a few successful months, they could no longer keep up with the pace and had to restructure. They placed an ad looking for a chef; in October 1982, Joël Chapoulie applied and was hired. For more than 30 years, he delighted L’Express guests with carefully crafted plates that were always deeply satisfying.

It is thanks to Chef Chapoulie that we have today’s menu. If you visit, you must try the bone marrow, chicken liver mousse, steak tartare, veal kidneys, ravioli, veal liver with tarragon or the steak frites. Regulars also enjoy the daily and seasonal specials that change with market arrivals. Everything here is made in-house — except the bread! From pickles prepared twice daily to the unique sauces accompanying each dish, L’Express puts tremendous care and love into every plate.

In January 2016, following Chef Chapoulie’s well-deserved retirement, the talented Jean-François Vachon took over the kitchen, ensuring the house’s very high standards were maintained. In early 2025, he announced his departure, warmly thanking the entire L’Express team — both kitchen and dining room — as well as its loyal clientele before leaving to “take on new challenges.”

Since March 5, Marc-Antoine Lacasse has taken the reins of the kitchen. Guests may recognize his work from Stonehaven Le Manoir, a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association. A graduate of the ITHQ, Marc-Antoine has also worked at Toqué! under Normand Laprise and at La Cabane Au Pied de Cochon with Martin Picard.

While many guests have remained faithful since 1980, the team itself is also one of the most stable in the city.

The décor has also played a key role in the restaurant’s success. Designed by the late architect Luc Laporte, the space of this elegant French brasserie is exemplary. Chef Chapoulie once said: “Architect Luc Laporte created a fantastic setting of remarkable classicism; you can’t do better in this style — everything is perfectly balanced.” One can only agree. The fully open dining room creates a unique atmosphere. The 15 counter seats allow guests to dine solo or as a couple with lively energy, while the 60-seat dining room offers just the right touch of elegance.

“People who grew up coming here now return with their children — we have a new generation, it’s wonderful! The atmosphere at L’Express is unique. Some people come covered in paint after moving into a new place; others stop by before their wedding, after the theatre, before an event, after a birth. We’re one big family, and I think guests feel that.”

Today’s owners — Pierre Villeneuve, Mario Brossoit, Hélène Dansereau and Marc-Olivier Gavina (who became a partner and general manager in 2024) — give the restaurant tremendous care, ensuring its recognized quality remains intact while keeping it current. You don’t come here to be dazzled by originality, but to savor perfectly executed classics.

While most Montrealers have dined at this address, few know the secrets behind the establishment. Here are a few things to know about the restaurant L’Express on Saint-Denis Street:

1. L’Express opened its doors on December 19, 1980. Since then, this Saint-Denis institution has made a name for itself around the world. At the time, the owners were Colette Brossoit, Pierre Villeneuve, and François Tremblay. Today, the restaurant is managed by Hélène Dansereau, Mario Brossoit, Marc-Olivier Gavina, and, more discreetly, Pierre Villeneuve.
2. For more than 30 years, chef Joël Chapoulie led the kitchens at L’Express and built an impeccable menu. From 2016 to March 2025, chef Jean-François Vachon headed the brigade. Early in his career, Jean-François worked at L’Express under chef Chapoulie. Knowing the philosophy of the house well, he understood exactly how to preserve its standards and continuity.
3. L’Express is reassuring. The menu changes very rarely—customers would never want their favorite dishes altered. It has become a permanent source of comfort: classic, untouchable, timeless. People come from everywhere to enjoy a great meal at L’Express in its lively atmosphere. That said, the dishes listed on the small cards slipped into the side of the menus change regularly, among other reasons to satisfy regulars who don’t want to eat hanger steak or calf’s liver five times a week. “Even so, customers always choose the classics!” The most popular dishes? “All of them… chicken liver mousse, marrow bones, beef tartare, hanger steak, calf’s liver, île flottante, etc.” As for us, we come here for the hanger steak, calf’s liver, kidneys, and marrow bones.
4. The sorrel soup and chicken liver mousse, among other dishes, have been on the menu since the very beginning!
5. Back in the day in Montreal, dishes like marrow bones or hanger steak were not commonly found; it was Joël Chapoulie who introduced them to L’Express.
6. Today, the L’Express team numbers just over 70 people—true professionals who do their work impeccably and put their whole hearts into it. New team members generally integrate easily, aware of how fortunate they are to work in such a prestigious and sought-after establishment.
7. The décor was designed by the late Luc Laporte, one of the great architects of his time. If L’Express is an institution because of the place itself, it is also because Luc Laporte created a remarkable, classically inspired setting. It is hard to do better in this style—everything is balanced, just right. The décor is part of the restaurant’s signature. L’Express has a unique soul.
8. This beautiful interior has changed very little over the years; it has simply been refreshed. The ceilings, however, were once beige. Because customers smoked so heavily at the time, the restaurant eventually decided to repaint them—keeping the color that had developed from years of cigarette smoke! Thanks to its history and distinctive style, L’Express has become one of the most beautiful restaurants in Montreal.
9. Instead of placing a sign high above the entrance, the architect designed one of the first signs integrated into Montreal’s heated sidewalk, directly in front of the restaurant. The sign is therefore at ground level—perhaps a humble gesture from L’Express.
10. The restaurant seats 75 guests, including 15 at the counter. The counter is an integral part of the house’s French brasserie spirit.
11. What keeps customers coming back and makes the restaurant an institution? Consistency, atmosphere, hospitality. Add to that a loyal clientele and staff, long opening hours that mean you can almost always stop by—like an elevated public service, open nearly all day, 364 days a year. There’s the energy in the air, the overall ambiance, the sense of teamwork, the comforting menu and all its elements. Not to mention the magnificent wine lists at very reasonable prices.

Note: During the holiday season, L’Express is open on December 24 (lunch only), December 31, and New Year’s Day.

For all these reasons, this establishment proudly ranks among Montreal’s must-visit addresses.

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Updated on February 24, 2026

Make a suggestion