Waiting in line for brunch at Beautys, the classic Montreal Jewish diner, is a local rite of passage. While there have been a few tweaks over the years (they've been open since 1942), this sunny spot in Le Plateau still has a warm atmosphere, thanks to the original family still captaining the ship. They’ve been serving the original Beautys’ Mish Mash omelette with salami, hot dogs, and green peppers for 80 years, alongside chopped liver sandwiches and lox and cream cheese on St-Viateur bagels.

Chez Tousignant is one of our favorite versions of a casse-croûte, a traditional Québec snack bar. The retro-styled counter space makes things like burgers and hot dogs on potato buns and all-beef poutine. Grab a burger and a house-made soda, and then check out the nearby Jean-Talon Market (or one of the city’s best Italian pastry shops, Alati Caserta) to make a day of it.

This mostly daytime cafe is run by the same people behind Fleurs et Cadeaux, a sushi and vinyl bar in Chinatown, but the focus here is on Japanese dishes, coffee, and drinks. The semi-basement, quasi-industrial space is the only place in town where you can dig into a curry bowl or happily unwrap a perfectly constructed katsu, karaage, egg, or avocado sando any time of day. They also have special DJ nights Thursday through Saturday.

Swing by this small coffee shop to hang out with the regulars while you snack on some Roman-style pizza al taglio square slices. Come right after they open at 8am and order the signature breakfast pizza, topped with a tiny egg and sun-dried tomato, or later in the day for a caprese option on that same excellent, crunchy crust. Aside from pizza and a rotating focaccia sandwich, you’ll want to save room for the hefty bomboloni filled with pistachio or a lemon cookie.

Le Super Qualité’s Maharashtrian and South Indian street food hits the mark every time. We love their peppery Bloody Rasam cocktail, the masala dosas, the dahi batata puri, and the always-changing vegetarian and halal thalis. This is a great dinner spot for solo and small group dining, with counter seating and tiny tables that quickly fill with classic South Asian stainless steel plates and tumblers for beer and wine.

With over-the-top lobster spaghetti, a take on the Canadian Nanaimo bar with foie gras, fiddlehead carbonara, and an expansive wine list, you’ll want to spend an entire evening here to try their take on Québecois classics. Joe Beef is the restaurant a lot of people think of when they think about Montreal, and many people who worked here have gone on to open many of the places on this list.

L’Express, with its iconic black and white tiles spilling into the St. Denis sidewalk, is the ultimate bistro, and the perfectly cooked steak-frites with shallot butter are something everyone in Montreal should eat at least once. There's no sign in front, but there's no mistaking the classic French vibe of L'Express. The meal starts off with a complimentary baguette and cornichons, so you should get some rillettes, bone marrow, or chicken liver pâté to go along.

Montrealers are an opinionated bunch: specifically about bagels and phở (also about which hockey players should be playing for the Canadiens, but that’s another story). Phở Tây Hồ is known for their long-simmered chicken broth and special Hanoi-style flavor mix, with just the right amount of cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise in the aromatics. You can find that broth for lunch or dinner at this informal spot, where the bowls are big enough to share.

There’s a lot of smoked, marinated, and steamed beef brisket in Montreal, but the sandwich from Schwartz’s is a standout. It comes on rye with yellow mustard, but this thing is really all about the meat, coated with black pepper and a secret mix of pickling salt and spices. We like the “medium fat” option best, washed down with a cherry coke and a half-sour pickle, just for nostalgia’s sake. Schwartz’s is one of the last remnants of the Eastern European Jewish influence on St-Laurent Boulevard.

Bagels are a point of deep pride and contention in this city. For people who live here, it usually comes down to two places: St-Viateur and Fairmount. We prefer the St-Viateur version, which has a more savory flavor, a softer texture, and just the right amount of salt. If there’s a line spilling out onto the sidewalk, send somebody next door to The Standard for an excellent third-wave coffee, or to Café Olimpico across the street for an old-school Italian espresso while you wait.