cities

Everyone thinks of this, Montreal’s top bistro, for a fast-French lunch or chic dinner. But the business crowd knows that L’Express is a great choice for a breakfast meeting. Mornings are not crowded, and surrounding customers are discreet. The omelettes are amazing, juice is freshly squeezed, and the coffee is fierce. There’'s a cast of regulars cutting deals every morning, with nary a tourist in site.

This bustling French bistro is always filled to the brim, and it’s not necessarily because of the food, which is good enough, or the wine list, which is French and extensive. No, this downtown restaurant is all about the scene, especially in summer on the see-and-be-seen flower-laden terrace. Biz men, politicians, and all the city’s bigwigs come here to eat steak frites and scan out the room while texting on Blackberries or bumping iPhones.

A sophisticated setting popular with the downtown lunch crowd thanks to the reasonable prices and innovative French cuisine prepared by genial chef and coowner Jérôme Ferrer. For a special occasion, opt for the tasting menu and watch the superb wait staff bring you a succession of beautiful plates filled with local ingredients. Excellent wine service. Reservations are essential.

A regular oasis right in the heart of the city, Cavalli is the place to sip a cocktail and soak up the cinq-à-sept and after-hours scene populated by Montreal’s beautiful people. Thursdays are especially popular, when you’ll likely spot a Canadiens player or local vedette in the crowd. Dress to impress.

Prepared by chef Daren Bergeron, Decca’s food is modern, skillfully crafted and made with top-quality ingredients. The plates also score big on imaginative flavour combinations and beautiful presentations. The subdued setting is ideal for biz talk, and the downtown location, steps from the Bell Centre, is hard to beat. For the best deal, opt for the $35 prix fixe.

Under new ownership, this downtown Italian favourite is once again wowing diners with luxurious fare including classic antipasti, interesting pastas, succulent meat dishes and fine desserts. The Victorian townhouse setting is the epitome of elegance. Be prepared to splurge on the pricy wine list. Don’t miss the calamari!

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Milos is Montreal’s top Greek restaurant, and one of the best all-around luxury dining spots. Local and imported seafood, fish and vegetables don’t get much fresher than this, and the kitchen staff treats them with a light hand. With a chic Mediterranean decor, superb Greek wines and smooth service, Milos is the destination for the city’s movers and shakers. Pricey at night, but a three-course lunch costs only $20.10.

This popular bistro has been a landmark since 1979 and it’s still the place to be. Considered Montreal’s top bistro, L’Express draws customers for its no-nonsense French food at reasonable prices. Solo diners willingly turn their back to the crowd for a more intimate evening at the bar. Besides the crackling ambiance, there’s a fabulous wine list. Reservations are essential.

Le Filet has garnered raves for its enticing, well-priced menu comprised of small plates and big flavours. The wine list is short but incredibly well chosen, and the glitzy bistro setting is good fun. The emphasis here is on fish and seafood. A great place to see and be seen, Le Filet has only one drawback: the close-to-deafening noise levels.

Arguably Montreal’s top restaurant, Le Club offers a stellar meal either in its oh-so-cool dining room at dinner, or in summer, on its beautiful terrace behind the Château de Ramezay at lunch. Chef Claude Pelletier’s food is artistically assembled and full of wild and wonderful combinations. The wine list is deep in discoveries, and the servers and sommeliers are superb.

A French restaurant with few airs, La Porte offers haute cuisine made by chef Thierry Rouyé that is rich in local ingredients like foie gras, lamb, duck and lobster. At a time when restaurants are becoming increasingly casual, this place sticks to fancy food in a swish, candle-lit, setting. Service, provided by Mme. Rouyé is both sharp and friendly.

This plush dining room (in Hotel Le St-James) is rich in architectural detail, luxurious fabrics and secluded alcoves for added privacy. Chef Michele Mercuri uses Quebec’s best ingredients to create stunning plates rich in colour, texture and diverse flavours. Service is sharp, and the wine list is more innovative than one would expect in such serious surroundings. The top spot to celebrate in style.

Located in the heart of the old city next to the financial district, this posh boutique hotel is set in
the restored former Merchant’s Bank building dating from 1870. Each of the 60 guest rooms and
suites is done up in the most opulent style. With Frette linens, goose down duvets, marble bathrooms, plasma TVs, internet in every room and a four-star restaurant providing room service, is it any wonder Madonna and The Rolling Stones chose this hotel?

One of Montreal’s original boutique hotels, Le Germain is a home away from home for businessmen, European tourists and visiting celebrities. Fully renovated in 2009, it’s renowned not only for its contemporary chic decor, plush furnishings, flat-screen TVs and newly refurbished fitness room, but also its concierge service and business center. Acclaimed Restaurant Laurie Raphaël Montréal is located on the mezzanine level.

A decade-old venue where you can enjoy live jazz seven days a week in an intimate setting along with a burger, pasta or a salad.

This 250-seat venue features a variety of acts including everything from cabaret to rock ’n’ roll, as
well as reggae, folk and indie-rock. There are even flamenco shows and poetry readings.

Aside from the two Harry Rosen stores, one at Les Cours Mont-Royal, the other at Rockland Centre, Laurier Avenue is Montreal’s premiere shopping area where you’ll find art galleries, home ware stores, high fashion boutiques, jewellers and excellent kitchenware shops. In between purchases, check out the street’s pâtisseries, cafés and some of the city’s top restaurants for a quick baguette sandwich or café au lait.

People often choose their dry cleaners on the basis of convenience, but there is a hierarchy of quality in terms of the way garments are treated. A well-made garment that is cared for in a careful and professional way will last longer and feel  and look better. We believe it is worth going a few extra blocks to find a dry cleaner that is better equipped to deal with top-quality garments.
We also recommend that you dry-clean your garments infrequently (usually once a season); spot-clean and press if dry-cleaning isn’t required. To better care for your clothes, hang them properly between wearings, using broad-winged hangers. Don’t wear a garment two days in a row: giving it a day off allows natural fibres to hang out properly, restoring shape.
Ask for no starch when you launder your shirts, to prolong their life. A properly made dress shirt allows for slight shrinkage over a number of launderings. Usually an extra half inch is added to the neck and sleeve length of a shirt to allow for this shrinkage.
 
If you are a Canadian dry cleaner operating in this market and feel that you should be included in this list, please contact us and give us an opportunity to test you out.

The Mountain: Runners young and old, experienced and novice, all head straight for Mont Royal.