Joe Beef Restaurant

This Little Burgundy mainstay is the headquarters of chefs David McMillan and Frédéric Morin, the acclaimed and enterprising minds behind an evolving blackboard menu that has been known to feature smoked meat croquettes, house-cured ham with truffles, lobster spaghetti and horse meat steaks. The duo is known to do absolutely everything in-house, even brew their own beer and distil their own absinthe. Stroll down Rue Notre-Dame, past their other restaurant, Liverpool House, to the nearby Lachine Canal after an evening at this inviting space with vintage wooden chairs, leather banquettes and a permanent air of celebration.

What can I say about Joe Beef that nobody else has said? All I can say is that I had a great meal here. This is definitely one you have to book quite a while in advance to get a reservation and expect that you’ll have to go early. For me, it was worth it. They fed us and fed us and we felt so loved. Whether it was the VGE soup named after a French president with the puffed pastry that you have to break through to get to the pork broth or even the simplest of appetizers—bread with butter and an authentic Jewish deli pickle—it was a filling evening. The staff here are exceptional and can recite the menu off the top of their heads interchangeably in English and French. It’s impressive. There’s a reason there is a lot of hype here! PS: Foie Gras Double Down!

Jay Peak is just four miles south of the Canadian border. Skiing from Vermont to Montreal sounded a bit ambitious. But a post-ski drive to one 0f the world’s great food cities seemed absolutely essential. Restaurants worth the drive include Joe Beef, Au Pied de Cochon, Cabane à sucre Au Pied de Cochon, and DNA.