Spark By Hilton Montreal Midtown

This place exudes an infectious joie de vivre. Whether you're new to Syrian or pan-Ottoman cuisine or a connoisseur, the experienced and welcoming team will lay out a memorable feast for you. From dazzlingly fresh salads (such as fattoush) to succulent meats (including pastirma), each dish is bursting with color, flavor, and energy. The lamb, cooked in various ways, is a must. Tip: Opt for a table in the main dining area to watch the chefs as they prepare the bread and cook on the charcoal grill.

You don't have to cross the Atlantic to enjoy a fine Parisian-style brasserie. While the building is indeed red bricks, the typical decor complete with a counter, a lively atmosphere, and staff dressed in the traditional Parisian server attire (white shirt and black apron). The à la carte menu features the usual suspects: braised beef cheek à la Bourguignonne, house-made black pudding with cider sauce and celery root purée, grilled beef onglet with beurre maître d'hôtel and fries, rum baba, and chocolate profiteroles. At lunchtime on weekdays, the set menu is a good value; brunch—available on

This lively and welcoming bistro in the heart of Little Burgundy is run by the team behind the neighbouring Joe Beef. On the agenda: fine wines and dishes designed for sharing in a friendly atmosphere. The menu changes in step with the inspirations of the young chefs, but some of their classic dishes such as Petite Bourgogne ham, sliced by hand and topped with Fleur des Monts cheese, are a mainstay on the menu. The beef tartare mimics tourtière; the cauliflower comes in ajoblanco. This authentic restaurant charms you not only with its food but also its avant-garde wine list, which is dedicated

Even just walking past this place you get a taste of the cheerful atmosphere and bonhomie that reign inside. Steaks and seafood, as well as incontrovertible French bistro classics (such as rabbit à la royale and calf sweetbreads) take pole position here. And be sure to add that extra portion of fries on the side. This indulgent cuisine is best enjoyed with your sleeves rolled up—little wonder they provide you with a napkin the size of a sheet. Proceedings are orchestrated with discreet efficiency, warmth, and good humor.

In this restaurant ensconced in the refined setting of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the Midas touch of Chef Daniel Boulud is unmistakable. The menu brings a touch of New York temerity to contemporary French dishes. From rib roast steak to pâté en croûte, chicken supreme or foie gras, there is something for everyone. As for the backdrop, gravitate towards the ambience that appeals to you: close to the kitchen to watch the chefs at work, by the fireplace, in the bright conservatory, or, on sunny days, on the garden terrace—allowing you to forget, if only for the duration of your meal, that you are in

Marcus Samuelsson, a chef with Ethiopian heritage, grew up in Sweden and has made his name in New York. He heads up this restaurant located on the third floor of the Four Seasons Hotel. With its large bay windows, the place is transformed into a terrace as soon as temperatures rise. The eclectic and modern menu is seafood-forward (lobster, crab, oysters, Dover sole, caviar); also contains lamb chops or Wagyu beef.

This city-centre hotel-restaurant is an elegant location with a chef's counter for a few lucky diners. With his cuisine, Olivier Perret, a French chef from Burgundy, navigates his way between traditional and modern influences, drawing on the best Quebec has to offer: gravlax salmon and maple salmon caviar; bluefin tuna tartare; Arctic char, citrus sabayon and Grand Marnier; Canadian pike quenelle and lobster bisque. His recipe for duck à l'orange, an absolute classic, is not to be missed.