Check out Montréal’s lushest green terraces
Bars and pubs Restaurants Outdoor Summer
Summer in Montréal is synonymous with lounging outdoors, dining under the sun and stars and taking in the scenery. Montréalers crowd neighbourhood terraces—or terrasses, as they’re known locally—to bask in the sunshine or wile away the hours as the sun sinks below the skyline and dusk settles over the city. Here’s a roundup of the lushest restaurant terraces in Montréal.
OSMO x MARUSAN Café-Terrasse
Where: 51 Sherbrooke Street West
Neighbourhood: Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Why: Tucked away in the iconic Notman House, the OSMO x MARUSAN Café-Terrasse brings the finest tastes of Japan to a design-savvy setting, paired with a back garden patio perfect for chatting over hojicha lattes or enjoying an expertly made karaage, katsu or tamago sandwich. It’s the definition of stylish and chill.
Maison Boulud
Where: 1228 Sherbrooke Street West
Neighbourhood: Golden Square Mile
Why: Chef Daniel Boulud’s experienced hand was developed through years of traditional French training and New York City experimentation. His Maison Boulud features an airy outdoor dining area overlooking the Ritz-Carlton’s lush gardens—and a greenhouse with 46 seats that’s open all winter too!
Terrasse Ciel Rose
Where: 3709 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
Neighbourhood: Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Why: Perched on a rooftop, the Terrasse Ciel Rose décor brings the flair of the Yucatan’s Riviera Maya to Montréal. And whether it’s for an afternoon cocktail or dancing the night away to their rotating roster of DJs, you’ll feel transported somewhere tropical above one of Montréal’s busiest shopping streets.
Café Il Cortile
Where: 1442 Sherbrooke Street West
Neighbourhood: Golden Square Mile
Why: Named for the Italian courtyard restaurant cortile, Café Il Cortile’s secluded downtown haven is ringed with leafy plans and vases of bright flowers on every table. Their traditionally delicious Italian menu spotlight seafood and fresh ingredients, and this patio’s long been a Montréal go-to date night spot.
Le Vin Papillon
Where: 2519 Notre-Dame Street West
Neighbourhood: Little Burgundy
Why: Once a garden, the patio at Le Vin Papillon welcomes customers in a charming wooden haven with long picnic-style tables. With a constantly changing menu and extensive selection of wines, there are countless good reasons to visit this wine bar.
Terrasse Le Jardin, Casino de Montréal
Where: 1 du Casino Avenue
Neighbourhood: Parc Jean-Drapeau
Why: With a focus on Latin flavours and rhythms, the Casino de Montréal’s Terrasse Le Jardin keeps the party going all season long. Live bands and DJs pump reggaeton, merengue and salsa, and the Casino’s iconic architecture and leafy Parc Jean-Drapeau setting makes for the perfect backdrop to a night out to remember.
La Croissanterie Figaro
Where: 5200 Hutchison Street
Neighbourhood: Outremont
Why: A long-standing brunch favourite, La Croissanterie Figaro expertly bakes up its namesake pastry day after day, and its corner location offers outdoor seating on either leafy Hutchison Street and Fairmount Avenue West. It’s also the perfect spot for some summer evening relaxation.
Terrasse St-Ambroise
Where: 5080 Saint-Ambroise Street
Neighbourhood: Saint-Henri
Why: Located along the Lachine Canal, Terrasse St-Ambroise is the perfect place to savour suds on a sunny afternoon. If you don’t have hours to spare, you can still stop by for a quick drink before continuing your journey down the adjacent bike path, one of Montréal’s top bucket list bike rides.
Marché des Éclusiers
Where: 400 de la Commune Street West
Neighbourhood: Old Port of Montréal
Why: Equal parts farmer’s market, café, bar, restaurant and fine foods shop, Marché des Éclusiers is a choice destination at any time of day. Rest and recharge under the green canopy of its plant-lined terrasse while enjoying creations from Québec-based artisans.
Jardin Nelson
Where: 407 Place Jacques-Cartier
Neighbourhood: Old Montréal
Why: Jardin Nelson is a heavenly oasis in the heart of Old Montréal. Located just steps away from Place Jacques-Cartier, this restaurant’s patio is a genuine secret garden away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Café Santropol
Where: 3990 Saint-Urbain Street
Neighbourhood: Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Why: Step through this quaint café in Plateau-Mont-Royal and discover a whimsical garden patio that is arguably one of the city’s best-kept secrets, and a true neighbourhood standard. Their epically stuffed sandwiches and iced coffees make for perfect refuelling during or after a shopping day or walk up nearby Mount Royal.
Le Sainte-Élisabeth
Where: 1412 Sainte-Élisabeth Street
Neighbourhood: Quartier latin
Why: The leafy back garden of the Le Sainte-Élisabeth pub has long been an inconspicuous spot for those in the know, but now the secret’s out! And perhaps the biggest surprise is that one of the lushest restaurant patios in Montréal is hidden away off busy Sainte-Catherine Street in the Quartier latin.
Maison de thé Cha Noir
Where: 4611 Wellington Street
Neighbourhood: Verdun
Why: Midway down super-cool Wellington Street, the back patio at Maison de thé Cha Noir offers calm and respite with a lengthy tea menu and some of the city’s best mochi.
L’Auberge Saint-Gabriel
Where: 426 Saint-Gabriel Street
Neighbourhood: Old Montréal
Why: L’Auberge Saint-Gabriel is a sweet spot all year long, with a winter fireplace and its own rich Old Montréal history always worth exploring. But the blooming terrace is doubtlessly one of its finest attributes, and its re-opening each year is a true sign of summer’s return we await with baited breath.
Grenade
Where: 1603 Ontario Street East
Neighbourhood: Ville-Marie
Why: Grenade's backyard transforms a small corner of the Ville-Marie borough into a little piece of Southeast Asia, featuring the tastes of Thailand, Japan and Vietnam. The unique cocktail menu draws from the same well of inspiration with loving tributes to Tokyo and lychee.
BENELUX brasserie artisanale
Where: 4026 Wellington Street
Neighbourhood: Verdun
Why: For a stunning garden patio and mouth-watering eats, head for BENELUX brasserie artisanale's Verdun location on Promenade Wellington. Their list of featured beers never leads astray, and their opening hours stretch to 3 a.m. every night of the week for those summer nights that you just don't want to end.
Riverside St-Henri
Where: 5020 Saint-Ambroise Street
Neighbourhood: Saint-Henri
Why: Set in an industrial section of the Lachine Canal, Riverside St-Henri is a bar with a massive green patio and a raucous festive atmosphere that’s home base for some of the city’s coolest parties. Share your pizza crusts with your pooch, because dogs are more than welcome to join in the fun.
Vices & Versa
Where: 6631 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
Neighbourhood: Little Italy
Why: This popular Little Italy gastro-pub draws crowds year-round, but in the summer the choice seats are under the leafy canopy in the backyard. Their range of local brews features something for everyone, and the kitchen serves up some of the best pub grub in the city.
Candide
Where: 551 Saint-Martin Street
Neighbourhood: Little Burgundy
Why: The farm-to-table culinary creations at Candide feature a mouth-watering set menu featuring fish, fresh vegetables and local ingredients, and their wood and brick patio overlooks Parc Herb-Trawick, named for the star offensive lineman for the Grey Cup winning Montréal Alouettes from 1946-1957, the first Black professional football player in Canadian sports history.
Le K
Where: Square Saint-Louis, Laval Avenue
Neighbourhood: Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Why: One of Montréal’s most photographic parks, Square Saint-Louis is a leafy green oasis surrounded by some iconic brightly coloured Plateau homes. And right there off of Laval Avenue, Le K is a small café where all the seating is outdoors under the trees, the park itself their patio. Doubtlessly one of Montréal’s most beautiful spots for an afternoon coffee and snack.
Article original en anglais par Mark Hamilton, adapté en français par Catherine Leclerc.
Mark Hamilton
Mark Hamilton is the community director for QueerMTL, a musician in the projects Woodpigeon, Frontperson and Brittle Dreams and a curator and historian specializing in LGBTQ+ activism and zinemaking. He’s lived in Montréal since 2015, during which time he’s most often spotted atop a BIXI bike usally running a few minutes late.