The exciting (but anxiety-ridden) search for the perfect “fresh-out-of-rez” apartment brought my roommates and I into the Plateau last May. The Plateau, a twenty-five minute walk outside of the McGill bubble, not only offers charming aesthetics in its narrow, charismatic streets, but is also an unmistakable jackpot for every eager foodie.
Grocery stores in the Plateau range from the standard to the specialized, from the familiar Provigo on Mont-Royal to the quirky MycoBoutique on St. Denis (which sells, near-exclusively, mushrooms). Fans of Latin flavours can find flours, hot sauces, and the like at Marche Sabor Latino up St. Laurent, or drop by Frenco to pick out eggs, spices, or even shampoos, in cost-efficient, self-sampled amounts.
Of course, cooking is not every university student’s forte, especially given the convenience of McGill dining halls, and the alternative of eating out seems expensive. But the enthusiastic foodie will nonetheless find herself overwhelmed by the selection of affordable, delicious restaurants in the Plateau. Romados, a Portuguese rotisserie, offers chicken combos for under $10, and nearby Patati Patata has a selection of hamburgers and the like for under $5. During weekly or hourly promotions, diners can even find themselves eating mussel dishes at L’academie for roughly $10, or indulging in rolls at Rose Sushi for around $7.
Heavier eaters can head to La Banquise for poutine, Rajastan for Indian cuisine, Le Nil Bleu for Ethiopian, or Arepera du Plateau for some Venezuelan eats. Fine dining devotees should not shy away from Au Pied de Cochon or Laloux.
What’s more, in true European fashion, the Plateau comes to life each and every season, with restaurant layouts often cleverly equipped to accommodate all of Montreal’s extremes, from snowy winter nights to sunny summer afternoons. Rich in variety, central in location, and student-friendly in price, the Plateau is a delightful ode to Montreal food culture and foodie fulfillment.
Finally, with an eye to the inevitably stressful exam season, I should mention that the Plateau is also incredibly conducive to food delivery (including Chef on Call) and take-out. Restaurants as far as Jean-Talon deliver to the Plateau, with costs increasing by only a couple dollars at most, and take-out is available almost everywhere you go.
So whether you’re a skilled cook, a multicultural cuisine sampler, a self-professed food critic, or a student on-the-go, the Plateau has every foodie’s tastes and needs covered, and leaves much yet to be uncovered in cuisine exploration.
Photographs by Irmak Aydemir