Best Tapas in Montreal

Tapas, meze, pikilia, pintxos, petiscos… whatever the country they hail from, the concept is basically the same: an array of small plates, cold or warm, meant to be shared among friends over drinks or a glass of wine. Popular all over the Mediterranean, from Portugal to Lebanon, they often act as starters to a meal or can even replace one. It is not that uncommon to do a tapas crawl, moving from one bar to the next and enjoying a drink and a few dishes at each establishment…

Here are a few of my favourite Montreal tapas-meze-pintxos-petiscos spots:

Tapas 24: This new tapas spot in Old Montreal is in collaboration with Spanish star chef Carles Abellan and features dishes from Barcelona.

Bar Tapas Taza Flores: Taza Flores has been dishing out great bites and drinks at its lovely Parc Avenue address since 2004.

Confusion Tapas du Monde: As the name suggest, the Quartier Latin-established Confusion Tapas du Monde features small dishes from around the world.

Tapeo: Inventive Spanish tapas are the norm in this Villeray spot that’s been a crowd favourite for over 10 years.

Restaurant Ikanos: If contemporary Mediterranean and Greek seafood and fish mezze are your kind of game, then Ikanos has a whole menu of delectable items that are sure to please.

BarBounya: Turkish mezes by chef Fisun Ercan have the starring role in this Laurier Avenue address where conviviality is encouraged by the communal seating and great ambiance.

Barraca Rhumerie et Tapas: Rhum, tapas and a great patio in the heart of Plateau Mont-Royal.

KazaMaza: Typical Middle-Eastern mezes are served at KazaMaza, including a great array of brunch dishes every Saturday and Sunday.

Restaurant Damas: Restaurant Damas features typical Syrian mezes from Damascus and Aleppo in a setting worthy of the Thousand and One Nights.

Pintxo: Pintxos (pronounced pintchos) are typical small dishes from the Basque region of Spain, which is what’s on offer here, along with a great selection of Spanish wines.

Le Petit Alep: Unique mezes from Aleppo in Syria, where Armenian and Syrian culinary cultures blend. The wine list is also formidable.

Taverne F: Typical Portuguese petiscos in the heart of Quartier des Spectacles.

Club Espagnol de Québec: Traditional tapas – and more – are served in an old school Spanish club with old expats and young hipsters sharing the same enthusiasm for food, sangria and soccer.

Photo credits: Tapas 24, Taza Flores, Confusion Tapas du Monde, Tapeo, Ikanos, Barbounya, Barraca, KazaMaza, resturant Damas, Pinxto, Taverne F.

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