L’Express

Montreal, Canada

The maxim, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, certainly applies to the classic French bistro, and L’Express agrees. You’ll find many of the genre’s defining features here, from Art Deco accents to wine-red walls, chequered floor tiles, glowing lighting and Gallic classics worthy of Escoffier himself. L’Express has a dramatic past: dreamed up by a pair of theatre-lovers, it has played a star role on the city’s culinary scene since 1980. It has a nocturnal side, too, with last orders taken at 12.30am. Charming, efficient servers flit around the dining room, and the restaurant draws a stylish crowd. Starters are light and elegant – celery remoulade or sorrel soup, for example – and mains blend comfort and style: black pudding with apples, hanger steak with shallot butter and fries, and so on. The sweet-toothed should save room for maple syrup profiteroles or île flottante with caramel. Burgundy and Quebec wines come courtesy of the basement wine cellar, where more than 11,000 bottles await. In place of a sommelier, all staff are versed in the art of grapes.

Key Information

• Average price per person $46
• Lunch and dinner: Mon – Sun
• 1 514 845 5333
• Visit L’Express's Website

Location

Rue Saint-Denis, Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 2M4