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Beba

Montreal

A fuss-free family restaurant where tradition and pristine ingredients rule

The family ties: In 2019, brothers Ari and Pablo Schor opened their restaurant as a tribute to their grandmother Vera, who the family lovingly knew as 'Beba'. Both siblings gained valuable experience within Montreal's prestigious Joe Beef restaurant group with Ari spending six years as chef de cuisine at Liverpool House, while Pablo mastered wine service and dining room management. Their joint venture is an inviting neighbourhood restaurant that features sophisticated dishes rooted in their Argentine-Jewish heritage. Obviously hungry for new flavours, Montrealers have flocked to Beba since day one.

Cuisine and concept: Tucked into a residential corner of Verdun, this intimate dining room celebrates the Spanish and Italian immigrants who influenced Argentina's food culture. Chef Schor draws from his multicultural background, weaving together culinary memories from his childhood, his experience working for Jewish caterers in Winnipeg and spending time in fine-dining kitchens in Montreal. The result is deeply personal cooking crafted with pristine local ingredients, including vegetables from the farm of his former Liverpool House boss, David McMillan.

On the plate: This compact restaurant offers a focused menu beginning with signature dishes like potato knish with imperial Oscietra caviar and montadito of mackerel with sesame, salted butter and horseradish. Seasonal standouts may include Gloucester Old Spot pork with creamed corn and black truffle, and swordfish with artichokes, flat beans and bone marrow.

A no-fuss philosophy: Chef Schor champions traditional preparations without artifice or overcomplication. This is epitomised by his love of boiled meats, a rudimentary cooking technique that may lack pizzaz, yet perfectly represents his commitment to honest cooking and his rejection of excessive styling and fine dining fussiness.

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