1. Cultural Anchor and Museum Recognition

Montreal's restaurant industry is so intrinsically linked to the city's social history that it is the subject of an in-depth analysis. The McCord Stewart Museum sets the stage for a captivating exploration of Montreal's social history with its exhibition "On the Menu. Montreal: A Restaurant Story" (scheduled from November 26, 2025, to October 18, 2026).

Inspired by food critic Lesley Chesterman, this exhibition highlights the evolution of Montreal dining from the 1960s to the present day. From the iconic simplicity of a Bens Delicatessen or the Montreal Pool Room to the heights of fine dining like Toqué or Au Pied de Cochon, the museum demonstrates how the restaurant has become central to the construction of Quebec identity.

The exhibition, rich in archives and period objects (such as menus from Kon Tiki or La Tour Eiffel), serves as an ideal starting point to understand Montreal's current status as a culinary capital.

2. Intercultural History: The People’s Menu in Montreal 

Montreal's culinary history is intrinsically linked to its history of immigration and exchange.

It has been enriched by successive migratory waves, transforming community dishes into mainstays of the entire population's cuisine. Several popular dishes, adopted by the entire population, bear witness to this heritage.

The culinary history of Montreal was initially based on the traditions of the First Nations and French colonists, and was enriched from the 19th century with the arrival of various communities

The emblematic dishes that shine today bear witness to this mix.

• Immigrant Foundations: The arrival of Jewish communities from Eastern Europe gave rise to smoked meat and the Montreal bagel, classics that define street food.

  The smoked meat and the wood-fired bagel, distinct from the New York bagel, are now food symbols of the city, consumed by all Montrealers.

• Pizza and Spaghetti: After World War II, the massive arrival of Italian immigrants made Italian cuisine an essential component of the Quebec diet. Pizza (in all its forms) and meat sauce spaghetti became popular family dishes and restaurant menus.

• Fast Food Revolution: From the 1940s to the 1960s, poutine, born in rural Quebec, became popular in urban casse-croûtes alongside steamed hot-dogs and fries with sauce, creating an entire segment of Quebec culinary culture.

• The Expo 67 Effect: The 1967 World Fair acted as a catalyst, not by introducing a single dish, but by diversifying tastes and opening Montrealers to sophisticated global cuisine. It legitimized the experimentation and acceptance of foreign cuisines that were previously marginal, preparing the ground for the current great diversity.

  The smoked meat and the wood-fired bagel, distinct from the New York bagel, are now food symbols of the city, consumed by all Montrealers.

3. Calendar of Trends: From Tradition to Socio-Ecological Transition 

The Montreal gastronomic landscape has evolved in successive waves, each reflecting social and economic changes.

4. The Economic Impact: A Multi-Billion Dollar Sector 

Gastronomy is not just a cultural fact; it is a major economic force in Montreal. The restaurant and gastronomy industry is recognized by the City of Montreal and its partners as an essential economic lever.

• Turnover and GDP: The Accommodation and Food Services (AFS) sector contributes significantly to the GDP of the Montreal agglomeration, estimated at around $3.1 billion (pre-pandemic figure). Annual dining expenditures in the province amount to billions, with Montreal being the main market.

• Employment: The sector employs more than 75,600 people in the metropolitan area, playing a crucial role in youth employment and professional integration. The sector is a significant employer, ranging from independent establishments to large chains.

• Patronage and Spending: Before Covid, Montreal consumers dedicated nearly 40% of their food budget to dining out, demonstrating the deep anchoring of eating out or taking away in the urban lifestyle.This figure has recently been reduced somewhat because of inflation and other economic problems.

5. Chains and Economic Drivers of Diversity 

Montreal companies have become symbols of this intercultural economic success:

• Local/Quebecois: Chains like St-Hubert have transformed roast chicken into a growth engine. Institutions like Schwartz’s, Lester's, Snowdon Deli (smoked meat) and the famous St-Viateur, Fairmount (bagels) generate significant gastronomic tourism.

• Immigration/Diversity: Large specialized grocery stores and fruit shops (e.g., Milano Fruiterie for Italy, Kim Phat for Asia), as well as fast-food chains resulting from immigration (e.g., Souvlaki and gyro chains, Amir/Boustan for the Middle East), bear witness to an economy built on the diversity of flavors, creating thousands of jobs in communities.

Economic Contributions:

• Tourist Attractiveness and International Influence: The diversity and quality of the culinary offering are major factors in tourist attraction. Fine dining establishments, public markets, and gastronomic festivals directly contribute to Montreal's international influence, injecting considerable revenue into the local economy.

• Job Creation and Support for Producers: The development of fine dining focused on local products directly supports the agricultural and food processing ecosystem, offering opportunities for Quebec's niche producers.

• Neighborhood Vitality: Restaurants, from small cafés to starred addresses, are social and architectural markers that contribute to the vitality, diversity, and safety of neighborhoods. They are often the meeting point and anchor for different residential communities.

The food industry is the true engine of Montreal's interculturalism: a constant blend of traditions that enriches both the culture and the economy of the metropolis

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 Ultimately, the table in Montreal is much more than a matter of cuisine: it is a living mirror of its social history, a driver of its future economy, and one of the privileged spaces where its identity is renewed daily^94949494.