Published on July 13, 2009 - Whether red, white or rosé, wine is an excellent accompaniment to any meal. But when you enjoy drink with your dinner, there’s a price to pay, and in these financial times, you want to gouge your wallet. Then, how to get around it? As the saying goes, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Well, When in Montréal, bring your own bottle.
First stop, of course, is at the burgundy-logoed Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ), to select your choice of vintage. Next, you need to scout out restaurants with an “Apportez votre vin” (Bring Your Own Wine) sign in the window. A popular custom among Montrealers, the BYOW format flows freely, east to west, in some 195 of the city’s dining establishments. Charming, small and thoroughly festive, these dining spots are often crowded and many require reservations beforehand.
On the Plateau, especially Prince Arthur and Duluth Streets, the choice of BYOW restaurants is particularly rich and varied. Whether French at the P'tit Plateau, terroir-inspired at Bleu Raisin, Swiss fondue at La Raclette or infused with the aromas of Afghanistan at Khyber Pass, your meal will match your carefully-chosen claret.
At the bistro À L'Os in Mile-End and Apollo in Little Italy, watching the chefs as they work is an excellent primer for your palate. The chefs at the latter experiment with molecular gastronomy, serving up the same mouth-watering ingredients in delightfully different incarnations.
Downtown also boasts a few spots worth getting to know, including L’Académie, which just recently opened its doors on festive Crescent Street, and Grenadine, whose fusion of French and Asian cuisine changes according to the market’s freshest. There’s also Ô Thym, an elegant bistro that merits its reputation as a dining must in the Village.
With all the available choices, we guarantee you’ll find a meal to match your vintage!
Apollo Restaurant & traiteur
P’tit Plateau
Bleu Raisin
La Raclette
Grenadine
