Co-owners David Gauthier and Emily Homsy have transformed this former dive on Saint-Denis into a refined and welcoming restaurant. Designed by Appareil Architecture, the elegant setting is spacious yet feels intimate, whether you are seated in the long dining room or at the long underlit bar. Chef Gauthier combines a contemporary, seasonally attuned approach to French cuisine with myriad Middle Eastern influences (the menu features both falafel and tournedos Rossini). Dishes highlight top-quality ingredients, impeccable technique and imaginative combinations. Think: veal tartare with white anchovies and Arbequina olives, or duck sausage with foie gras, pistachios and turnips. Mussels might arrive with crosnes, daylily and sea asparagus. Desserts apply local flourishes to international classics — like white chocolate cheesecake with sea buckthorn, and rice pudding perfumed with Tahitian vanilla and elderberry. Homsy’s wine list is extensive and thoughtful, with plenty of natural wines joining classic choices. With its welcoming vibe and attentive and knowledgeable service, Bar St-Denis makes regulars out of first-time guests.

Some of Montreal’s MOST exceptional food. Scott Usheroff