For eight years, Mon Lapin has quietly carved out its own lane — somewhere between neighbourhood hangout and destination dining, without ever trying too hard to be either. The recent arrival of sister spot Rôtisserie La Lune (No. 2 on our list of best new restaurants 2026) hasn’t changed that dynamic. If anything, it has sharpened it. Mon Lapin is “not a bistro, but it has that energy,” says co-owner Jessica Noël. The room is lively, tables bare, the vibe relaxed and unforced. That ease gives co-chefs Noël and Marc-Olivier Frappier space to play. The menu reads simply — ingredients, producers — but what arrives can surprise in the best way. Leeks tucked into a tin like mussels. Habanada peppers filled with baccalà. Black Roma tomatoes stuffed with Rimouski urchin. The croque-pétoncle. A strudel layered with confit shallots and crowned with a slice of Samuel le Bleu. Pappardelle with ragù bianco and chestnuts.

Star ingredients seem to find new dance partners in every dish.” Krista Look

Downstairs, the pantry holds the memory of summer in shrubs, preserves and syrups. Come spring, there’s quiet excitement for asparagus, snow crab and Nordic shrimp from Matane, each treated with imagination and restraint. The wine list, shaped by co-sommeliers Vanya Filipovic and Alex Landry, leans toward growers who feel like part of an extended family, with bottles from Jura, Piemonte, Champagne, Sicily and Galicia featuring prominently. Service, led by Marc-Antoine Gélinas, is warm and instinctive, whether it’s your first visit or your 20th. It’s just that kind of vibe.