A featherweight Japanese cocktail and a richly layered Quebecois dinner against the backdrop of buzzy Old Montreal
In food and drink pairing the common wisdom is that what grows together goes together. The same could be said of great neighbourhood haunts. In our Neighbourhood Pairs series we’re showcasing Canadian bars and restaurants that sit just steps apart—ideal for a two-stop hop in one night.
With jazz spilling from terraces, bustling crowds of tourists and locals, and a backdrop of 18th-century façades, summer in Old Montreal is a sensory treat. For a culinary night out that epitomizes that energy, start with a refreshingly modern cocktail at Phillips Bar, the latest venture from the team behind Jatoba that opened in April, then have dinner at Monarque, named #17 on our list of Best Restaurants of 2025.
Billed as a Japanese refreshment bar, Phillips Bar leans into lightness with highballs and low-ABV spritzes made with sake, high-quality Japanese spirits, and ingredients like sakura seen in the Pink Cloud, a floral sour, and even wasabi, found in the Wasabillious, a spicy margarita reimagined.
The exposed brick and wood-toned room, which once housed the Greek National Bank of Canada, is lofty and inviting but in warm weather the Phillips’ generous patio is the place to be. And for anyone looking for a small snack before a hefty meal, the menu is full of elegant bites like surf & turf maki and torched salmon hand rolls.
Photo: Patricia Brochu
Photo: Patricia Brochu
Photo: Patricia Brochu
Photo: Gabriel Boutin
Photo: Gabriel Boutin
Photo: Patricia Brochu
Photo: Patricia Brochu
Photo: Patricia Brochu
Photo: Gabriel Boutin
Photo: Gabriel Boutin
Afterward, flutter ten minutes away to Monarque for peak-season Québécois cooking. Two styles of dining are on offer in the expansive space: a comforting à la carte menu in Monarque’s front bar and brasserie or a chic four-course meal in its elegant back room.
Both menus by Chef Jérémie Bastien are rooted in French-inspired Quebec cooking, accented by playful nods to China, Japan, and Korea. Think dishes like tuna tartare with ponzu tapioca, grilled sweetbreads with XO sauce, and house-aged beef rib, followed by a selection of predominantly Quebec cheeses before a list of classic French desserts.
Photo: Courtesy of Monarque
Photo: Vincent Perrocheau
Photo: Vincent Perrocheau
Photo: Vincent Perrocheau
Photo: James Brittain
Photo: Courtesy of Monarque
Photo: Vincent Perrocheau
Photo: Vincent Perrocheau
Photo: Vincent Perrocheau
Photo: James Brittain
Together the venues make a perfect pair worth travelling for.
– Lindsey King
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