Joe Beef

Joe Beef opened in 2005 on Notre-Dame Street West in Little Burgundy, in the south-west of the city. It takes its name from Charles McKiernan, a nineteenth-century Montreal tavern keeper known as Joe Beef, and it has become one of the Montreal restaurants best known outside Canada. In 2016 it was ranked 81st in the extended World's 50 Best Restaurants list, the first Canadian restaurant to appear on it in six years.

The Michelin Guide, which includes it in its Montreal selection, describes a menu of steaks and seafood alongside classic French bistro dishes. The inspectors single out rabbit à la royale and calf sweetbreads, and advise ordering an extra portion of fries. They also note the warm, good-humoured atmosphere and service that is efficient without being intrusive. Expect rich cooking, and consider sharing so the table can try more of the menu.

The restaurant opens for dinner only, from 5pm to 10.30pm Tuesday to Saturday, and is closed on Sunday and Monday. Reservations are made online through OpenTable, where the maximum online booking is a table of six. Groups larger than six should email the restaurant at [email protected]. Because of its reputation, booking as early as you can is sensible, especially for Friday and Saturday evenings.

Joe Beef suits couples and groups of friends looking for a long, convivial dinner rather than a quick meal. Prices sit in the upper range, and the Michelin Guide lists it at three on its four-step price scale, so treat it as a special evening out. Allow two to three hours.

The brand has grown well beyond the dining room. Its website sells pantry products, cookbooks, apparel and gift cards, which make good souvenirs or presents for anyone interested in Montreal cooking. For questions that are not about group bookings, the Michelin Guide lists the restaurant's phone number as 514-935-6504.

The restaurant is at 2491 rue Notre-Dame Ouest. If you are spending the day in the south-west, a ride along the Lachine Canal or a visit to Atwater Market makes a natural lead-in to an evening here, and Little Burgundy is easily reached from downtown.