Moishes

Moishes is one of Montreal's longest-running restaurants. Its story begins in 1938, when Moishe Lighter, an immigrant from Romania, opened a small sandwich and smoked meat shop in the city's Jewish quarter. In the 1960s his son took over and turned it into an upscale steakhouse.

The restaurant is now owned by Groupe Grandio, which marked its 85th anniversary by moving it to a new address on rue du Square-Victoria in the Quartier international, close to the Quartier des spectacles. The new address makes Moishes easy to reach from downtown hotels and the theatres and concert halls nearby.

Beef is the reason to come. The restaurant serves USDA Prime beef, a grade it says is given to only about two per cent of cattle, and its dry-aged beef ribs are a house signature. Fresh seafood is on the menu for anyone who prefers it, so a mixed group can find something for everyone.

Moishes opens from 11.30am to 10.30pm Sunday to Wednesday, with the last reservation at 10pm, and from 11.30am to 11pm Thursday to Saturday, with the last reservation at 10.30pm. Lunch makes it a practical choice for business travellers, and the late evening service works well after a show. Reservations are made through the booking page on its website, and booking is wise for weekend evenings and for larger groups. Evening valet parking is offered, and a parking app service is available at lunch.

It suits groups celebrating an occasion, business diners and meat lovers, and the long opening hours make it flexible. Prices are at the top end of the scale, so check the menu before you book. Allow two hours for a relaxed dinner, a little less for a business lunch.

For bookings and questions, call (514) 360-4221 or email [email protected]. The restaurant's history also connects it with the city's smoked meat tradition: like Reuben Schwartz, who opened his deli on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in 1928, Moishe Lighter was a Romanian immigrant who started with sandwiches and smoked meat, so it pairs nicely with a visit to Schwartz's on the Main for a different, much more casual taste of the same heritage.