The 38 Essential Restaurants in Montreal

"This Saint-Denis cafe is the closest you’ll get to an Apulian food experience without leaving Montreal. Follow the unassuming steps into this basement haunt, where the atmosphere is chatty and Southern Italian regional specialties are done right. Consider the focaccia Barese (gloriously topped with burrata, mortadella, and chopped pistachios), the panzerotto (small fried turnovers typical of the city of Bari), and the panino Polignano (a fried octopus sandwich), or ask about off-menu specials. A leader in Italian lunches, coffees, and snacks, La Panzeria also serves evening aperitivi on Thursdays and Fridays." - Valerie Silva