"This unassuming Saint-Denis cafe is the closest you’ll get to an Apulian meal without leaving Montreal. Follow the steps into the basement locale, where the atmosphere is chatty and Southern Italian specialties are done right. Consider the focaccia topped with burrata, mortadella, and chopped pistachios; a panzerotto (fried turnover) oozing with melted cheese; the Panino Polignano (fried octopus sandwich); or a regional pasta dish. While it’s a leader in Italian lunches, coffees, and snacks, the cafe also does aperitivi on Thursday and Friday evenings, and it recently welcomed sibling dinner spot Birbante." - Valerie Silva