ALMA
Fine dining restaurant · Outremont ·
Catalan wines, creative Mediterranean cuisine, Mexican roots
Catalan wines, creative Mediterranean cuisine, Mexican roots
"Chef Juan Lopez Luna is leading the charge when it comes to modern Mexican cuisine in the city, just recently earning the distinction of best Mexican restaurant outside of Mexico for this Outremont hideaway. Luna works with ancestral nixtamalized corn from his home state of Tlaxcala, grinding it fresh daily for hand-crafted tortillas, chips, chileatole, and more. These creations appear on tasting menus — offered in five or nine courses — alongside seafood and Quebec’s seasonal bounty. Luna’s business and life partner, Lindsay Brennan, curates a natural wine list filled with her favorites from the Catalan region and other parts of Spain. Out of Alma’s back door, the duo runs an alleyway taqueria from May to October, and until recently, also operated a neighboring wine bar and Barcelona-style chicken spot, Tinc Set. News of its closure hit hard, but was eased by the announcement that it would be replaced by Bar Luz, where Luna’s corn techniques will be given a more casual treatment than at its fine-dining counterpart. Know before you go: Reservations — a must — are released one Sunday per month." - Valerie Silva
"The mounds of candlewax on the bar counter at Alma attest to years of intimate conversations shared at this small restaurant in the heart of Outremont. We usually opt for the nine-course “terra y mar” tasting menu, where the chef’s embrace of his Mexican roots shines through the heritage corn tortillas made on his grandma’s vintage press. Two recent highlights from the tasting: a fragrant fresh oyster aguachile negro and a tostada with Québec lobster. Alma’s front terrasse is magical in the summer, and grabbing a seat there is the perfect way to enjoy the leafy neighborhood ambiance. Their Saturday afternoon homemade taco pop-ups in the back garden are legendary, especially when their in-house cochinita pibil is on the menu. (In the winter, you can catch it at sister restaurant Tinc Set on Tuesdays.)" - ivy lerner frank
"The mounds of candlewax on the bar counter at Alma attest to years of intimate conversations shared at this small restaurant in the heart of Outremont. We usually opt for the nine-course “terra y mar” tasting menu, where the chef’s embrace of his Mexican roots shines through the heritage corn tortillas made on his grandma’s vintage press. Two recent highlights from the tasting: a fragrant fresh oyster aguachile negro and a tostada with Québec lobster. Alma’s front terrasse is magical in the summer, and grabbing a seat there is the perfect way to enjoy the leafy neighborhood ambiance. Their Saturday afternoon homemade taco pop-ups in the back garden are legendary, especially when their in-house cochinita pibil is on the menu. And if you’re looking for something less formal, their sister spot, TincSet, is right next door. photo credit: Two Food Photographers photo credit: Two Food Photographers photo credit: Two Food Photographers Pause Unmute" - Ivy Lerner-Frank
"A restaurant perfect for romantic meals, offering a cozy atmosphere."
"Since 2018, this charming Outremont hideaway has wielded coastal Catalan flavors with such aplomb that diners may forget they’re in Montreal. These days, chef Juan Lopez Luna increasingly infuses his Mediterranean cooking with his Mexican roots, including nixtamalizing corn in house. The restaurant applies the new focus to its seafood-centric nine-course tasting menu, which also brims with organic vegetables, alongside an equally transportive wine list curated by Luna’s partner (in business and life), Lindsay Brennan. On Sunday nights, the duo hosts guest chefs for a collaborative taco omakase experience. If snagging a table at Alma proves challenging, fear not; sibling wine bar Tinc Set more than satisfies with tapas and Barcelona-style roasted chicken just next door." - Valerie Silva