Garde Manger
Seafood restaurant · Vieux Montréal ·
Seafood-focused, experimental menu with playful, accessible dishes
Seafood-focused, experimental menu with playful, accessible dishes
"In Old Montreal, this friendly restaurant lies behind a discreet façade. With its paneled ceilings, leather banquettes, bistro chairs, and low lighting, the atmosphere calls to mind an elegant inn. The open kitchen separates two lively dining areas set to music from the 80s and 90s. On the menu you'll find seafood-forward dishes, with oysters, wild prawns, and razor clams served in their purest form. There are also plates designed for sharing, in which the chef's specialties are combined with the inspirations of the day. The eclectic wine list is well curated, encompassing French, American, Italian, orange, and organic wines." - Michelin Inspector
"Canadian celebrity chef Chuck Hughes and chef de cuisine Chris Merrick run the ship at this seafood spot, dishing out oysters, Nordic shrimp, razor clams, and octopus, plus a decadent range of desserts. With the demise of Le Bremner, Hughes’s other restaurant in the area, snagging a table at Le Garde-Manger has become all the more special." - Eater Staff
"Since Garde Manger opened in 2006, the small nook in Old Montreal is always abuzz with folks clamoring to experience Chuck Hughes' cooking. Today it's still one of the best spots in town, and a big part of that is the food: The ever-changing blackboard menu is a giant invitation to feast. Try the lobster salad, the short ribs with cauliflower mash, or the pan-fried sea scallops with bacon Romanesco, buttercup squash, and black truffle. The foie gras appetizer is a stunner, too. And under no circumstances leave without drinking at least one Bloody Caesar." - Todd Plummer, Isa Tousignant
"I’m going to miss Le Bremner — I once had an amazing date night there and I (and others) used to go often; its closure is repeatedly named among the saddest losses of the year." - Eater Staff
"I saw that Le Bremner, an acclaimed seafood-centric basement restaurant in Old Montreal, officially closed earlier this month; owner Chuck Hughes said on social media that a conflict with his landlord and ceaseless repairs were the reasons." - Valerie Silva