Labo culinaire - Foodlab

A spacious rooftop terrace, with great views of the sunset sky, located high enough above the city, to largely suppress the sounds of traffic and make you feel like you're sitting in a garden, mostly thanks to the trees which are surrounding and slightly invading the terrace space. The crickets take over the remaining city background sounds, once the darkness starts to set. The restaurant also has a large, beautiful, air conditioned indoor space, but during the pleasant summer days, the outdoor space is the place to be. On the food front; beautifully presented dishes with unique flavors and ingredients. The dishes are mostly appetizer sized and you would need about 3 dishes for one person and around 5-6 for two people if you're planning on sharing. The service was quick and professional. The waiters constantly checked up on our table and made sure that we had everything that we needed. On the menu: • Cod fritters: Aioli, chive flowers. • Heirloom tomato: Fennel, mixed beans, brebis cream. • Zucchini: Ginger smoked yogurt, roasted shallots, zhug. • Scallop: Green tomato Aguachile, cucamelon, ground cherry. • Salmon: Cucumbers, dulse, ginger. • Lamb: Carrot salad, garlic scape labneh, pumpkin seeds. The salmon was our favorite dish. It was sweet and was melting in your mouth with every little bite. The scallop dish was also very refreshing and flavourful, and the Zucchini, grilled on the BBQ located on the terrace, left a memorable smoky aftertaste. The Hairloom tomato was a perfect salad, since they are currently in season. The lamb skewers were not too "lamby" flavor wise, the meat was very tender and the combination of variety of different types of freshly chopped carrots, mixed with pumpkin seeds, gave the dish a very interesting finish. Cocktails: • Pancho: Tequila, Amermelade, Aperol, lime, coco, cannelle, tarot. • Victoria's Secret: Mezcal, Aperol, chartreuse verte, citronnelle, lime, kéfir. Both cocktails were very flavorful and unique. If you like smoky drinks, the Mezcal loaded Victoria's Secret is definitely your thing. Dessert: • Peach: Yogurt thyme, mirabelle plum. • Financier: Corn, elderflower, brown butter. • Ice cream sandwich: Cream cheese, strawberries, funfetti. Peach was definitely the favorite out of the three desserts that we've tried. A mixture of freshly sliced peaches and sorbet give it a great finishing touch to the entire meal. The tender Financier cookie with a side of ice cream was also great.

Every single thing we ordered was amazing. The cocktail’s were inventive and delicious, and the food was tasty and perfectly cooked. Foodlab far exceed my expectations. I don’t think I’ve had a better meal or dining experience in many years!

Very interesting food. Was kinda cold inside since it was emptyish early on a cold Tuesday night in February. There weren't many vegetarian options when we went but the menu does change. The portions weren't "American size" but they were enough. I recommend getting an appetizer if your hungry and it's probably worth trying out the different things here.

This is an amazing bar and restaurant that is all about fresh ingredients and taste. In an amazing setting, you can sit and see the setting sun change the nature of Montréal! It is a food lab so expect some experimentation... and everything we had was amazing. Great food, great service and great atmosphere! Loved it!

Amazing food and cocktails, and the service was fast! Great experience. A bit on the pricier side - but definitely worth the price. We will be returning!

The food was incredible, every component was very flavourful and unique. Portions were on a smaller size but filling enough to be satisfied. The cocktails were tasty as well but a little too powerful. Waiter and staff were kind and welcoming. The restaurant had a great ambiance to it!

A taste and texture experience you shouldn’t miss. The young pastry chef will blow your socks off. I sat at the “bar” and watched the magic happen on both ends. I left full, happy, warm and tipsy. Merci beacoup!

Went here because I was intrigued by the menu. All the dishes tasted great but the portions were a bit small. Especially loved their dessert.

Came here during a work outing. The outdoor patio was a great environment for hanging with the team, and the wait staff was super friendly. The food was a mixed bag. The menu is very small and a blend of side items, apps and only seemingly two real entrees, the hot duck and the seafood stack. I had the duck and it was ok but, maybe because ten people at the table ordered it, the temperature was very cold. The highlight for me was the Starter Platter, which had salad, pita with hummus and the best dish of the night, the cod fritters.

I walked into FoodLab almost two and a half years ago and knew that I wanted to get married in this Venue. The industrial chic ascetic was what first drew me to SAT/ FoodLab. With a large patio that has incredible views, beautiful restaurant that is modern and cozy at the same time and attention drawing dome, the space is as versatile as it is cool. As great as the space is, the food and service is even better. Weddings can be stressful but the staff at SAT made it easy and fun. The experience working with Rocco Chouinard Gomes the restaurant manager was incredible. He was creative, easy-going, patient, and seemed to be able to make anything possible. New to FoodLab, chef Emilie Bégin (formerly of Clos des Sens a 3 MICHELIN star restaurant) thoughtfully crafted a menu that was locally sourced and innovative, taking into account our taste and an ascetically pleasing table setting. The meal was incredible, full of colour and flavour. Their bar tender,  Félix Georget not only served fantastic natural wine but crafted signature cocktails that were creative, potent, and kept the guests lining up to get the next one! The pastry chef, Emmaëlle Guidon-Amyotte, created lactose free magic with locally sourced ingredients. She crafted fun and tasty treats that looked beautiful on the plate and fit perfectly with the theme of the wedding. Having our wedding at this venue was better than I could have imagined. I cannot wait to go back for every anniversary. Thanks again to everyone at SAT/FoodLab for making this possible

In reality it's probably more like 3.5 stars. I came here with some friends for a special menu that they were offering as part of Montreal en Lumiere. It was designed by guest chefs and was $65 for a 5 course tasting menu. The restaurant is located on the top floor of the SAT building, which happens to have a futuristic and playful design. The dining room itself was small and the restaurant has an open kitchen concept. Like I said this menu was a special one so your experience will probably be different from mine. We had five different courses and some hit the mark while others missed it. My favourite dish was a roasted guinea fowl which was cooked to perfection and beautifully plated. The Jerusalem artichoke skins were delicious and served on a bed of puree which I enjoyed very much. Unfortuantely the buckwheat puree fell flat for me. I found it had a funny texture and the taste was underwhelming. Dessert also failed to make the cut in my opinion. It was a labneh sorbet with squash. The sorbet was refreshing but there was too much squash in the dish and it overpowered everything. Also, since it generally isn't used in desserts its presence in the dish was just out of place. Service was what you would expect. We never had a long wait for our food, the waiters refilled our water often and they knew the menu well. They seemed to have a lot of staff on the floor to accomodate the Saturday night crowd so in general things went smoothly. Since my experience was atypical I would like to come back to see how the regular menu is. One thing is for sure though I do like the ambiance of this restaurant. This is definitely an interesting option in the Quartuer des Spectacles area.

Went here for a company event. The venue is nice with a patio outside. But you can only drink outside for food you must eat inside. The food is interesting not sure if I would call it earth shattering but it's fine. Lots of choices and tastes that get catered to. The weirdest is the veggie desserts. Very unusual. Not for the extreme sugar lovers for sure.

Rocco and crew were great. The space was nice and the menu worked well despite our dietary restrictions. The drinks were our favorite part! The cocktails were exciting and the classics were well done.

We came here on a whim (made reso an hour before) on a Thursday evening. I have been here for shows and always knew there was a restaurant but it never really intrigued me until I saw the terrace from a previous visit. The space is very cute, decorated in a simple & modern style. The staff was enthusiastic, courteous & nice. We got cocktails to start (Elder Fizz) and they were very good. We had the Mezze to share which I really really enjoyed as everything was perfectly seasoned. The mains were quite delicious as well: Mackerel & Artic Char ( Although I wouldn't have made it with cucumbers because it seemed a little out of place, I didn't mind it too much either as there was no big contrast) noth fish were well seasoned and had nice crispy skin. I would definitely come back again :)

I've returned several times with mom, sis and friends. Has yet to disappoint. The highlight was when I went with mom and the pastry chef came out after I asked the server to give her my compliments for the stellar dessert (so very labour intensive and thought out); she came out and spoke with me a good 5 - 10 minutes. I will definitely be back and whenever I get out-of-town guests bring them here at least for a dessert and coffee. Labo Culinaire Foodlab is what I want Montreal cuisine to be remembered as.

Place to come drink, not eat. Honestly, our service was borderline comically poor. After sitting for 15-20 or so minutes, we were finally asked for our drink order (we were one of the few tables seated inside). At no point did our server explain the menu to us, and we ended up waiting another 20-30 minutes for our drinks to arrive, which in fairness, were delicious. After we ordered our starters and had waited yet another 30 minutes, our server informed us she had not even punched in our food order yet (all we had ordered at this point was oysters and bread). It took us over an hour and a half before we were eating. In the end, the amount of food the server recommended was hardly enough for our group, and we left hungry. Foodwise, the carrots and cod were hits, the tuna and salmon were both misses, and they didn't even bring us one of our proteins (the chicken). The place seemed understaffed, and more of a bar than a restaurant (consider changing the name to drink lab, not food lab). Do not recommend if you are hungry! Just come for drinks.

Labo is located up the stairs within a building that we can only assume as artists/ tech studio. Staff was friendly and explained that the restaurant also hosts many launches and private functions. We caught a glimpse of the private function area, and immediately knew that this place takes amazing transformations throughout the year. The restaurant had bar area, open kitchen, and a beautiful balcony area. We enjoyed our meal thoroughly, the restaurant's hip vibe was nice, and our antipasti had just the right mix and balance.

I have avoided coming here for almost a year now because it is kind of a hit or miss in the past 3 years for me. Once the food was amazing but slow, once it was ok but not well-portioned. Then finally after my husband's work event here a month ago - he told me the service was improved and the food became more "memorable". We decided to give it another try today before catching a show. The server knew that we have a show and magically had all our appetizers on the table within 10-15 min (he did tell us that we won't have time for main course). It was fresh, healthy and absolutely delicious. While we were wondering about the name of a mysteriously delicious cheese, the chef came and told us the whole story of where it comes from in Quebec and how it was made. After 4 beautifully decorated and delicious appetizers as well as a 600ml winter ale from Beau's microbrew, it costs only $30/person including tax. I was delighted to find out that they have improved so much. Finally it is a place that's worth coming not just for its unique art and atmosphere, but also its food and service! I think it's on its way to become not just a pop-up hub but an institution for anyone who wanna experience new Quebec food+art culture

Seems like a great place to get liquor, but I don't drink so I couldn't read the liquor here. However, I did see the drinks menu has been more pages than the food manual which is only one page. The food tastes unique if you want to try something new I recommend this place. I were there not many choices.

Ah! I reviewed the Food Lab on the main SAT listing! Which is ok because it gives me a chance to write more about how much I love this place! A lot of the reviews here describe what happens during a huge event, and that's legitimate, but absolutely not reflective of a regular evening at this lovely spot. At the top floor of the Societe des Arts Technologique in a wide open space with a wide open kitchen and wide open terrasse, this is a space where you can eat fresh new menu items each month on a theme, and you can see all the beautiful people making and serving beautiful things. The head chef here is a woman, and a tough and wildly cool one at that, and she makes food that is deceptively simple and super super delicious. Come with a group and try everything. They work with private importers for wine lists tailored to each menu. I don't want to describe the many wonderful things I have eaten here because the menu is sure to be different, but suffice to say, this is one of my favourite romantic drink and bite places in the summer, and sparkly spots to feel outside of time at any time of year.

We arrived for a friend's birthday, a group of 9, waited about 30 mins before being asked what we wanted to drink. There were still people in the restaurant, thought "ok, they're busy." People cleared out until there were maybe four or five tables left. Our food food 75 min after it was ordered, except for one person's who they said they forgot. It appeared a couple minutes later and as he went to put his fork in it, the busser reached in and took it back, saying 'they forgot the broth'. In the 2.5 hours we were there, we got one drink refill, were never asked if the food was good and were offered three desserts for a table of nine plus one meal free as it was late. The waitress seemed like she didn't care about any of it. The food was great, no complaints there, but all around, disappointing.

The food lab is located on the third floor of the Société des Arts Technologies Building (SAT) on St-Laurent street. From June until the end of summer, the first Monday of each month will be dedicated to food photography with the #Flashlab evenings. These events allow foodies to live a different experience each time while getting to meet other Montreal instagrammers. I came here for my first flashlab event this past month, since one of my friends was hosting the event. It was a lovely discovery. They have a beautiful, big, dining room, christmas lights hanging from the ceiling, an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs cook and a quite large open terrace on the rooftop to enjoy during summer. Their previous chef left a week before the event, so it was an entirely new menu made by their new chef, Adrien Renaud. Since I already had a separate dinner planned, the three of us there decided to get the Mezze Platter for 4 to share, it cost 28$. Everything was good but the portions were more for two people rather than 4. I also had one of their white natural wines and it was surprisingly good. They cook with local ingredients, which is why they have a changing seasonal menu and work with private importers for their natural wines. The service was excellent and the ambiance, top notch. It's a great place to bring a date or to have a drink with your friends even if it's a bit pricey. For the event, they also had 2 prizes you could win. The first one was a dinner for two worth 80$ and the second one was a bottle of natural wine. All you had to do to get a chance to win was take a picture, tag the restaurant and post it on instagram with #flashlab.

Finally somewhere awesome to eat and hang in the somewhat seedy area of St Laurent and St Catherine's. Located in the SAT (upstairs), the Food Lab is innovative, interesting, laid back and as sharp as its location. Able to experiment, create themes, the wonderfully run open kitchen is amazing. And affordable. I was there during the Japanese Izakaya theme, and shared most of the plates, though you want to get your own - because portions are great for one, and you won't want to share once you put what they got in your face. So, we started with the homemade silken tofu app - with chili oil and nori that melts in your mouth. Alongside this was the insanely amazing shitake salad with succulent dried persimmon. For a main we both went with the rice bol - with not fried, but baked (and still tasted like crackling) chicken skin, a poached egg, seaweed and braised pork. Come on people. Pure flavour overload. After that - because we needed to try more - we backtracked to the apps again to go after the dashi. Seafood, in a beautiful little broth. Hard to share, as we both wanted to stick our faces into it. And with 2 good wine recomms, this was a hit in my stomach. Very laid back, you order at the counter, the chefs serve you, and you leave wonderfully satisfied after a little taste of divinity. So go.

Stopped in Thursday night around 9:30. Service was great. Food and wine off the charts. I do wish they had a little bigger selection of wines by the glass. However, my wine was very good. We also had the venison tartare that my wife selected which was very odd because she doesn't really like it. But I had to fight her off the tartare as it might of been the best ever. Wish we had more room in our stomachs. We'll definitely be back.

We went here over the summer as our inaugural first meal in Montreal. Definitely a hidden gem (perhaps it's well known by locals), but we didn't feel as if it was tourist trappy at all. Tucked on the top floor of Montreal's Society for Arts and Technology Building, somewhere you'd never expect to find a restaurant. But then again, it is Montreal, I wouldn't put it past them. We were promptly seated without a reservation, since it was a slower Thursday evening. They had a very open patio with large bench like tables, as well as a beautiful indoor seating, which I'm sure fills up nicely in the winter. Our server was really friendly and charismatic without being too try hard; which we appreciated. He explained that their menu was only made with local ingredients that were in season, meaning that you probably won't get the same experience twice. Cocktails were nice, food was delicious. Can't wait to see what they have to offer next time we're in Montreal!

I feel bad giving this place only 2 stars, but I had a really awful meal here on Friday evening and my date and I left severely disappointed. I had been here once before and knew that the theme rotated and that the menu could be somewhat restricted and was fine with that. One this evening, it was poached salmon with some vegetables as part of the prix fixe. The starter soup was ok, nothing special. The main course was the poached salmon. It arrived wrapped in parchment paper with some overcooked potatoes on the side. The salmon itself was extremely bland and undercooked. The only saving grace of this meal was the wine pairing and the dessert. To add to our disappointment, we ordered a latte to go with dessert and it arrived room temperature at best. I love the concept of this place, the venue, the prices and how friendly everyone is, but I could have made that salmon at home and it would have been better.

I saw this place in a You Tube video that showed some of the coolest restaurants and bars in Montreal. We chose to go on a warm, sunny day because they have a large roof terrace. The outside area wasn't really special and doesn't offer a great view but unfortunately that wasn't the only disappointment. The service ruined the evening for us. After a little wait, we were seated but then they didn't take our order for a long time. Once we had asked for two drinks and one sharing platter (because the main dishes were too expensive for a normal person), we waited and waited and waited... after about half an hour we got our ginger ale and caipirinha. Although we drank those very slowly, by the time our flat bread with tomato and mozzarella finally arrived, only ice cube water was left. As we had awaited our food for over an hour, it was gone within seconds. It was a delicious, carefully prepared little pizzaesque dish but it couldn't really make up for the wait. We ordered the bill, did not leave any tip (something we'd never done before), and left quite unhappily.

Saw an interview with the chef on thekitchn blog, which I love. I really liked the atmosphere and how you could watch the kitchen crew make the food right next to you. Went with my fiancé who is an adventurous eater. We had a shrimp dish that was excellent and very unique. He had a superbly cooked trout and I had the honey roasted quail. First time I ever had quail and it was incredible. I'm remembering the way the skin looked and tasted and wishing I had some now! The service was great too. We only speak English and staff were very kind and helpful. I'd highly suggest trying this unique place.

Went with a good friend of mine sometime in September. We were sitting on a shared table on the rooftop. Quite a nice place, and we ended-up with some interesting table-mates. We picked a few appetizers to share and got some very nice drinks that were on the happy hour list. Nice place, can be a lot of fun, but not for a first date.

When I was researching top restaurants in Montreal for 2014, this place came up as number one. This restaurant is tucked away on the busy street of St Laurent Boulevard. Its located on the 2nd floor of a build with no visible sign. Once you climb the stairs, you'll see the small and intimate setting they've set up. Decorated with Christmas lights to add to the romantic atmosphere, it provides the perfect ambiance for a date night or a small get together. The open setting allows you watch the chefs work in their small open concept kitchen. The patio offers a great view of Montreal while you enjoy the amazing meal ahead. The restaurant offers a seasonal rotational menu, and it will change after a few months. During my visit, I was there for the Czech Republic menu. All the items were delicious and well balanced and full of flavor. Best of all, this restaurant is one of the least expensive places I've been for a great meal! Toronto included. After coming, its easy to see why this restaurant rated as number one on the top 2014 list. I hope to visit again soon!

Overall, pretty good. The parsnip soup and mezze platter along with our entrees were very good. I wouldn't say it's the best place we ate in Montreal (and certainly not the most cozy) but it was gooo

We ate here yesterday for CultMTL's birthday party, so the options were limited. But they had a bunch of sandwiches/sald. I tried the pulled pork (super yummy) and my wife tried the vegetarian which she really liked. It's a cool spot, though yesterday was very crowded. I'd be intrigued to visit again though. Yummy food, rooftop, and beer, are all yes yes yes to me.

Food and drinks were bland with tiny portions. Ordered food at 730pm and got it at 930. Went straight to Chinatown for a second meal.

Nice place, fun vibes, you're here for the view, right?! The food and service are good, too.

At the top floor of the S.A.T. an open area, industrial looking fun place. The menu is simple, with an interesting choice of cocktails and wine. Very friendly ambiance for a quick meal. Nothing special about the food, but it's well prepared. Good choice for the price if you are in the area. Beautiful terrace for the summer, and the drinks are original. I recommend for a drink and a small bite.

The Spot: Way up on the top floor of Montreal's Société des arts technologiques (best known by locals as the SAT), you'll find Labo Culinaire or for us anglos, Foodlab. The concept revolves around having an experimental and adventurous approach to food. The space is very modern and inviting, featuring an open kitchen where patrons can see chef-duo (and the restaurant's two owners) Michelle Marek and Seth Gabrielse work their magic behind the stove. In the summer, the space expands to include an impressive roof-top terrace where spots are handed out on a first-come-first-served basis. With large tables, a lounge area and giant sun umbrellas the area is at once open but nonetheless cozy. The space accommodate large groups quite well and there is enough (friendly) staff that you always feel well attended to. What's Really Good: SAT Foodlab caught our eye for two major reasons: (1) Menu is constantly changing. Every couple of weeks there is a new culinary theme. Since the restaurant's opening this past January, the menu has featured inspiration from Japanese, Lebanese, Turkish, Spanish, Greek and Italian cuisine to name a few. Other sources of inspiration include specific ingredients and experiences which has so far included winemaking, smorgasbords, maple syrup and pork. Special limited edition menus have also been known to charm Foodlab patrons, who can expect to have their taste buds teased during particular events and holidays. One more reason to stay tuned-in to their twitter and facebook pages. (2) Fixed menu + wine pairings. Although you can choose to order some (or all) of the dishes offered - usually this is limited to less than 10 choices - you can also take advantage of their "menu fixe". This table d'hôte includes an appetizer, a main course, a dessert and two wine pairings and will cost you between $35 and $45. While the moderate price is enticing, don't expect copious amounts of food. Each dish is modest in size, a generous tapas. We Were There: When we stopped by, the theme at the Foodlab happened to be revolving around Italy. We opted for the fixed menu, starting with a delicious orange wine, fresh ricotta and swiss chard. Lovely, and so very summery. Next we moved on to the grilled sausage with rapini, and a glass of Contadino. While we adored the simplicity of the dish, the plate was lacking where contrasting flavour and texture were concerned. To finish our meal we enjoyed the stone fruit tart. Overall the tart itself was wonderfully light. The crust was just perfect and the filling of peach, apricot, sour cherries and almonds, topped with a dollop of crème fraiche was very tasty. We couldn't have been more happy with this stunning desert. It was perfectly appropriate for the summer evening we spent at the restaurant. Foodlab certainly gets a gold star for their unique and very subtle approach to Italian food - it's not what most people would expect, but it certainly surprised us in the best possible way. We're already looking forward to checking out their take on the next themed menu. Verdict: Definitely worth checking out. The Foodlab is a great spot to meet a friend afterwork, or bring a date and enjoy a few glasses of wine with a light meal.

My partner and I tried Foodlab's Mongolian inspired menu this week and had a great experience. Although I don't think authenticity is a top concern, I loved the bold flavours as well as discovering new ingredients and combinations. The service was very professional and attentive. A really great experience overall!