Foie gras, tartare, and charcuterie plates are just a few of the gluttonous, savory items that cause Montréalers to salivate and travelling gastronauts to convene on Montréal’s hedonistic, no-mercy culinary scene. Add a penchant for quality, local produce (known as terroir), such as duck, pork, award-winning cheeses, and iconic maple syrup, it’s no wonder that celebrity chefs are regular visitors or that the city’s own kitchen glitterati are international stars as well.

While white-linen restaurants of yore remain a classic culinary art, the heart of Montréal’s new foodie culture is found in her bustling, come-as-you-are yet decidedly upscale bistros. Think of the phenomena more as “fine diner” instead of “fine-dining,” a happy, hearty concept that makes eating out not only laid-back and accessible but deliciously entertaining.

Late-Night Bites

Most Montréal restaurants serve until 10 or 11pm, but sometimes you need a meal or just a snack a little later. Besides the fact that Chinatown never seems to close, here are some other places to keep in mind:

Boustan: In the middle of the late-night hubbub on downtown’s rue Crescent, Boustan has lines out the door at 2am of night owls craving a falafel or shawarma sandwich. Open until 4am daily.

Chez Schwartz: Also in the Plateau, Schwartz’s meets the city’s smoked-meat needs until 12:30am Sunday to Thursday, 1:30am Friday, and 2:30am Saturday.

Globe: An erotically charged restaurant at boulevard St-Laurent near rue Sherbrooke that changes personality after about 10pm to something more akin to a nightclub. Thursday through Saturday, the regular menu is available until midnight, and a smaller menu kicks in from midnight until 2am.

La Banquise: Not only is Banquise known citywide for its poutine, but it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — that is, whenever the urge strikes to indulge in any of two dozen varieties of french fries with gravy and cheese curds. At the northwest corner of Parc La Fontaine.

L’Express: Classic Paris-style food in the heart of rue St-Denis, available until 3am nightly.

Leméac: On chichi avenue Laurier in Mile End, Leméac has a special C$24 appetizer-plus-main menu from 10pm to midnight daily.