✨ Where to Go in Montréal - Week 25

June ends with a triumphant crescendo as the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal returns to the Quartier des Spectacles for its 46th edition, transforming the city into a global hub of music for ten unforgettable days. This week also brings legendary singer-songwriters, chart-topping R&B icons, boundary-pushing Latin pop, extreme family entertainment, and a lineup of top-tier comedy. Before diving into the festivities, discover one of the season’s most exciting new restaurants, where refined cuisine meets a warm, soulful setting.

👉 For more nightlife and dining picks, visit MontrealNightlife.com.

🍱 Restaurant of the Week: Routy

📍 Address: 5160 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2T 1R8 (formerly the home of Boxermans)

If you were a regular at the late Boxermans on Van Horne Avenue, won over by its kitchen, you are going to fall for the brand-new Routy, which has come to life within those same memory-laden walls. Under the ownership of Éric Berlin and the culinary direction of chef Grégoire Routy, this new address immediately establishes itself as one of the standout restaurants of the season in Montreal.

Atmosphere & Décor

Under the thoughtful guidance of designer Kyle Adams Goforth, the space has been reimagined with sure taste and a true sense of elegance. Wood dominates throughout, tables are beautifully dressed, and the walls are adorned with black-and-white photographs—family portraits of the chef, taken last century—lending the whole space a very particular soul.

The lighting is soft, the background music unobtrusive. At the centre of the room, a beautiful cabinet showcases the glassware from which the finest wines on the list will be served. The bar counter, which seats four, along with that central cabinet, are the work of cabinetmaker George Papas. The result is warm, refined, and welcoming.

🍽️ What to Order: A Short but Truly Enticing Menu

Chef Grégoire Routy and his brigade offer cooking worthy of the finest tables. The menu is concise and well-constructed—five starters, four mains, three desserts—and full of appealing dishes that whet the appetite from the very first read.

The chef’s past experiences are traceable in every plate: several Michelin-starred kitchens in France and England, as well as time spent at Raele in Copenhagen. From the former, one senses an inherited creativity and a certain culinary boldness; from the Danish experience, he took away “the minimalism in the plate and in the design, and also the fact that the cooks would always come out into the dining room.”

Starters (Entrées):

Asparagus with Honey Pollen and Hazelnuts: A delicate, spring-forward dish that balances sweetness and crunch.
Crudo of Newfoundland Scallops with Bergamot and Mint: Topped with very thinly sliced radish—bright, fresh, and elegant.
Pissaladière-Style Amuse-Bouche: Delicate and refined rolls with hints of onion, olive, and anchovy, served as a complimentary starter.

Mains (Plats):

Pan-Seared Sea Bream: A generous piece of fish, cooked to perfection. On its own, this dish justified the journey.
Trout with Carrots, Saffron, and Biquinhos: Understated on its own, but paired with the saffron and those mild Brazilian peppers, it comes together as a thoroughly satisfying main course.

Desserts:

Raspberry-Rhubarb Sorbet: Silky and adorned with fine ribbons of rhubarb, lifted by sprigs of tagetes—that fascinating aromatic herb that elevates any dessert to near-heavenly heights.
“Hot/Cold” Dark Chocolate: A bold pairing of chocolate and herbes de Provence—pure indulgence for dark chocolate lovers.

🍷 Drinks to Match

Routy has assembled a wine list that pairs beautifully with the chef’s cooking. A long selection of reds, a few sparkling wines, some rosés, and a carefully chosen range of whites. Among the reds, a Clos Marie Pic Saint-Loup 2023 brimming with the scents of the Languedoc garrigue is offered at a very reasonable price for the quality.

Why You Should Go

Because Routy is that rare address where everything comes together in perfect harmony. You come once for the food, and you return for everything else—the welcome, the atmosphere, the service, precise and gracious throughout, and that rare feeling of being exactly where you ought to be.

A table to add to your favourites without delay.

🔗 Visit Routy’s website

📖 View the Menu

📝 Read the Tastet review

🎤 Performances of the Week

Presented by MontrealNightlife.com

🎷 Festival International de Jazz de Montréal

The 46th edition of the world-renowned Festival International de Jazz de Montréal takes over the Quartier des Spectacles from June 25 to July 4, 2026. This ten-day celebration is one of the city’s most iconic events, featuring hundreds of concerts—many of them free—on indoor and outdoor stages. From legendary jazz icons to emerging artists from around the globe, the festival transforms downtown Montreal into a vibrant, non-stop musical experience.

📍 Location: Quartier des Spectacles

🗓️ Dates: Thursday, June 25 to Saturday, July 4, 2026

🎟️ For the full program and tickets: Visit the Official Festival Website

🎸 Steve Earle at Théâtre Beanfield

Presented by the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, legendary singer-songwriter Steve Earle brings his “51 Years of Songs and Stories” to Théâtre Beanfield. A Grammy-winning artist and one of America’s most respected storytellers, Earle’s career spans folk, country, and rock, delivered with a voice that carries decades of truth and experience.

📍 Venue: Théâtre Beanfield, 2490 Notre-Dame Ouest

🗓️ Date & Time: Thursday, June 25, 2026 (Doors: 6:30 PM)