A new exhibition at the McCord Stewart Museum is serving up a generous portion of Montreal's culinary history, proving the city has long been a gastronomic destination. "On the Menu — Montreal: A Restaurant Story" opened on November 25, 2025, and will run through October 18, 2026.
A Critic's Vision Realized
The exhibition's spokesperson, former Gazette fine-dining critic Lesley Chesterman, first conceived the idea a decade ago after seeing a similar showcase for New York City's restaurants. Having documented Montreal's vibrant food scene for two decades, she felt strongly that the city's rich restaurant culture deserved its own spotlight.
"When I saw the images, it reminded me of the Montreal of days gone by — not only of my time as a restaurant critic, but also as a kid in Montreal; my parents went to restaurants," Chesterman recalled. "Restaurants are so important to the city of Montreal. They're a major part of our identity."
Although her initial pitch to the museum ten years ago met with limited interest, the McCord has now fully embraced the concept with a comprehensive display.
Feasting on Montreal's History
The exhibition offers a deep dive into the evolution of dining in the city, starting from the transformative era of Expo 67. Show curator Guislaine Lemay explained the exhibition's purpose was not to be exhaustive, but to propose a reading of Montreal's restaurant culture.
"The point of the exhibition was not to be exhaustive, but to propose a reading of Montreal's restaurant culture and see how restaurants are the mirror of the evolution of the city, its urban and social transformation," said Lemay.
The showcase includes an impressive collection of artifacts that bring Montreal's dining history to life:
- Menus from 170 of Montreal's greatest restaurants
- Profiles of 100 notable eateries
- Nods to famous chefs and culinary innovators
- Restaurant signs, plates, and place settings
- A large collection of vintage restaurant matchbooks
- Audio-visual experiences that evoke memorable dining moments
Lemay noted that restaurants function as "meeting places, settings for exchange and innovation, and holders of memory." During the vernissage, visitors were visibly moved as they rediscovered establishments from their past.
The Changing Tastes of a City
The exhibition traces Montreal's culinary journey through its distinct eras, from the 1960s and 70s heyday of French cuisine to the rise of Quebec chefs and terroir cooking. It highlights the jet-set scene on St-Laurent Boulevard in the 1990s and the buzzing dining cultures that emerged in neighborhoods like the Plateau and St-Henri.
Chesterman calls this culinary evolution "a parallel history of the city." She emphasized that Montreal's status as a serious food city spans nearly six decades, distinguishing it from other cities that have more recently developed their food scenes.
The exhibition also pays tribute to Montreal's iconic diners and delis, including Schwartz's, Bens, and Wilensky, along with famous hotel restaurants and even the tiki craze that once swept through the city.
The menus themselves tell stories of changing times and tastes. "It's great to look back and see how cheap food used to be at restaurants," Chesterman marveled, noting how creativity gradually transformed standardized menus into more innovative offerings.
Chesterman believes the exhibition will appeal to multiple audiences: older generations who remember these establishments firsthand, younger Montrealers curious about their city's culinary heritage, chefs seeking inspiration, and tourists wanting to understand what makes Montreal's food scene special.
"It proves we've long been a gastronomic city," Chesterman stated proudly. "For close to 60 years, we've been a very serious food city."
The exhibition "On the Menu — Montreal: A Restaurant Story" is now open at the McCord Stewart Museum, located at 690 Sherbrooke St. W. For tickets and additional information, visit musee-mccord-stewart.ca.
