There’s something deliciously decadent about sitting down to a charcuterie board: a few slices of cured meat, a terrine, some pickles, good bread and a glass of something nice. It’s the perfect Friday-night apéro, and Montreal has a deep bench of places that make their own. To round up the best charcuterie in Montreal, we used Tastet’s charcuterie list, updated in late October, and split it into places to sit down and places to stock up.
Part of the fun is that no two boards are alike. Local meats and cheeses from small producers are more in the spotlight than ever on Montreal menus, and every kitchen has its own take: terrines, rillettes, dry sausages, cured hams or house-made pâtés. Exploring them from one neighbourhood to the next is a delicious way to spend a few evenings this fall.
Charcuterie in Montreal: where to sit and share
1. La Buvette Chez Simone (Mile End)
One of the pioneers of Montreal’s wine bars, Chez Simone at 4869 avenue du Parc remains a sure bet. The house-made board can include pork rillettes, saucisson sec, lonzo, coppa or chicken liver mousse with pistachios. Add Quebec cheeses and marinated olives and you have the perfect apéro.
2. Bar Mamie (La Petite-Patrie)
Bar Mamie at 328 rue Beaubien Est is a cheese and charcuterie specialist, with three boards: charcuterie only, cheese only, or the best of both. The Quebec cheeses are always excellent, and the staff give great advice.
3. Au Pied de Cochon (Plateau)
Martin Picard’s temple to generous Québécois cooking at 536 avenue Duluth Est puts pork front and centre. Start with a charcuterie plate to share, then move on to the famous foie gras poutine.
4. Le Rouge Gorge (Plateau)
A Plateau must at 1234 avenue du Mont-Royal Est for sharing a good bottle and a few indulgent plates. Order the charcuterie board with cheeses and a glass picked on the team’s advice. The kind of apéro that turns into an evening.
5. Bistrot La Fabrique (Plateau)
Facing Square Saint-Louis at 3619 rue Saint-Denis, this bistro serves seasonal cooking around an open kitchen. Start the meal with its charcuterie and cheese board, built around local products.
6. Le Bouchon par Bleu & Persillé (Rosemont)
In the Angus Shops at 2600 rue William-Tremblay, Le Bouchon combines a cheese shop with the conviviality of a Lyon-style bouchon. Build your board with smoked ham, Grisons air-dried beef, saucisson and cheeses from the counter next door. House-made country pâté with calvados, duck rillettes and foie gras terrine round it out.
Where to buy charcuterie for your own board
7. Boucherie Lawrence (Mile End)
At 5237 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Boucherie Lawrence focuses on meat from small local farms and house-made charcuterie: pork rillettes, fennel salami, capicollo, smoked ham and porchetta di testa. You can order online for delivery or in-store pickup on Wednesdays and Fridays.
8. Aliments Viens (Plateau)
A high-quality butcher shop at 4556 boulevard Saint-Laurent that prepares its charcuterie on site with great care and offers a ready-made charcuterie and cheese platter with cheeses from several dairies.
9. Pascal le boucher (Villeray)
One of the city’s best butcher shops, at 8113 rue Saint-Denis. Meat is the specialty, but its charcuterie selection can be combined with cheeses into a custom appetizer platter to suit your tastes.
How to build a great board at home
- Mix textures: something sliced thin (coppa, prosciutto-style ham), something spreadable (rillettes, pâté), and something to chew (saucisson).
- Add acid and crunch: cornichons, pickled onions or mustard cut through the richness.
- Go local with the cheese: Quebec makes excellent cheeses; ask your fromager for one soft, one firm and one blue.
- Plan quantities: for an apéro, figure a modest portion per person; for a meal, roughly double.
- Let it breathe: take meats and cheeses out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
Pairing tips
Fatty cured meats love acidity and bubbles: a crisp white, a light red served slightly cool or a dry cider all work. If you’re heading to La Grande Dégustation at the Old Port this weekend, it’s the perfect place to discover a bottle to go with your board.
Hungry for more Quebec comfort? Pair this list with our best poutine (hello, foie gras), our steak frites picks and our public markets guide for cheese and bread. More in our Food section. Bon apéro!
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Photo: مانفی / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources: Tastet (charcuterie), Tastet (Chez Simone), Tastet (Bar Mamie), Tastet (Au Pied de Cochon), Tastet (Le Bouchon), Tastet (Boucherie Lawrence)
