Montreal is packed with healthy food options, and for those seeking salads, we can always count on incredible homegrown chains like Mandy's, Spirulina ou sur des valeurs sûres comme Dirty Greens, Abe & Mary's et Freshii. But the list below compiles places you might not have thought of: spots that have perfected the art of protein combined with a big mess of fresh veg and elevated it to a thing of beauty. These are the perfect spots to stay true to your resolution to eat more veggies everyday. Here's to your health!
1377 Avenue Greene, Montreal, H3Z 2A5
Our favourite spot in this Westmont mainstay is in the front, right at the bar. That's where you'll get to actually see your masterpiece salad get made as well as soak up the ambiance that reigns with this busy and cheerful staff. This classic diner goes way beyond the great breakfasts and triple-decker sandwiches that it's known for: the salad options seem endless on the menu, and come in giant bowls dressed to the nines in addictive vinaigrettes. One of our regulars is the Charleston salad, featuring chicken, pear, crunchy walnuts and their sweet vinaigrette.
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93 Avenue du Mont-Royal O, Montreal, H2T 2S5
Those in the know come to this famous Plateau eatery for the hearty Club Salad, which has all the makings of a club sandwich (chicken, bacon, cheese) piled on top of a HUGE mess of Romaine lettuce and mixed veg. It's a highly satisfying protein fest. Other options here include the Mediterranean (a great grilled vegetable and grilled chicken breast salad), or the Saint-Urbain: a whole lotta greens topped with a combination of chopped egg, chopped liver and fried onions. A mighty trifecta.
1524 Rue Notre-Dame O, Montreal, H3C 1L1
Don't get sidetracked by the sinful cookies or delightful vegan bakes in the cabinet as you walk in. Just go straight to a table near the back of this beautiful Griffintown café decorated in shabby chic whites, creams and plant-greens, sit comfortably, and order yourself the Wilde Salad. Like everything on the menu here, it combines a careful contrast of flavours that will have your palate singing: smoked salmon with roasted potatoes, cukes, avo, greens and a soft boiled egg, with a snappy balsamic dressing and the zing of lemon. (Then, on your way out, maybe grab a cookie to go.)
Multiple locations
Whether you choose the Westmount, DDO or the original location in the Chabanel district (the most old-Italian vibey), skip the Italian sandwiches and pasta dishes they're known for and focus on their interesting salad options. The fennel and citrus salad is a super fresh, light, summery flavour combination to enjoy anytime of year, especially in the depths of a Montreal winter. There's also the more protein packed Gentile Salad, complete with avo, grilled veg, bocconcini, endive, radicchio, fennel and more; it has as much oomph as any of their famous sammies.
351 Rue Saint-Paul O, Montreal, H2Y 2A7
It's one of old Montreal's most recommended restaurants for a reason: this café does everything well, whether it's homemade croissants, interesting sandwiches or amazing seasonal salads. They're not the giant, overflowing bowls-full of greens that some of the diners on this list offer, but what they lack in size they make up for in refined flavour. Think of the Salty Ricotta salad we enjoyed this summer: it paired homemade ricotta cheese with cherry tomatoes, corn, toasted pine nuts, lots of garlic and a sprinkle of chives. YUM.
Multiple locations
Arthurs is synonymous with comfort food, but sometimes comfort comes in the form of really crispy fresh greens. The salads are hardy and come with a scoop of protein of your choice, whether that's chicken, turkey, tuna or salmon. The Citrus Tahini Crunch base is completely addictive with its mix of salty feta, peppery arugula, bitter radicchio, zingy Granny Smith apple and crunchy cabbage and cukes. The addition of basil, mint, sumac and zaatar just comes and seals the deal.
1, Carré Westmount, Montreal, H3Z 2P9
With the number of girl gangs that this place in Westmont Square hosts, it's no surprise that they make a good salad. The Tavern's signature salad is the Caesar, which comes with crispy fried capers and the addition of beautiful white anchovy fillets, upon request. But the seasonal Fall Salad is worth coming back for: it's got all kinds of bitter leaves like endives and radicchio, contrasted with the sweet toothsomeness of butternut squash. Burrata makes the whole thing an indulgent delight, as does the sprinkle of candied walnuts.
2305Chemin Rockland, Montreal, H3P 1Y5
Okane is a little take-out counter in the Rockland Centre, but it's got a following that might equate lineups at dinnertime. The sushi is generous and fresh and punches above its weight as a mall spot, that's for sure. And that stretches into the salads on the menu as well. Though sushi can sometimes seem like a rolled up salad, go straight to the source with the Okane Salad: a fabulously dressed protein-packed mix of fine-cut sashimi and shredded pollock over finely sliced lettuce, carrots and cukes, with some avocado for good measure. By sidestepping the sweet, seasoned sushi rice you'll keep things much lighter, but just as flavoursome.
433 Rue Mayor, Montreal, H3A 1N9
This has got to be one of our favourite cafés in the downtown core. Catch us there anytime we have meetings that straddle a lunch hour, not only because of their homemade desserts of the day (truly addictive and different all the time), but also for the freshness of their salad options. The squash salad has lentils, spinach, rice, cashews and raisins with a beautiful curry dressing, while the cabbage salad combines celeriac with apple and gorgeous blue cheese with creamy ranch dressing. Enjoy the street side terrace during the summer months.
3618 Rue Notre Dame O, Montreal, H4C 1P5
Sumac is a wonderful pitstop in Saint-Henri if you're looking to mix and match a whole bunch of vegetables with an incredibly tasty source of protein. Order the mixed salad plate to your specific specifications, whether that's a combination of their cooked salad (stewed tomatoes fragrantly spiced with cumin), their spicy braised carrots, their salty snappy, cabbage salad, or any of their other options. Pair them with a side of chicken shawarma, some of the most unique, best spiced, most tender in town.
1 Pl. Monseigneur Charbonneau, Montreal, H3B 4M7
It's a burrito spot in the Cathcart food court, yes, but Tulum is also a great source of salad goodness. Just order the burrito bowl, hold the rice, and you'll come out with a super varied combination of shredded lettuce, fresh corn, pico de gallo, olives, guacamole, addictive pickled onions, and whatever else you've pointed at when it got to be your turn in the busy lunchtime lineup. Top it all with the protein of your choice (we highly recommend the beef), and dig in!
