Le Virunga
RestaurantTop Pick
Le Virunga
Stylish, cozy bistro plating braised goat leg, slow-cooked oxtail & other African-inspired dishes.
Opens Wednesday at 6 pm
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 6 pm - 10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 pm - 10 pm |
| Friday | 6 pm - 11 pm |
| Saturday | 6 pm - 11 pm |
| Sunday | Closed Today |
Info & Location
About us
Virunga Restaurant is the story of two women passionate about African culture, who invite you to discover the gastronomic richness of this continent, which is so dear to them.
Through revisited traditional recipes, the restaurant celebrates the authentic flavors of sub-Saharan Africa, while showcasing local Quebec products.
Both simple and creative, this cuisine demonstrates, above all, a respect for ingredients and gastronomy.
Virunga Restaurant aims to be a warm and friendly place, offering professional and quality service.
Chef Maria and her daughter Zoya generously welcome you for a unique culinary experience, combining history, modernity, and heritage.
100% South African wine list
Through revisited traditional recipes, the restaurant celebrates the authentic flavors of sub-Saharan Africa, while showcasing local Quebec products.
Both simple and creative, this cuisine demonstrates, above all, a respect for ingredients and gastronomy.
Virunga Restaurant aims to be a warm and friendly place, offering professional and quality service.
Chef Maria and her daughter Zoya generously welcome you for a unique culinary experience, combining history, modernity, and heritage.
100% South African wine list
Our Specialties
Sub-Saharan Pan-African gourmet cuisine.
Amenities, services & more
We accept: Master Card, Visa, AMEX, InteracPhotos (19) More
on Google
Press
International Women's Day: These Women Are Reshaping Montreal's Restaurant Industry
Montréal en Lumière: When the City Shines Through Its Flavors
Eating Local in Montreal: Our Top Picks Committed to Serving Quebec Foods
Gastronomy and Black History Month: The Restaurateurs Bringing Montreal to Life
Where to Eat in Plateau Mont-Royal
Le Virunga: l'un des trop rares restaurants africains à Montréal
Behind The Scenes: Le Virunga (article en anglais)
Events Nearby
POP Montreal International Music Festival 2025
Sep 24, 2025 to Sep 28, 2025
BLVD Festival 2025
Aug 28, 2025 to Aug 31, 2025
Reviews often mention
Display Allsaveur(44) african(42) dishes(36) cocktail(36) dessert(34) vin(31) recommend(28) unique(27) wine(26)Page 1 of 1 - 28 Reviews
Nicole
Amazing place with very unique dishes. The only comment would be the amount of food per dish, felt like they could have been more generous. But totally recommend & worth paying a visit!View more
Claudel
Best high end gastronomy restaurant in town! There's something for everybody, highly recommend!View more
Peta
Stopped in here by chance, & so happy we did on our first night in Montreal. Every bite was incredible. The food took a fair while to come out, but it was worth it when it did. Highly recommend the Duck breast dish & the Rainbow Trout dish!View more
Rafael
Loved the place. The food was modern, visually appealing, tasty with a journey in Africa. Cocktails were inspiring & service was very attentive. Totally recommend it & will go back. Menu changes as per local availability. I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of our dessert.View more
via LibroThe place is amazing. It is cosy & feels so calm & warm at the same time. The waitresses were polite, knowledgable & so professional, attentive but gave space to enjoy the dinner in a quiet ambience. The food was delicious & arrived thoughtfully presented. I would recommend to take 2.5 hours to enjoy the ambience, the food & drinks- time is flying with the great service, the wonderful location & the most amazing food. It was an unexpected find for me, & I will come back for sure. Very happy with my experience there- worth every dollar.
via Libro5 star all the way! Food was excellent, wait staff wete very attentive & knowledgeable & the atmosphere was intimate & comfortable. I recommend the mutton - incredible flavor! Treat yourself to the Elephant Tree cocktail! Delightful :)
via LibroWe had a wonderful experience at Le Virunga! Excellent & unique flavors & dishes. The service was TrueType outstanding. A memorable evening. I would recommend this restaurant for any special occasion!
via LibroAmazing creative food with delicious flavours. Very good service. Would highly recommend.
via LibroGreat service & food! The mutton was so tender & the fowl was excellent. They also have a great selection of alcoholic & nonalcoholic beverages. Definitely recommend!
via LibroLe Virunga is one of the best restaurants in Montreal, hands down! This underrated gem brings forth light & life to this otherwise quiet little area. Owned by two incredible Black Women who are mother & daughter, this space oozes in spirituality & love in the cuisine & the decor. You feel at home, you feel at peace, you feel taken care of. If you're looking for a life-altering experience, I highly recommend this place for the incomparable food & the impeccable service. I wish them nothing but continued success & expansion. - TiKA
via LibroWe thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Le Virunga. Cocktails & food were absolutely amazing. Perfect amount served (even with dessert). Great ambiance & service. Would highly recommend & will return.
via LibroFive stars is not enough. There are literally NO words to describe the ecstasy brought in by every single bite. So much flavor! I was still sitting in the resto last night while planning my next visit over. Hard for me to imagine anyone not liking this place. It is quaint & intimate. It is beautifully decorated & the cocktails are divine! I had the Mandela & Tonic. I highly recommend!!!
via Libro
I really enjoyed Le Virunga! The food was absolutely delicious!
I would highly recommend this restaurant. The ambiance was great for a couple night out.
via LibroLe Virunga was wonderful! We love trying new (to us) foods & everything here was delicious. We started with pan-African-inspired cocktails that were delightfully refreshing on a warm night....we especially recommend one named after Nelson Mandela. The appetizers & main dishes were skillfully prepared & subtle spicing perfectly complemented the flavor of the food. The restaurant is lovely & the ambiance calm & welcoming & service was very efficient & friendly. We're from Maine & come to Montreal each year to savor new experiences...& Le Virunga definitely provided a great new dining experience! We'll be back!
via Libro
Absolutely delicious. The only drawback was a thunderstorm knocked out the power during the meal! This put the staff to the test, who rose to the challenge beautifully.
Highly recommend the pangasius, a very light, flaky catfish. Pinotage & Mandela Tonic paired well with the light, flavorful fare. Would definitely come back!
via LibroWe had a great dining experience at Le Virunga. We both had the leg of goat & it was absolutely delicious. In addition, the service, drinks, & ambience were all great. We would definitely come again to try more dishes & we highly recommend it to others.
via Libro
It has been a long time since we had not gone to a restaurant where all the dishes we order were not only amazing from starters to dessert. They were original , well presented & mixing ingredients in a different way.
The service was equally efficient & courteous.
The minus will be the wine list- but definitely a most return.
Completely recommend to go discover.
via Libro
Excellent food & loved the cozy ambience. My boyfriend & I had a fantastic dinner date :-)
We will definitely go back & I highly recommend this restaurant.
via LibroI had an amazing dining experience at Le Virunga. My previous encounters with African food have been with Ethiopian cuisine only, so this place was a real discovery. The service was excellent, & each item on the menu was explained by the waitress. The food itself was similarly excellent. I had the Poulet d'Amours à la Moambe. The chicken was tender & easily fell off the bone, & was complemented by the palm nut sauce. The desserts here are also unique & not to be missed (where else will you be able to find plantain doughnuts)? I cannot recommend this place more enthusiastically, & will definitely be returning in the future with more friends. This is a one-of-a-kind dining experience in Montreal.
via LibroHad a great meal, & the drinks were ideally crafted as well. Highly recommend, it's a nice night out
via LibroWe had a fantastic dinner in this intimate, upscale pan-African restaurant. Our waitress was eager to explain & translate the menu, with its amazing range of ingredients; she was so kind & efficient. Everything was absolutely delicious, especially the gorgeous Virunga salad, the lamb, & the terrific cocktails. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening & Le Virunga; I'd recommend it very highly.
via LibroWe went here for our anniversary & had an amazing meal. The wait staff were also excellent. Highly recommend!
via LibroOutstanding! In a family run, comfortable, casual, & cozy restaurant, we had a lovely meal. The Pan-African influenced food was heady, but well balanced, beautiful, & deeply satisfying. The service was warm & gracious. I would recommend this restaurant to both locals & tourists.
via LibroNancy, highly recommend everything was perfect from the moment we walked in the door thank you we will be back