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Restaurant Top Pick

Le Virunga

Stylish, cozy bistro plating braised goat leg, slow-cooked oxtail & other African-inspired dishes.
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
4.8$$ & $$$
CLOSEDOpens Today at 6 pm
Monday
Tuesday
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AfricanHealthyGrillExoticGluten-free OptionsFine Dining / Upscale

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

Our Specialties

Sub-Saharan Pan-African gourmet cuisine.

Amenities, services & more

We accept:  Master Card, Visa, AMEX, Interac

Menus (1) QR Code

Menu
5★
74%
4★
21%
3★
4%
2★
1%
1★
0%

Events NearbyMore

Reviews for Le Virunga

Food
Service
on Google4.7 (400+)
*as of 2026-02-19
5★
74%
4★
21%
3★
4%
2★
1%
1★
0%

Review Summary

Le Virunga receives praise for a refined yet cozy atmosphere, impeccable service, and a bold inventive take on Pan African fusion that blends Saharan, Congolese, and Mozambican influences into surprising and deeply flavorful dishes. Diners highlight complex spice blends, thoughtful pairings, and a menu that changes with the season, providing a sense of travel and discovery in every visit. The wine list and desserts are frequently praised, as is the overall ambiance that feels elegant and welcoming, with service described as attentive and professional. While portions are sometimes noted as small and prices on the higher side, the experience is repeatedly described as memorable, with several tasting experiences and a feeling of authenticity that makes Le Virunga a standout destination for food lovers and those seeking a distinctive night out.
Page 2 of 30 - 586 Reviews

Best restaurant I've been to in years & I've lived in NYC for 23 years. Excellent! Visit for the F1 weekend.

Jun 17, 2025
on Google

J'ai fait une réservation pour un groupe de 10 personnes, pour mon anniversaire. Ils nous ont obligé à prendre la table d'hôte (qui contenait très peu de choix), prétendant que ça serait trop de gestion pour eux qu'on prenne le menu à la carte. C'était très décevant pour nous, car la majorité des choses que nous voulions goûter n'étaient pas sur le menu table d'hôte.

Le repas était tout de même bon, bien que pas ce que nous souhaitions. La serveuse a offert un bon service. Par contre, elle nous a imposé un pourboire de 20%, sans possibilité de choisir ce que nous voulions donner. Leur pratique en la matière est probablement même illégale.

Aucun de nous n'a l'intention de retourner dans ce restaurant. Il y en a des tout aussi bon culinairement, où il y a une plus grande considération des clients.

Jun 15, 2025
on Google

Everything was very tasty & the service was amazing! We will come back!

Jun 6, 2025
on Google

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!

Jun 1, 2025
on Google
5.0

Tasty & diverse dishes from different African regions. Menu changes depending on what's in that season which makes the experience exciting.

May 20, 2025
on Google
5.0

Les plats =explosion de saveur, j'ai tout aimé.

May 18, 2025
on Google

Came from NYC back to Montreal just to eat here again. Our favorite meal in the city. A truly unique dining experience, amazing flavors, & first class service.

May 3, 2025
on Google

Amazing food, amazing experience, friendly staff!

Mar 21, 2025
on Google
5.0

Super bon. Service professionnel. J'y retournerai avec plaisir.

Mar 15, 2025
on Google

Ce restaurant était jolie & very aestheticly pleasing, mais simple en terme de saveur & originalité. Mon copain Nigérien était tres enthousiaste lorsqu'on est rentrer & qu'il y avait beaucoup de musique Afrobeat par des chanteurs nigerien, mais c'était tout. Il n'y avait rien au menu représentant la culture nigérienne.
Niveau nourriture le repas principal etait une banane plantain avec un boeuf style crockpot, rien de special pour 92$ par personne plus taxes & pourboire. Je donne un 5/10. Étant haitienne moi-meme il n'y avait rien de different ou de special pour le prix donné & le menu spécial St-Valentin

Feb 19, 2025
on Google

Went for the first time on Valentine's Day w. A set menu. They were attentive to making adjustments for any intolerances or allergies. It was just excellent!! However, service was a little long we got our food at 11:30pm (reservation at 9pm) but time went by fast thanks to the service checking in, great wine & music

Feb 17, 2025
on Google

Très belles assiettes.
Les serveuses étaient très avenantes & à l'écoute.

Feb 8, 2025
on Google

Quite frankly, this is the best tasting African cuisine I've had the pleasure of eating; however, it was a gastro-tease without the foodgasm with the very disappointing portion size. Two bites in, & it's was over. I believe it brought tears to my eyes.

Jan 31, 2025
on Google

Best high end gastronomy restaurant in town! There's something for everybody, highly recommend!

Dec 19, 2024
on Google
5.0

Amazing food Cool wine list Inventive cocktails Top notch service Great dining space

Dec 13, 2024
on Google
3.0

Food was okay. Price to quality & creativity ratio is lacking. Was probably much better when it first opened but has since lost it's lustre. Unfortunate. Price is around 120$-140$ per person for three services & some drinks.

Nov 8, 2024
on Google
5.0

Came for MTL á Table promotion - a wonderful evening! This was high level cooking in a style I didn`t know, sub-Saharan African specialties & inspiration. The servers were warm, professional, knowledgeable & courteous. The atmosphere was cozy but not cramped with music that was not too loud & convivial. & the food was great - every dish came out perfectly, beautifully presented, delicious even though it was unfamiliar (part of the appeal). From the dual eggplant with watercress foam stew appetizer through the cooked banana with light chocolate & biscuit dessert, all was done to perfection. My main course (Palette of Bon Boeuf low-temperature beef, lacquered with tomato juice flavoured with curry & turmeric, butternut squash purée, potato cromesquis, marinated zucchini roll) was amazingly tender & delicious. Artful & satisfying, we will be back! An additional thanks for using warm serving plates, which kept the delicious hot food warm without rushing through it! It`s a sign of a good restaurant that knows what it`s doing. Highly recommended!

Nov 7, 2024
on Google

Great food & great atmosphere. The staff was very nice, unfortunately the service was a bit slow, it might have been simply a one off night.

Nov 3, 2024
on Google

Fantastic find while in town on vacation! Service was on point & the food was unique & very delicious. Cozy space for a cute date night

Nov 1, 2024
on Google

Food is excellent,

Oct 27, 2024
on Google