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Montreal’s Extreme Food Underground: A Two-Day Gourmet Dare

This is a food-first itinerary for an adventurous gourmet explorer, built only around the supplied Montreal recommendations. Expect very rich portions and several raw or rare preparations: beef tartare, lamb tartare, ra…

2 daysUpdated 16 highlights
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Travel inspiration for Montreal’s Extreme Food Underground: A Two-Day Gourmet Dare

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Travel inspiration behind this plan

Exposing Canada's STRANGEST Foods!! Watch on YouTube Canadian Food that will Kill You!! Watch on YouTube

Plan notes

Useful context before you go

This is a food-first itinerary for an adventurous gourmet explorer, built only around the supplied Montreal recommendations. Expect very rich portions and several raw or rare preparations: beef tartare, lamb tartare, raw liver, horse tartare, horse tataki, and seal tataki. Ask about preparation, ingredients, and availability before ordering, especially for the raw dishes. The featured prices are historical reference points from the source material, so confirm current menus and prices directly. Pace the stops across two days rather than attempting every dish in one sitting.

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Itinerary highlights

What is in this plan

Day 1 — Montreal’s Bizarre Food Underground

Keep this as a deliberately slow tasting day. The route moves from Lebanese butcher-deli specialties to horse, seal, and an elaborate pig-head-and-lobster course. Several dishes are raw, rare, or exceptionally rich, so order selectively and confirm availability.

  1. Abu Elias Boucherie et GrilladeAbu Elias Boucherie et Grillade, 733 Boulevard Cote Vertu Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Start with the calf brain sandwich: cooked brain in pita with garlic sauce, salt, seven spice, black pepper, cumin, lemon, and pickles. The source lists it at $9.50 CAD. A deluxe version adds onion and tomato.

  2. Abu Elias Boucherie et GrilladeAbu Elias Boucherie et Grillade, 733 Boulevard Cote Vertu Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Try the tongue sandwich with lettuce, tomato, hummus, garlic sauce, pita, pickles, lemon, onion, and spices. The source lists it at $9.50 CAD and describes the tongue as tender with a noticeable gaminess.

  3. Abu Elias Boucherie et GrilladeAbu Elias Boucherie et Grillade, 733 Boulevard Cote Vertu Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    The source also features beef tartare, finely minced with onion, pepper, cracked wheat, salt, olive oil, and more bulgur. It is a raw preparation, so confirm that it is available and that you are comfortable eating it.

  4. Boucherie Prince NoireBoucherie Prince Noire, 707 Av. Henri-Julien, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Order horse tartare: hand-minced horse meat mixed with parsley, green and purple onion, pepper, salt, capers, hot sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and guinea fowl yolk. The source lists horse meat at $49.99 CAD per kilogram.

  5. Boucherie Prince NoireBoucherie Prince Noire, 707 Av. Henri-Julien, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Try the horse tataki, made from horse striploin marinated with Dijon mustard, salt, and Nordic seasoning, quickly seared and sliced with olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley. The source describes the sear as adding a steak-like, five-star character.

  6. Caribou GourmandCaribou Gourmand, 5308 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Sample the seal tataki, presented as SeaWolf on the menu. It is paired with sour cream, fried rice vermicelli, sea buckthorn sauce, and mustard seeds soaked in beet juice. The source describes the meat as lean and iron-rich.

  7. Au Pied de CochonAu Pied de Cochon, 536 Av. Duluth E, Montréal, QC, Canada

    The pig-head-and-lobster centerpiece combines pig head, lobster, foie gras, mashed potatoes, lettuce, and gold leaf. The source lists the dish at $350 CAD and describes the pig head as brined, slow-cooked, roasted, chilled, and deep-fried before serving.

  8. Au Pied de CochonAu Pied de Cochon, 536 Av. Duluth E, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Within the course menu, the pig tongue is pan-seared in butter and finished with cider, Calvados apple brandy, veal stock, carrots, pickles, shallots, parsley, and cracked pepper. The source compares the texture to cooked abalone.

  9. Au Pied de CochonAu Pied de Cochon, 536 Av. Duluth E, Montréal, QC, Canada

    The brain-on-toast course spreads pig brain like pâté over toast and finishes it with lemon butter and parsley. It is described as creamy, clean, and luxurious rather than gamey.

Day 2 — Smoked Meat, Smash Burgers, and First Nations Fry Bread

This day focuses on Montreal’s heaviest comfort foods, finishing with a specific First Nations-inspired taco outside central Montreal in Kahnawake. The source describes large portions, so sharing dishes is a practical way to experience the full sequence.

  1. Schwartz's DeliSchwartz's Deli, 3895 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Begin with the classic Montreal smoked meat sandwich: rye bread, mustard, and smoked brisket. The source lists it at $16.95 CAD and notes that the meat is smoked for 8–10 hours, steamed for another 4–5 hours, then sliced to order.

  2. Schwartz's DeliSchwartz's Deli, 3895 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Add the smoked meat poutine: fries, cheese curds, beef gravy, and chopped smoked meat. The source lists it at $15.95 CAD and specifically highlights the rich beef gravy.

  3. Mange Dans Mon HoodMange Dans Mon Hood, 1380 Rue Jean-Talon E, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Order the Cali smash burger: a potato bun, house sauce, onions, lettuce, tomato, two patties, American cheese, and pickles. The source lists it at $9.75 CAD.

  4. Mange Dans Mon HoodMange Dans Mon Hood, 1380 Rue Jean-Talon E, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Try the Ol' Dirty Poutine, made with beef-tallow fries, cheese curds, gravy, cheese sauce, house sauce, onions, gochugaru, and pickles. The source lists it at $14 CAD.

  5. Mange Dans Mon HoodMange Dans Mon Hood, 1380 Rue Jean-Talon E, Montréal, QC, Canada

    If you want the most extreme burger serving, order the Happy Ending: four patties, four slices of American cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. The source identifies it as the restaurant’s oversized signature burger.

  6. Joe BeefJoe Beef, 2491 R. Notre Dame O, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Reserve room for Joe Beef’s deep-fried foie gras Double Down: fried foie gras, smoked cheddar, bacon, gravy mayonnaise, pickled peppers, chives, and maple reduction. The source lists it at $40 CAD and describes it as a rare bucket-list indulgence.

  7. The Rail Coal Fire BistroThe Rail Coal Fire Bistro, 1500 Rte 138 Unit C, Kahnawake, QC, Canada

    Finish at The Rail Coal Fire Bistro with the Indian taco, which the source clarifies is not related to India. It uses fried bread topped with beef chili, lettuce, tomatoes, pickled onions, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. The source lists it at $19 CAD and recommends eating it with a knife and fork rather than folding it.