If there’s one food that Montreal does exceptionally well, it’s poutine. Whether you take yours classic (aka, with cheese curds and gravy) or piled high with fixings, the city is a great spot to dine on the classic Quebec dish.
And while there are plenty of poutine restaurants in Montreal to choose from, there is perhaps none more iconic than this Plateau Mont-Royal spot.
Open since 1968, La Banquise is a legendary Montreal comfort food spot that’s become an institution in the city. Located at 994 Rue Rachel E., just steps from Parc La Fontaine, the casual restaurant is known for its huge selection of poutine.
Originally opened as an ice cream shop, founder Pierre Barsalou, a local firefighter, transformed the store into a 24-hour snack bar in the fall of 1968.
The restaurant first began serving poutine in the 1980s, with classic and Italian versions available. Due to its popularity and repeated customer requests, the variety of poutines on offer here has multiplied exponentially.
Open 24/7, the restaurant features a complete menu of comfort food items including juicy burgers, club sandwiches and more, all of which can be enjoyed with a locally crafted beer.
The main star here, though, has to be the poutine. The restaurant serves over 30 different kinds of poutine, with everything from classic iterations to out-of-this-world creations.
Diners can go with The Classic, which comes with the essential trio of fries, gravy and cheese curds. But if you want to go all out, the menu has plenty of loaded options piled high with everything from bacon and ground beef to mushrooms, onions and hot-dog sausages.
Some of the restaurant’s more creative offerings include The Elvis, which is topped with minced steak, peppers and mushrooms, and The Matty, which combines bacon, peppers, mushrooms and onions. There’s also The Savoyard, featuring bacon, onions, Swiss cheese and sour cream.
For something particularly over-the-top, you can explore options such as the T-Rex, which is topped with ground beef, pepperoni, bacon and hot dog sausage, or the out-of-this-world UFO, which comes with vegan cheese, a veggie corn dog, pickle, and an onion ring.
There’s also The Rachel, The Scooby, The Shoot-Out and plenty of other creative combinations — which is part of what has made La Banquise such a famous destination for poutine lovers visiting Montreal.
And while poutine is obviously the main attraction, La Banquise has plenty of other options if you’re dining with someone who isn’t in the mood for cheese curds and gravy.
Also on offer here are several kinds of burgers, hot dogs, salads, sandwiches, and extras like mac and cheese bites, pogos, fries and onion rings.
La Banquise also has an extensive drink menu, with craft beers, maple cola, ginger soda, lemonade and even kombucha.
Whether you’ve worked up an appetite while wandering around Montreal during the day, you’re craving a massive plate of poutine after midnight, or you’re looking for somewhere to eat in the early hours of the morning, you pretty much can’t go wrong at La Banquise.
Just be prepared for a potentially busy experience — the restaurant is popular with both visitors and late-night crowds, and lines can form during peak times.
Still, if you want to experience one of Montreal’s most famous poutine destinations, it’s hard to beat a spot where you can choose from more than 30 varieties and satisfy your cravings 24 hours a day.
La Banquise
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Poutine/snack bar
Address: 994 Rachel St. E., Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: If you haven’t tried this iconic Plateau poutine spot that’s become a local institution, you absolutely need to add it to your foodie bucket list.
Home to snack bar classics and over 30 different kinds of poutine, it’s sure to satisfy any cravings — late night or otherwise.
La Banquise Menu