Before summer departs Montreal, I am trying to squeeze in as many al fresco breakfasts, lunches, and dinners as possible. Here is a short guide to 3 of my favourite terraces that you should visit before dining outside becomes a thing of the past and scurrying from car to restaurant in your North Face parka becomes the new reality :S.

Opened for breakfast lunch and dinner, Café Parvis’ terrace is the perfect place to enjoy a delightful meal outside. This dynamic and delicious spot downtown features a terrace covered with lights right in front of the restaurant. Dine on adorable round marble-top tables and look over at the beautiful St. James church just steps away. Their market fresh and vegetable-focused menu is ideal for a light summertime meal, and their diverse selection of pizza’s is sure to please just about anyone! Parvis’ brunch is also a must. Order their breakfast pizza with a latte and don’t forget your iPhone because their plates are always insta-worthy.

Mediterranean Pizza

Sangria

Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

Grilled Cauliflower

Grilled Chicken with Corn and Tomatoes

Margherita Pizza and White Pizza with Pistachio Pesto

I recently blogged about my delicious meal at Hà, but wanted to emphasize how beautiful their terrace is in the summertime. The picnic-style tables, lush plants, and hanging lights create a warm (almost magical) vibe on a summer night. For more details on the food, check out last weeks post HERE!

After a fire forced Damas to relocate, they are finally up and running at their new location. Rave reviews by The Gazette’s Lesley Chesterman enticed me to check out their new digs in Outremont and aside from the delicious meal, I was equally blown away by the exotic middle-eastern décor and 40-person terrace surrounded by a garden of red chili peppers.

If you’re not in the mood for wine, I highly recommend ordering a cocktail. Each has a Syrian flair. The apricot cocktail tastes as if you are sipping on pure apricot purée, and the mojito with pomegranate seeds was refreshing and minty.

The menu features many items from the grill as well as bright colourful plates-  dishes that ought to be enjoyed outside. Their fattouch salad is sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and crispy pita chips and is seasoned perfectly. This is the only fattouch salad I’ve had in Montreal thus far that hasn’t left me feeling like I just ate an entire onion like an apple. We ordered a couple of Hot Mezzes to start: Akhtabout- a warm octopus and cilantro salad and Sharhat- filet mignon deglazed with lemon, garlic, and aleppo pepper. The filet mignon was tender, well-seasoned, and served with roasted tomatoes, potatoes, and hummus- I definitely recommend this plate. The octopus was light and refreshing- an excellent dish as well. The waiters came around with pita that had me questioning whether I had reached heaven- warm, soft, and best dipped in their homemade hummus!

For the main, we shared the Fattet Mozat- a fall-off-the-bone lamb shank served on a bed of rice with nuts, and yogurt. No knife necessary. We had trouble choosing our main, so the waiter told us to close our eyes and point because there is no one better than the next- I was skeptical at first, but after polishing off each dish, I see why. I will be back to sample the rest of the menu…next time saving room for dessert.