{"id":496685,"date":"2026-02-24T16:56:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/496685\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T16:56:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:56:08","slug":"lexpress-a-beloved-and-iconic-montreal-institution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/496685\/","title":{"rendered":"L\u2019Express: A Beloved and Iconic Montreal Institution"},"content":{"rendered":"

L\u2019Express is an iconic Montreal institution and one of the best French restaurants in the city. A table known to all, this address is a true classic, celebrated for its impressively consistent cuisine \u2014 a distinction that earned it a Bib Gourmand in spring 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Tremblay, Colette Brossoit, Pierre Villeneuve and two silent investors opened L\u2019Express on December 19, 1980 (!) on Saint-Denis Street. The restaurant is also part of our list of Montreal institutions<\/a>. Pierre and the late Colette came from the theatre world and, at the time, Saint-Denis was a lively and highly frequented cultural artery.<\/p>\n

They wanted to open a restaurant where people could dine after the theatre \u2014 but above all, a place where everyone would feel comfortable. Stage technicians and leading actors alike were meant to feel equally at home.<\/p>\n

L\u2019Express was therefore created with this idea of conviviality and social inclusion at its core. To this day, the restaurant offers starters, daily specials and main courses at reasonable prices; the same philosophy applies to the wine list, where glasses and bottles offer some of the best value in the city. L\u2019Express features two wine lists: a \u201cRegular Wine List\u201d and a \u201cParallel Wine List.\u201d<\/p>\n

The original owners, however, opened the restaurant with little real experience in hospitality. At first, Colette worked in the kitchen and Pierre served as ma\u00eetre d\u2019 in the evenings. The menu was simple, yet even without a clearly defined offering, guests flocked in. After a few successful months, they could no longer keep up with the pace and had to restructure. They placed an ad looking for a chef; in October 1982, Jo\u00ebl Chapoulie<\/a> applied and was hired. For more than 30 years, he delighted L\u2019Express guests with carefully crafted plates that were always deeply satisfying.<\/p>\n

It is thanks to Chef Chapoulie that we have today\u2019s menu. If you visit, you must try the bone marrow, chicken liver mousse, steak tartare<\/a>, veal kidneys, ravioli, veal liver with tarragon or the steak frites<\/a>. Regulars also enjoy the daily and seasonal specials that change with market arrivals. Everything here is made in-house \u2014 except the bread! From pickles prepared twice daily to the unique sauces accompanying each dish, L\u2019Express puts tremendous care and love into every plate.<\/p>\n

In January 2016, following Chef Chapoulie\u2019s well-deserved retirement, the talented Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Vachon took over the kitchen, ensuring the house\u2019s very high standards were maintained. In early 2025, he announced his departure, warmly thanking the entire L\u2019Express team \u2014 both kitchen and dining room \u2014 as well as its loyal clientele before leaving to \u201ctake on new challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since March 5, Marc-Antoine Lacasse has taken the reins of the kitchen. Guests may recognize his work from Stonehaven Le Manoir, a member of the prestigious Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux association. A graduate of the ITHQ, Marc-Antoine has also worked at Toqu\u00e9! under Normand Laprise and at La Cabane Au Pied de Cochon with Martin Picard.<\/p>\n

While many guests have remained faithful since 1980, the team itself is also one of the most stable in the city.<\/p>\n

The d\u00e9cor has also played a key role in the restaurant\u2019s success. Designed by the late architect Luc Laporte, the space of this elegant French brasserie is exemplary. Chef Chapoulie once said: \u201cArchitect Luc Laporte created a fantastic setting of remarkable classicism; you can\u2019t do better in this style \u2014 everything is perfectly balanced.\u201d One can only agree. The fully open dining room creates a unique atmosphere. The 15 counter seats allow guests to dine solo<\/a> or as a couple with lively energy, while the 60-seat dining room offers just the right touch of elegance.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who grew up coming here now return with their children \u2014 we have a new generation, it\u2019s wonderful! The atmosphere at L\u2019Express is unique. Some people come covered in paint after moving into a new place; others stop by before their wedding, after the theatre, before an event, after a birth. We\u2019re one big family, and I think guests feel that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s owners \u2014 Pierre Villeneuve, Mario Brossoit, H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Dansereau and Marc-Olivier Gavina (who became a partner and general manager in 2024) \u2014 give the restaurant tremendous care, ensuring its recognized quality remains intact while keeping it current. You don\u2019t come here to be dazzled by originality, but to savor perfectly executed classics.<\/p>\n

While most Montrealers have dined at this address, few know the secrets behind the establishment. Here are a few things to know about the restaurant L\u2019Express on Saint-Denis Street:<\/p>\n

L\u2019Express opened its doors on December 19, 1980. Since then, this Saint-Denis institution has made a name for itself around the world. At the time, the owners were Colette Brossoit, Pierre Villeneuve, and Fran\u00e7ois Tremblay. Today, the restaurant is managed by H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Dansereau, Mario Brossoit, Marc-Olivier Gavina, and, more discreetly, Pierre Villeneuve.
\nFor more than 30 years, chef Jo\u00ebl Chapoulie led the kitchens at L\u2019Express and built an impeccable menu. From 2016 to March 2025, chef Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Vachon headed the brigade. Early in his career, Jean-Fran\u00e7ois worked at L\u2019Express under chef Chapoulie. Knowing the philosophy of the house well, he understood exactly how to preserve its standards and continuity.
\nL\u2019Express is reassuring. The menu changes very rarely\u2014customers would never want their favorite dishes altered. It has become a permanent source of comfort: classic, untouchable, timeless. People come from everywhere to enjoy a great meal at L\u2019Express in its lively atmosphere. That said, the dishes listed on the small cards slipped into the side of the menus change regularly, among other reasons to satisfy regulars who don\u2019t want to eat hanger steak or calf\u2019s liver five times a week. \u201cEven so, customers always choose the classics!\u201d The most popular dishes? \u201cAll of them\u2026 chicken liver mousse, marrow bones, beef tartare, hanger steak, calf\u2019s liver, \u00eele flottante, etc.\u201d As for us, we come here for the hanger steak, calf\u2019s liver, kidneys, and marrow bones.
\nThe sorrel soup and chicken liver mousse, among other dishes, have been on the menu since the very beginning!
\nBack in the day in Montreal, dishes like marrow bones or hanger steak were not commonly found; it was Jo\u00ebl Chapoulie who introduced them to L\u2019Express.
\nToday, the L\u2019Express team numbers just over 70 people\u2014true professionals who do their work impeccably and put their whole hearts into it. New team members generally integrate easily, aware of how fortunate they are to work in such a prestigious and sought-after establishment.
\nThe d\u00e9cor was designed by the late Luc Laporte, one of the great architects of his time. If L\u2019Express is an institution because of the place itself, it is also because Luc Laporte created a remarkable, classically inspired setting. It is hard to do better in this style\u2014everything is balanced, just right. The d\u00e9cor is part of the restaurant\u2019s signature. L\u2019Express has a unique soul.
\nThis beautiful interior has changed very little over the years; it has simply been refreshed. The ceilings, however, were once beige. Because customers smoked so heavily at the time, the restaurant eventually decided to repaint them\u2014keeping the color that had developed from years of cigarette smoke! Thanks to its history and distinctive style, L\u2019Express has become one of the most beautiful restaurants in Montreal<\/a>.
\nInstead of placing a sign high above the entrance, the architect designed one of the first signs integrated into Montreal\u2019s heated sidewalk, directly in front of the restaurant. The sign is therefore at ground level\u2014perhaps a humble gesture from L\u2019Express.
\nThe restaurant seats 75 guests, including 15 at the counter. The counter is an integral part of the house\u2019s French brasserie spirit.
\nWhat keeps customers coming back and makes the restaurant an institution? Consistency, atmosphere, hospitality. Add to that a loyal clientele and staff, long opening hours that mean you can almost always stop by\u2014like an elevated public service, open nearly all day, 364 days a year. There\u2019s the energy in the air, the overall ambiance, the sense of teamwork, the comforting menu and all its elements. Not to mention the magnificent wine lists at very reasonable prices.<\/p>\n

Note: During the holiday season, L\u2019Express is open on December 24<\/a> (lunch only), December 31<\/a>, and New Year\u2019s Day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For all these reasons, this establishment proudly ranks among Montreal\u2019s must-visit addresses.<\/p>\n

\n Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
 Photography by Alison Slattery
\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n

\n Updated on February 24, 2026<\/p>\n

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