Perhaps unsurprisingly for a French-speaking city, crepes are another great option, and Montreal boasts an amazing spot for 100% buckwheat Breton-style galettes. At Crêperie du Marché, a bustling stall at Jean-Talon Market, cooks turn out a dedicated gluten-free menu of lacy galettes with both savory and sweet fillings. It’s a personal choice, but we like the cheeky selections that mix both: ham, cheese, eggs, potatoes, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Why not?
Nearby is cheery, quirky Cantine Panella, a dedicated gluten-free bakery and café run by the Peruvian chef Alessandra Perona. Her South American sensibility means breads are made with flours like quinoa, cassava, and sweet potato, which gives them a delightful chewiness. We like to stock up on a few of these to bring home, though they sometimes don’t last the drive.
Chicken
Of all Montreal’s classic foods, rotisserie chicken might be my favorite. At Québécois-style rotisseries it’s slow-roasted on a spit and accompanied by gravy; at Portuguese spots it’s often spatchcocked and grilled over charcoal, then served with piri-piri sauce. In both cases gluten sometimes spoils the fun: Traditional establishments like the legendary Chalet Bar-B-Q and Portuguese eatery Ma Poule Mouillée both use wheat flour in their sauces. No matter—these are far from your only options.
At Rôtisserie Coco Rico, a Plateau institution open since 1970, the chicken is spit-roasted and served with GF piri-piri in a mélange of the two dominant local styles. On the side fries from a dedicated GF fryer are among the city’s best (and this is a city with great french fries), but don’t sleep on the roasted potatoes, full of savory chicken flavor.
More refined, and representing the French Canadian tradition, is Little Italy’s Rôtisserie La Lune, from the team behind überpopular restaurant and wine bar Mon Lapin. Gorgeous, plump birds are served with rich gluten-free gravy and excellent fries that come from a blessedly dedicated fryer. The same fryer is also responsible for the unbelievable Croqu’Ailes Farcies XL, which are deboned chicken wings stuffed with more chicken and deep-fried. Every meal here should start with these. But the kitchen has an equally deft hand with seasonal salads and veggie-focused sides—almost always gluten-free and an essential counterweight on the table.
