As part of the $200M Esplanade Place Ville Marie revitalization project from owner Ivanhoé Cambridge, Place Ville Marie is set for the January 2020 opening of Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten, an impressive 35,000 ft2 (3,252 m2) food hall showcasing new concepts from established chefs – including the renowned Antonio Park – as well as newcomers on the city’s culinary scene. A5 Hospitality has also tapped former Toqué! and Bistro Mansfield executive chef LIONEL PIRAUX to be the Cathcart’s culinary director.
The new downtown epicurean space will soon provide Montrealers with a unique and varied culinary offering, including 3 full-service restaurants, 9 food counters, two cafés and a biergarten located under PVM’s 650 m2 (7,000 ft2) glass pavilion – an amazing architectural feat created by Sid Lee Architecture in collaboration with Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes. Designed as a public space bathed in light and vegetation, this indoor garden, soon to become a lively meeting place adapted to the ebb and flow of daily life, will offer a festive social experience where people can enjoy good food and drink.
“When we were invited to rethink and redesign the Place Ville Marie food hall, the grand architectural gestures had already been set in motion with the idea of giving back a living space to the workers and residents of the downtown core. With this top of mind, the goal was to create a warm and friendly gathering space with an array of elevated restaurant choices, and everyday affordability, where people would be inspired to return and come together again and again. This led to selecting collaborators who knew how to offer products and concepts that know how to please everyone, explains Alexandre Besnard, founding member of A5 Hospitality group and creator of Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten.”
Below is a list of the different concepts that visitors will get to enjoy at Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten, as well as the chefs and collaborators who will contribute to making it an exceptional Montreal venue.
BIERGARTEN (BEER, WINE, COCKTAILS, SAKE)
Located underneath the glass pavilion, the BIERGARTEN will offer a vast selection of microbrewery beers, carefully curated by the beer expert Stéphane Pilon (founder of Vilains Brasseurs, Broken 7), a wine selection prepared by sommelier Marc-André Nadeau (Jatoba), and a choice of sophisticated cocktails created by Daphnée Vary Deshaies (ex-Foxy). Designed for groups of all sizes, the BIERGARTEN will be an ideal venue for happy hours and other types of gatherings, as the space can be reconfigured for any occasion (i.e. parties, weddings, conferences, etc.). With a monthly entertainment calendar to be announced shortly, the BIERGARTEN is sure to become a must-see hot spot.
Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten will also include 3 full-service restaurants:
AKIO (JAPANESE CANTINA)
Japanese cantina AKIO will serve meals inspired by Osaka street food, including a selection of sushi and charcoal-grilled brochettes. The concept is a collaboration between chefs ANTONIO PARK (Park, Lavanderia, Flyjin, Kampai) and OLIVIER VIGNEAULT (Jatoba, Westwood Bar & Grill, ex-Yuzu).
PIZZA DEL FORNAIO (PIZZERIA)
PIZZA DEL FORNAIO (which translates as “baker’s pizza”) will serve delectable Neopolitan-inspired pizzas from Italian chef FEDERICO BIANCHI (formerly of Bottega Pizzeria).
MIRABEL (BRASSERIE)
The new brasserie MIRABEL will serve simple, elegant, accessible fare morning, noon and night, with chef NICHOLAS GIAMBATTISTO (formerly of Caffe Un Po’ Di Piu and Joe Beef) creating a menu inspired by French and Italian cuisines.
The offering will also include 9 street-food counters:
DIRTY GREENS (SALADS & HEALTHY DELIGHTS)
The DIRTY GREENS counter will offer delicious, hearty salads and other mouth-watering, healthy options. Chef RAEGAN STEINBERG (Arthur Nosh Bar, ex-Joe Beef) is behind this concept.
PATZZI (ITALIAN SANDWICHES)
Patzzi takes gourmet Italian sandwiches to new heights, with a generous array of garnishes and an unexpected blend of flavours concocted by chefs ALEXANDRE COHEN and LUKA LECAVALIER (Arthur Nosh Bar).
CHIKIN (KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN)
Chef MICHAEL LEWIS brings the Miami vibe to Montreal with his new Korean fried chicken counter CHIKIN. Chef Lewis’ Miami restaurant KYU is a James Beard Award-winner for Best New Restaurant, and it also made Bon Appétit magazine’s list of top 10 Miami health-food restaurants.
TULUM TAQUERIA (MEXICAN) & KARMA POKE (POKE BOWLS)
Owned by A5 Hospitality, these banners are currently available at Comptoir Général in Place Ville Marie. Patrons will now get to sample their menus at Le Cathcart.
And finally, Le Cathcart will also feature these established banners:
UNIBURGER (HAMBURGERS, FRIES & MILKSHAKES)
Named Canada’s Best Burger by the website Big 7 Travel, UNIBURGER is chef YOUNES BENGELOUNE’s take on the typical California burger, focusing on fresh, top-quality produce. This new counter comes on the heels of his two existing locations.
OMNIVORE (LEBANESE-MONTREAL CUISINE)
OMNIVORE is known for its revamped Lebanese classics, including grilled meats, fresh salads and original sandwiches. Chefs CHARBEL YAZBECK and AKRAM SLEIMAN first introduced Omnivore in 2010, and Le Cathcart counter will be their third location in the franchise.
MON NAN (CHINESE CUISINE)
MON NAN is a Montreal institution helmed by JOE LEE. The menu will include classic Chinese dishes, including the chef’s famous dumplings and glazed duck.
HÀ (SOUTH-EAST ASIAN CUISINE)
Restaurant HÀ is now a Montreal must, and this latest location will include its signature blend of Mr. Hà’s Vietnamese cuisine and chef ROSS LOUANGSIGNOTHA’s Lao touch. The Cathcart counter will be the chain’s third establishment, joining the Mont-Royal Ave. and McGill St. restaurants.
CAFFÉ VELOCE (COFFEE, PASTRIES & ICE CREAM)
The Cathcart will also feature two CAFÉS, developed in partnership with chef and culinary stylist BLAKE MACKAY (Di Stasio, Bouffe Style Blake).
ABOUT LE CATHCART RESTAURANTS ET BIERGARTEN
As a stimulating space for business lunches, relaxing after-work, happy hours, and animated weekend dinners, Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten stands out with its wide-ranging offering and authentic Montreal atmosphere. More than a culinary experience, Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten is a lively living space with a rich variety of atmospheres, housed in a sprawling 3,252 m2 (35,000 ft2) space that includes a large, natural-light-infused garden thanks to PVM’s 650 m2 (7,000 ft2) glass pavilion, which opens Galerie PVM and Le Cathcart onto the heart of downtown Montreal. Le Cathcart is a new concept created by A5 Hospitality (a Montreal-based restaurant & bar designer and operator) and executed by Sid Lee Architecture (responsible for the major Place Ville Marie public space revitalization project), in consortium with Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes. Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten is part of the broader Esplanade Place Ville Marie revitalization project, which stands as the central component of Projet Nouveau Centre, a $1 billion+ investment from Ivanhoé Cambridge aimed at renewing Montreal’s downtown experience.
OPENING HOURS
Monday to Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday to Saturday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.