Captain B

Montreal has no shortage of restaurants, but six local restaurateurs felt there was something missing from the city's food scene. François Forest had already opened several now iconic bars and restaurants in Montreal, and the timing was ripe for a new project. On a kite surfing trip at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, he met Franco Parreira, who it just so happened, owned an empty space in the up-and-coming neighbourhood of St. Henri. Together they decided the East Coast experience was coming to Montreal in the form of a neighbourhood bar.

When they were declined a permit for a bar at the St. Henri locale, the idea took a new form. It would be a full-on restaurant and tribute to seaside vacations, with dishes, flavours and a feel typical of the East Coast. “We wanted to make it reminiscent of surfing trips in Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Maine and Florida, and serve the type of food that we discovered in those places,” says Charles-Olivier Rioux, co-owner.

With its modern vibe, industrial decor and singular menu, Henri opened its doors in June 2014 and was an instant hit in the area, drawing crowds from near and far to indulge in a taste of the south.