About
Bar George is British dining at its most exuberant, set within the former residence of Lord George Stephen — a sumptuously preserved Victorian mansion in Montreal's Golden Square Mile, now home to Le Mount Stephen hotel. Richly decorated with carved woodwork, oil paintings, and stained glass, the house is the theatre for a table of prestige, expert mixology, and an atmosphere designed to inspire — a manor bursting with life where every corner, from a sunlit lunch to a late-night cocktail, hums with flavour, energy, and imagination. Opened in 2017 by executive chef Kevin Ramasawmy alongside his mentor Anthony Walsh, the kitchen carries serious pedigree: Ramasawmy, who arrived in Montreal from Mauritius at nineteen, honed his craft at Canoe in Toronto, at Daniel in New York under the eye of Daniel Boulud, and at Maison Boulud at the Ritz-Carlton, while chef de cuisine Donnel English — raised on his grandparents' farm in Grenada — passed through Michelin-starred NoMad in New York before finding a home here. Together they reinterpret classic British flavours through local, seasonal ingredients, in an ever-evolving menu that balances comfort with contemporary savoir-faire.
The cooking is playful, eclectic, and unmistakably grand. Signatures include a Beef Wellington of filet mignon in crust with mushroom duxelles, chestnut purée, and green peppercorn sauce; a lobster risotto with sauce Caroline, makrut lime, and mint oil; a spectacular 53-ounce tomahawk for the table; and a whole roasted fish with sauce Grenobloise — alongside refined plates like scallop crudo with yuzu and tamarind, octopus carpaccio with an "umami bomb," black-truffle agnolotti, and Kaviari caviar served with blinis and all the trimmings. The British wink runs right through the day: a Full English breakfast, a black-pudding Benedictine and butler's steak-and-eggs at weekend brunch, Devils on Horseback and the BG pâté en croûte among the bar bites, fries with the chef's mom's curry sauce, and desserts that swing from a classic île flottante and rum baba to Quebec strawberries with lemon balm and a soft Quebec cheese with truffle honey. A two- or three-course lunchtime table d'hôte (around $45–55) makes the grandeur surprisingly accessible.
The cellar, curated by sommelier Jonathan Emmanuel Gouri under the motto "un monde à partager," is a destination in its own right — crowned by a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2026. The list roams from Burgundy grands crus, Barolo, Brunello, and super-Tuscans to a fascinating page of orange wines from Slovenia, Georgia, and Catalonia, old vintages of Château Musar from Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, sweet rarities like a 1995 Clos Joliette Jurançon and Château d'Yquem, and a champagne library running from grower gems (Ulysse Collin, Tarlant, Frédéric Savart) to Krug, Cristal, and Dom Pérignon. The bar matches it with polished signature cocktails — the Deluxe Old Fashioned marrying Zacapa 23 rum and amontillado sherry, the Lemon Caper Martini, or the extravagant Velour built on Don Julio 1942 — plus a thoughtful non-alcoholic list, Quebec craft cans from Albion, Le Prospecteur, and Menaud, Japanese sakés, and a deep spirits and bottle-service programme spanning Clase Azul, The Macallan, and Louis XIII.
From grand celebrations to intimate tête-à-têtes, the service is elegant, intuitive, and warm, with an attention to detail that leaves a lasting impression. Steeped in history yet vibrating with the present, Bar George is the kind of address where Victorian splendour, playful British cooking, and world-class drinking come together — an unforgettable table in the heart of Montreal.