An ambitious renovation of an old townhouse on Bishop Street, transformed the space in a contemporary restaurant, La Montée. The restaurant, that can seat 140 guests, consists of two dining rooms and an exterior terrace on the ground floor, a space for private events and the kitchen on the second floor and administrative space, coatroom and restrooms on the lower level.

The design of the restaurant shows ékm’s commitment to working with the existing, while at the same time searching for new ways of animating and updating the space.

The objective of the proposed plan was to bring the dinner guests into the heart of the evenings’ experience. The guests enter between the bar and the glazed wine rack in the middle of the space. Curved walls envelop the guests and direct their views to the terrace, and to the cityscape of downtown Montreal. The interior and exterior curved banquettes were custom designed.

The project was completed in a short time span and with a limited budget. Nonetheless, the building has been able to respond to the demands of the restaurateurs seeking a functional and economical space, and to the demands of dinner guests looking for a culinary experience in a welcoming, comfortable and above all, elegant environment.