Best late night eats

1. Picasso (1900 Ste-Catherine W., 989-7755) Open until 4am

2. Club Sandwich (1570 Ste-Catherine E., 523-4679) Open 24hrs

3. La Belle Province (481 Ste-Catherine W., 288-1736) Open until 4am

4. Euro Deli (3619 St-Laurent, 843-7853) Open until 4am

5. Angela (1662 de Maisonneuve W., 933-2000) Open until 5am

Best breakfast

1. Eggspectations (198 Laurier W., 278-6411; 1313 de Maisonneuve W., 842-3447)

2. Beauty's (93 Mont-Royal W., 849-8883)

3. Chez Cora (various locations)

4. Picasso (1900 Ste-Catherine W., 989-7755)

5. Cosmos (5843 Sherbrooke W., 486-3814)

Best pizza

1. Pizzédélic (various locations)

2. Pizza Hut (various locations)

3. Euro Deli (3619 St-Laurent, 843-7853)

4. Amelio's (201 Milton, 845-8396)

5. Buona Notte (3518 St-Laurent, 848-0644)

Best poutine

1. La Belle Province

2. Lafleur

3. McDonald's

Honourable mention: Patati Patata, Club Sandwich, Green Spot, Valentine, Harvey's.

Based on the top two choices for Best Poutine, Montrealers are partial to that truly lustworthy fast food delicacy offered by both La Belle Province and Lafleur: the squeaky poutine. Cheese curds chewier than tootsie rolls, so dense not even molten lava could melt them. (Rumour has it they are made with hypermilk, drawn from a breed of supercows.) Bite into a forkful and the curds bite back: first they resist the power of your jaws with all their might, and then, when they finally submit, their ripped, flesh squeaks as it rubs against the enamel your teeth, releasing the exquisite sharpness that can only come from aged cheddar. There's a party going on in your mouth, and everyone's invited.

Best souvlaki

1. Arahova (256 St-Viateur W., 274-7828)

2. Kojax (various locations)

3. Villa du Souvlaki (5347 Sherbrooke W., 489-2039)

4. Souvlaki Georges (6995 Monkland, 482-0040)

5. Tie: Zorba (2175 Ste-Catherine W., 933-8412); Marathon (3938 Notre-Dame W., 681-7385)

Best falafel

1. Amir (various locations)

2. Monsieur Falafel (3750 St-Laurent, 843-7482; 415 Mont-Royal E., 499-0010)

3. Basha (930 Ste-Catherine W., 866-4272; 2140 Guy, 932-6682; 1202 Ste-Catherine W., 393-3970)

4. Fattouch (3673 St-Laurent, 499-9093)

5. Sara (4449 St-Laurent, 843-9014)

Best mussels

1. Maestro S.V.P. (3017 Masson, 722-4166; 3615 St-Laurent, 842-6447)

2. Tie: Milos (5357 du Parc, 272-3522); La Moulerie (1249 Bernard W., 273-8132)

Best fries

1. McDonald's

2. Lafleur

3. Frite Alors! (5235A du Parc, 948-2219; 1562 Laurier E., 524-6336; 433 Rachel E., 843-2490)

4. Tie: Grano (3647 St-Laurent, 840-9000); La Belle Province (various locations)

5. Saloon Café (1333 Ste-Catherine E., 522-1333)

Best burger

1. Harvey's

2. La Paryse (302 Ontario E., 842-2040)

3. Burger King

4. Mister Steer (1198 Ste-Catherine W., 866-3233)

5. Shed Café (3515 St-Laurent, 842-0220)

Best buffet

1. La Stanza (6878 Jean-Talon E., 256-9674)

2. Buffet Maharaja (1175 Crescent, 876-8968)

3. Vichy (6406 Sherbrooke E., 253-5650)

4. Le Commensal (various locations)

5. Buffet Mandarin (1240 Stanley, 871-8099)

Best French

1. Les Halles (1450 Crescent, 844-2328)

2. L'Express (3927 St-Denis, 845-5333)

3. Chez Georges (1155 Sherbrooke W., 288-6181)

4. Mitsou

5. That sexy girl who lives across the street from me... Mélanie

Best Italian

1. Eduardo's (404 Duluth E., 843-3330)

2. Tie: Buona Notte (3518 St-Laurent, 848-0644); Il Sole (3627 St-Laurent, 282-4996); Le Latini (1130 Jeanne-Mance, 861-3166)

3. Tie: Mediterraneo Grill & Wine Bar (3500 St-Laurent, 844-0027); Wienstein & Gavino's (1434 Crescent, 288-2231)

Best Indian

1. Bombay Palace (2051 Ste-Catherine W., 932-7141)

2. Buffet Maharaja (1175 Crescent, 876-8968)

3. Golden Curry House (5210 St-Laurent, 270-2561)

4. Taj Mahal (5026 Sherbrooke W., 482-0076)

Best Caribbean

1. Pick's (5155 de Maisonneuve W., 486-1857)

2. Curry House (6892 Victoria, 733-0828)

3. Rainbow-ites Restaurant & Bar (5345 de Maisonneuve W., 486-9496)

Best Chinese

1. Zen (1050 Sherbrooke W., 499-0801)

2. V.I.P. (1077 Clark, 861-1943)

3. Hot & Spicy (Le Faubourg, 937-6000; 7373 Décarie, 731-1818)

4. Tie: Kam Shing (6767A Côte-des-Neiges, 731-1401); Buffet Mandarin (1240 Stanley, 871-8099)

5. Kim Foo (990 St-Antoine W., 871-1515)

Best sushi

1. Soto (3527 St-Laurent, 842-1150)

2. Koji's Kaizen (4120 Ste-Catherine W., 932-5654)

3. Katsura (2170 de la Montagne, 849-1172)

4. Mikado (368 Laurier W., 279-4809; 1731 St-Denis, 844-5705)

Best Mexican

1. Mexicali Rosa's (1425 Bishop, 284-0344)

2. Carlos & Pepes (1420 Peel, 288-3090)

3. Zaziummm (1276 Laurier E., 598-0344; 51 Roy E., 844-0893; 4524 du Parc, 499-3675)

4. Chi-Chi's (various locations)

5. Casa de Mateo (440 St-François-Xavier, 844-7448)

Best soup Tonkinoise

1. Pho Bac (1016 St-Laurent, 393-8116)

2. Cristal De Saigon (1068 St-Laurent, 875-4275)

3. Tie: Pho Viet (1663 Amherst, 522-4116); Pho Bang (790 St-Laurent, 954-2032)

Best vegetarian

1. Le Commensal (various locations)

2. Café Santropol (3990 St-Urbain, 842-3110)

Best bagel

1. St-Viateur (263 St-Viateur W., 276-8044)

2. Fairmount (74 Fairmount W., 272-0667)

3. Bagel Place (Le Faubourg, 1616 Ste-Catherine W., 931-2827)

4. R.E.A.L. Bagel (4940 Queen Mary, 737-8841; 6160 Côte-St-Luc, 484-3323)

Best bakery

1. Maxies (4843 Van Horne, 733-5383; 5800 Cavendish, 489-9013)

2. Pain Doré (various locations)

3. Chez Gaumond (3725 Wellington, 768-2564; 2001 Victoria, St-Lambert, 466-8600)

4. Salerno (2411 Charland, 384-9142)

5. Patisserie Belge (3485 du Parc, 845-1245)

Best smoked meat

1. Schwartz (3895 St-Laurent, 842-4813)

2. Bens (990 de Maisonneuve W., 844-1000)

3. Dunn's (892 Ste-Catherine W., 866-4377)

4. Nickels (various locations)

5. The Main (3864 St-Laurent, 843-8126)

Best local brew

1. Boréale Rousse

2. Any Cheval Blanc microbrew

3. St-Ambroise

4. Tie: Maudite; Fin du Monde

5. Tie: Belle Gueule; Blanche de Chambly

Best terrasse

1. Thursday's (1449 Crescent, 288-5656)

2. Café Santropol (3990 St-Urbain, 842-3110)

3. Le St-Sulpice (1680 St-Denis, 844-9458)

4. Foufounes Électriques (87 Ste-Catherine E., 844-5539)

5. Hôtel de la Montagne (1430 de la Montagne, 288-5656)

Best café

1. Second Cup (various locations)

2. Shed Café (3515 St-Laurent, 842-0220)

3. Café République (various locations)

4. Presse Café (930 Ste-Catherine W., 395-4416)

5. Tie: Café El Dorado (various locations);

Brûlerie St-Denis (1587 St-Denis, 286-9159, 5252 Côte-des-Neiges, 731-9158)

Best homard festival

1. Red Lobster (various locations)

2. Homard-Plus (10500 Gouin W., 685-5400; 3600 St-Martin W., 688-7107)

3. Desjardins (1175 Mackay, 866-9741)