Avesta — Restaurant in Montreal

I live next to this restaurant for the past one and half year and every day I see it and I say to myself I wanna try it specially there is this old lady on the window baking fresh bread and looks so tempting.

So I finally went there, deco is amazing, staff are very friendly and looks clean and seemed very comfy. Menu choices looks wow and very well selected and prices are very reasonable specially I came from Middle East and I know how things should taste and I can tell about the quality (from menue pics, prices and the selection)

We ordered me and my friend feeling so excited. Until that moment I saw from a small serving window to the kitchen the NO NO machine “THE MICROWAVE”.

Luckily I was sitting facing that window and I was still denying that the food is precooked and reheated on orders coz the place doesn’t look like it. Every restaurant has a microwave I know so it can’t be it.

We ordered : 2 different type of Kufta (grilled meat on fire as described), 2 borek (cheese and Spinach pastry) and muhammara as appetizer.

So I started observing the routine of serving and the making of orders specially mine and some other tables in good intentions just to convince myself they don’t reheat our food.

And of course I was wrong they do reheat everything you eat from grilled meat , appetizers, pastry, rice, vegetables !!! And just in-front of your eyes !!!!

So I asked the waitress : do you use the microwave for everything ? She said : no only rice and appetizers and bla bla bla and she laughed. For me that was it !! Me and my friend was planing to have dessert so we cancelled. My friend insisted to have tea coz Turkish tea is very good and they won’t mess with it that’s for sure. Then again we were wrong the tea was made so basic from a kettle nothing more. Although behind the service station on the entrance they are misleading customer by showing the very well known Turkish tea pot over the stove in the making, but actually it’s just fake.

The food tastes 50% from what it should be. If you are a foody person and knows about middle eastern food you can tell it’s not fresh and it just looks better than what it tastes. The meat was dry and the pastry was a bit gummy. Obviously the price is good for precooked meals. I won’t come back again the city is full of good Turkish and middle eastern restos. Don’t be mislead by the old lady baking fresh bread on the window. Thank you :)

Ps: I have added a pic of the service window and...

A Taste of Tradition: Turkish Culinary Gem in the Heart of Downtown Montreal

In the bustling heart of downtown Montreal, there’s a Turkish restaurant that has quietly stood the test of time since 2006. Amid the city’s fast pace and modern distractions, this spot offers a rare and authentic taste of tradition.

The moment you walk in, you're greeted by the sight of a woman at work, expertly rolling out dough by hand—an image straight out of a Turkish kitchen. She’s been with the restaurant for decades, and her quiet dedication sets the tone for what’s to come: fresh, handmade dishes rooted in time-honored techniques.

The space itself is modest in size but full of soul. Traditional Turkish décor and artwork bring warmth and cultural depth to the interior, creating an atmosphere that feels both familiar and transportive. On select evenings, the addition of live music further enhances the experience, blending sound and flavor in the most inviting way.

What truly sets this restaurant apart is the unmistakable sense of care in every dish. Each plate is made to order using top-quality ingredients—no shortcuts, no compromises. The flavors are rich and comforting, evoking memories of meals lovingly prepared by a grandmother’s hands.

The standout dish during our visit was the manti, a Turkish classic. These delicate, hand-folded dumplings were absolute perfection—tender, flavorful, and finished with a velvety yogurt and butter sauce. It’s the kind of dish that silences a table, if only for a moment of pure appreciation.

We ended our meal with the quintessential pairing of Turkish tea and lokum (Turkish delight), the final sweet note to a deeply satisfying and memorable experience.

This is not just a restaurant—it’s a celebration of heritage in the middle of downtown. A true hidden gem for those seeking authenticity, warmth, and a culinary connection...

My wife and I were walking around Ste. Catherine and Atwater when hunger suddenly struck us. I decided to Google, restaurants near me , and a list came up on my phone. One restaurant on the list caught my eye. A Turkish restaurant named Avesta. The description sounded interesting and different, so we decided to try it.

The décor is very simple yet made me feel like I was entering an eatery in Istanbul. There was a lady in the front window preparing by hand a very interesting food item and baking a thin bread on top of a convex shaped oven.

We started with an appetizer called Muhammara which is ground red peppers with walnuts, olive oil and garlic. WOW, absolutely delicious. For the main course my wife ordered the Tavuk Kebab which consisted of a perfectly spiced moist and tender chicken on a skewer with rice, chickpeas, grilled veggies and a salad. I chose the Beyti Kebab which had lamb and beef wrapped in Lavash house bread with rice, chickpeas, grilled veggies, yogurt and a salad. Both plates had very generous portions and were mouthwateringly good. We finished with some Turkish tea.

Service throughout was friendly and efficient and the prices were quite reasonable for downtown Montreal.

For a real Turkish treat I would highly recommend this...