Colombia · CONMEBOL
Colombia Is in the World Cup. The 3 Best Colombian Restaurants in Montreal.
Three group games. Three Colombian-leaning tables. From a Saint-Denis arepa kitchen to a Plateau Latin café, where Montreal eats when Los Cafeteros play.
Published
Colombia qualified for the 2026 World Cup after reaching the Copa América final in 2024 and rebuilding around a James Rodríguez who has found a second wind. Los Cafeteros run their attack through Luis Díaz on the wing and a midfield that has finally settled. The group is friendly. The bracket is open. A round-of-sixteen exit is the baseline and a semi-final run is the dream.
Montreal's Colombian community is small but the cooking has carved a strong corridor along Saint-Denis, Saint-Laurent, and Prince-Arthur. Arepa counters are the centre of gravity. Latin cafés cover the lunch and pastry trade. Family-run sit-down rooms are growing. The Sunday brunch crowd is the tell.
These three rooms cover the day. L'Arepa Country for the proper Colombian arepa lunch. Arepera for the bigger family-friendly dinner. Café Bella Moda for the coffee-and-empanada stop on the way to anywhere. The aji will be hot. The cumbia will be playing.
Three group games. Three Colombian-leaning tables. Pick one per match.
The three picks
L'Arepa Country
Plateau · 4319 R. Saint-Denis, Montréal, QC H2J 2K9, Canada
Venezuelan-Colombian arepas on Saint-Denis, made on the press and filled the way they should be. Reina pepiada with chicken and avocado, carne mechada with slow-cooked beef, the cheese-and-egg morning order. The room is small and friendly. Cash and card both work. Lunch and weekend brunch are the busy windows. The aji sauces are made in-house and matter.
Arepera
Plateau · 73 Rue Prince-Arthur E, Montréal, QC H2X 1B4, Canada
Bright Venezuelan-Colombian arepa room on Prince-Arthur, with a menu that covers vegan, meat eater, and gluten-free without compromising any of them. The Pabellón arepa is the standard order. Tequeños and yuca fries hold the side. Plantain juice is the unusual drink that works. Lunch is fast. Dinner fills with families.
Café Bella Moda
Plateau · 4150 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2W 1Y8, Canada
Chilean-owned Latin café on Saint-Laurent serving lomito sandwiches, empanadas, and pastel de choclo when the season runs. The coffee is South American strong. The pastry case rotates. Walk-in and quick. Built for the work meeting that becomes a lunch. Not specifically Colombian, but the pan-Latin counter that South American Montrealers walk into without thinking.
Frequently asked questions
Where do Colombian Montrealers actually eat?
The Colombian community is one of the larger South American populations in Montreal, spread across the Plateau, Côte-des-Neiges, and Saint-Michel. Arepa counters and Latin cafés cover the city. Family-run sit-down rooms are growing year over year.
What should I order on a first visit?
Arepa reina pepiada or pabellón, an empanada de carne, a fresh limonada de coco, and a tres leches cake to finish. If a bandeja paisa is on the menu and you have an appetite, that is the plate.
Where to watch Colombia play during the 2026 World Cup?
Colombian match days bring out yellow-and-blue crowds along the Plateau and Côte-des-Neiges. Arepa counters fill early. Latin cafés on Saint-Laurent and Prince-Arthur run screens. The crowd will not be quiet.
Will Colombia go far in 2026?
Colombia reached the 2024 Copa América final and have one of the deepest CONMEBOL squads in years. James Rodríguez is the experienced engine. Luis Díaz and Jhon Durán add pace and finish. A quarter-final run is realistic. A semi-final is plausible.