Centre Eaton de Montréal has opened Les Terrasses, Espace Restos, a beautifully reimagined food hall on the Tunnel level of downtown Montréal's most visited shopping destination. Honouring the legacy of the original Les Terrasses complex that stood on the same site from 1976 to 1987, this vibrant new space features 12 carefully curated vendors, sustainable design, and a warm communal atmosphere perfect for locals and visitors alike.
Some names carry a city's memory long after the buildings themselves are gone. For Montréal, "Les Terrasses" is one of them.
Between 1976 and 1987, the original Les Terrasses complex at 705 Sainte-Catherine Street West was one of the most architecturally distinctive shopping experiences in the country. It was a triangular spiral of colour-coded floors, lush greenery, and 140 stores that felt almost impossibly ambitious for its era.
When the building was demolished and eventually reimagined as the Montréal Eaton Centre in 1990, the name faded from everyday use, but never quite from memory.
Now, in February 2026, that name has returned. This time, it lives on as a thoughtfully designed food hall on the Tunnel level of Centre Eaton de Montréal, inviting a new generation of downtown visitors to gather, eat, and linger.
What is Les Terrasses, Espace Restos?
Les Terrasses, Espace Restos is a fully reimagined culinary destination occupying the Tunnel level of Centre Eaton de Montréal. The entire floor has been redesigned from the ground up, making way for 12 curated food vendors, generous seating, and a design aesthetic that bridges the warmth of the original complex with the clean, bright sensibilities of contemporary urban spaces.
As Laurence Duhamel, Senior Leasing Director at Centre Eaton de Montréal (JLL), put it:
"The Tunnel level has been completely reimagined and redesigned. The food hall features 12 carefully curated vendors while maintaining ample seating capacity to accommodate busy lunch-hour crowds."
The space is designed to serve the full rhythm of downtown life, from the lunchtime professional grabbing a quick bite, to the weekend shopper pausing mid-afternoon, to the first-time visitor discovering Sainte-Catherine Street.
A food lineup built for diverse tastes
The first phase of Les Terrasses launched with a strong mix of well-known quick-service and fast-casual concepts, covering a wide range of cuisines and price points. Here's what's open now:
| Vendor | Cuisine | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Thai Express | Thai | Customizable dishes with bold flavours |
| Subway | Sandwiches | Build-your-own subs and wraps |
| A&W | Canadian burgers | Quality-focused beef and root beer |
| Poke Monstre | Hawaiian/Japanese | Build-your-own poke bowls |
| Jugo Juice | Health-focused | Smoothies, juices, and wraps |
| Bento Sushi | Japanese | Bento boxes, sushi rolls |
| Edo Japan | Japanese | Teppanyaki-style grilled favourites |
A second phase is scheduled for fall 2026, adding four more vendors to round out the lineup:
- Hurry Curry – Indian-inspired comfort food
- Basha – Lebanese classics
- Shanghai 360 – Chinese cuisine
- Grillades Torino – Grilled meats with a European flair
Designed to honour the past while building something new
The architectural vision for Les Terrasses was led by Montréal firm LemayMichaud, with a deliberate nod to the site's heritage.
The original Les Terrasses was celebrated for its natural light, indoor plants, and flowing spatial layout. Those same qualities informed the new design, even as the footprint and function evolved considerably.
Partner Architect Anne-Marie Bouliane described the vision this way:
"We wanted to create a lively and welcoming destination, both an urban oasis and an animated gathering space where light and greenery interact with the vibrant energy of the Centre Eaton de Montréal and downtown Montréal. The friendly atmosphere offers a nod to the former Les Terrasses while reimagining them for today's visitors."
Sustainability was embedded into the design process from the start, reflecting the Centre's evolving role as a responsible urban anchor. The result feels considered rather than corporate.
Part of a richer dining ecosystem
Les Terrasses fits into a broader culinary landscape that Centre Eaton de Montréal has been building steadily. Within the same building, diners can choose from:
- Les Terrasses, Espace Restos – casual, fast-service options across multiple cuisines
- Time Out Market Montréal – a curated food market featuring some of the city's best restaurant concepts
- Île de France and Le French Line – elegant 9th-floor dining rooms set within the original Eaton's building, with rich Art Deco architecture
For visitors planning a full day on Sainte-Catherine Street, the range of dining options now spans everything from a quick poke bowl to a proper sit-down French experience, all without leaving the building.
Bath and Body Works returns with more space
Adjacent to the new food hall, Bath and Body Works has reopened with a significantly expanded footprint of 5,048 square feet.
The store's full range includes:
- Shower gels and body lotions
- Body mists and hand soaps
- Candles and diffusers
- Exclusive and seasonal collections
Its return alongside the food hall adds another anchor to what is shaping up to be a refreshed and energized corner of the Centre.
A downtown hub worth building your day around
Centre Eaton de Montréal is one of the most connected shopping destinations in Canada. Here's what makes it a practical base for any Montréal visit:
- Nearly 22 million visitors annually
- Direct access to McGill metro station and the new REM McGill station
- Gateway to Montréal's famous underground pedestrian network
- Close to 125 stores and restaurants
Major retailers in the building include Uniqlo, Decathlon, Sephora, Samsung, Nike, Lululemon, Aritzia, Boss, Tissot, and B2, among others.
For travellers, this concentration in one location means efficiency without compromise. You can eat, shop, and connect to the rest of the city seamlessly.
Where old Montréal meets a new table
The return of the Les Terrasses name carries quiet significance beyond a standard retail announcement. For a city as architecturally and culturally self-aware as Montréal, naming this new food hall after a building many residents still remember is a deliberate act of civic memory.
The original Les Terrasses was demolished before it had truly run its course, a casualty of shifting retail economics in the late 1980s. This reimagined version doesn't try to recreate what was lost. Instead, it takes the spirit of that original gathering place and translates it for the way Montréalers and visitors actually live and move through the city today.
With the first phase already open and four more vendors arriving by fall, Les Terrasses, Espace Restos, has the foundation to become one of downtown Montréal's most practical and pleasurable daily stops. Whether you're a local catching a quick lunch, a digital nomad settling in for the afternoon, or a traveller making the most of a few days on Sainte-Catherine Street, there's something genuinely welcoming about a space that takes the act of eating together seriously. Good food, thoughtful design, and a little bit of history overhead. That's a combination worth seeking out.
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