Byblos Le Petit Café

On a quiet stretch of Laurier Street among a line-up of small local shops, you’ll find this gem of a Middle Eastern restaurant. With its authentic Mediterranean decor, classic wood tables and Persian artwork, this family-owned restaurant brings a thousand years of Iranian culture, tradition and cuisine to life, right in the heart of Montreal.

Hemela Pourafzal left Iran to live in France in 1969 and relocated to Montreal in 1987. Although visitors to Iran rave about Iranian cuisine, Hemela couldn't find a place in Montreal to get authentic Iranian fare, with its colourful stewed dishes, ample spices and fresh ingredients. She'd always dreamed of owning a restaurant, and soon, plans were in the works.

Byblos opened on Laurier street in 1989, far before the east side of town had developed into the hub of local shops and restaurants it's known for today. "I hesitated to set up shop over here," says Hemela. "But a tenant of mine said, 'Open it here, you won't regret it,' and I haven't."

At the outset, Byblos was small, a mere half the size it is now. With their bare hands, the family decorated the walls, crafted the tables and installed the countertops. Many of the adornments were brought straight from Iran when Hemela’s brother Hamid emigrated in 1997. It was then that they expanded the restaurant to its present size, with a dozen more tables and the open-air front visitors adore on warm summer days.

Now, morning, noon or night, locals and tourists flock to this award winning and much talked about neighbourhood landmark for a taste of Tehran in one of Montreal's most popular districts.