Greenspot Celebrates 75 Years of Classic Montreal Dining
Greenspot on Notre-Dame Street in St-Henri will celebrate its 75th anniversary. This iconic dining establishment has long been a staple of Montreal’s food scene. Having passed by countless times, I finally decided to step inside one recent Saturday morning, where I was warmly greeted by manager Dany Medeiros (no relation to our MtlRestoRap publisher).
The original Greenspot was located across the street at the corner of Greene and Notre-Dame Ouest. In 1989, the restaurant moved to its current location but maintained the original 1947 décor. Today, co-owners Nick Ioannidis, Louis Stavropoulos, and Stellios Kiliaris continue the legacy.
Stepping into Greenspot feels like walking onto a movie set. The diner features a few counter stools and enough vintage vinyl booths to seat about 140 guests. Each table has its own jukebox—though they no longer function, some patrons still drop in coins out of nostalgia. Music is now provided through a Bell satellite feed.
Greenspot’s menu is extensive, starting with breakfast served from 5am to 11am on weekdays and 7am to 2pm on weekends. I ordered pancakes with syrup, eggs benedict, hash browns, bacon, and fruit. Service was impressively quick. Before I left, Dany sent me home with a smoked meat sandwich, which I enjoyed later—cold and delicious.
The menu goes far beyond breakfast, offering pizzas, submarines, assorted sandwiches, Italian specialties, salads, burgers, hot dogs, brochettes, steak, seafood, deli items, and a variety of poutines.
Dany explained that Greenspot’s clientele includes everyone from students and retirees to families. Conveniently located near Lionel-Groulx Metro and Atwater Market, the restaurant attracts a diverse crowd. On the morning I visited, a Westmount resident enjoyed breakfast with his son—it was his first visit back after 18 months, and when the $26 bill arrived, he left a $100 tip.
Before the pandemic, Greenspot didn’t offer delivery. “We used to turn down every delivery company,” said Dany. “But when COVID hit, we had no choice. Take-out and delivery exploded in popularity, and even now, while our dining room is full, take-out and delivery remain strong.”
Chef Denis Vavougios, a cornerstone of the restaurant, has been opening Greenspot at 3:30 each morning for 45 years.
Restaurant Greenspot is located at 3041 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest. Opening hours are 5am to 10pm Monday, 5am to 11pm Tuesday to Thursday, 5am to 1am Fridays, 7am to 1am Saturdays, and 7am to 10pm Sundays. Delivery is free for orders of $15 or more before tax through their own portal (www.greenspot1947.com), Uber Eats, Skip, or DoorDash. You can also call 514-931-6473 or 514-932-2340.
