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$ | Old Montréal |
Undoubtedly the most strikingly beautiful coffee shop in Montréal, perhaps even in North America, Crew Collective & Café is housed inside a former 1920s-era bank that's fitted with 50-foot-high vaulted ceilings, intricate tiling, and bronze chandeliers. It's no wonder Forbes named it of the five most beautiful co-working spaces in the world. The café doubles as a co-working space for Web start-ups, so it’s only fitting that patrons be able to order their coffee and nibbles directly online, in real-time, without ever having to queue. Expect barista-approved brews, gourmet sandwiches, and an appetizing range of baked goods, including vegan, soy- and nut-free options. Be sure to go before 4 pm, as the cafe closes at 4 on weekdays, and 5 on weekends.
360 rue Saint-Jacques, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 1P5, Canada
Known For
- Architectural, lavish space
- Curated coffee beans
- Cold brew
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$$ | Outremont |
The self-proclaimed "un coin perdu de Paris" is famous for its wraparound patio, Parisian vibe, an 100-year-old corner building featuring stained glass and woodwork, an art deco chandelier, and an art nouveau bar. Although this is a full bistro serving three meals every day of the week, it shines brightest in the morning. Order the croissant with almond paste (increasingly hard to find in Montréal as most local patisseries and cafés make croissants with almond cream only) while nursing a large bowl of café au lait.
5200 rue Hutchison, Montréal, Québec, H2V 4B3, Canada
Known For
- Charming setting
- Croissant with almond paste
- Opens early and closes late
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$ | Old Montréal |
You'll want to keep coming back again and again to this adorable little gourmet convenience store and café with its mint-green facade and single origin coffee. Le Petit Dep proudly stocks local products, including prêt-à-manger soups, salads, and comfort foods such as chili, pasta, and vegan shepherd's pie. There are also mouthwatering home-baked goods and candy in bulk. There is a second Old Montréal location at 461 rue St-Sulpice.
179 rue St-Paul Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 1Z5, Canada
Known For
- Prêt-à-manger meals
- Delightful setting
- Delicious sweets
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$$ | Old Montréal |
Influential types arrive at lunchtime en masse for a table at this bustling bakery and sandwich shop where vegetables are organically grown in a nearby garden and fresh crab is flown in for salads. Crowd pleasers include Le Cubain panini (pancetta, roasted pork, Gruyère with lime, cilantro, and chipotle) and the vegan sandwich with chickpea and harissa spread, pickled beets, creamy sauce, and minty slaw. Baked goods are also consistent winners.
351 rue St-Paul Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2A7, Canada
Known For
- Organic produce
- Affordable sandwiches
- Popular brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner
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$ | The Plateau |
This small and tastefully decorated bakery is, simply put, a Montréal treasure. Locals come from all over the city to pick up delicious desserts like lemon tarts and Paris-Brest that taste as good as they look. Pâtisserie Rhubarbe also serves a delightful afternoon tea every Friday from 2 to 5.
1479 av. Laurier Est, Montréal, Québec, H2J 1H8, Canada
Known For
- Afternoon tea
- Paris-Brest
- Long wait for a table
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed., Reservations not accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | The Plateau |
You simply haven't really eaten in Montréal if you haven't eaten at Schwartz's, Canada’s oldest deli. This Montréal classic has zero frills décor-wise, yet crowds have been coming since 1928 for a thick and legendary smoked-meat sandwich on rye with mustard. The cooks do such an excellent job at curing, smoking, and slicing beef brisket that even when it's 20 below zero, locals (and celebrity visitors) endure the consistently long lines. Try to avoid lunch and dinner hours, as the wait is particularly long. If you're in a rush, use the takeout counter next door.
3895 boul. St-Laurent, Montréal, Québec, H2W 1X9, Canada
Known For
- Local institution
- Sandwiches with smoked meat marinated in herbs and spices
- Long wait for a table
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$ | The Plateau |
Even New Yorkers have been known to (collective gasp!) prefer Montréal's light and crispy bagel to its bulkier Manhattan cousin, due to the dough of the Montreal version being boiled in honey-sweetened water before baking in a wood-burning oven. St-Viateur Bagel & Café is a great place to get them, especially with smoked salmon. For a novel experience, try the rosemary and sea salt version. Be sure to check out St-Viateur's original location at 263 St-Viateur Ouest, where the bagel-magic has been happening since 1957. That venue does not have a dining area, but you can pick up bagels fresh out of the oven until midnight.
1127 av. Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, Québec, H2G 1X9, Canada
Known For
- Delicious bagels
- Classic and creative options
- Local favorite
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$$ | Westmount |
A favorite among vegans, celiacs, and vegetarians—and even omnivores—Montréal's first vegan restaurant serves comfort food dishes and beverages that are creative and delicious—not to mention packed with vitamins. A large chalkboard holds specials of the day. Try the gigantic sandwiches, such as the Sirocco (grilled eggplant and hummus), which comes on chapati bread, or for something a little earthier, go with the Dragon bowl, a crowd favorite of steamed bok choy, organic rice, tempeh, marinated veggies, and tamari sauce. Don't forget to order the "uncheesecake" for dessert.
4896 rue Sherbrooke O., Montréal, Québec, H3Z 1H1, Canada
Known For
- Dragon bowl
- Vegan cheesecake (gâteau fauxmage)
- Vegan- and celiac-friendly
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$ | The Plateau |
The mastermind behind this photogenic bakery had been making bread for Montréal's best restaurants for years before he decided to open up his own place. His own shop is a favorite with locals, who line up every weekend for fresh baguettes. In addition to serving a delicious rye and caraway seed loaf and chocolate babka, Hof Kelsten also makes sandwiches like homemade gravlax with seasoned cream cheese or chopped liver with crispy onions that make for an excellent lunch or early evening meal (the shop closes at 5 pm). The bakery serves brunch on weekends.
4524 boul. St-Laurent, Montréal, Québec, H2T 1R4, Canada
Known For
- Chocolate babka
- Jewish cuisine
- Panettone
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$$ | Old Montréal |
There's no need to cross the pond to find perfectly battered fish and delicious chips, as they can be found right here in Old Montréal. The cod is a staple, but the salmon dipped in beer batter is also a menu favorite, and for a Canadian touch, try the haddock covered in golden maple syrup batter. Vegetarians will appreciate the smoked tofu in chipotle batter and there's gluten-free available as well. End your British experience with the new deep-fried Oreo dessert. Wine and a range of beers are also served. This long, narrow restaurant hustles during weekday lunch.
433 rue McGill, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2H1, Canada
Known For
- Fish-and-chips
- Maple syrup batter
- Popcorn shrimp
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$ | Downtown |
Aficionados are willing to wait for a seat at this small café, where the foam on your latte or café au lait is artfully arranged in waves, hearts, or curlicues. The delicious coffee is imported from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, and elsewhere via the famed 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters in Vancouver. Patrons can choose alternatives to dairy milk, such as soy, almond, and oat. Don't drink coffee? Try the molten hot chocolate or the homemade iced tea. Baked goods are sourced from six different local bakeries, all of which are delicious. Myriade now has a second, Instagram-worthy Downtown location inside the Club Monaco store at 1000 Ste-Catherine Street West, and even a third one at 4627 rue St-Denis in the Plateau.
1432 rue Mackay, Montréal, Québec, H3G 2H7, Canada
Known For
- High-quality coffee
- Latte art
- Photogenic location
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$ | Mile End |
Locals line up outside the window of this shoebox-sized joint, sandwiched between ice cream shop Kem CoBa and Fairmount Bagel, to get their fix of Nonna Caterina Gattuso's gnocchi topped with her famous Calabrian tomato sauce. It's served in a little cardboard take-out container and costs only C$5. Die hards can purchase 750 ml. jars of Salsa della Nonna for C$10 or a one-liter jar of Gnocchi della Nonna, also for C$10. Olive oil and a few other sauces are also available for sale.
68 av. Fairmount O., Montréal, Québec, H2T 2M2, Canada
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$$$ | Old Montréal |
The cocktail menu originally put this hip bistro on the map, drawing crowds for creative martinis (think cucumber and basil), and now the food holds its own. The house specialty is tartares—the menu lists four variations of marinated raw fish—and heaps of grilled meat, fish, or tempeh served on wooden chopping blocks. Young partiers are attracted to the cafeteria-style tables, where they mingle over ginger-beer cocktails, soups, salads, and tapas.
211 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 1T4, Canada
Known For
- Tartares
- Lively crowd
- Inventive cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | Little Italy |
This lovely little bakery, which magically transports its patrons (or at least, their tastebuds) to Italy, specializes in the cornetto, the Italian version of the croissant. Freshly baked every morning, these delightful pastries are available plain or filled with Nutella, ricotta cream, or almond paste. The traditional cannolis, filled with a light and sweet ricotta cream, are also delicious. Those who prefer savory bites should, however, try the speck and stracchino (a mild, fresh Italian cheese) sandwich on homemade focaccia.
6528 boul. St-Laurent, Montréal, Québec, H2S 3C6, Canada
Known For
- Nutella cornetto
- Traditional cannoli
- Stracchino sandwiches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Old Montréal |
This elegant patisserie is housed in a historic, beautifully renovated three-story graystone in Old Montréal. Baskets of buttery brioches and flaky croissants await, and the prominent pastry display holds rows of seasonal fruit tarts and classic French desserts like mille-feuilles (made of delicate layers of puff pastry and airy vanilla-scented custard) and Paris-Brest (made of choux pastry and a praline-flavored cream). The acclaimed pastry chef here, Christian Faure, is the recipient of France's highest culinary honor, Meilleur Ouvrier de France. A pastry school takes up space on the upper floors, while the ground floor is dedicated to various delectable take-out or eat-in sweet and savory options. There are two other locations, one in Westmount and one downtown.
355 Place Royale, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2V3, Canada
Known For
- French-style pâtisseries
- Historic building
- Acclaimed pastry chef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed., Reduced hours due to pandemic; takeout only.
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$$ | Downtown |
If you're in the mood for a big, nourishing, market-fresh salad served in a colorful ceramic bowl in a pastel setting, Mandy's is the place to go. Choose from among 15 different varieties of salads, such as the Habibi salad with quinoa, parsley, mint, chickpeas, roasted sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and feta, mixed with tahini dressing; the Clean Green with basil, cilantro, mint, broccoli, cucumber, edamame, purple cabbage, green onions, and pumpkin seeds, garnished with tamari dressing; or the Crunchy Sesame with romaine lettuce, mixed greens, avocado, mandarin oranges, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, crunchy noodles, and toasted sesame seeds with the Asian sesame vinaigrette. If you don't believe that a meal can be a meal without meat, there are several options that do include meat. For a business that started out in the back of a women's clothing boutique and now has several locations throughout town, Mandy's has come a long way. There's a second location downtown on McGill College, as well as ones in Westmount, the Old Port, and Mile End.
2067 rue Crescent, Montréal, Québec, H3G 2C1, Canada
Known For
- Nourishing salads
- Attractive setting in soothing colors
- Always fresh ingredients
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$ | Mile End |
It may be in the heart of trendy Mile End, but this "phyllo bar" looks like it was transported directly from Athens, with food arriving on checkered cobalt-blue wax paper. The spanakopita, with a perfect crunchy exterior, makes for an excellent lunch on the go, as does the Melina sandwich, with its spicy feta spread, kalamata hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, and graviera. Another must, the bougatsa, is a warm custard-filled phyllo pastry with cinnamon. It's all about takeout here, though warm temperatures allow for two tables out front.
5733 av. du Parc, Montréal, Québec, H2V 4H2, Canada
Known For
- Bougatsa pastry
- Vegan and vegetarian eats
- Takeout Greek
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$ | The Plateau |
The compact bakery serves some of the best croissants in Montréal, but the specialty here is the eponymous kouign amann, a multilayered butter and sugar cake originally from Brittany. The aroma of freshly baked bread is alluring to say the least and the passion for pastries is evident and sometimes demonstrated by perfectionist owner Breton Nicolas Henri. In fact, if he sees you eating your croissant the "wrong" way, Nicolas will even suggest the proper way to eat it—broken in half so you can bite through the many layers; according to him, it tastes better that way.
316 av. du Mont Royal Est, Montréal, Québec, H2T 1P7, Canada
Known For
- Kouign amman
- Perfect croissants
- Tiny gem
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$ | Verdun |
Pick up a pastry to go at the counter or choose one of the plated desserts to enjoy on-site at Patrice Pâtissier, a beautifully designed pastry shop and lunch spot, overseen by one of Québec's most renowned pastry chefs. The almond cream with seasonal fruits is luscious and will certainly please those following a gluten-free and/or vegan diet. The chef's kouign amann (a French sugar and butter layered dessert from Brittany) is delicious, as is the maple financier—a nutty-tasting, brown butter cake.
2360 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H3J 1N4, Canada
Known For
- Frozen pistachio and passion fruit "lollipops" in summer
- Kouign amann
- Celebrity chef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed.
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$$ | Chinatown |
Groups of students and other budget-conscious connoisseurs of hearty chows crowd the tables at this hole-in-the-wall restaurant for traditional Chinese jiaozi, or soup dumplings, just like they make them in northeast China, with a price that's right: just C$12 for 15 dumplings. Demand is high for the lamb-and-coriander dumplings; the boiled shrimp, leek, and egg version; and the fried dumplings with chicken and curry. There are also several varieties of vegetarian dumplings, including tofu and vegetables, zucchini and vegan "salami," cabbage and vegetarian Texas sausage, or pumpkin. Service can be a bit slow, but it's worth the wait. Cash only. There is another location downtown at 1675 boul. de Maisonneuve O.
1019 boul. St-Laurent, Montréal, Québec, H2Z 1J4, Canada
Known For
- Soup dumplings
- Cash only
- Affordable eats
