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my favorite places in Montreal 🤍

21 items

Rebecca Barton

We’ve only traveled to Montreal twice, but it is the place we chose to get married. 🤍✨ A little list of all of my favorite places that we frequent when we have a chance to go up.

Map

Sections

coffee + cafés

restaurants

hotels

coffee + cafés

Where to fuel up before a day of exploring. Montreal does café culture well — expect beautiful spaces, strong coffee, and an excuse to linger.

Housed in the former Royal Bank of Canada headquarters in Old Montreal — soaring ceilings, marble columns, a grand staircase. It's one of the most beautiful rooms in the city to drink coffee. There's co-working space if you need to get something done...

Crew Collective & Cafe

Hidden behind the restaurant Elena in St-Henri — you have to know it's there. Thirteen seats around a U-shaped bar, electric yellow stools, emerald velvet, fuchsia walls. It's tiny and stylish and feels like a secret. No reservation needed, which is ...

Club Social PS

A Montreal institution in Old Port and worth the hype. The bagel lox with smoked salmon is the thing to order, but honestly everything is good. Get there early — it fills up fast. We also popped into the curated home goods store next door and brought...

Olive et Gourmando

Walking distance from Old Montreal and famous for the chocolate chip cookies — absolutely loaded. The coffee is excellent and the vibe is relaxed, which is rare for a café this well-known. A perfect mid-afternoon stop when you need a break from cobbl...

Café Différance

Minimalist and tucked away on Rue de Gaspé in Mile End. Specialty coffee, Japanese-influenced snacks, industrial-chic space. Open weekdays only, which keeps the crowds down. The kind of place locals don't broadcast.

Le Falco

Old-school Italian café that's been here since the 1970s. Secret family blend, mismatched furniture, soccer flags, and a mix of regulars who've been coming for decades. Open day and night. Not trendy, not trying to be — just good coffee and real neig...

Café Olimpico

restaurants

The real reason to visit Montreal. The food scene here punches way above its weight — French technique, global influences, and a city that takes eating seriously without being pretentious about it.

Need a solid spot for brunch or dinner? The food is memorable and delicious, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the staff was brilliantly funny and kind to a bunch of Americans like us.

Pubjelly

We had our wedding rehearsal dinner here — the private dining room was perfect. Intimate, elegant, and the staff handled everything beautifully. The food matched the occasion. If you're planning something special, this is the place.

Monarque

My favorite restaurant, hands down. A wine bar in Little Italy that's become one of the most celebrated restaurants in Canada — ranked #2 on North America's 50 Best. The menu changes constantly based on what's good that day, the natural wine list is ...

Vin Mon Lapin

If you’re staying in or around Old Montreal, this place is one of our favorites. The atmosphere is cozy, the food is comfortable and unpretentious, and the service was friendly and warm.

Pub Wolf & Workman

Yes, Dandy is on every trendy list for Montreal, but it’s worth the hype if you’re willing to get up early to stand in line for the opening on a Saturday or Sunday morning. If you go, order the pancakes for the table and individual entrees — you won’...

Dandy

Contemporary Italian in a former foundry in Griffintown — soaring ceilings, exposed brick, contemporary art on the walls. The same team behind Le Club Chasse et Pêche and Le Filet. The pasta is exceptional, the wine list is serious, and the space its...

Le Serpent

A chic underground Japanese spot in Old Montreal that transforms after 11pm into something closer to a nightclub. Early evening, it's incredible food — miso black cod, fresh sushi, Asian-fusion cocktails — with a mysterious, moody atmosphere. Later, ...

Flyjin

A Montreal institution housed in a 200-year-old stone building in Old Montreal. Fireplaces, beamed ceilings, romantic lighting — the kind of steakhouse that feels like stepping back in time. They've been doing the same thing for decades: expertly age...

Gibbys

From the team behind Arthurs Nosh Bar — an American bistro with midcentury charm in Old Montreal. Leather banquettes, candlelit marble tables, and a gorgeous courtyard with pétanque. The burger on Hawaiian bread is ridiculous, the blackout cake is ma...

Romies

Another cozy spot to spend a fall or winter evening. The vibe is great, the staff is friendly, and the food is high-quality. All in all, a homey, comfortable spot to warm up.

Bar George

This classic French bistro with high ceilings and a warm, casual environment is great for nearly any occasion — dates, family meals, work lunches. The food impresses while atmosphere remains unpretentious.

Holder

Chef Chuck Hughes' unmarked bistro near the waterfront — you won't find a sign, which is part of the charm. East Coast-inspired, festive atmosphere, dark wood, dim lighting. The jerk crab is legendary, the Bloody Caesar is excellent, and the energy i...

Garde Manger

hotels

Where we've stayed and would stay again. Both are in Old Montreal, which is exactly where you want to be — walkable to everything, beautiful architecture, and easy access to our favorite spots.

Where we stayed for our wedding 🩷 Spread across four heritage buildings right on Place d'Armes, steps from Notre-Dame Basilica. The rooms pay homage to Old Montreal's history — exposed stone, rich fabrics, beautiful architectural details — while sti...

Hotel Place D'Armes

Two 18th-century buildings — including the former home of Montreal's sheriff — merged into one sleek boutique hotel. The design is a mix of historic architecture and modern minimalism, and it works. The rooftop terrace on the 8th floor has stunning v...

Hôtel William Gray

A restored 19th-century warehouse right on the waterfront — exposed brick, original oak floors, casement windows, and views of the St. Lawrence. It feels like a charming European inn, intimate and romantic without being fussy. The rooftop terrace is ...

Auberge du Vieux-Port