My Montreal Travel Guide | Fashion Et Moi

Hello and welcome to my Montreal travel guide!

Having lived in Montreal for a year and having completely fallen in love with the city, I thought it was only right that I share a round up of "my Montreal". These are the places I frequented on a weekly, monthly or just generally regular basis when I lived there. Of course, most of these tips are food related - Montreal does have a hell of a lot of restaurants - and to be honest, other than vintage shopping, that is where my passion lies. Before we get on with the post, I just want to say what an awesome city Montreal is. I utterly loved living there but it's a real grower so I would definitely recommend spending at least a week in this incredible city to get a real feel for the place.

I hope you enjoy it - grab a cup of tea because it's a long one!

ST VIATEUR BAGELS VS FAIRMOUNT BAGELS

The best place for…bagels!

'St Viateur or Fairmount?' is the question on everyone's lips when the subject of bagels arises in Montreal. This of course refers to the two most famous bageleries in the city - St Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel, named after the streets on which they are located. We lived smack bang in the middle of the two and I honestly can't pick a favourite of these Mile End establishments. I mean, it depends on what I fancy. Fairmount Bagel has a larger selection, with more sweet options like blueberry and chocolate chip and they also do an amazing multigrain bagel. However, St Viateur gets my vote when comparing the classic sesame bagel. Theirs are slightly bigger and pretty much always hot from the oven.

FIND IT: St Viateur Bagel - 263 Rue Saint Viateur Ouest | Fairmount Bagel - 74 Avenue Fairmount Ouest

LOLA ROSA

The best place for...vegetarian food.

I have already written a full review of Lola Rosa on Fashion Et Moi but I simply could not write a post all about ‘My Montreal’ without including my favourite vegetarian restaurant. It was the first place we ate out in Montreal, one Friday night in late September after a week of painting our new flat, and honestly we are obsessed with this place. Lola Rosa prides itself on being the favourite veggie restaurant for non-vegetarians and having taken almost every visitor there – whether meat eater or not – it is always a total hit. We know our way round the menu pretty well by know so here’s what I recommend. Start with a signature cocktail – I always go for the Gin Cucumber but they have some interesting ones like ‘T’es qui Lola?’, which, being a play on the word tequila, is their take on a margarita. Alongside, you have to order a starter of nachos because they are without doubt the best I have ever had. Then for main course, it is a tough choice. During our early visits to Lola Rosa, we often opted for the burrito, which is stuffed with spicy sweet potato puree, black beans and mozzarella and I would highly recommend this if you want to stick with the Mexican theme. Alternatively, I absolutely love the Cajun Burger, which is a sweet potato patty with a fried onion ring and sautéed vegetables served with fries and spicy mayo (although swap your normal fried for chickpea ones – they are so tasty!). There is so much good stuff on the menu that multiple visits are certainly required!

FIND IT: 4581 Avenue du Parc | 545 Rue Milton

CAFE OLIMPICO

The best place for...coffee and cake.

Café Olimpico is the place to be in the Mile End on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Located on the corner of St Viateur and Waverly, Olimpico’s suntrap terrace is the perfect place to have a coffee and catch up with friends. If you walk along St Viateur on the weekend, you’ll see the Olimpico crowds spilling out of the door onto benches or standing up if there is no space. This hipster Italian café serves great coffee, a variety of teas and a smashing hot chocolate, famously made of Nesquik! Make sure you grab some homemade cake or a biscotti too – the marble cake was always a firm choice but at just $2 a piece, why not try a few?

FIND IT: 124 Rue Saint Viateur Ouest, Montreal

Ah Eva B! This incredible Montreal institution will always have a place in my heart as this is where I worked during my time in Canada. Boutique Eva B is an enormous vintage and second hand clothing store and café combined, located near Place Des Arts on Boulevard Saint Laurent. The outside is not easily recognisable as a shop – it is covered in graffiti art and if you are standing across the street you’ll see a mannequin dressed as Michael Jackson holding a baby doll out of the window. Yes, it is one of the craziest places you’ll ever visit but that’s the charm of it. With hundreds of random objects hanging from the walls and ceilings and rails upon rails of second hand clothing, don’t think it is unusual to be overwhelmed. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to properly explore this café-come-boutique, which spans two floors and a terrace during the warmer months. On the ground floor you’ll find a wide selection of women’s and men’s vintage clothing, arranged by colour and categorised by item. Upstairs there is more vintage, a section dedicated to costumes and a big room at the back full of contemporary second hand clothing. The prices are pretty cheap too – pick up a vintage dress for $10-15, vintage Levi’s for 20$ or a second hand Zara top for around $5. The café also serves incredibly cheap food – most of it vegetarian and made in house – with main courses costing just $5. I recommend trying a wrap (the fillings change daily) or the veggie dumplings finished off with a $1 chocolate chip cookie, which became a bit of an obsession of mine while working there.

No 900

The best place for...pizza.

After crowning NAP pizzeria in Barcelona the home of the best pizza I have ever tried, I looked for something similar in Montreal and No 900 comes pretty damn close. As with all Neapolitan style pizzas, the dough is slightly crispy on the outside but beautifully soft on the inside and the ingredients they use are wonderfully fresh. As for toppings, No 900 has an interesting selection of both tomato-based and “bianco” pizzas. Lewis and I always chose a margherita with extra ricotta cheese, which cost a mere $9! That is incredibly cheap compared to other pizzerias in the city that charge a minimum of $14 for the same pizza. No 900 have a few locations around the city however it does not feel like a chain. We always went to the branch on Avenue Bernard in Outremont, which has a pretty small but cosy indoor area and a great terrace in the summer months. So, if you’re in Montreal and just fancy a pizza, head to No 900 and you won’t be disappointed.

FIND IT: 1248 Avenue Bernard, Montreal

Check the No 900 website for other locations.

DARLING

The best place for...working.

Darling is the most beautiful café I have ever been to. Big statement, I know! Decked out with plants from ceiling to floor, rich wooden and burgundy tones and the dreamiest lighting, it is just perfect. It is also has such a calm vibe during the day, which made it the ideal place to head to on my days off to get some blogging work done. I would always just order a mint tea and sit there for hours editing or typing away.

FIND IT: 4328 Boulevard St Laurent, Montreal

CAFE JOE

The best place for...cheap brunch.

Serving unpretentious, cheap and tasty breakfast dishes, Café Joe was an instant hit with me. Located in the alternative St-Henri neighbourhood, it was a bus and a metro ride away from our place in the Mile End but it was always worth the journey. They serve everything from simple egg breakfasts (tofu scramble available for vegans) to stacks of pancakes and even poutine so you are bound to find something that takes your fancy. Opt for your choice of two eggs on white, brown or pumpernickel toast and home fries with a side of French toast and maple syrup for dessert for just $9. If you fancy splurging a bit, try the veggie eggs benedict of two poached eggs on an English muffin with spinach, sundried tomatoes and home fries for $12 (still much cheaper than most brunch places in Le Plateau).

FIND IT: 3068 Rue Saint-Antoine Ouest, Montreal

SUMAC

The best place for...falafel.

Unfortunately I discovered Sumac quite late on in my time in Montreal but I had to include it because it is one of the best places I have been in the city. They offer a wide selection of Middle Eastern cuisine but as I am a creature of habit, I always got the same thing. Famous for their falafel, I opted for the falafel plate complete with a mountain of hummus, warm pita bread and a choice of two salads. I chose the fresh berry quinoa salad and a tomato relish, both of which complimented the rest of the plate perfectly. You can also get the same thing packed into a large pita bread, although this is messier to eat…slightly. Head there for lunch during the week followed by a stroll along the nearby Canal Lachine or alternatively for dinner.

FIND IT: 3618 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal