Montreal Specialty

Crew Collective & Café is one part public coffee shop and one part coworking space for local creatives. The building itself—housed in the ornate former Royal Bank headquarters—is reason enough to visit. The speedy Wi-Fi and strong matcha lattes are two more.

There are several European-style markets across Montreal, but Jean-Talon is one of the best known, as well as the largest. Open since 1933, the market shines year-round: In summer, stalls overflow with fresh fruit and produce from local farms and fresh seafood from the Gaspésie region; in winter, you can buy every imaginable maple treat (fudge, taffy, syrup, you name it). A few of our favorites include Havre aux Glaces for unusual sorbets like masala chai, lattes at Café Saint-Henri, and Quebec cheese at La Fromagerie Hamel.

Montreal residents are about as fanatical about their smoked meats as they are about their bagels. Lester's owner Billy Berenholc has reigned supreme over this corner of Barnard for sixty years and is a total neighborhood fixture who knows everyone’s name. Lester’s version of the ubiquitous medium-fat, smoked-rye sammy is called the Cadillac, and that—washed down with a beer and several spoons of mustard—is the perfect introduction to the expansive menu of smoky briskets, pickles, and breads for a first-timer.

Bagels in Montreal are something of a point of pride—locals take them very seriously, and there's some debate about what spot is truly the best. A top contender? Fairmount (its "rival" is nearby St-Viateur), which was opened in 1919 by a Russian immigrant named Isadore Shlafman. Both spots sell fresh ones twenty-four hours a day. What makes these bagels different than the bagels you'll find elsewhere is both their size (they're smaller than the ones you'd find in, say, New York) and their sweetness—likely thanks to the addition of honey or malt syrup. There are several flavors on offer, from blueberry and chocolate to whole wheat and onion, but no matter whom you ask, sesame is the most popular. A tip: Bagels are sold in a pack of six and can last in the freezer for up to a few months should you want to take them home.

Come for the signature sandwich—smoked meat piled atop chewy, house-made rye bread and finished with golden mustard—and stay for the old-school setting (Schwartz's has occupied the same spot since its founder Reuben—a Jewish immigrant from Romania—opened the doors in 1928). The brisket is marinated in spices and herbs for a full ten days prior to entering the smoker, no chemicals added. If in doubt when ordering, the fail-safe method is to point at another diner’s plate, but for the brisket aficionados out there, the sandwiches come lean, medium, or fatty—we recommend medium for that sweet spot of crispy edges and tender meat.

Although this bakery has only been churning out their specialties—crusty French baguettes, lightly sweet challah, and fluffy panettone (to name a few)—for only a few years, it's become an institution in the city. Owner Jeffrey Finkelstein's talent for what he does is both evident in his incredible breads and pastries (he's said he adds a "Jewish twist" to everything he bakes) and resume, which includes positions as both The French Laundry and Per Se. A great spot to grab a coffee and pastry to enjoy at the communal table. (Note: the buttery, fluffy scrambled eggs are worth trying.)

Tucked into Mile End, this is the kind of hole-in-the-wall that might stop you in your tracks once you spot it (see: the limeade exterior, hot-pink steps, and a line that wraps around the block). Homemade soft-serve and sorbet are the things to order here, and what they're really known for are their inventive flavors, like coconut-mango and rose-raspberry, which change regularly. Note: The line moves swiftly, so don't be deterred—and it's cash only.

The bagel scene in Montreal comes down to allegiance, so those who swear by St-Viateur wouldn't go to, say, Fairmount, down the block. A bit of background: The folks at St-Viatuer set up shop in 1957 and have been churning out handmade bagels the same way ever since. Here, bagels are hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, and then cooked in a wood-fired oven that both cooks and flavors the bagel. Their assortment checks all the boxes, no matter what flavor profile you're after: rosemary and sea salt, flax, poppy seed, and, of course, sesame. St-Viateur has locations dotted throughout the city, but the one on Rue St-Viateur Ouest is the OG.

Lauded pastry chef Patrice Demers has created a minimalist dessert haven at his Southwest patisserie, which showcases his incredible skill for creating classic desserts with a twist. The offerings here are a form of art, with finishing touches on, say, a chocolate alpaco with glazed apricots or a buttery Kouigan Amann that are so perfect, you almost don't want to disrupt them with a spoon. Demers and his team also offer baking workshops as well as a limited lunch menu during the week.