Le Plateau-Mont-Royal

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.

While this upscale restaurant focuses heavily on meat, there's a handful of vegetable-centric sides and dishes. It's one of Montreal's most popular restaurants, and for good reason: The tight menu of traditional Canadian food delivers, as does the attentive staff. Plus, it offers one of the best brunches in the city.