Guidebook for Montréal
Parks & Nature
The jewel of Montreal’s city parks is, without question, Mount Royal. This 200-hectare park occupies part of the mountain that lies in the midst of Montreal island, and includes the highest spot in the city (234m).
There are beautiful trails to run/walk/hike (http://www.themainmtl.com/2015/07/a-runners-guide-to-mount-royal-3-scenic-routes/), a 100-foot illuminated cross at the summit, a great lookout over the city, and fascinating events such as the Sunday afternoon tam-tam's, where some 30-50 people gather with hand drums to play together and hundreds of people gather on the slopes to soak up the sun and enjoy the sights and sounds. On Sunday's you can also spot people dressed up in makeshift medieval amor and weapons, often made with cardboard, duct tape and tin foil, going to participate in a mock medieval melee in the woods behind...
Check out this interactive map: http://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/carte/en/
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Monte Royal
The jewel of Montreal’s city parks is, without question, Mount Royal. This 200-hectare park occupies part of the mountain that lies in the midst of Montreal island, and includes the highest spot in the city (234m).
There are beautiful trails to run/walk/hike (http://www.themainmtl.com/2015/07/a-runners-guide-to-mount-royal-3-scenic-routes/), a 100-foot illuminated cross at the summit, a great lookout over the city, and fascinating events such as the Sunday afternoon tam-tam's, where some 30-50 people gather with hand drums to play together and hundreds of people gather on the slopes to soak up the sun and enjoy the sights and sounds. On Sunday's you can also spot people dressed up in makeshift medieval amor and weapons, often made with cardboard, duct tape and tin foil, going to participate in a mock medieval melee in the woods behind...
Check out this interactive map: http://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/carte/en/
Shopping
The two kilometres of Avenue Mont-Royal between Parc and Papineau have some of the most interesting little local shops, cafes, restaurants and bars that you can imagine. You can find similarly excellent selection on St. Denis or St. Laurent between Saint-Joseph and down to Sherbrooke or Rene-Levesque.
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Mt Royal Ave W
The two kilometres of Avenue Mont-Royal between Parc and Papineau have some of the most interesting little local shops, cafes, restaurants and bars that you can imagine. You can find similarly excellent selection on St. Denis or St. Laurent between Saint-Joseph and down to Sherbrooke or Rene-Levesque.
Essentials
The is your typical large grocery store chain. There are also smaller grocery stores closer than this one; you'll see them as you walk to the big one. There's an SAQ across the street from the Provigo so you can top on on some fancier wine than the stuff they sell in the grocery store.
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Provigo
5595 Av de MonklandThe is your typical large grocery store chain. There are also smaller grocery stores closer than this one; you'll see them as you walk to the big one. There's an SAQ across the street from the Provigo so you can top on on some fancier wine than the stuff they sell in the grocery store.
This is a small SAQ with some excellent wines and spirits.
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SAQ Express
940 Avenue du Mont-Royal EThis is a small SAQ with some excellent wines and spirits.
Drinks & Nightlife
This place is one you'll never find on your own... you need to know where to look. :) On St Laurent, on the south-east corner is a small burger and fries place called Patati Patata. One door south of the entrance to this adorable tiny restaurant is a plain brown door. On it, in small gold lettering is the English word, 'BAR' and some Japanese characters. Inside is a dreamy, beautiful bar specializing in Japanese whiskey, with ambiance that makes you feel like you've stepped into a movie. It's worth traveling across town for - and a no-brainer to make the 2 minute walk from the apartment!
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BAR - Big in Japan
4175 Boul. Saint-LaurentThis place is one you'll never find on your own... you need to know where to look. :) On St Laurent, on the south-east corner is a small burger and fries place called Patati Patata. One door south of the entrance to this adorable tiny restaurant is a plain brown door. On it, in small gold lettering is the English word, 'BAR' and some Japanese characters. Inside is a dreamy, beautiful bar specializing in Japanese whiskey, with ambiance that makes you feel like you've stepped into a movie. It's worth traveling across town for - and a no-brainer to make the 2 minute walk from the apartment!
Le Salon Daomé
4465 Boul. Saint-LaurentGood music here
This is the bar with the mounted ostrich heads on the wall. 'nuff said!
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Bily Kun
354 Avenue du Mont-Royal EThis is the bar with the mounted ostrich heads on the wall. 'nuff said!
They have a small, but great terrace out back. In the summer it's a great place to drink and talk.
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Bar Plan-B
327 Avenue du Mont-Royal EThey have a small, but great terrace out back. In the summer it's a great place to drink and talk.
The music is always good here. Sometimes the crowd seems a bit young (for me...). But it's so close to the apartment, you can't go wrong!
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Taverne Les Torchés
74 Avenue du Mont-Royal EThe music is always good here. Sometimes the crowd seems a bit young (for me...). But it's so close to the apartment, you can't go wrong!
Izakaya (traditional japanese pub) in downtown area. The food is delicious, tapas-style dishes and I'm told by one of my Japanese friends that it's quite authentic.
Unique to Imadake are the Sake-bombs: Try them not so much for the taste, but they're so much fun to do! The experience goes like this: your server brings you a shot of sake and a short glass half filled with beer. The shot of sake is balanced on top of two chopsticks on top of the glass of beer. Then a few rounds of cheering/chanting are passed between you and the server - "When I say 'sake' you say 'bomb'" - culminating in fists pounding on the table, shots falling into the glasses, lots of laughter and drinking the resulting concoction.
http://www.imadake.ca
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IMADAKE IZAKAYA
4006 Rue Sainte-CatherineIzakaya (traditional japanese pub) in downtown area. The food is delicious, tapas-style dishes and I'm told by one of my Japanese friends that it's quite authentic.
Unique to Imadake are the Sake-bombs: Try them not so much for the taste, but they're so much fun to do! The experience goes like this: your server brings you a shot of sake and a short glass half filled with beer. The shot of sake is balanced on top of two chopsticks on top of the glass of beer. Then a few rounds of cheering/chanting are passed between you and the server - "When I say 'sake' you say 'bomb'" - culminating in fists pounding on the table, shots falling into the glasses, lots of laughter and drinking the resulting concoction.
http://www.imadake.ca
A club located under the Auberge Saint-Gabriel, to arrive there, you walk down a long old stone hallway lit by dim lanterns - you feel like you are passing through another time - and come out into a trendy, intimate underground club.
http://velvetspeakeasy.ca
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Velvet Speakeasy
426 Rue St GabrielA club located under the Auberge Saint-Gabriel, to arrive there, you walk down a long old stone hallway lit by dim lanterns - you feel like you are passing through another time - and come out into a trendy, intimate underground club.
http://velvetspeakeasy.ca
Food Scene
The food is delicious! It's one of those tiny places I just love the has the kitchen open to the dining area... You'd miss it if you didn't know it was there. Outside there's a plain old sign saying simply, "RESTAURANT" - but it's not just any restaurant!
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Restaurant Bungalow
1279 Avenue du Mont-Royal EThe food is delicious! It's one of those tiny places I just love the has the kitchen open to the dining area... You'd miss it if you didn't know it was there. Outside there's a plain old sign saying simply, "RESTAURANT" - but it's not just any restaurant!
The food here is epic! I love the squid ink pasta and I dream of their crab balls! Another hidden gem, this one is not really nearby, but if you like small, intimate restaurants, you'll love this place. I promise.
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Mile-Ex
The food here is epic! I love the squid ink pasta and I dream of their crab balls! Another hidden gem, this one is not really nearby, but if you like small, intimate restaurants, you'll love this place. I promise.
Their tacos are to die for!!! Amazing.
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Tacos Et Tortas - Mexican resto-bar
51 Rue Rachel OTheir tacos are to die for!!! Amazing.
This is a great brunch place - I love their eggs benedict. And the eclectic decor is super fun to just look at as you brunch...
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Bagel Etc
4320 Boul. Saint-LaurentThis is a great brunch place - I love their eggs benedict. And the eclectic decor is super fun to just look at as you brunch...
Try the House Tonkotsu Ramen. You won't regret it! (It's great as a hangover cure too! *wink* )
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Ramen Ya Restaurant
4274 Boul. Saint-LaurentTry the House Tonkotsu Ramen. You won't regret it! (It's great as a hangover cure too! *wink* )
Exotic decor and incredible seafood in a classy restaurant that turns into an intimate club experience.
http://www.nightlife.ca/2015/06/25/le-soubois-nouveau-resto-speakeasy-en-mode-foret-enchantee-decouvrir-au-centre-ville
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Soubois Restaurant
1106 Maisonneuve Blvd WExotic decor and incredible seafood in a classy restaurant that turns into an intimate club experience.
http://www.nightlife.ca/2015/06/25/le-soubois-nouveau-resto-speakeasy-en-mode-foret-enchantee-decouvrir-au-centre-ville
On the one hand a Japanese restaurant and bar, on the other, a nightclub. At midnight the place transforms into a club with a spectacular light system.
Last time I was there Sydney Crosby was sitting at the bar...
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Café Balance
417 Rue Saint-PierreOn the one hand a Japanese restaurant and bar, on the other, a nightclub. At midnight the place transforms into a club with a spectacular light system.
Last time I was there Sydney Crosby was sitting at the bar...
This place used to be a hidden gem, an intimate dark restaurant with only about 10 tables lit by a huge upside down chandelier, serving incredible seafood (known for the lobster poutine) ... but now that owner Chuck Hughes has had so much television success I find more people from out of town have heard of it. It has been expanded with a larger dining area in the back, but the experience and the food is still amazing.
Chuck Hughes, as everyone knows, is the Montreal restaurant scene’s very own wild child. Once a busboy at glam Le Globe on St-Laurent, he then opened Garde Manger, favourite hotspot stopoff for clubbers in Old Montreal. He became the second Canadian to win Iron Chef (he beat Bobby Flay!), got his own Food Network show, Chuck’s Day Off, caters for backstage rockstars and their entourage at Osheaga every summer and owns both Garde Manger and Le Bremner in the Old Port.
http://crownsalts.com/gardemanger/
http://www.chuckhughes.ca
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Garde Manger
408 R. Saint-François-XavierThis place used to be a hidden gem, an intimate dark restaurant with only about 10 tables lit by a huge upside down chandelier, serving incredible seafood (known for the lobster poutine) ... but now that owner Chuck Hughes has had so much television success I find more people from out of town have heard of it. It has been expanded with a larger dining area in the back, but the experience and the food is still amazing.
Chuck Hughes, as everyone knows, is the Montreal restaurant scene’s very own wild child. Once a busboy at glam Le Globe on St-Laurent, he then opened Garde Manger, favourite hotspot stopoff for clubbers in Old Montreal. He became the second Canadian to win Iron Chef (he beat Bobby Flay!), got his own Food Network show, Chuck’s Day Off, caters for backstage rockstars and their entourage at Osheaga every summer and owns both Garde Manger and Le Bremner in the Old Port.
http://crownsalts.com/gardemanger/
http://www.chuckhughes.ca
I love this place - the vibe, the food, the cocktails! This is Chuck Hughes second restaurant. It's located in a basement with the thick stone walls typical of the Old Port. There is a lovely terrace out back for dining during the summer.
http://crownsalts.com/lebremner/
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Le Bremner
361 Rue Saint-Paul EI love this place - the vibe, the food, the cocktails! This is Chuck Hughes second restaurant. It's located in a basement with the thick stone walls typical of the Old Port. There is a lovely terrace out back for dining during the summer.
http://crownsalts.com/lebremner/
L'Orignal means "The Moose" en Français. In the heart of the Old Port, you'll find the warmth of the chalet-style decor in L'Orignal calming and the items on the ever-changing menu always provide a pleasant surprise. If you have had something here before that you are craving, chances are, the chef will re-create it just for you if you ask.
http://www.restaurantlorignal.com
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Restaurant Graziella
116 Rue McGillL'Orignal means "The Moose" en Français. In the heart of the Old Port, you'll find the warmth of the chalet-style decor in L'Orignal calming and the items on the ever-changing menu always provide a pleasant surprise. If you have had something here before that you are craving, chances are, the chef will re-create it just for you if you ask.
http://www.restaurantlorignal.com
Beautiful, candle-lit wine bar with small-plates for sharing. The fish here is always amazing. A great spot to grab a bite and have a couple drinks before heading to one of the bars in the Old Port.
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Super Loco
5417 St Laurent BlvdBeautiful, candle-lit wine bar with small-plates for sharing. The fish here is always amazing. A great spot to grab a bite and have a couple drinks before heading to one of the bars in the Old Port.
Great Italian food. The restaurant is located in what used to be the cellar of a woman's prison, with heavy stone walls and thick wood beams surrounding the dining areas. The underground darkness is far from oppressive, but rather imbues a feeling of privacy and safety that sets the scene for the Roman dishes that are their specialty.
What I especially loved last time I was there was the fact that while the main dining area was full of smaller groups of adults, one of the smaller dining rooms had been reserved by large Italian family, and despite the fact that I arrived with girlfriends around midnight for dessert and espresso after our dinner at Bocata, there were people of all ages, from grandparents to toddlers, still up, visiting over the vestiges of their dinner. :)
http://www.daemmarestaurant.com
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Da Emma
777 Rue de la Commune OGreat Italian food. The restaurant is located in what used to be the cellar of a woman's prison, with heavy stone walls and thick wood beams surrounding the dining areas. The underground darkness is far from oppressive, but rather imbues a feeling of privacy and safety that sets the scene for the Roman dishes that are their specialty.
What I especially loved last time I was there was the fact that while the main dining area was full of smaller groups of adults, one of the smaller dining rooms had been reserved by large Italian family, and despite the fact that I arrived with girlfriends around midnight for dessert and espresso after our dinner at Bocata, there were people of all ages, from grandparents to toddlers, still up, visiting over the vestiges of their dinner. :)
http://www.daemmarestaurant.com
Getting Around
Closest Metro station - take the Orange Line towards Cote-Vertu to get downtown.
http://www.stm.info/en/info/networks/metro
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Mont-Royal station
470 Avenue du Mont-Royal EClosest Metro station - take the Orange Line towards Cote-Vertu to get downtown.
http://www.stm.info/en/info/networks/metro