Best Coffee Shops and Cafes in Montreal

"Take one of the infamously good breakfast sandwiches to go, or really anything from the extensive menu. Takeout only for now, but delivery is in the works."

"Debatably the toughest lunchtime table in the city, O&G's sandwich, salad and viennoiserie prices may have crept up over the years but the crowds keep on coming. Try the “Poached egg on your face” panini or Cuban sandwich and you’ll immediately understand why."

"This perennially popular bakery and sandwich spot can feel somewhat out of place. With its cozy atmosphere in a plant-filled space, and its menu of warm panini, delicious sandwiches on artisanal breads, generous salads, and perfectly executed..."

"While Olive et Gourmando always offers great takeaway meals, the best way to experience this Old Montreal restaurant is by sitting down for one of its brunch services, which are served on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m."

"Were you looking for a hole in the wall-style greasy spoon in which where you can weep regrets about last night into a cup of dishwater coffee, you’ve come to the wrong place. Perles et Paddock’s elegantly constructed space is brimming with natural light, and is serving a little bit of everything for the hungry masses with twists and turns: Breakfast sausage is now boudin, avo toast is an avo tartine, steak and eggs are now covered with chimichurri. Just familiar enough while still being dressed to the nines."

"The emminently fancy Griffintown restaurant is up and flying with menus that would make any couchbound Montrealer blush. Ordering here makes it easy to turn an average weekday into something special. Menus for two—or three, or four—run from ribs to pasta to elegant fish dishes."

"Featuring oysters, seared duck breast, and macarons, Perles et Paddock’s table d’hôte is sure to impress your date. And don’t worry, their vegetarian menu is just as amazing."

"A grand marble staircase ushers visitors into this café and co-working space, which has assumed quarters in the former command post of the Royal Bank of Canada in Old Montreal. Neoclassical ornate meets startup sleek as teleworkers charge up at Wi-Fi and outlet-equipped stations with Dispatch and Traffic Coffee Club brews under brass chandeliers and 50-foot-tall vaulted ceilings. Come for the mobile made-to-order drips, espressos and house-made tea elixirs, stay for the old-world opulence."

"Located in the heart of the Old Port, this elegant and spacious café is the result of a comprehensive repurposing of the Royal Bank Tower hall. The café offers plenty of stylish, old-world glamour for those looking to study or work. Expect a combination of single desks and conference tables, plus an impressive range of fresh food, sweet treats and solid coffee."

"Undoubtedly the most strikingly beautiful coffee shop in Montreal, perhaps even in North America, Crew Collective & Café is housed inside...Read More"

"At Café Myriad “[they] make pretty good coffee and sometimes [they] play really bad music but it’s also usually pretty good.”. They're the coffee shop working with 49th Parallel Roasters, serving pastries from independent local bakers and making as much product as they can in-house (oh and they insist they will never tell you how to drink your coffee!) They believe there’s no right or wrong approach to making coffee better, “more than anything, [they] have fun and don’t take [them]selves too seriously.". Be still my coffee loving soul - best coffee shops in Montreal, here I come!"

"1432 Rue Mackay 1000 Sainte Catherine Street West 4627 Saint-Denis Street. This ever-popular coffee destination (that’s often the sustenance of Concordia students) is more than a pretty cafe. Myriade only works with quality-focused roasters–mainly from 49th Parallel Roasters in Vancouver, BC–but they also feature guest roasts from across North America and Europe."

"Grab a coffee to go at Café Santropol and hike up the mountain to one of its four belvederes—Belvedere Kondiaronk near the Chalet du Mont-Royal is a favorite. For lunch, try Aux Vivres, close to the eastern edge of the park—the healthy vegetarian food will be welcome after all that exercise. Next, hop back on a Bixi or catch bus 435 to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. Spend the afternoon soaking up art."

"Barley has an adorable ambiance and its cereal coffees have been breaking the internet ever since its opening. This amazing spot offers a ton of social media-worthy menu items. And best of all, it's dog-friendly, so your four-legged bestie can get in on the shoot!"

"Au Festin de Babette specializes in hot chocolate and crèpes, but they’re mostly known for their ice cream. They serve Bilboquet flavours or their famous soft serve created using their own concoctions. They start with a base or either vanilla or chocolate and then add spices, fruits, and other notes to create their own in-house flavours."

"What would a list of Montreal Chinese restaurants be without Qing Hua Dumpling?. This place has become a go-to for soup dumpling enthusiasts, and its handmade recipes have gotten countless compliments. Their delivery menu includes a choice of vegetarian dishes, as well as some frozen dumpling options, where the same price gets you twice as much food (if you don’t mind cooking them up yourself)."

"We finish our list with a restaurant in Chinatown, Qing Hua. You have to taste their dumplings which are one of their specialties. After one bite, you will want to come back!"

"Jian bing (Chinese crepes) filled with soy bean paste, barbecue pork, and some less conventional options like jerk beef are half the offerings at this Montreal-Ouest haunt, with platters of boiled and fried dumplings rounding out the other end of the menu."

"Restaurant Dandy is comfortably located in the heart of Old Montreal, and is open from morning until late afternoon – they specialize in brunch!. The address is intended to be a refuge for the local passers-by for when they want to get away from the neighbourhood’s hustle and bustle. The interior of the Dandy focuses on cool geometric shapes and fun colours."

"Le Dandy est un très beau restaurant du Vieux-Montréal ouvert en février 2019. On y lunch et on y brunch dans un décor chic, mais une ambiance décontractée. Au menu, plusieurs délicieux plats, dont des pancakes à la ricotta avec beurre noisette à l’érable et crème de citron Meyer."

"If you find yourself humming "Getting to Know You" as you explore Mont-Royal Cemetery's 165 acres, blame it on the graveyard's most famous…"

"Built in 1847, during the Famine Migration from Ireland, St. Patrick's is to Montréal's Anglophone Catholics what the Notre-Dame Basilica is to their French-speaking brethren. Among the country's purest examples of the Gothic Revival style, it was declared a historic monument and a National Historic site of Canada in 1996. A true feast for the eyes, you will gorge on its magnificent beauty and revel in the intricate ornate details imbued within."

"This stately church, located downtown, was built in the mid-19th century to accommodate the arrival of Irish immigrants seeking a place of worship. The ornate interior – specifically the fleur-de-lys and shamrocks – blends French-Canadian culture with Irish traits. It’s also where Québécois poet Émile Nelligan was baptized on Christmas Day back in 1879."

"La Grande Roue de Montreal is the tallest observation wheel in Canada - the equivalent of a 20-story building from where visitors can enjoy great views of Montreal and beyond, four seasons of the year. On a clear day, it's possible to see 28 kilometers or 17 miles away. Set on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, La Grande Roue de Montreal's 42 gondolas are specially equipped with climate-controlled cars with tempered glass windows for the best views of Old Montreal and beyond."

"While visiting the Old Port (Vieux Port) area, it's hard to miss the towering Ferris wheel known as La Grande Rou de Montreal. Standing an impressive 60 meters high, the giant wheel has 42 climate-controlled (heat in winter, A/C in summer), eight-passenger gondolas. The views from the top over Old Montreal and the rest of the city, including the Jacque Cartier Bridge, the Saint Lawrence Seaway, and the old Expo site, are breathtaking."