Romantic Restaurants, Getaway Places in Laval

"Located in Old Montreal and potentially the #1 Montreal tourist attraction, the dazzling interior of the Notre-Dame Basilica alone makes this church worth a visit. Built in 1656, this is Montreal’s oldest Catholic church (there are a lot of them in the city). The church is most famous for its colorful interior, full of stained glass depicting the history of Montreal as a city."

"After visiting the Notre-Dame Basilica, make your way over to Place Jacques-Cartier. This is one of the most popular squares in Montreal and a great place to people watch. Here you’ll find Parisian-style “terraces”, stalls selling handmade goods, cute shops, and street artists."

"Start your day at the beautiful St. Joseph’s Oratory near the south end of the Park du Mont-Royal, located a short walk from the Côte-des-Neiges metro. If you want, you’re close to Montreal’s largest cemetery. I’m a weirdo and enjoy visiting cemeteries when I travel (I find them quite peaceful and a lovely place to walk)."

"If you’re up for a little history and culture, St Joseph’s Oratory is on the far side of Mount Royal. This beautiful basilica is Canada’s largest church, and it has one of the largest domes in the entire world. Don’t walk here from Mount Royal’s chalet, it’s far. Go back down, then bike or walk over."

"Whether you grew up in Canada or it’s your first time north of the 49th, you probably haven’t engaged with Canadian animals as closely as you might like to. Well, you can at the Ecomuseum. This West Island zoo houses 115 species from Quebec, including arctic foxes, black bears and a delightful raft of otters."

"Open since 1938, La Binerie Mont-Royal serves up Quebec soul food dishes that all include a serving of fèves au lard (baked beans)—which are also known as the joual anglicism bines (pronounced "bin)—and can be ordered with a side slice of tourtière (meat pie). Brunch options are available all day at La Binerie, and menu favorites include eggs and bacon, buckwheat pancakes, omelets, and the Assiette Québécoise (Quebec platter), which comes with pea soup, meatball stew, tourtière, potatoes, veggies, baked beans, a pudding chômeur, and coffee or tea. Cheaper than a sugar shack meal but just as good, La Binerie's menu also offers a wide selection of Quebec maple syrup and pancakes."

"Keep your eyes peeled for the giant bean posted above this itty bitty beanery near the busy intersection of Saint-Denis and Rachel—new digs since their previous address a few blocks over they’d occupied for 80 years. This canteen excels in traditional French-Canadian cuisine, which translates to meatball stews (ragoût de boulettes), meat pies (tourtière), and of course, baked beans (fèves au lard). Other hearty hallmarks from downtrodden days of the Depression include pudding chômeur, a poor man’s rice pudding."

"So historic it has a Wikipedia page, La Binerie is the city's quintessential Québécois breakfast and lunch counter. Breakfast is served as of 6 a.m. Wednesday to Friday, and as of 7:30 a.m."

"Before you pick a spot to dine, you might want to consider the Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour, which stops at five amazing local restaurants!. It’s designed for foodies, so you can discover the district’s history and culture while enjoying some of the best food the city has to offer. Learn about the city of Montreal, its food, it’s craft beer & wine and its people on this awesome 3 hour walking tour."

"Taverne Gaspar: We were thrilled to discover hearty breakfast at very reasonable prices (around $12) at Taverne Gaspar. They have lunch and dinner menus too, though we didn’t try them. This restaurant is part of a boutique hotel in Old Montreal. There is street access, and you don’t have to be a guest to have breakfast here."

"Montreal born and bred Copper Branch prides itself of being the first 100% vegan food chain in the province. With a few outlets scattered across the city and a choice of sandwiches, burgers, bowls, chilli and soups that all make me a little sad I no longer call Montreal home, Copper Branch is the perfect little spot for a healthy bite. The warm yet industrial interior with raw wood counters and copper light fixings lends itself to lingering and people watching (I enjoyed the Ste-Catherine location perpendicular from Square Cabot a lot)."

"The stuff of dreams for vegetarians and vegans, Café Dei Campi is the collaborative project of barista Nicola Vardaro (previously of Caffè San Simeon) and pastry chef Isabelle Duchamps (previously of Toqué!). Since opening in 2016, it has slowly been gaining traction, and vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores from all over town are starting to frequent this unassuming Rosemont neighbourhood café for its almost-too-good-to-be-true vegan baked goods and rock-solid coffee program."

"Café Dei Campi is an adorable café located on Boulevard Rosemont that serves an extremely vegan-friendly menu of savoury dishes, as well as delicious baked goods. Everything you will eat at Café Dei Campi is refined and aesthetic, which goes hand in hand with the charming decor. This address is also on our list of the best eco-friendly restaurants in Montreal!"

"This is the place for sweets that could fool the most discerning of non-vegans. With the indoor dining area closed, Dei Campi is running a weekly pick-up operation. The menu changes often, but past options have included fauxtella brownie (pictured here), focaccia with ancestral tomatoes, basil and almond-based ricotta and cranberry and pecan sticky buns"

"Cafe Leaves is known for its plant-based milk options and vegan snacks from local companies such as Doughnats. Unlike other coffee shops which offer vegan options, Café Leaves, “only serves vegetable milk when you want milk with your coffee, 100% Plant-Based pastries and plants.”. That’s right, not only are the food and drinks plant based, but the shop is full of beautiful (and adoptable!) plants."

"As the name implies, this café is replete with flora and caffeine-hungry fauna. Forget matcha lattes, this spot is venturing into unheard territory with its spicy beetroot, golden orange, and ruby ginger varieties. There’s a bigger outpost over on McGill College, as well as a brand-new shop inside Place Ville Marie."

"If you’re looking for something special to wear to an event, then Les Cours is your best bet. Not only does it house high-end apparel boutiques like DKNY and Harry Rosen, but there’s local boutiques specializing in haute couture in the mix as well. It’s a great place to prep all round with its spas and beauty facilities available, including hair removal specialists, pedicures and manicures, hair salons and more."

"An upscale shopping center, Les Cours Mont-Royal has been converted from the former Mount Royal Hotel. Located in Downtown Montreal, this shopping center will change the way you look at the whole shopping experience. The architectural elements of Les Cours Mont-Royal will blow your mind."

"In the Underground City’s chain-link of shopping malls, folks regularly pass through one of this mall’s levels to either get to the next metro station or to pinpoint the store they’ve been looking for. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself lingering here: The city’s flagship two-storey Zara location gives you a lot of option to choose from, while its huge Indigo and café (with a baby grand piano folks are prone to noodle on) provides ample space for browsing. Down below on the metro level, this mall offers so many great boutique stores you never would’ve discovered without making the trek."

"A shopping mall located in Eaton Centre, Montreal, Place Montreal Trust sits on a 320,000 square feet (29,728 square meters) of an area and attracts visitors from all over the city throughout the year. Along with offering plenty of stores, the shopping mall features highlights such as the indoor water fountain - which is the highest water spout at a 30-meter (98 feet) height in North America. The mall is also connected to the Underground City of Montreal and it is also a part of Bell Media Tower."

"Shopping / NightlifeMallsSaint Catherine Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Place Montréal Trust is a shopping mall in Downtown Montreal, located west of the Eaton Centre, at the corner of Saint Catherine Street and McGill Co…"