I should write these more often. There aren’t many who know this city like I do. I’m writing this on a flight back to what apparently was a week of snowpocalypse. Heading from an island in the sun to an island in the icy Saint-Lawrence (she gets real hot in the summer though). I live on the fringe of the old walled in settlement, now neighbourhood. I know it well. There are many tourist traps or haunts for the basic. I’m a city snob from a beautiful city and navigating the new in spots or online recommendations is a struggle in the age of clickbait 22 year old tic-tockers (how the do you spell tiktock?). Here’s where it’s actually at, in Old Montréal from a local.
I’ve said it many times that the West side is the right side to be on. Not that there isn’t anything worthy on the east side, there is just way less of it. When I saw a souvenir shop open up on our side last month I gasped. Look, I own a business and I don’t want to bad talk anyone else’s baby, but people… you don’t need a Made in China Montréal keychain. Support local instead. Check out l’Affichiste. They’ve been around as long as I can remember and were the first vintage poster collectors in the country. They now sell prints by local artists too and the experience is museum-like, so just browsing is fun though they do ship internationally. The owner gives off the vibe of a well traveled and spunky city girl who would be fun to talk to about yesteryear at a dinner party type. J’adore.
There are a handful of great restaurants among a sea of Instaworthy money wasters and a dozen spots run by hospitality groups that hit hard on the look and vibe but forgot about the whole food part… Go to Monarque. They are my neighbour and I sit at the bar alone often and get surly while working on this laptop. It’s just a good and very pretty French style bistro, c’est tout! They are associated with Leméac and if the boudin (blood sausage) is on the menu, order it. The recipe comes from eons ago off the menu of the Outremont location. Honestly, the burger, cooked a bit pinker than the MAPAQ (provincial food standard bullies) allows is so good. It’s my lunch go to with a few glasses of whatever Eastern European white they got on by the glass. Yes, I drink white with meat.
The Basilica is a masterpiece. If you look at the mediocre (compared to the interior) façade and don’t head inside..you are missing out!!! The tea on the church? A lot of us in the industry are not happy with the new admin après-covid. Doubling prices, firing longterm staff and selling fake candle illuminations for 10$ via credit card taps is unholily… the church remains a must in the city. Take the Beyond the Basilica tour. We skip the line, head in for a 5 minute spiel plus free time, then move along to different neighbourhoods like Chinatown, the Entertainment District and art heavy and funky, le Plateau. It’s the best walking tour in Montréal to see a lot in a few hours and comes with a stellar recommendations list of food, drink and shop by this Montréal city snob!
The Old Port has transformed into the only à la carte, non-gated amusement park zip lining and all. Le Grand Quai however, is my jam. Built by the Port of Montréal, the promenade at the top of the event space and cruise terminal leads to a directly on the water, hidden lookout park my dog loves more than anything. The view tower is worth dishing out the cash more than the smaller in diameter than originally promised ferris wheel for sure. We love this spot.
In the summertime for a cute one hour cruise complete with info and great views, of and from the river, check out Le Petit Navire. The first electric boat fleet in the city and they even serve crisp white wine at an honest price. They offer outings to watch the fireworks, which I love, each night of the competition. We on a boat!
On warmer evenings we often head out for a late night snack at Calem. It’s a no frills, to go, just happy she’s here type Southeast Asian ice cream joint. They sell flavours like pandan leaf and black sesame plus a soft serve swirl of the moment that changes often. I’m a pandan guy and so is Damascus, my doggo. We eat faster than she can melt at the vacant lot, a few metres away, that once housed the Parliament of this country (soon 51st state) and has become the litter box or run for bougie dogs of the neighbourhood.
Coffee is an early morning, mid morning, early and late afternoon ritual. In Old Montréal, on the literal western edge, there is Café Structure. Beans are roasted locally and this storefront space is aesthetically pleasing, though harder to find, being in a semi basement that remains remarkably bright. They hands down make the best cup in the area. Beautiful cortados in the winter and cold brews in the summer for me…and dog treats year round for Damascus are what make us Structure regulars.
Where to stay? This spring, the elegant Hôtel Gault is revealing it’s new design and revamp in what was an already chic and premier boutique hotel on the most beautiful street in the area. The building that housed the first YMCA in North America is a stunning Second Empire masterpiece. The rooms have old world charm and the size of the hotel makes for an intimate stay on an often missed street with the highest concentration of Néo-Renaissance builds in the city.
Enjoy this beautiful part of the city, done right, like locals do any season. Come on one of our non-touristy walking or biking tours and grab that list of more recommendations too! MERCI
