What to do in Montreal?

Restaurants & Bars

*NOTE: Foie gras is legal and affordable here, try it at APDC, QG or Le Pégase for a treat!

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• Au Pied de Cochon (Bourdain @ APDC)
• L'Express (French Bistro)
• Brasserie Holder (Wannabe Anglo French Bistro)
• Quartier Général (Cuisine du Terroir, BYOB)
• Le Pégase (Same owners as QG but food is more refined, quaint ambiance, BYOW)
• Joe Beef (Manly food, modern Québecois)
• Dominion Square Tavern (Nifty cocktails, gastropub food)
• Toqué! (Chef Normand Laprise is considered the pioneer celebrity of Montreal)

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• Méchant Boeuf (semi-fancy burgers, loud at night, part of the Nelligan Hotel)
• Imadake (Japanese pub)
• Baldwin Barmacie (bar for Anglo hipsters)
• Pullman (Wine bar and interesting bites)
• Léméac (Classic French Bistro, good late night menu after 10PM)
• Le Comptoir (Modern cuisine du terroir)
• Buvette Chez Simone (bar for Franco hipsters)
• Suite 701 (Lounge and rooftop patio of the Place d'Armes Hotel)

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• Schwartz (THE smoked meat place, long but fast-moving lines)
• Dieu du Ciel (Artisanal Québecois beer, small and loud)
• Les Trois Brasseurs (Craft beer, thin pizzas)
• Fairmount Bagels & St-Viateur Bagels (Montréal bagels FTW, both 24h)
• La Banquise (poutine a zillion ways, 24h, watch out for lines after 1AM)
• Patati Patata (poutine and mini-burgers, tiny place)
• Burger de Ville (decent burgers, no frills service)
• Juliette & Chocolat (desserts!!)
• Santropol (Our first date was here/his suggestion, smells like wet hippie)

Attractions/Must-See

• Mosaicultures: impressive mash-up of horticulture and art at the Montreal Botanical Garden
• The Montreal Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, the Biodome and the newly renovated Planetarium are all within walking distance of two metro stations Pie-IX and Viau on the green line (see map, you don't need to take the shuttle).
• Take a bixi ride!
• Walk up the Mont-Royal Mountain either via Pine Avenue (corner of Peel), or Mont-Royal Avenue (corner of Park)
• Stroll to the Old Port by walking down McGill street (NOT McGill College) towards the water, then turn East on rue de la Commune
• Check out the Place Jacques-Cartier and rue St-Paul East in the Old Port
• For strolling and people watching:
  • Avenue Mont-Royal between Park and Papineau (weirdos, Stella lived on this street which may explain a lot)
  • Rue St-Catherine between St-Laurent and Atwater (malls and boutiques)
  • St-Laurent between Sherbrooke and St-Viateur (fun during the day, busy at night with bars and clubs)
  • Bernard between Cote Sainte-Catherine and St-Laurent (West of Park is chichi, East is hipster Mile-End)
  • St-Denis between Sherbrooke and Laurier (Plateau French-Canadians in their natural habitat)
  • Laurier between Cote Sainte-Catherie and St-Laurent, (Fancy ladies that lunch, this is the lower limit of the Mile-End)
  • Fairmount street and St-Viateur Street (same as above, you must get some fresh bagels and mingle with hipsters)