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Borough of Montreal in Quebec, Canada
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Plateau is a bohemian district in Montreal that has become gentrified since the 1980s. The neighbourhood is now home to many upscale restaurants and nightclubs, and several trendy clothing stores along St. Laurent Blvd. and St. Denis St. The Plateau is characterized by brightly coloured houses, cafés, book shops, and a laissez-faire attitude that embraces its bohemian nature over the commercialized hipster culture of its Mile-End counterpart.
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Located in the western part of the Plateau, adjacent to Parc du Mont-Royal. At the corner of Mont-Royal and Parc is an art deco fountain dedicated in honour of Louis Rubenstein, the father of Canadian figure skating.
Located in the eastern part of the Plateau, the park is well-manicured and includes an artificial lake, bike paths, sporting facilities, and an outdoor amphitheater. Very popular during summer.
Square Saint-Louis
A smaller park, Carré Saint-Louis is at the east end of the Prince Arthur pedestrian mall, next to rue Saint-Denis. Though a fraction of the size of either Parc LaFontaine or Parc du Mont-Royal, it is a popular and scenic local destination. Two fountains, bike paths, and easy access to a number of restaurants and shops provide a comforting background and a relaxing setting. On a side note, many of the gags on the television show Just For Laughs are performed in this park. The park is also notable for the colourful Victorian rowhouses that surround it.
Has an artificial lake, many paths through the wood, and the best view on the city of Montreal.
Public art piece in a small square featuring a stone map of the world and several scattered bronze chairs.
Exhibits local artists.
3000-seat outdoor theater open for a summer program of dance, music, movies, and theater. Plan to line up early for the popular symphonies in the park series or just join the crowd of picnickers on the grass around the lake.
Two weekends each summer St-Laurent boulevard is closed to cars for the Main Madness street fair. More an overgrown sidewalk sale than fair, restaurants, and shops set up in the middle of the street.
Good coffee and espresso, plus maps, bicycle kit and free air. Outside seating and plenty of free bicycle parking.
Ice cream and gelato is sold in this little shop.
This artisanal ice cream shop sells gourmet organic products including tasty cakes. The sorbets like the handpicked rhubarb or the "bleuets" are as good as the café or the chocolate choices.
The little shop serves homemade ice cream.
The restaurant serves fresh vegan cuisine. There are many sandwich choices including the classic coconut grilled BLT or salads. Many things can be taken for the go. In the backyard there is a small outside terrasse.
La Banquise consistently tops locals' lists for best poutine in town (and not just because it's open for post-bar-hopping munch fests when judgment is slightly impaired). Maybe it's because they've been at it since 1968. The clientele is hip and clubworn, the walls and tables are brightly coloured, and the staff is friendly. 25 varieties of poutine make up most of the menu, but if you insist there are hamburgers and other fast-food fare, as well as a bar. Or you can act like a local and grab a beer from the depanneur to enjoy while waiting in the long line.
A small unpretentious eatery that became a legend. It features traditional meals for under $10, especially fèves aux lard (beans cooked overnight with bacon).
Pommes frites with a choice of a half-dozen toppings. Poutine. Burgers. Salads. Part of a small local chain.
Quebecois food include what just may be the best poutine in town, served in a dozen different varieties ranging from traditional to bourguignonne (with mince, mushrooms, and red wine sauce). The portions are huge and the $10.99 régulière is plenty for most ordinary people.
This favorite Montreal spot serves a great selection of creative, gigantic sandwiches, soups, coffees, teas, and breads to appeal to any veggie palate. With a funky decor, a great outdoor garden in the back in the summer, bookshelves stocked with used books, and a food service for the needy, this casual restaurant is a veritable Montreal institution. Casual. Popular among students.
Famous delicatessen for smoked meat, served up in huge, juicy, peppery slabs. No reservations. Expect to wait for a table at most times, but the queue moves fast. Smoked meat sandwich 16$. A good tip: locals get their sandwiches or smoked meat at the take-away counter to the left of the restaurant entrance. It moves a lot faster, it's a bit cheaper - and you get the exact same sandwich!
Best soup and sandwich in town. Not cheap, but great quality and definitely original.
Delicious poutine and burgers, reasonable prices, and a shorter line than La Banquise. Friendly servers who also happen to be great at crowd control once the bars close.
Modern restaurant with casual ambiance. Huge meals. The place to go for lamb and original Quebec cuisine for a reasonable price; the poutine with foie gras is particularly (in)famous. Advance reservations strongly recommended.
A classic American brunch restaurant open since 1942, features a huge line-up. Regular people use to eat salmon bagels. The owner Hymne will seat you. While waiting you'll find postcards and reviews from all over the world including from Albert Prince of Monaco.
One of the best unknown restaurants in Montreal. Prices are amazingly reasonable for the food quality. Iranian food.
Portuguese grill.
A treat for vegetarians, vegans, and those who love them. Chu Chai specializes in Thai cuisine made with soy or vegetable protein to simulate meat. The roast "duck" is delicious, and the tom yum gai (lemongrass soup with "chicken") warms the heart. A bistro and takeout counter next door called "Chuch" has the same dishes in a more casual setting and is "bring your own wine".
Good Italian restaurant, bring your wine!
Afghan. Bring your own wine.
Famous for their eggs Benedict.
A seafood BYOB with a wonderful prix fixe. The maitre d' is friendly and knows everything about each fish and its preparation.
Highly rated kitsch-nautical-themed retro diner serving oysters and other tapas-style eats and offerings from a full bar, open late.
Has a casual feel until you see the astonishing creations of master chef Marc de Canck of Belgium. The table d'hôte with wines is perfect in just about every way, but don't get it if you have to ask what it costs.
A real French bistro with a zinc bar. Tartare, moules, quiche, rilettes. A splurge, but worth it.
Bily Kun — the name is Czech, meaning "White Horse" — is an institution in Montreal's Plateau district. Dim lighting, candles, and a huge bar give an intimate atmosphere, but Bily Kun gets hopping after 22:00 with Montreal's hippest Francophones practically every night. Some of the area's top DJs spin experimental or loungey techno, but there's really no dance floor to speak of. Bar staff is kooky and nice, even if no one can quite explain the ostrich heads lining the walls. Upstairs O Patro Vys from the same owners frequently hosts small shows and events.
Very small and comfy watering hole in the heart of St. Denis near Parc du Mont-Royal. Velvet drapes, wood finish, and a chrome bar. Sometimes has live entertainment, which becomes a very intimate experience due to the small size.
Established in September 2000, Casa Del Popolo is Montréal's only family-run neighborhood vegetarian hot-spot! Part fair-trade café, part music venue, part bar, part foosball hall. The Casa and its sister venue, La Sala Rossa, frequently host touring indie artists. Shows are cheap (sometimes free!). Try the goat cheese sandwich!
Brewpub. Very good snacks and tapas in a beautiful decor, there's a second floor upstairs.
Some of the cheapest beer in town, served with some of the saltiest popcorn in all of Creation, consumed by bohemians and students from near and far (and the occasional honest-to-God rock star). Great place to start or end a St-Laurent pub crawl: to the south, you'll find trendy, relatively expensive places; to the north, some of the best dive bars anywhere. Or you can just stay and get tanked.
It's on the trendier part of St-Laurent, it looks trendy outwardly, the martini menu is certainly hip and happenin', but there's something missing: attitude. Anyone is made to feel welcome here and if there's a velvet rope and a doorman, it's only because the place really is full.
Small, cozy space with a great selection of draft beers and fine whiskeys. It's a restaurant, but you're better off eating elsewhere and just picking at the mandatory nosh (bowl of olives, etc.)
One of the best brew pubs in Montreal, it has a nice atmosphere for discussions between friends.
A little hard to find, small door leads to the nightclub upstairs. Tip: find the door man!
A high-end destination, with 2 dance floors with eclectic DJ–spun beats, and a rooftop terrace overlooking Mount Royal
Concert hall & club in a 1913 theatre, with themed dance nights, plus rock & jazz shows.
Backpackers hotel with free breakfast and free wifi.
Small, three-room, bed and breakfast in a typical Plateau apartment building. Shared bathrooms.
European-style with shared bathrooms, free Wi-Fi.
Boutique studio-hotel.
Charming new bed and breakfast just above Parc Lafontaine, two blocks from Mont-Royal shopping, restaurants, nightlife. Only four rooms, so book ahead.
Located in the lower Plateau area, close to Duluth restaurants, Saint-Laurent nightlife and more. Five rooms in a typical Montreal walk up, lovingly maintained by Francois, an accommodating host who has excellent suggestions for tourists, as well as preparing wonderful complimentary breakfasts. Free parking available.
Located between the Latin Quarter and Plateau Mont-Royal, facing one of Montréal’s most charming green spaces, Square Saint-Louis. Free breakfast.
Fun bed and breakfast with 25 rooms across the street from Parc Lafontaine.
Non-profit gallery of works by living artists, with a strong focus on Montreal street art. Sister location to the gallery on rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal.
Fashion Neighborhood
Here you can find over 32 locally made independent Montreal designers; clothing for women, well made dresses, pretty accessories and a view into Montreal's fashion community. The owner is a passionate local designer who loves making people happy and finding the right piece for her customers.
A local designer boutique
Vintage.
Used records and CDs.
Used CDs, records, and vintage T-shirts.
Describing themselves as the "General Store of the Mushroom," they feature all things fungal. In addition to the mushroom and truffle products you might find in more general gourmet food stores, there is an entire shelf of dried wild Canadian mushrooms, including several types from Quebec. Moreover, they promote the use and foraging of mushrooms and have books and other information on offer. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly.
The Plateau is adjacent to the downtown core, so there are many ways to access it.
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