Food itinerary: Mile End
Indulge in the cafés, bakeries, restaurants and other gourmet hot spots of Mile End. Have fun being a tourist in your own city!
Mile End
Departure point: Laurier métro station
Total distance: 2.9 kilometres
Where to stop to enjoy your snacks: Parc Saint-Michel, Parc Lahaie or Marché des Possibles
Guillaume Boulangerie
For your first stop of the day, point yourself in the direction of Guillaume Boulangerie for a staggering, swoon-worthy selection of breads and viennoiseries. To still your beating heart (and those kick-started cravings), pick up a few pastries to devour later and a couple of loaves of bread to bring home.
What to order: Mini pain de fesse patate-cheddar (a tantalizing tiny loaf of cheese bread, my absolute favourite), the champignon vanille-chocolat (a vanilla/white chocolate mushroom-shaped brioche) and the Queen Elizabeth cupcake.
5170 Saint-Laurent Blvd.
Larry’s or Chez ta Mère
With your goodies from Guillaume carefully tucked in your bag, it’s the perfect time to grab a bite. If you’re in the mood for seasonal small plates paired with a glass of natural wine, make your way to Larry’s. Prefer a gourmet sandwich with bold flavours from around the globe? Chez ta Mère has you covered
What to order: From Larry’s, a burger, breakfast sandwich, beef tartar and/or the veggie inspiration. At Chez ta Mère, the star of the menu is the merguez sandwich.
5201 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
Website
15 Fairmount Avenue East
Café Éclair
If you're a coffee and book lover, a little detour to Café Éclair is well worth it. Alongside a tightly curated selection of titles — hence the name microlibrairie — the café brews beans from none other than internationally renowned Berlin micro-roaster The Barn. Settle into a cozy booth with a book in one hand and a hand-poured coffee in the other: the perfect recipe for a moment of pure gratitude.
What to order: Here is where you’ll find some of the best filtered coffee in town, featuring exclusive roasts for discerning palates!
12 Maguire Street
Fromagerie Brebis
This charming neighbourhood cheese shop has been serving up only local Québec cheese since 2023. Pick up some of their delectable desserts and sandwiches on focaccia bread to go.
What to order: A Québec cheese plate sampler
21 Fairmount Avenue West
Kem Coba
Kem Coba is one of the first ice cream shops in the city to offer a rotating choice of soft ice cream flavours. In fact, back in 2010, when the owners bought the property, they turned it into a summer sensation and Montréal must practically overnight. Loyal patrons love the fact that the owners not only offer traditional flavours, but that years ago they had the guts to go off the beaten path and serve up far-out flavours for the time.
What to order: The swirl of the day, the salted butter or 72% dark chocolate ice cream, or the Vietnamese coffee.
60 Fairmount Avenue West
Café in Gamba
Need a caffeine fix ? Le Café in Gamba isn’t a roaster, but it proudly offers a wide selection of micro-roasters from across Québec. These coffees are regularly rotated through their grinders or available in bags to take home.
What to order: A magnificent latté
5263 Du Parc Avenue
Pizza Toni or Falafel Yoni
Located just a block apart and boasting the same proprietors, Toni and Yoni have quickly become two Saint-Viateur Street hotspots. They like to keep things simple: you go to Toni’s for pizza and to Yoni’s for falafels. Easy peasy! You’ll not only love the logo, but Tony’s extra tasty tomato sauce or the falafels with extra tahini sauce and salsa verde. Personally, I am crushing on the salad!
What to order: At Pizza Toni, a slice of margherita and/or marinara pizza. At Falafel Yoni, a falafel pita (or the half) as well as the falafel salad.
54 Saint-Viateur Street West
Website
104 Saint-Viateur Street West
Café Olimpico
Another coffee? Yes, but this time it’s at the legendary Café Olimpico, which is certainly worth the wait – and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll have to join the line to order. Soak up the festive, more-the-merrier Italian ambiance as you relax with a delicious cup of java.
What to order: Le Remix.
124 Saint-Viateur Street West
Bernie Beigne
Sticky, melt-in-your-mouth, light and fluffy, deliciously iced, topped with yummy sprinklings … there are endless ways to describe Bernie’s doughnuts. Tell all your friends about this little gourmet go-to, which opened on the corner of Clark and Bernard a few years ago. Don’t be deterred by the weekend line-up to get in: it may be long, but it goes by fast!
What to order: A half a dozen doughnuts to take home – see if you can make it that far before cracking open the box. Be sure to grab an apple doughnut if they have any available!
23 Bernard Street West
Butterblume and Pastel Rita
Two stops are on the agenda. First, at Butterblume to pick up some homemade products and bottles of wine or cider. Then, at Pastel Rita to sip a coffee/cocktail, a lemonade or glass of pet-nat (natural sparkling wine) on its pretty outdoor patio.
What to order: Butterblume: a slice of cake (the BEST); a bottle of natural wine and/or cider with some homemade goodies. Pastel Rita: Watermelon milk and/or a glass of natural wine to sip in the sunshine.
5761 Saint-Laurent Blvd.
Website
5836 Saint-Laurent Blvd.
Original article in French by Tommy Dion, adapted into English by Dawn Bessey-Gans.
Tommy Dion
Tommy is a journalist, food critic, and the founder of the blog and gourmet guide Le Cuisinomane, whose mission is to showcase Québec’s local products and gastronomy. With an in-depth knowledge of Montréal’s food scene, his expertise and professionalism make him a trusted source for all the best food spots and experiences in Montréal. In addition to tasting and writing about food, Tommy also creates content for brands, always related to food and gastronomy.