© Mat De Rome
Atwater Cocktail Club
512 Atwater Avenue | Website
To get to the Atwater Cocktail Club entrance, you have to walk through a back alley that may make you hesitate, but we promise it’s well worth it. This little hidden bar is a trendy yet cozy gem decorated in warm wood tones and elegant velvets. The cocktail menu is inventive and uses fresh ingredients, some of which are unique, like truffles and cigar smoke. The hand-shaved clear ice cubes and meticulous garnishes are also a plus, as is the food menu by sister restaurant Foiegwa located below the Club.
Coldroom
155 Saint-Paul Street East | Website
The Coldroom hides behind an anonymous black metal door in Old Montréal. Follow the house rules listed on its website and you’re guaranteed a good time. The space is classy and counts some classic Old Montréal elements such as grey stone walls and low wood ceiling beams. The cocktail menu is inventive and holds a selection of seasonal drinks as well as the Coldroom crew’s riff on the classics. This bar is shrouded in mystery, including an absence of address anywhere online, but #followtheduck on its social media channels and you may just find it.
Cloakroom Bar
2175 Rue de la Montagne #100 | Website
Montréal’s Golden Square Mile’s Cloakroom Bar is an intimate space decorated in dark tones that infer an elegance and sophistication to this 25-seat speakeasy. The Cloakroom Bar has no menu and all drinks are tailor-made by the talented bartenders, guided by the customer’s tastes and cravings, essentially crafting a bespoke cocktail for every customer. Ice blocks are made in-house, then carved to fit individual drinks. Sophisticated and unique.
El Pequeño Bar
401A Saint-Vincent Street | Website
Old Montréal’s El Pequeño Bar invokes sultry summer nights strolling around Havana and lingering in one of its street bars for a mojito or two. As its name indicates, the tiny bar can only accommodate a dozen guests, but what it lacks in square footage, it more than makes up for in charm. The marble-topped bar, dark wood paneling and ornate light fixtures, molding and tchotchkes are an invitation to disconnect and the wide collection of rums will help transport you to Cuba.
© Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
Nacarat
900 René-Lévesque Boulevard West | Website
Bar Nacarat is the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel’s bar. Its name alludes to electrifying shades of oranges and reds, which are reflected in the décor, a mix of glam rock and trendy contemporary aesthetics. Nacarat’s signature cocktail menu is inventive and surprising and includes some non-alcoholic options. Enjoy your drinks in the plush bar or on the trendy third floor Nacarat Terrace.
© David Dworkind
Le Rouge Gorge (formerly Le Royal)
1234 Mont-Royal Avenue East | Website
Located in the heart of the Plateau, Le Rouge Gorge’s underground location is decorated in chic jewel tones and opulent fabrics that invite cocktail lovers to sit down and enjoy the moment. Inventive craft cocktails, an emphasis on local spirits and pretty garnishes contribute to make this bar one of the best in Montréal.
Nhậu Bar
600 William Street | Website
Located under popular Asian restaurant Hà in Old Montréal, Nhậu Bar has become one of the city’s most lauded drinking establishments. An abundance of interesting Asian-inspired items share the space with dozens of dimly lit oversized paper lanterns floating above in a whimsical dance. The cocktail menu is replete with exotic ingredients and spices such as Lapsang souchong, tonka and soju. Bonus: the Restaurant Hà kitchen crew is behind the creative food menu and it is delightful.
Milky Way Cocktail Bar
1886 Centre Street | Website
Located in Pointe Saint-Charles, Milky Way is a spectacular space hallway between a lounge and a bar from the same people that are behind award-winning Atwater Cocktail Club. The huge, vaulted skylight surrounded by lush, cascading greenery is the main focal point and turns the visitors gaze towards the sky above. The cocktails are just as spectacular with a focus on everything made in house. The food is provided by Fugazzi Pizza located below the bar.
Stillife
640 Saint-Paul Street West | Website
Stillife is a creation of the same people behind Cloakroom, another award-winning. The cozy Old Montréal speakeasy inhabits an industrial chic space with stainless steel, cement and those distinctive Old Montréal grey stones as the main design components. The central backlit bar is a great place to sit and enjoy one of their signature cocktails or a glass of low-intervention wine.
Le Majestique
4105 Saint-Laurent Boulevard | Website
Funky and quirky Le Majestique has been a staple on the Main for the past few years. The festive ambiance, the astounding number of peculiar tchotchkes all around the dining room, the exceptional food and wines and the flawless service make this spot an absolute must and a favourite among restaurant industry people. And it’s open until 3am 7 days a week!
Four Seasons Hôtel Montréal
Marcus Restaurant + Terrace
1440 De La Montagne | Website
It’s hard to beat the view on the downtown Leonard Cohen mural from the Marcus Restaurant + Terrace at the Four Seasons Hotel. Open all day and year-round, this is a great spot to grab a signature cocktail such as the Smoke Screen with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, maple syrup infused with orange and Lapsang Souchong tea and Angostura.
vinvinvin
1290 Beaubien Street East | Website
Rosemont’s vinvinvin is what a cross between a great, seasonal restaurant and a beautiful, unpretentious wine bar. Instead of the usual colour classification, the wine menu is divided into categories such as “soif” (thirst quenching) or “joufflu” (chubby) so diners can choose according to their preferences and mood. The fun and creative food menu focuses on local and seasonal ingredients. Don’t skip. The excellent homemade sourdough bread.
Sans Soleil
1002 Saint-Urbain Street | Website
Located in the windowless basement of hip restaurant Fleurs & Cadeaux, the aptly named Sans Soleil Bar is nevertheless a bright spot filled with music thanks to live DJ sets every night. Japanese-inspired cocktails, sake, wine and food from its upstairs counterpart are all on the menu.
Isle de Garde
1039 Beaubien Street East | Website
Located in the heart of Montréal's La-Petite-Patrie district, Isle de Garde offers comfort food, low-intervention wines, whiskeys and, of course, the stars of the show are the beers brewed on site that are served at precise temperatures for the ultimate experience.
Mayssam Samaha
Mayssam Samaha is a food and travel writer and blogger and the founder behind the blog Will Travel for Food. She travels the world in search of the next culinary discovery. From Iceland to South Africa, she’s already visited over 30 countries and there’s nothing she enjoys more than wandering around a farmers’ market in a foreign city. She is also the founder of the SAISONS intimate dinner series highlighting Québec products and chefs.
