Montréal picnic and park pairing

The Lachine Canal stretches over a few kilometres and is a great place to bike or take a walk on a nice sunny day. Depending on which stretch of the canal you’ve reached, there are several food options for you to choose from. Of course, the first one that comes to mind is Marché Atwater where you can put together your ideal picnic basket or get a ready-to-eat meal from their Pôle des Saveurs, where the stands of Lucille’s, Falafel Yoni and the Satay Brothers are highly recommended. In Pointe-Saint-Charles, just in front of the Canal and across Marché Atwater, head over to Krood for some generous poké bowls or tartare. Their natural wine selection will pair perfectly with your food. If you’re heading west of the market, some great options include sweet and savoury pastries from Mamie Clafoutis, the best sourdough bread from Miette Boulangerie, a zaatar or cheese manouché from Lulu Épicerie, coffee from September Surf or Lili & Oli and great Italian specialties from Marché Richmond.

If you keep heading east along the Lachine Canal, you will reach beautiful Sir-George-Etienne-Cartier Square where you can stop for a picnic surrounded by tall trees. This square is close to the popular gourmet stretch of Notre-Dame Street where you will find great Vietnamese specialties at Tran Cantine Vietnamienne, some of the best ice cream in town at Crèmerie Dalla Rose, Caribbean food at Llyodie’s, Italian eats and pastries at BarBara, tacos from Tacos Frida, New York style pizza at Adamo, deli specials at Arthurs Nosh Bar, amazing pastries and breads at Mollo and great coffee at Campanelli, Cordova or Café Saint-Henri.

There’s nothing better than enjoying an iconic Montréal dish such as a St-Viateur Bagel or a La Banquise poutine al fresco, especially when the “fresco” part is at Parc La Fontaine, one of Montréal’s most iconic parks. With a spectacular pond and so many amenities, it’s no wonder La Fontaine is one of the most popular among Montrealers. Nearby Épicerie Sue dishes out heavenly oversized sandwiches while Arte e Farina offers traditional pizza, pasta and other Italian sweet and savoury specialties. Les Glaceurs and Pâtisserie Ol’ Sweet are the perfect spot to pick up a sweet treat and Café Sfouf and Le Moineau Masqué are both great options for a nice caffeine boost or cold drink.

Best known for the tennis championship, Parc Jarry also counts many sports fields, a dog park, an outdoor swimming pool, a children area, and a lovely, tranquil pond among its attractions. It’s surrounded by a vast array of food and beverage options from the Mile Ex, Villeray and Park Ex. You can have your pick from great sandwiches from Dépanneur Le Pick-Up, Pascal Le Boucher or Rosa Café, coffee from Café Saint-Henri, Dispatch Coffee, or Café Larue, pizza from Vesta or Moccione, Greek pastries from Pâtisserie Afroditi or Indian ice cream from Crèmerie Meetha. You can also head to Montréal’s biggest farmers market, Marché Jean-Talon and assemble a custom picnic basket from the many stalls and food shops found on site, from local cheeses and seasonal produce to gourmet poutines, whole cooked lobsters, fresh oysters or grilled sausages.

Parc de la Petite-Italie defines the start of the charming Little Italy neighbourhood, with its tricolour flags flying proudly and its whiffs of pizza and espresso. The park’s gazebo is often the stage for some outdoor shows and its mature tree canopy is breathtaking any time of year. It’s dotted with picnic tables waiting to welcome diners and it’s surrounded by great dining options from Roman-style pizza and bomboloni from San Gennaro to Neapolitan-style pies from Pizzeria Gema. There are also many Asian food options like Thai curries and noodles from Pumpui, (vegan) bowls of ramen from Umami Restaurant and Szechuan specialties from J’ai Feng. The (hot and cold) Italian espresso options here are endless but Caffè Italia and Caffè San Simeon are always a good bet while Café Caron & Frères offers a third-wave coffee option that pairs well with an outstanding dessert from Nanana.  

The part of Laurier Street that’s located on the east side of the Plateau has become a great food destination. It’s also one of the prettiest neighbourhoods with mature trees and beautiful row houses lining the narrow streets. Your best food choices here are as varied as they come, from Byblos le Petit Café’s Persian specialties, Pâtisserie Rhubarbe’s delightful desserts, pizza from Stella Pizzeria or Pizzeria No.900, Lapin Pressé’s grilled cheeses, Frites Alors! burgers and Belgian fries and Fous Desserts’ buttery pastries. Make your choice and head to Laurier Park to eat with a view of the outdoor pool. Pick up coffee and other goodies from Noble Café or Fleurimont.

Classic Parc Saint-Henri is designed around a central fountain and is a great green space for neighbours to enjoy. It’s also a beautiful picnic area with many restaurants to pick up from all around. Try the Caribbean specialties at Piklìz Comptoir Caribbéen, the fried chicken at Bucky Rooster’s or the poke bowls at Venice MTL. If you’d like to venture a few blocks further, Sumac offers some of the best Middle Eastern specialties in the city.

Montréal’s Mile End neighbourhood is arguably one of the trendiest and most delicious with many eateries choosing to open their restaurant here. It’s also very close to Parc Jeanne-Mance and its inviting expanses of lawn. Your picnics in this neighbourhood can be as varied as they come. You may choose to indulge in the Japanese specialties at Noren, the Vietnamese ones at HÀ or the Lebanese ones at Omnivore or KazaMaza. For a more local taste, Schwartz’ smoked meat sandwiches are not too far, and neither is the poutine from Patati Patata. Beauty’s, a Montréal institution, is also in the neighbourhood. You can find some of the best pastries such as buttery croissants and decadent chocolate babkas at Hof Kelsten. For a caffeinated stop, try Café Paquebot on Mont-Royal. For a classic frozen treat, Dairy Queen or Ripples are perfect on a hot summer day.

No one can deny the charm of Carré Saint-Louis. Surrounded by colourful traditional Montréal row houses, it’s one of the most photographed squares in the city. It’s also the perfect place for a picnic if you’re in the area. You can grab a sandwich and a pastry from Mamie Clafoutis, some dumplings from Harbin Dumplings or vegetarian sushi from Momo Sushi. Unicone is a great place to get an ice cream cone or a cookie. For more food choices, venture down the hill and get a burger and fries from Uniburger or a vegetarian/vegan meal from Resto Végo.

Parc des Açores in the heart of the Plateau may not be one of the city’s biggest green spaces but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in neighbourhood charm. It’s also in close proximity to some very delightful places, such as Café Chez Téta, where you can purchase a manouché, the ultimate Lebanese street food, which consists of a flat bread topped with zaatar and olive oil. Some of the best Portuguese chicken in Montréal can be found at nearby Romados. The park is also the ideal place to enjoy an ice cream from CaLEM or SWIRL (vegan). Café Replika has Turkish coffee, sandwiches and pastries. For a third-wave coffee option, try Café Névé.

If you happen to be in Rosemont, grab a vegan pastry and a great cup of coffee from Café Dei Campi, a Pan-Asian meal from La Belle Tonki, some delicious bread, pastries or light lunch fare from Boulangerie Automne, a poutine from Poutineville or one of the best burgers in town from Isle de Garde and head to Parc du Père-Marquette. This is one of the largest parks in Montréal and where you’ll find a children play area, volleyball and basketball courts, a skate park, a dog park, play fountains, a community garden, and many great picnic spots. It’s the perfect place to spend a sunny day with the entire family.

The Outremont neighbourhood is known for its leafy streets, beautiful homes and gorgeous parks. Parc Outremont and Parc St-Viateur are close to each other, and both offer water features to freshen up in the summer months. Fairmount Bagel is a few blocks away for a fresh Montréal bagel. Next door is Drogheria Fine where you can pick up a container of freshly cooked gnocchi in tomato sauce and a few doors down is some of the best ice cream in Montréal at Kem Coba. On Van Horne Avenue, you’ll find pastries, bread and sandwiches at Le Paltoquet and great fried chicken at Roch le Coq. At Super Condiments, you’ll find gourmet sandwiches, drinks and coffee. Middle-Eastern shop Folfol makes some of the tastiest sandwiches in the city as well as a whole host of regional Syrian street food and specialties. You’ll also find very meaty sandwiches at specialty butcher shop Provisons.