Now Entering: Montréal
The whole guide. No fluff, no filler.
The Plateau's zines, Mile End's post-rock lineage, Saint-Henri's Haitian griot spots — Montréal at street level, not the tourism-board version.
Eat & Drink
Counters, kitchens, and the coffee that runs the block.
Haitian griot, Saint-Henri
Fried pork shoulder, pikliz hot enough to make you sweat, plantains cut thick.
The Portuguese chicken counter, Plateau
Charcoal-grilled, piri-piri painted on with a brush, ready in eight minutes.
Fairmount bagels at 3 a.m.
The other bagel shop, open 24/7, wood-fired, and best eaten in the car on the way home.
Must-Watch
Cinemas, galleries, and the reading series worth setting an alarm for.
Cinéma Moderne, Saint-Laurent
Independent screening room with the best programming in the city and a real bar attached.
Fonderie Darling
Contemporary art in an old foundry. The Thursday-night openings are worth the trip alone.
Casa del Popolo
The Constellation-adjacent venue that has been booking the good stuff since 2000.
Outdoors
Where locals actually go when the weather cooperates.
Mont-Royal at 6 a.m.
Before the tam-tams, before the tourists. Just the drummers packing up and the runners going up the mountain.
The Lachine Canal by bike
Flat, uninterrupted, and lined with breweries. Rent a bike at Atwater Market and ride to LaSalle.
Parc Jean-Drapeau in winter
The skating loop through the trees on Île Sainte-Hélène is quieter than the Old Port and free.
Nightlife
Basements, back rooms, and the DJ nights that outlast the trends.
Bar Le Ritz PDB
Small-room shows in Villeray, notoriously good sightlines, notoriously cheap beer.
Datcha, Plateau
Basement Balkan-adjacent house, open till 3, best after midnight.
Diving Bell Social Club
Third-floor DIY loft above Saint-Laurent. Punk, noise, and the occasional literary reading.
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