Montréal, Quebec, Canada

[p-branez]

Hi friends:

I'm going to Montréal over holiday vacation during the new year. We're taking the train from Toronto (via Windsor) to Montréal. We have 5 days in the city, plus one travel day on each end. We haven't booked hotels or hostels yet. Neither of us speak French.

So, any thoughts on a trip to Montréal?

[MIKEtotheD]

I just went in September, it's a beautiful city.
Despite the fact you'd think you'd need to use French, just about everyone that I came across spoke English.
Definitely worth the trip!

[Echewta]

Did you watch the UFC in Montreal over the weekend? Amazing fights. One of the best UFC's in awhile.

[HEIRESS]

You can 100% get by with just English, no problem. Sometimes restaurants won't have menus etc in English but if you ask politely the server hopefully speaks English and will help you out.

The Metro system in Montreal is pretty easy to maneuver, it will get you most places in the city no problem, make sure you dress warm/have good winter boots that are comfortable to walk in regardless.

The Old Port area of downtown is pretty, but take a few pictures and then get the hell out of there, it's basically a tourist trap of souvenir shops and overpriced food. The Plateau and Mile End are my favorite neighborhoods.

If you want some seriously Canadian food then take a trip to the Plateau neighborhood of Montreal and go to here (http://www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca/). It's can be on the pricey side depending on what you order, but it's basically the most famous restaurant in Montreal/Canada even.

It's located on a street called Duluth which is a mecca for BYOB restaurants, aka go to the SAQ (Quebec liquor store) and buy yourself a nice bottle of vino and take it with you as you grab dinner at one of the many fine BYOB/"Apportez Votre Vin" eateries that line Duluth. Having a meal out and drinking wine that isn't $10/glass is one of the finer pleasures in life.

Definitely take an afternoon and stroll down St Viateur street between St Laurent and Parc Avenue. This is the heart of the Mile End and its chock full of cool coffee shops, bakeries, stores and restaurants and even one of the only English used bookstores in the city.
While in the Mile End head over one block to Bernard and go to Drawn & Quarterly (http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/), it has an amazing selection of English friendly graphic novels, books etc. It's super fun. Also on that street is a restaurant (http://www.nouveaupalais.com/) where my friend works and they serve a damn fine breakfast!

St Denis (basically all of it from St Joseph all the way to the downtown area is a fun street to stroll down, it's completely filled with shops, eateries, coffee bars etc etc.

Best Coffee Shops: Le Couteau (The Knife), Olympico, Cafe Myriad, Pikolo

Oh yeah, my friend is the resident Donut-maker at this cafe (http://cafesardine.com/) in the mile end, you can just walk in a grab a coffee and donut to go, do it!

Make sure you get some beers at Dieu du Ciel! (http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/67/770622/restaurant/Montreal/Plateau-Mont-Royal/Dieu-du-Ciel-Montreal), it's an awesome, awesome brasserie. It's a bit more french than other brew pubs in the area, but you can always order beer by number if you feel intimidated! Get there early so you score a seat and stay the entire night! Other good beer joints with a good selection of Quebecois craft beers: Vices & Versa, Reservoir, Benelux. Also stop at any Dep (french corner store) and grab yourself a six pack of something non-American.

You should have some poutine as some point, my go to joint is Patai Patata (http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/67/722124/restaurant/Montreal/Plateau-Mont-Royal/Patati-Patata-Friterie-de-Luxe-Montreal) but it's a hole in the wall so it's sometimes hard to find a seat. La Banquise is probably more famous, but it's definitely a place you only go if you are already completely hammered.

Right around the corner from patati (literally) is an unmarked red door which leads to an cocktail joint that is worth it if you want to experience Montreal hipsterness at it's finest.

Most clubs are ridiculous in Montreal, but Blizzarts can be a fun place if you want to dance/have a beer. This website (http://blueskiesturnblack.com/shows) usually has alot of the show listings, but pick up the free English weekly paper called The Mirror when you arrive and it will list all the shows that week, live music venues in Montreal are pretty awesome.

The contemporary art museum in pretty amazing, it's located in Place-des-Arts downtown which is a pretty area to visit (especially at night), I believe admission is free on Wednesdays if you are in town mid-week.

The Biodome is another fun place to visit, especially to get out of the cold.

The Jean Talon market in Little Italy is cool place to spend the afternoon, there is still lots of to see there even in the winter.

Oh whoops, almost forgot to talk about bakeries. My favorite Bakery IN THE ENTIRE WORLD (http://www.midnightpoutine.ca/food/2007/09/baked_in_montreal_kouign_amann/), get the name-sake pastry, you won't regret it! Also go here and get their Fig-Cheddar Baguette (http://boulangerieguillaume.com/), holy balls.

If you want more restaurant recommendations (especially cheap ones) let me know, you will have a blast, Montreal is like a slice of Europe in North America, definitely unique.

[MC Moot]

Outremont...(y)

[MC Moot]

By the way is french not mandatory in east coast jr and sr high scool curriculum?...every CDN should have at least enough to confuse a quebecer...

[p-branez]

Woah. Super helpful! Thanks, heiress. I'm going to visit your suggestions. I will let you know how it goes. I'm excited n
I will take up on cheap restaurants. We are staying close to station Berri-UQAM. We like to eat and drink cheaply.

[HEIRESS]

Berri-UQAM is a good spot to be if you are visiting because you have easy access to the Metro lines.

Cheap Eats:

Arepera (http://www.arepera.ca/) for some nice cheap sangwiches. (On Duluth in Plateau)
If you want dessert head up the street to this joint (http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/67/1483078/restaurant/Plateau-Mont-Royal/Fuchsia-Epicerie-Fleur-Montreal)

la carreta (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/restaurant-la-carreta-montreal) has the best/cheapest papusas in the city, 5 bucks and you will leave stuffed. (Little Italy)

Green Panther is a nice, decently priced vegan joint. I adore their tempeh sandwiches. (Mile End)

Chez Jose (http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/67/1442309/restaurant/Montreal/Plateau-Mont-Royal/Chez-Jose-Montreal) does a mean breakfast. (Plateau)

There are a few SoupeSoup locations scattered around the city, home-made soup and bread for a good price.

When it doubt, walk into any bakery you see and you can surely fill your belly with quality product for under 5 bucks. The bakeries I mentioned above can definitely act as lunch spots.

Chinatown has some decent Pho and Bibimbap joints.

There is also a strip of cheap BYOB Indian places along Jean-Talon Ouest by Metro station Acadie. I believe all of them allow you to bring either wine or big bottles of beer/cidre. Hell, last time we showed up at one of them with a growler of beer from a local brewery and they were cool with it.

I will add more as I think of them...

[Adam]

We're thinking of heading to Canada in February for a couple of weeks. I get it will be super cold and I will probably just pack all my snowboard stuff minus the snowboard. What about my boots? I think they will become a bit heavy wearing them all day.

Not decided which end of Canada yet - I suppose it depends where the flights are but our first thought would be Vancouver as it'll be slightly warmer.

[HEIRESS]

Vancouver is more fun in the summertime because it's rains A LOT in the winter, they barely get any snow at all really. Unless you want to actually go snowboarding then you can hit up Whistler among other ski hills in the area while you are there.

Toronto is fun but it's very similar to NYC etc. Montreal is really your best bet for a middle of winter trip especially if you are going in February because then you can also head up to Quebec City (about 1.5 hr away) for Winter Carnival. (http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/en), its pretty awesome.

[Bob]

unrelated, but if anyone needs any tips about montreal, quebec, luxembourg, hit me up