The Food of Montréal
Although I will be posting an in depth travel guide detailing my trip to Montréal, I felt the need to do a separate post all about the food in this city. Everything my mom & I ate we loved. I would say aside from the rich history, and creative drive, the food was my favorite part of this trip.
There are lots of vegan friendly restaurants listed here as my mom is vegan, which made our search a bit more interesting. Also, as there are so many restaurants we wanted to try, it helped filter out our options and find some unique and local spots.
LOV
To Drink: Cava and Prosecco
To Eat: Power Bowl, Vegan Poutine, Kale Mac n’ Cheese
Our first stop on the trip, LOV was a very warm welcome to Montréal. With a fully vegan menu, my mom & I were able to eat guilt free! Of course we tried the poutine, which was so comparable to the real deal that I was shocked. Next up was a kale mac n’ cheese that completely changed the way I feel about kale. (Usually it’s too bitter for me) The power bowl was refreshing and a nice way to cap off our first meal.
Maggie Oakes
To Drink: Prosecco and Riesling
After walking around the old port, we both were in the need of a little refreshment. We picked a local spot, and one with a very enchanting atmosphere. It was here that we had our favorite prosecco and gazed over at a future dinner location, one that I was very excited about.
ChuChai
To Eat: Dumplings with Peanut Sauce, Royal Pad Thai, Chicken Curry Samosas
For our first dinner, we had tried to go to Sushi Momo, and quickly found out just how popular it is. We ended up making a reservation for the following night as we were dedicated to trying the vegan sushi. Next on our list ( but certainly not disappointing) was ChuChai. Another completely vegan menu, this restaurant focused on Indian and Thai dishes. I chose the “Royal” Pad Thai which came with vegan shrimp and chicken. My mom & I were both amazed ( and slightly freaked out) at how well they replicated a shrimp! We also had some vegan dumplings and samosas that were covered in a peanut sauce to die for. This ended up being the perfect spot for us that was just a 5 minute walk from our Airbnb. We also got to catch a sunset as we ate, to top it all off!
Café Vasco Da Gama
To Drink: Latte, Cappuccino
To Eat: Bagel with Cream Cheese and Fruit, Baguette with Jam
For our day two breakfast, we headed to the Musée de Beaux Arts du Montréal and decided to look around the area of The Golden Square Mile for a cute café to grab a quick bite. We settled on this one and popped in. My mom continues to say that she had the best soy latte of her life from this place!! It was here that I tried my first Montréal bagel and instantly fell in love. If you don’t know, the bagel in Montréal are much different than traditional American ones. They are much thinner and have a more buttery taste to them, which I loved. I spread some cream cheese and put a dollop of jam to make the perfect breakfast.
After our hours walking the museum, we were more than ready for lunch. We walked down the street and found this adorable little salad café that had an awful lot in common with the Boston renowned, by. Chloe! I took the Mexi Salad and didn’t regret it one bit. I wish I didn’t get too full so I could have had every last bite. Mom & I split a Pretty in Pink smoothie which was made with strawberries, bananas, raspberries, lime juice, basil and almond milk. Usually, i’m not too much of a smoothie girl, but this one looked too refreshing to pass up. Mom ordered the Veggie Protein Power Bowl and the quinoa and avocado that was put inside was absolutely mouth watering. If your looking for a trendy yet equally tasty spot in Montréal, this is the one for you.
Sushi Momo
To Eat: Yasai Roll, Poutine aux 4 Champignons, La Vie en Rose
Tonight was the night for Sushi Momo! I was so intrigued by the idea of vegan sushi and my mom certainly was too. We started off by ordering the Poutine aux 4 Champignons, which was basically sweet potato sushi covered in this mushroom and vegan cheese sauce with chunks of mushrooms and cheese, all covered in ginger with tortilla scoops on the side. It was the most out of this world and deconstructed poutine I had every had, and yet somehow it was also the best. I am not usually a mushroom lover, but somehow this just worked! We also decided to try two sushi rolls, the first being a very savory taste covered in tempura peppers. The second was very light and sweet and was filled with beets and topped with sprouts. All in all, we left very full and certainly very happy.
As we planned to start our day with a hike up Mont Royal, we needed to make a quick stop for some caffeine. We decided on this cute and very traditional café located in Le Plateau which had very yummy and fresh pastries.
Tommy’s
To Eat: Croissant Déjeuner, Salade du Jour
I had my eye on this cute little café from the beginning of my food research. The atmosphere was definitely the best aspect of this spot as it had plants hanging from the ceiling and adorable furniture and spatial design. I took the breakfast croissant which was filled with an egg, avocado, prosciutto and cheese. It was the perfect midday lunch. My mom had the daily salad which was very very refreshing.
This was the restaurant I think I was most excited for. Just from walking by on the outside, this space is popping with energy and ambiance. The concept is an open garden, and they nailed it. As you enter ( I recommend sitting in the open air section in the back rather than the front) you are greeted with jazz music and surrounded with lights and plants. On a warm night, it’s the perfect space to relax & unwind. We got seated right next to the live band, which we loved! We also got to try a drink I had my eye on for a while called an Aperol Spritz. It consists of some kind of a fruit juice such as grapefruit or orange, mixed in with a prosecco. It was so refreshing, I definitely recommend! For food I chose the diva crepe which was stuffed with chicken, broccoli, melted cheese and all covered in a mushroom sauce. It was amazing, and I ate every last bite! Mom chose the veggie burger which was served with veggie french fries on the side which were also very tasty. This was my favorite place we ate at due to the overwhelmingly beautiful atmosphere and delicious menu.
Go big or go home…right? I certainly didn’t want to go home quite yet. So, I chose to go out strong with our last meal in Montréal. This was such a beautiful breakfast plate and I loved every last bite of it. Mom chose the crepes which she also said were cooked to perfection. This place was a great way to close our food journey!
Sophie Sucrée
To Eat: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Cupcake, Peanut Butter Cupcake, Vanilla Cupcake, Red Velvet Cupcake
Just before we left, we popped into the first all vegan bakery in Montréal, which also had a pretty cool name if I do say so myself :) Make sure you eat the cupcakes at the right temperature though, because we made the silly mistake of leaving them in a hot car, and they didn’t hold up too well! Our fault though, certainly not the bakery’s! The cookies were a great little road snack as we headed back home to Maine.
…P.S…try the soft serve vanilla ice cream…in a cone…
Happy eating!
xoxo