Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean we’ll stop searching—with an almost obsessive enthusiasm—for the best, newest, and most eco-friendly café in Montreal. But since it’s summer, our criteria are a little different.
The coffee has to be cold, or iced, or it has to be lemonade. There has to be some shade and a patio. It has to feel like we’re no longer in the city—like we’re on vacation, far out in the countryside or deep within a slightly melancholic childhood memory.
And then, the café has to feel like an oasis at the end of a lovely stroll in the sun. A 40-minute drive from downtown Montreal, there’s a very charming café that checks all the boxes. It’s the Norah Café de l’Anse, and it overlooks the beautiful Lac des Deux-Montagnes.
Norah Café de l’Anse, and a walk or bike ride along the lake
The Norah Café de l’Anse is located in an incredibly charming cottage , with a garden where you can sit under a parasol to enjoy a sandwich, a coffee, and homemade iced tea. The menu is crafted from local ingredients and prioritizes sustainable agriculture, with a gourmet twist: kimchi grilled cheese, Hochija Latte, and gluten-free or sourdough bread from small local suppliers.
Before stopping there, we take a stroll through the incredibly charming Old Vaudreuil, stop by the Deux-Montagnes Sailing Club to rent a small sailboat if we’re sea-worthy, or come from Montreal by bike (a 2½- to 4-hour ride) and ride along Chemin de l’Anse, with a view of the lake.
Practical Information
Where? Norah Café de l’Anse, at 132 Chemin de l’Anse, Vaudreuil-Dorion
When? Open Wednesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
** July 2026 / CLOSED on Sundays the 5th, 12th, and 26th
*The kitchen is open until 3 p.m.
What? The menu is here / Dogs are welcome on the patio
