We’re going to be super-busy this spring; festivals, outings, and spending as much time as possible outdoors. Is it raining? Is it? We didn’t see it.
Not only will the city be thawing out soon, but we’re going to be absolutely swamped-as usual-with cultural events , parks, and the balmy ambience of the belle saison that makes us want to go barefoot (in the parks, we’re not crazy enough to put our feet up on Montreal asphalt).
And to do all that, and get from place to place, we’re going to need to stock up on coffee as often as possible, so we don’t pass out from too much fresh air after spending the winter glued to the radiator. Fortunately, Montreal is a hub of takeaway cafés. .. and we’ve put together a list of our favorites.
For purists…
Le Café Olimpico
We’ve heard it’s the best coffee in Montreal, and Café Olimpico is definitely an institution-a family-run café founded in 1970 by Rocco Furfaro, an Italian immigrant with a single coffee machine and a craving for a classic Italian espresso unavailable in the city.
Today, their coffee is reputed to be the best in town, and if you’re hooked you can even buy a bag… They have four cafés in Montreal’s most walkable neighborhoods, and the classics; espresso, cappuccino, café crema, latte… and biscotti, Italian filled croissants and the caffe freddo otherwise found only in Italy.
Olimpico Mile End: 124 rue Saint-Viateur Ouest
Olimpico Old Port: 419 rue Saint-Vincent
Olimpico Downtown : 1333 Boulevard Robert-Bourassa
Olimpico Westmount : 357 Avenue Victoria
Bodega
The regular 99c small coffee in the classic cardboard cup that gives New York in the 80s is perfect for those who want hot, black, not sweet and fast and efficient.
For those in the mood for something a little sweeter, there’s also matcha, doughnuts, big sandwiches and sweets, because we’re classic, but with a twist.
Bodega: 248 rue de la Montagne
Café Larue & Fils
Café Larue & Fils roasts its own coffee, positioning itself in Villeray as an institution that “has seen couples and families born”. The coffee is fresh, to the taste of true coffee lovers, and you can leave with a bag for home.
Café Larue Castelnau: 244 rue de Castelnau Est
Café Larue Jarry: 405 rue Jarry Est
Café Larue St-Zotique : 919 rue Saint-Zotique Est
For the greenies…
Melk Café
The café, which opened in 2013 and has since seduced Montrealers with its minimalist design and compostable, organic coffee bags, is one of those that has made a promise to put the spotlight on small-scale organic coffee producers. Regenerative agriculture, heartfelt community and coffee that’s carried around the streets without climate anxiety; it’s perfect for greenies.
What’s more, they’ve just released a Cherry Blossom coffee for spring, with the nostalgic added bonus of reminding us of the cherry chocolate we loved as kids, which disappeared from convenience store shelves this winter.
Melk Café Monkland: 5612 Avenue de Monkland
Melk Café Stanley: 1206 rue Stanley
For those with a Middle Eastern coffee culture…
Café Chez Téta
“Téta” is the Lebanese word for “grandmother”, and in this café, renowned for its traditional family atmosphere, takeaway coffees (with a sfouf or manoucheh) are Lebanese-style: cardamom, rose, carob, or just a long one.
They have a mini-terrace that is becoming one of summer’s hottest spots…
Café Chez Téta: 227 rue Rachel Est
For those who love the café aesthetic…
Café Bravo
The Bravo Musique label, representing Coeur de Pirate, Jean Leloup and Chocolat (among others), runs this ultra-aesthetic ’70s café-boutique with orange furniture, bubble letters and one of Montreal’s best playlists. Café Bravo is also the venue for Croissound’s next morning party .
Bonus if you go on the day you put on your best bell-bottoms…
Café Bravo: 4577 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Mano Figa
Right next door (and the little sister) of Mano Cornutto, the coolest Italian restaurant in town, Mano Figa makes coffees -the classics, with cakes and focaccia to die for- to drink on the bench on the sidewalk next to the entrance, or to take away if you like. But the atmosphere is so pleasant that you want to stay…
Mano Figa: 988 Ottawa Street
We are café
This coffee shop, which looks more like an art gallery or concept store than a café, serves up classic and delicious fare in an ultra-chic setting, plus the super-instagrammable strawberry latte we’ve been dying to try…
Nous sommes café: 333 de la Gauchetière West
We are café: 180 Prince Arthur Street East
Alphabet Café
The Greek café has been in Mile End since 1973, but is at the cutting edge of all things icy, aesthetic and delicious – we know them for their Freddo Cappuccino and their Matcha Freddo with pink foam, and for the injection of happiness you get when you spend the weekend there…
Café Alphabet: 5765 rue Clark
For those who like to hang out…
L’Étincelle Café
Montreal comedians often meet at this café after a long day of shooting, and if you want to hang out in the area – Beaubien, a perfect neighborhood for strolling – drop in for a coffee to go, slowly. L’Étincelle’s tagline is “slow down, get bored, dream”…
L’Étincelle Café: 1991 rue Beaubien Est
For artists…
Café Bulla
It’s not just a café, it’s also a graphic arts boutique, and we drop in (maybe stay a while) for the creative atmosphere, art workshops and a shot of inspiration…
Bulla Café: 4141 rue Saint-Denis
This is just a sample, and we recommend strolling around and stopping in one of the thousands of cafés that are everywhere in Montreal… a mandatory stop every hour, to keep you going all day long – obviously.