Summer is just a month away, and yesterday it was hot, hot, hot. If June turns out to be cooler than usual, it’ll be the perfect time for a picnic in the park (with a light sweater).
The grass in the parks is lush, the weather always threatens a bit of a storm, Montrealers walk on the side of the street where there are trees—for the shade—and time slows down as it gets hotter and hotter. It smells like lilacs and allergy spray.
Montreal stretches outward—restaurants have outdoor seating, stores have set up racks on the street, there’s music everywhere, and we’d rather eat on a bench under a tree (not sitting at a table, that would be such a shame) because that’s where summer lunches are best.
The best part is still a picnic in a park with a warm sandwich, a craft beer, and Saguenay blueberries in a Tupperware container.We have three of the city’s most beautiful parks—and some of the best sandwich shops right next door—for summer picnics.
1. La Fontaine Park + Saint-Viateur Bagel
We start with one classic paired with another: La Fontaine Park and a bagel from Café Bagel Saint-Viateur on Mont-Royal Avenue.
Parc La Fontaine is the main park in the Plateau Mont-Royal borough, and it is one of three natural parks in Montreal (along with Île Sainte-Hélène and Parc du Mont-Royal). There is a pond—with croaking frogs—and several paths, lined with tall trees and spots where you can spread out a picnic blanket.
It’s also the park where the famous Théâtre de Verdure is located, where there are free shows all summer long.
For the picnic,we recommend a bagel reputed to be the best IN THE WORLD(a claim disputed by some, who are probably wrong): a bagel from Saint-Viateur. We recommend thetraditional(with smoked salmon), thesmoked meat, andthe apple-cinnamon cream cheese for the dessert bagel.
La Fontaine Park: 3819 Calixa-Lavallée Avenue, open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight
St-Viateur Bagel & Café: 112 Mont-Royal Avenue, open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
2. Laurier Park + Renzo’s Sandwich
Laurier Park (technically, Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park, named after Canada’s 7th Prime Minister) is an urban park with wide avenues lined with century-old maple trees, baseball fields, a swimming pool, and plenty of bike paths.
It’spossibly the best-located park in Montreal,in the heart of Mile Endand surrounded by the city’s best takeout spots.
You have plenty of options (so everyone will be happy) for takeout. Pierogies from Pierogies Lili, gnocchi from Drogheria Fine, the lunch special at Wilensky’s… but we recommend trying the hottest sandwichin Montreal right now: Renzo’s, a semi-nostalgicspot serving Philly cheesesteaks, pan bagnats, classic favorites, and a “sandwich of the day.”
Laurier Park: 5200 Brébeuf Street
Sandwicherie Renzo: 5195 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
3. Square Saint-Louis + Arepera du Plateau
Square Saint-Louis isa tiny park, but it’s one of Montreal’s most iconic.Yes, yes, it’s the one with the fountain in the middle and surrounded by colorful Victorian houses, just like that;
To go with this European-style break—sitting on the edge of the fountain, possibly ona date forthe most romantic among us—we recommend the arepas at Arepera du Plateau, one of Montrealers’ favorite restaurants AND it’s gluten-free.
Square Saint-Louis: Rue du Square-St-Louis
Arepera du Plateau: 73 Prince Arthur Street East, open Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.