Montreal, off-the beaten path
Aug 30, 2007 | 12:43 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 225
Montreal, off-the beaten path
Montreal, off-the beaten path
I am visiting Montreal for the month of September. I am searching for MUST-do's in the city. Please share your favourite Montreal spots according to the following interest criteria. Thanks.
-the nicest thing to do?
-memorable/dramatic scenery & landscape photography (i.e. viewpoints, panoramas, sunsets)
-nature, the outdoors, hikes/mountaintops, and amazing views...
-lovely/charming streets
-architecture
-non-typical/exciting/interesting/unique EXPERIENCES (full of original character), and local only to the area.
-specialty/unique local cuisine
I am visiting Montreal for the month of September. I am searching for MUST-do's in the city. Please share your favourite Montreal spots according to the following interest criteria. Thanks.
-the nicest thing to do?
-memorable/dramatic scenery & landscape photography (i.e. viewpoints, panoramas, sunsets)
-nature, the outdoors, hikes/mountaintops, and amazing views...
-lovely/charming streets
-architecture
-non-typical/exciting/interesting/unique EXPERIENCES (full of original character), and local only to the area.
-specialty/unique local cuisine
Aug 30, 2007 | 7:58 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YOW
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In no particular order:
Be sure to visit Jean-Talon and Atwater Markets.
Fairmont Bagel shop.
Chinatown.
Antique shops on Notre Dame (near Atwater Market).
Walk or bike along the Lachine Canal.
Oratoire St-Joseph (great place for plane spotting) and the neighbourhood.
I could go on.
--
13F
Be sure to visit Jean-Talon and Atwater Markets.
Fairmont Bagel shop.
Chinatown.
Antique shops on Notre Dame (near Atwater Market).
Walk or bike along the Lachine Canal.
Oratoire St-Joseph (great place for plane spotting) and the neighbourhood.
I could go on.
--
13F
Aug 30, 2007 | 8:06 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Boston Massachusetts, USA
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Posts: 617
Place to eat.
Go to Swartz' on Rue St Denis. It's a Jewish deli thats famous for great smoked meat sandwiches. Also you have to go to the top of Mount Royal. Theres a nice park with a beautiful view of the city.
Aug 31, 2007 | 6:34 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: AC*E SPG*G CO*Silver Hyatt*Plat
Posts: 123
Old Montreal and the Old Port which is adjacent to it are both musts sees, especially if you dive into the side streets.
Depending on your interest, Montreal has diverse attractions:
- Pointe à Calliere archeological museum, great for the history of Montreal
-McCord Museum of Canadian History
- Stewart Museum on Ile Ste-Helene, another great site to see (old fortifications) with a focus on the British/French military history of Quebec
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Downtown)
- Botanical garden (short subway ride from Dowtown, right next to the Olympic Staidum)
- As other mentionned, St-Joseph's Oratory is another must see, Canada's largest church and a worth while detour from the downtown core. Its a couple of blocks from Cote-des-Neiges metro on Queen-Mary road, its hard to miss.
- You may also want to check out the Colours Festival in Laurentians when all the leaves start changing colours
- For some interesting shops, check out Mont-Royal avenue.
Off the beatan path:
- Take a drive down to the Eastern Townships (Magog, North Hatley, etc.) Old loyalist area of Quebec with great Inns food and local goods.
- Head over to Stanstead, a small village that stradles the US/CDN border with buildings (like the library) that are on both sides.
- Drive out West to Rigaud to Sucrerie de la Montagne, a sugarshack that operates year round (probably the most authentic of the year round ones). Stop in Hudson village and Pointe-Claire village (Small area of the city of Pointe Claire near the waterfront) on the way back for a nice walk.
- For great views of the city (daytime and night), I suggest you head up to one of the many observation points on Mount-Royal which will give you an incredible view of the skyline. Also, head up St-Laurent street and wander into the smaller streets like Mont-Royal, Fairmont, St-Viateur,etc. for some typical views of Montreal. Montreal is a photo op waiting to happen!
A couple of restaurant suggestions:
- Restaurant Holder, a French Brasserie (good for lunch and dinner). Its one of my favorite dining spots with some great classic French bistro fare. Short walk from your hotel. If you like tartare, this is the place!
(407 McGill corner LeMoyne)
- If you like heavy cuisine with lots of foie gras, Au Pied de Cochon on Duluth near St-Hubert is decadent bliss
- Cabaret du Roy (which attempts to recreate food and ambience of New France but best experienced as a group), in Marche Bonsecours in Old Montreal
- Le Muscadin (near Square Victoria), great Italian food with an incredible cellar (one of Quebec's largest Italian selection)
- Gibby's is a high-end steakhouse (along the lines of Morton's but better IMHO but in the same price range).
http://www.gibbys.com/
- If you like Sushi, try Zen-Ya on Ste-Catherine. Great place!
(486 Ste-Catherine)
- Portugese restaurant with some of the best fish: Cafe Ferreira on Peel (but quite expensive) or also Vintage on St-Denis (I think)
- For a classic Montreal experience, you alsolutly must have a Smoked Meat sandwich at Schwartz on St-Laurent north of Prince Arthur, queuing and ordering is an experience in itself. Walk around the area a bit also, some great shops on St-Laurent near St-Joseph (but lots of construction work these days)
- You can also head up to Little Italy on St-Laurent and have a look at the different restaurants there (and the shops). I'd love to recommend some but I dont know the names, getting there is like a reflex.
- Two good Irish pubs: Old Dublin on University and Hurley's (1225 Crescent) that have a large selection of scotch and beer on tap
Beware that most restaurants around "Place Jacques-Cartier" are tourist traps, the food is ok but not Montreal's best. Also, stear clear of St-Laurent street restaurants just north of Sherbrooke, overpriced glamour spots.
If your looking for anything more specific or directions, feel free to PM me
Depending on your interest, Montreal has diverse attractions:
- Pointe à Calliere archeological museum, great for the history of Montreal
-McCord Museum of Canadian History
- Stewart Museum on Ile Ste-Helene, another great site to see (old fortifications) with a focus on the British/French military history of Quebec
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Downtown)
- Botanical garden (short subway ride from Dowtown, right next to the Olympic Staidum)
- As other mentionned, St-Joseph's Oratory is another must see, Canada's largest church and a worth while detour from the downtown core. Its a couple of blocks from Cote-des-Neiges metro on Queen-Mary road, its hard to miss.
- You may also want to check out the Colours Festival in Laurentians when all the leaves start changing colours
- For some interesting shops, check out Mont-Royal avenue.
Off the beatan path:
- Take a drive down to the Eastern Townships (Magog, North Hatley, etc.) Old loyalist area of Quebec with great Inns food and local goods.
- Head over to Stanstead, a small village that stradles the US/CDN border with buildings (like the library) that are on both sides.
- Drive out West to Rigaud to Sucrerie de la Montagne, a sugarshack that operates year round (probably the most authentic of the year round ones). Stop in Hudson village and Pointe-Claire village (Small area of the city of Pointe Claire near the waterfront) on the way back for a nice walk.
- For great views of the city (daytime and night), I suggest you head up to one of the many observation points on Mount-Royal which will give you an incredible view of the skyline. Also, head up St-Laurent street and wander into the smaller streets like Mont-Royal, Fairmont, St-Viateur,etc. for some typical views of Montreal. Montreal is a photo op waiting to happen!
A couple of restaurant suggestions:
- Restaurant Holder, a French Brasserie (good for lunch and dinner). Its one of my favorite dining spots with some great classic French bistro fare. Short walk from your hotel. If you like tartare, this is the place!
(407 McGill corner LeMoyne)
- If you like heavy cuisine with lots of foie gras, Au Pied de Cochon on Duluth near St-Hubert is decadent bliss
- Cabaret du Roy (which attempts to recreate food and ambience of New France but best experienced as a group), in Marche Bonsecours in Old Montreal
- Le Muscadin (near Square Victoria), great Italian food with an incredible cellar (one of Quebec's largest Italian selection)
- Gibby's is a high-end steakhouse (along the lines of Morton's but better IMHO but in the same price range).
http://www.gibbys.com/
- If you like Sushi, try Zen-Ya on Ste-Catherine. Great place!
(486 Ste-Catherine)
- Portugese restaurant with some of the best fish: Cafe Ferreira on Peel (but quite expensive) or also Vintage on St-Denis (I think)
- For a classic Montreal experience, you alsolutly must have a Smoked Meat sandwich at Schwartz on St-Laurent north of Prince Arthur, queuing and ordering is an experience in itself. Walk around the area a bit also, some great shops on St-Laurent near St-Joseph (but lots of construction work these days)
- You can also head up to Little Italy on St-Laurent and have a look at the different restaurants there (and the shops). I'd love to recommend some but I dont know the names, getting there is like a reflex.
- Two good Irish pubs: Old Dublin on University and Hurley's (1225 Crescent) that have a large selection of scotch and beer on tap
Beware that most restaurants around "Place Jacques-Cartier" are tourist traps, the food is ok but not Montreal's best. Also, stear clear of St-Laurent street restaurants just north of Sherbrooke, overpriced glamour spots.
If your looking for anything more specific or directions, feel free to PM me
Last edited by YULbigfoot; Aug 31, 2007 at 6:39 am Reason: Forgot a couple of things...
Aug 31, 2007 | 7:26 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Schwartz's is on St.Laurent, NOT St.Denis.
Walk St.Catherine street from Atwater metro all the way down to Berri-UQAM metro. So many things to see on there. Some good and not so good stuff, but definitely an experience of its own. Just do it in the daytime.
Faimount Bagel is great, so is Schwartz's.
Riding the subway for a while on the orange line is always fun to me.
JP
Walk St.Catherine street from Atwater metro all the way down to Berri-UQAM metro. So many things to see on there. Some good and not so good stuff, but definitely an experience of its own. Just do it in the daytime.
Faimount Bagel is great, so is Schwartz's.
Riding the subway for a while on the orange line is always fun to me.
JP
Aug 31, 2007 | 10:41 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Motown
Programs: DL, WN, AA, IHG Diamond, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,455
The same can be said for Ste Catherine between Berri and Papineau, but it is not aimed at the general population!
Aug 31, 2007 | 2:50 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC-SE100K MM, AF-Plat, BA-S, HH-D, MB-G LT Sil, IHG-Dia, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 3,997
Fantastic Post by YULbigfoot
I fully agree with your recommendation for Restaurant Holders. I only wish they could install some sound baffling to lower the background noise just a bit.
--
13F
PS I'm tempted to take exception to your Gibby's post. Based on my last poor visit, I would have to say their reputation exceeds their capacity to deliver. But it is indeed a Montreal institution.
Aug 31, 2007 | 3:08 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold, United Silver Elite, Starwood Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 87
Not a big fan of Gibby's either...very touristy. For high-end, Schezhuan cuisine, nothing anywhere can beat Le Chrysanthemum on Crescent street, between Rene Levesque Blvd and St. Catherine. The hunan dumplings with peanut butter sauce (vegetarian or pork filled) are to die for. I would also order the Schezhuan shrimp, chicken with crispy spinach, and the honey spare ribs. I'm drooling just thinking about it!
Sep 1, 2007 | 7:03 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: AC*E SPG*G CO*Silver Hyatt*Plat
Posts: 123
Im all for a Forum dedicated to all thing Montreal, I'll look into getting that started!
Regarding Gibby's, I did debate putting it on that list as there are SO many good restaurants in Montreal and I figured that alot of people look a for a good steak when travelling. It was Gibby's or Moishe's (on St-Laurent)... and St-Laurent has temporarily lost its charm due to never ending road work
Here are a couple more foodie suggestion's while Im at it.
- Pizzeria Napoletana (Dante Street in Little Italy): This is a neighbourhood pizza place that will often have hour long line ups outside
- Europea (De la Montagne): Havent tried it personally but my parents swear by it
- Club Chasse et Peche (St-Claude in Old Montreal): Another fine example of great Montreal cuisine
- Toqu! (Saint-Antoine/Bleury near Square Victoria): This is the place that got the foodie revolution going in Montreal ($$$$)
- So many more I havent tried in local neighbourhoods as most of my client entertaining is done Downtown.
If you are looking for a great stay outside Montreal for a couple of days, you must try Hovey Manor in North Hatley. Probably one of the Top 10 tables in Quebec with incredible accomodations as well.
For the wine enthusiast, le Bistro Champlain in the Laurentians. Probably Quebec's top cellar.
Sep 4, 2007 | 6:09 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Madison, NJ
Programs: DL PM, Marriot Platinum
Posts: 2,561
I would highly recommend a day trip to Quebec City. It is cute, although a little touristy, but still worth seeing the architecture and views.
In Montreal, I would recommend the Atwater Market early in your trip or at the end so you can pick up fruits and cheeses.
We also really enjoyed dining at the Beaver Club in the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. Definitely a pleasurable and classy dining experience.
Some the streets can be sketchy in the morning, before 9, like Rue St. Catherine in some places. Be mindful.
Olympic Park and BioDome are a waste of time and money. Jardin Botanique was good and I would definitely check it out. Did I say BioDome is a huge waste of money... oh yes I did say BioDome is a huge waste of money.
Have fun. Remember the exchange rate sucks from the US and you can NO longer get a refund on TAXES for goods purchased for personal use and hotel accomandations. And the sales tax rate in Quebec is horrible!
In Montreal, I would recommend the Atwater Market early in your trip or at the end so you can pick up fruits and cheeses.
We also really enjoyed dining at the Beaver Club in the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. Definitely a pleasurable and classy dining experience.
Some the streets can be sketchy in the morning, before 9, like Rue St. Catherine in some places. Be mindful.
Olympic Park and BioDome are a waste of time and money. Jardin Botanique was good and I would definitely check it out. Did I say BioDome is a huge waste of money... oh yes I did say BioDome is a huge waste of money.
Have fun. Remember the exchange rate sucks from the US and you can NO longer get a refund on TAXES for goods purchased for personal use and hotel accomandations. And the sales tax rate in Quebec is horrible!