Montréal

Le Petit Hôtel

Fairmount Bagel

Schwartz's Deli

Liverpool House

Style Labo

Café Névé (left only)

Olive + Gourmando

Marché Atwater

St Viateur Bagel

Patati Patata

Méchant Boeuf Bar/Brasserie

Where to start with Montreal... this city stole my heart. There are so many things I love about it and it's high up on my list of cities I could easily live in. It has so much character with all the old buildings, not just in Old Montreal but in other parts of the city. The food is incredible and the way it is served is inspiring. There are multiple food markets selling fresh produce and rows upon rows of flowers. Good quality chocolate shops are scattered around the city. There are so many nice fashion and interior boutiques. And there are some really pretty streets to live with terrace houses shaded by big trees. It's also nice to walk around and listen to everyone speaking French, even if I don't know what is being said. I attempted to sample as much food as I could here. I also came home with a heavier suitcase and a much lighter purse. I do hope to visit again.

Highlights

• Le Petit Hôtel - a stylish little hotel we stayed at in Old Montreal

• Fairmount Bagel & St Viateur Bagel - bagels baked fresh every day

• Schwartz's Deli - this little sandwich place had a queue out the door when I arrived. They make a pretty amazing smoked meat sandwich.

• Liverpool House - we loved this restaurant! The menu is written up on blackboards and the meals were amazing (bad pics sorry!). Rustic and unpretentious and the restaurant itself is really stylish with vintage elements all around. The service was great as well.

• Style Labo - this shop is filled with vintage treasures ranging from enamel lightshades to letterpress blocks and furniture pieces among many other things.

• Café Névé - the best coffee I had in Montreal. And the biscuits and muffins are amazing.

• Olive + Gourmando - loved this cafe in Old Montreal, and so does everybody else it seemed! We tried making a third stop on a weekend and the place was totally full. They have a delicious menu as well as a large selection of pastries. I had a late breakfast of toast with sliced cheddar cheese that was presented on a piece of engraved slate. Loved it.

• Marché Atwater & Jean-Talon - there are 4 main markets in Montreal and I made it to these two. Both house really fresh produce and plants.

• Patati Patata - tiny little diner that makes an awesome poutine.

• Mechant Boeuf - we stumbled across this one in Old Montreal and it's a very funky bar/brasserie. I ordered beer can chicken and it came out as a whole chicken standing up on my plate! Also served with a bagel, coleslaw and fries. So much food but wow, best chicken I've ever eaten.

• La Montée De Lait - didn't get pictures here but it's a cute little restaurant with an amazing degustation menu.

• Boutique Unicorn & Général 54 - made a purchase or two from both of these stores. Really nice clothing and accessories.

• Monastiraki - shop/art space selling a huge collection of art prints, antiques and collectables.

• Les Touilleurs - very cool cooking and bakeware store. They also hold cooking classes.

• Les Chocolats Geneviève Grandbois - amazing chocolate!

And I'm sure my list goes on, but these places are what I can remember most.

{ thanks to sly, marie-eve & christelle for the recommendations }

That will have to do for tonight as my jet lagged eyelids are getting very heavy. Tomorrow I will post the last stop of my trip - San Francisco.