2 days in montreal in mid june
 

we are heading to new england and decided to spend 2 days in montreal - june 17 & 18. we enjoy wandering old neighborhoods and getting a local experience rather than a tourist highlight tour. ideas for interesting hidden gems and local inexpensive restaurants.

thanks

Dear ddreher

You have many choices for wandering; really 2 days is just going to get you started. The areas I think that lend themselves best to your desired method of exploring are the Plateau-Mont-Royal,(metros: Sherbrooke or Mont-Royal) Mile-End and the McGill Ghetto, with a visit to Parc Lafontaine, and Parc Jeanne-Mance & Mont-Royal while you're at it. Old Montreal, despite being a tourist highlight, is an enjoyable place for strolling also.

With restaurants, gems sometimes have trouble hiding in this city... Let's see... inexpensive....

PLATEAU:
Premiere Moisson on Mont-Royal Ave. has a menu du jour at lunchtime, which includes soup, salad, a dish of their choice and dessert for $8.95. Get some bread while you're at it for a picnic; their bread is EXCELLENT.

Soupe Soupe on Duluth and Coloniale has innovative soups and sandwiches, as does Cafe Santropol on nearby Duluth and Saint-Urbain.

For desserts, Kouign Amman on Mont-Royal (near Henri-Julien) has some divine pastries in the style of Bretagne. Leo le Glacier (corner Duluth-Boyer), Meu Meu (corner Mont-Royal & Saint Denis) and Au Festin de Babette (on Saint-Denis near Rachel) all have innovative and delicious unordinary ice cream.

MILE-END

Wowa (ave. du Parc north of Fairmount) for Russian pastries & salads.

Patisserie de Gascogne (Laurier, Ave. du Parc) usually has several lunch options on a menu at a reasonable price.

These are just a smattering of ideas...

Have fun!

Daniel

We are visiting in September from the UK,also for two nights,can you recommend a good b and b and also restaurants for dinner.
Thanks for your help

thanks so much daniel!

denny

My favourite B&B in Montreal is the Auberge Les Passants du Sans Soucy on rue St. Paul in Old Montréal. There are many other fine B&Bs in various parts of the city and I'm sure others will add their recommendations.

If one of your days happens to have rain, try going to the Biosphere ( It is the Metro stop after Pie Neuf -I can't remember its name ). You won't regret it.

Lemeac has a fabulous 2 course dinner for $22 after 10 PM. The truffle oil salmon tartare is wonderful. It's on Laurier West. I'd highly recommend it.

I will be staying 4 nights at this B & B in July. Boulanger Bassin B&B, www.bbassin.com. I can let you know how it was after we are back, but you will probably want to book a place before then.