Hungry

Can anyone suggest some great places for Sunday breakfast in Montreal We are not interested in those huge brunches, just a normal delicious breakfast. Thanks in advance for the fabulous suggestions I know I am going to get!!!!

Daniel Williams

Tons of great brunch places to go to in the city...brunch is something Montrealers are passionate about.<BR><BR>For a cozy urban Quebecois place, love le Toasteur on ave. du Roy or Laurier E. ; classy place, cozy...anti-smokers might not like it though as you may not be sitting far from a smoker. L'Avenue on Mont-Royal is reasonable...be warned that there's often a line-up. Eggspectation and Chez Cora are chains in the city...and may be better placed if you're staying in a downtown location; I prefer the first to the second. <BR><BR>Have a great time! DAN

Hungry

Thanks, Dan. I knew I'd hear from you(lol). You are right, I don't want a smokey place. Also, I don't want to wait in line. I'd prefer something in Old Montreal, downtown, or the west end of the city. Eggspectations is OK. I've never been to Chez Cora. Do you have any other suggestions?

Daniel Williams

Montreal, you may realize since you've visited before, is more accommodating to smokers than much of the rest of North America (but not parts of Europe or Asia)...many quaint smaller places will have a few cigarette smokers who tend to like to light up for their pre- or post-brunch coffee. The separation between nonsmokers and smokers as a result in a smaller place is not as good. I have been known to enjoy a smoke (OK, at certain times in my youth had a cig almost daily) and maybe as a result I never found the level of smoke at these smaller places unpleasant. If you're a purist, you're stuck with the bigger chain places.<BR><BR>As for the line-up at l'Avenue (and a few other good places including sometimes even Eggspectation)...it would be freezing sometimes and we'd stil queue up, even though there were other options around with no line-up. We may have been nuts but we had our reasons .<BR><BR>The locations you choose unfortunately were not where my favorite brunch places in the city are found (you'll find mine all in le Village Gai, Plateau Mont Royal, Mile-End). In Old Montreal, for yummy crepes there's le Jardin Nelson and in downtown, you could always go to Movenpick. There's a Chez Cora in Old Montreal and an Eggspectation downtown.

Susan

Daniel's right about smokers. I live in Toronto, but currently I commute to Montreal 4 days / week. When I go out with co-workers and clients, I'm always amazed at how many of them smoke! Even those who don't smoke in Toronto, seem to have the odd cigarette in Montreal. I'm not a smoker and some of the restaurants have been unpleasant to say the least. <BR><BR>However, I have to say that breakfasts seem to be pretty good in Montreal. The bagels are usually terrific - Montreal is known for its bagels! Usually I'm in a rush and just pick up something to take into the office to eat. I tend to go to Marche (Movenpick) a lot - good bagels, wonderful fresh juices, and they have a terrific muesli. It's not a 'special' place for breakfast, but it's great for an everyday breakfast. Movenpick is a chain, so they are elsewhere in Canada, but I seem to go there all the time in Montreal.

Daniel Sklar

You could probably find a good breakfast at Beauty's near St. Lawrence or Chez Cora which is a chain with good meals albeit a little pricy expensive.

not hungry

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. Just to let you know that we went to Benedict's on Monkland. It was delicious and there was no line....I guess because it is the favourite of locals and many locals have left town for the holidays. Also, there is a no smoking section.

Daniel Williams

Although not in the areas you're considering, I was introduced by a friend to an *amazing* brunch place this past trip to Montreal, on the corner of Parc and Bernard (Mile-End neighborhood) named Vaudeville. Their pastries were scrumptious and the eggs florentine were divine, possibly the best I'd ever had. It wasn't particularly smoky, the ambience was classy Europeen, the price reasonable...check it out if you're back in town.<BR><BR>DAN

A.M.

Hello Daniel,<BR>Why do you describe a Montreal establishment as "classy European?" What's wrong with classy Canadian or even classy Quebecois? Afterall THAT'S what it is.<BR>Just curious.<BR>A.M.

Daniel Williams

Hi A.M.,<BR><BR>Vaudeville is run by a Greek woman, and the waitress and hostess spoke a more European French...this combined with the coziness, the style of brunch and the decor gave the place to my eyes a more European ambience. <BR><BR>Definitely there IS such a thing as classy Quebecois or Canadian as well, but the vibe at this particular restaurant seemed different from what I think of as those. To me, the nationality of the ownership and the staff, combined with influences in the decor make this distinction. The restaurant at la Reine Elisabeth seems classy Canadian to me and a brunch place like Le Pistou more classy Quebecois.<BR><BR>Just my thoughts. Cheers! DAN<BR><BR>