gourmet shops in Montreal
 

We are making a trip to Montreal again and this time we will be looking for gourmet specialty shops and cookware stores. We are also looking for Tison tea bags. Even though it's made in Quebec we couldn't find it in supermarket or the Atwater market in Montreal. Anyone knows of a place in Montreal that sells this brand of tea bags? How about the gourmet specialty shops and the kitchen cookware stores? We have Zabar in N.Y. Any store like that in Montreal will be fun for us to visit. Any information is appreciated.

There are a few cookware and ethnic type food shops on St. Laurent above Sherbrooke. I also seem to remember some more upscale type places along St. Denis.

For cookware go to Arthur Quentin at 3960 St-Denis. If you are going by Metro, exit Sherbrooke station and walk north, or Mont Royal and walk south.

I did a search for Tison and came up empty. Are you perhaps referring to tisane, which is herbal tea.

There are so many types of gourmet foods that I don't know where to begin...are you looking for a specific product besides the tea?

I too am perplexed by this make of tea bags;
I have never heard of it. We have many types of tisanes though... some made in Quebec.
The Jean Talon market is more of an ethnic market; little Italy has specialty stores also.
I'll be on the lookout for magazine articles that would give a list. St. Denis street has a few excellent stores with cookware.

Sorry about the misspelling. You are both correct, JQReports and Mitchdesi. It's Tisane I meant. Sorry about the confusion. I'm not only looking for tea but also other local and imported non-perishable foods, like herbs, cookies, sauces, chutney, candies, etc. One particular blend of herbs I am looking for is herbs of Provence. Is there a brand better than the rest or what are the popular brands? Any preference?
Maybe I was too overwhelmed with choices of cakes, breads and pastry at the bakeries I don't remember seeing any cookies at any of the bakeries I visited. I would like to bring some home so I can savor the flavor of Montreal weeks later. Where can I get some freshly baked cookies or any other baked goods that keep well? How about places to get good pates? Many thanks to those already replied and those that are going to. You guys are great!

I would recommend searching or posting at the www.chowhound.com Canada message board concerning Montreal. The people there are total fanatics about food; any food, any where on earth, at any price, any time, any spelling.

La premiere Moisson, with branches in Central Station food court, Sherbrooke St. near Fine Arts Museum, Atwater Mkt., and the West Island market, on boul. des Sources, is a great place for an excellent choice of pates, pies, delectable pastries, and tourtiere, the Quebec specialty (meat pie). They also have great baguettes and croissants. Patisserie de Gascogne used to be "to die for", and showcases fabulous-looking cakes; but it seems the quality of their breads and pastries may not be as good as previously. Be sure to buy that other great Montreal food specialty, best-in-the-world bagels. Purists insist you should schlep to either Fairmont or St-Viateur bagel bakeries for the real thing, but I think any of the shops which bake their own turn out a great product. There is no exact equivalent of Zabar's, but in general the quality of food shopping in Montreal is extremely high wherever you go.

The next issue of The Robb Report magazine for rich people reports on some gourmet shops in Montreal.

May issue, I believe. Some great restaurtants are mentioned, too.

BAK

obason, I'm not sure it's clear(at least to me, but I may be a bit dense today:) ) that what other posters were saying that "tisane" is really a generic word meaning "herbal tea" , not a specific brand, You can find many items in Quebec marked "tisane" including things from Liptons and Twinings!
As as Zabars frequenter, I'm pretty sure that you can find many types of tisane there too.
When I'm in Montreal, one of my favorite food places is a little gourmet store called "Vieille Europa" (on St. Laurent, a few stores over from Schwartz's deli). It obviously has many European products as well as Canadian, many of which I haven't seen in NY.
I also am very fond of Jean Talon market. Alongside the outdoor produce stands are many food shops, many specializing in Italian or Moroccan and Lebanese products. If I'm not mistaken, I recently saw a new-ish fancier store that is all Canadian (maybe even all Quebecois}food products. Everything looked beautiful and gift-worthy, though the prices are a little higher than in some of the less glossy stores. There's a Premiere Moisson bakery at the market too, and I always bring home their Raspberry jam