Montreal visit - assuming we can cross the border
 

My 3 sons and I (all vaxxed) have reservations for 3 nights in Montreal over our American Thanksgiving holidays. We're staying on Rue Saint-Dennis off Sherbrooke and would love some restaurant tips - specifically in Chinatown for Peking Duck, authentic bagels and maybe a spot in Little Portugal. I'm pretty easy going about travel, but am definitely stressed about getting our required Covid test results within the 72 hour time frame of crossing as required. I'm planning our tests for the Sunday prior to our Wednesday planned crossing, but am concerned about testing turnaround time as it is a very busy travel week typically in the U.S. and I'm afraid labs will be inundated with samples. Any advice or recent experiences shared would be appreciated.

The two main authentic Montreal bagel places are Fairmount Bagels and Saint-Viateur, both in the Plateau. When you're there, ask them which type is the freshest (usually sesame), order that along with a small tub of cream cheese and maybe some smoked salmon slices if you feel like it.

I have no recommendations in particular for Peking Duck or Portugese, but I will say that "Little Portugal" isn't really a clearly defined neighbourhood and there are good Portuguese restaurants scattered throughout the Plateau.

You are staying in a great part of the city. There are lots of interesting restaurants on the plateau, many are BYOB, especially on or near Rue Duluth. Some of our favorites
Le jardin De Panos - Greek, brochettes, Khybler Pass - Afghan. Eduardos - Italian
Also Nil Bleu Ethiopian on St Denis, L'Express - French on St Denis, Cafe Cherrier on Cherrier - French bistro
There are all kinds of restaurants, cafes and interesting shops near by.

Thank you for the responses. I sincerely appreciate it.

A useful tool for dining is this site: https://www.restomontreal.ca/?lang=en

It lets you search by area, type of cuisine, business address and opening times, budget and places that allow AVV -- apportez votre vin, in other words bring your own wine. Usually no corkage fee, so it is a real money-saver. AVV restos tend to be small and personal. Wine is available at corner stores. But the better stuff is sold by the government stores called SaQ. Your hotel can advise you.
There are plenty of restaurants around Sherbrooke-Saint-Denis and a Metro subway stop right there.
A pronunciation hint: You're staying in "sant-Denee". Don't worry; everyone is helpful in English. But the French way seems more graceful.

Hi—

I live in Montreal.

I agree that little Portugal is not clearly defined; I’ve heard it said that the corner of Saint Urbain & Rachel streets where there’s a Portuguese church constitutes the center, but it’s certainly not a little Portugal in the same way as somewhere like what Toronto has. Â My favourite Portuguese restaurant in Montreal is actually a reasonably priced place that I often just take out from and certainly don’t go for the ambience, but which just happens to have really moist, flavourful and delicious chicken sandwiches. Â The restaurant is called la Poule Mouillé.

I’d recommend going to the original St. Viateur or Fairmount bagels found on St. Viateur and Fairmount streets in the area called Mike End; definitely get them hot out of the oven and eat them shortly thereafter. Â I’ve had them cold, or worse, on the next day/from the supermarket and the bagel is not the same magical beast as the variety freshly out of the oven.

Best wishes,
Daniel


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Tips about wine and food? Merci beaucoup! I very much appreciate the info about wine. Thank you. We’re really excited to visit Montreal again after many years and my sons will be very happy to enjoy the places which have been recommended. Wish us luck in getting our PCR test results back in 72 hours.

nylilly, let us know how it goes. We are near the border and want to visit Montreal soon!

Will do! I already have Covid tests scheduled for 72 hours prior to our anticipated border crossings, but am inclined to schedule at a second testing site as well because I am so concerned about the turn around time for results. Hopefully my next communication to you will be from Canada!

Hi all -
Just finished my bagel from St. Viateur (ok, 1 1/5 bagels) and am headed out to do some exploring. Getting across the border wasn’t too onerous, but the documentation prior to arriving at the border was tedious. I downloaded ArriveCAN and over a period of a few days, I added the necessary information for myself and my three sons - passports, immunization cards, etc. We Covid tested initially on Sunday, but were concerned about getting our results back within 72 hours, so we tested a second time at a place that promised results w/in 48 hours. When our results became available, I screenshot the PDFs and those images, along with our Passports and the app were all examined at customs and we were permitted to cross the border. I believe the rules are expected to change again, at least for Canadians, at the end of the month.

Congrats on navigating all the red tape and making it to Montreal. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures.

It was a lovely get away! Our location really was excellent and I didn’t touch my car until we were heading south. I ate a lot of carbs, to fuel all of my walking, and landed upon a fantastic little jazz spot just up St. Denis from our airbandb. The drive really wasn’t bad and I don’t know why (Covid aside) I don’t go to Montreal more often!
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Fantastic jazz bar.
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Peking duck (first of two courses) and salt and pepper squid (a family favorite)
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Montreal bagels > NYC bagels
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L’Express on St. Denis
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Where we enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner.
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The view from our kitchen and terrace.
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Mamie Clafoutis was dangerously close…

Glad you had such a good time, and thanks for sharing it with us.

If I didn't live 3000 miles away I'm sure I'd visit more often too!

Hi nylilly,

Thanks for your trip report. I see poppyseed and sesame on the bagel; I hope the bagel lived up to your expectations.

By the way, I have been to Mamie Clafoutis many times over the years, where I would grade papers. Their clafoutis is very good!

Glad you enjoyed your time in Montreal!

Daniel

Hi OP NYL,
Good to hear that you enjoyed your trip and those Montreal offerings. If you want a chuckle, do check out the recent presser wherein the Montreal hockey team's new (non-fluent in French) executive is announced. He reads from a prepared French script and his awkward accent is, well...
*I tried to link it here but Fodors seems to forbid such links---maybe someone else can have more success with another link.
Au revoir,
I am done. The maudit anglais.

Railroad robbery
 

Before you spend a penny for a trip on the Canadian Rocky Mountaineer please be sure to read their Terms. Any monies paid for a reservation will NOT be returned—not even if you change your mind an hour later, if COVID shuts the Canadian border down, if an avalanche covers the tracks, if you become hospitalized, if you have a death in the family, if you die. Their paragraph 12 spells it out very clearly and any attempt to cancel the reservation will result in a terse message attesting to their policy.Their trip has been on my bucket list for all of my 87 years. My failure to read their Terms cost me $2853.89 although I acted long before an anticipated May trip. Don’t repeat my mistake as you will be subject to the greatest train robbery in existence.

I'm awful sorry to hear about this disappointment Rick. Don't these outfits realize the bad optic of not properly reimbursing clients? We too just got stiffed by a rail company, the Italian Train ticketing business (ItalRail, based somewhere in the States). Ironically, they sent us by error, an email surely intended for some other person. In the message, the company owner promises a 'Michelle' (I am male) a full reimbursement 'given her circumstances'. I immediately requested the same deal, but of course, never heard back from the coward.

Wishing you better luck soon with that train. *Note: one semi-secret destination that may serve as a perfect microcosm of all the best that the Canuck Rockies have to offer....is Yoho park's magnificent Lake O'Hara. One must sign up months ahead of time to visit---satisfaction guaranteed.

I am done. The end.

Correction: it was TrenItalia in the above story.
I am done. The end.