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We've compiled the best of the best in Montreal - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Paul's Boutique, owned by none other than the eponymous and eccentric Paul, is an Ali Baba's cave of 20,000-plus rare and used records, with a strong emphasis on hip-hop and vintage 45s. The shop also stocks old DVDs, magazines, and music memorabilia. Housed in a colonial Québec home with dormer windows that's painted canary yellow and fire-engine red—and appears to be caving in on itself—it's hard to miss Paul's Boutique.
Piazza Salumi is an excellent Italian fine food shop and delicatessen with a sandwich counter preparing some of the best focaccia sandwiches in Montréal. The ready-to-eat counter serves arancini, pasta dishes and Roman-style pizza (made with foccacia bread and cut in rectangles) slices.
There are 60 shops at this complex directly beneath Christ Church Cathedral, including Canada's largest Linen Chest outlet, with hundreds of bedspreads and duvets, plus aisles of china, crystal, linen, and silver. The food court is spacious and comfortable.
Tucked away in the basement level of the Complexe Desjardins shopping mall, this outlet of the vast French-language book chain is chockablock with books in French and English, magazines, and music.
Bring the great outdoors in, courtesy of this longtime Canadian chain with a beaver emblem. There are lots of casual neutrals for men, women, and kids, with pops of colorful sportswear thrown in for good measure.
Young, fashion conscious locals flock to this boutique in Old Montréal, which is stocked with avant-garde finds from North America and Europe, with an emphasis on Montréal and Canadian brands. Here, Cydwoq and Canada Goose hang alongside coats from the sleek Montréal label Mackage and pieces from U&I's own label. The three other locations of U&I are also in Old Montréal: U&I Man at 215 rue St-Paul Ouest, U&I Dream at 445 rue St-Sulpice, and U&I Love at 235 rue St-Sulpice.
Young Quebecois designers like Barilà, Valérie Dumaine, and Mélissa Nepton are the stars of this beautiful Mile End boutique, which also stocks unique national and international labels. All the black and white in the window display hints at the minimalist aesthetic within.
Established in Montréal in 2007, WANT's flagship boutique in hipster Mile End draws inspiration from travel and transitional spaces like airports, train stations, airplane cabins, and Montréal's métro cars. The label emphasizes minimalist, gender-neutral clothing, footwear, and bags in muted blacks, whites, and grays. In addition to its own brand, WANT also carries apothecary, jewelry, and accessories from labels such as Grown Alchemist, Susanne Kaufmann, and All Blues, among others. Shoppers can also enjoy a VIP WANT experience by booking an appointment online.
Tucked away on the lowest level of Place Montréal Trust lies this huge discount store stocked with clothing, shoes, housewares—you name it. Allow adequate time if you really want to rummage, but if you're not at leisure, head straight to the runway collections and the sale racks for the best bargains. The Alexis Nihon (Atwater métro) location, on the edge of Westmount, can also also be a good bet for snagging a deal on designer labels and Italian shoes.
This gourmet cheese shop is the go-to destination for the city's top chefs and cheese aficionados. Yannick Achim carries 400 varieties, buying from local dairies and stocking an astonishing international selection. You'll find Pikauba cheese from Québec beside pecorino made with raw sheep's milk and laced with black truffles. Cheese lovers here eagerly trade advice on building the perfect after-dinner cheese plate.
The silver-domed Marché Bonsecours, the city's main public market in the 1800s, has been restored and renovated with a modern edge. The 15 boutiques inside sell First Nations artwork, Quebecois designer fashions, jewelry, kitchenware, and more. The paintings of Michel Sylvain on display at Art et Antiquités Médius capture eloquent Montréal street scenes. Soak it all up over a cup of coffee from Le Café des Arts or a full meal and an artisinal beer at Pub BreWskey.
On the third level of the cavernous Ogilvy department store you'll find the highest quality furs and shearlings, including extravagant, colorful sheared beavers from Montréal's Zuki.Call ahead as there may be closures or disruptions while Ogilvy and Holt Renfrew merge.
