A Packed Gourmet Tour Through Old Montreal, from Morning to Evening

If you consider yourself to be more a “live to eat” kind of person, end up planning your vacations around culinary discovery, and you can’t scroll two posts down your Instagram feed without feeling your mouth start to water, then you’ve stumbled upon the right article! This tour is a day focused entirely around gastronomy. Montreal is a very culinary place, and le Vieux in particular is alive with great sites for amazing food!

Our first stop is at Tommy Café + Apéro. Let yourself be tempted by their take on avocado toast, paired with a coffee, or even a mimosa (why not?) to start out this bountiful tour! With its enchanting ambiance, Tommy is one of those places where you could easily spend hours and hours.

Once you’ve had your fill of good food and beautiful atmosphere, take to Notre-Dame Street for a stroll. Walking through the streets of le Vieux is like taking a walk through history. Indeed, you’ll be passing by sites like the Notre-Dame Basilica and Place d’Armes. Take a few seconds here to just enjoy hanging out.

Continue on toward Saint-Amable Street, whose arbors are once again blooming with its iconic pretty red flowers this year.

When the bells of the basilica sing their noontime song, you should find yourself close to Terrasse William Gray – an ideal place to stop for lunch. On the menu for this place: a selection of delicious dishes and a view of the Old Port that will take your breath away. Order some tataki and a spritz, take in the view, and create a perfect summer memory.

When the afternoon sun starts to warm you up, doesn’t an iced coffee sound like the perfect refreshment? Find your way to the Old Port Promenade, and by the riverside, you’ll find Café Macchiato. Then try your best to make your drink last until you get to Clocktower Beach. Roll out your towel under one of their famous blue parasols, and enjoy your last sips with your feet in the sand; a moment of perfect happiness.

Once you’re done with your sun bath, walk along the river until you reach Marché des Éclusiers. You won’t be able to resist taking some pictures once you see their very hippie terrace. And, their attractive décor is just about as colourful as their cocktails! Try nursing one of their aperitifs while enjoying the soft breeze off the Saint-Lawrence.

Sometimes, gastronomy can border on fine art, resulting in an exciting and outstanding end product. And you can reliably find this at the restaurant Pastel; here is where you will be dining for the evening! Your eyes will be dazzled by the sheer refinement of the dishes – seriously, we almost couldn’t ruin the artistry by taking a bite! But, when you do, your mouth will experience a balanced taste that is as perfect as the meal’s presentation

Do you want to keep the night going? Only a few steps separate you and the terrace at Speakeasy MTL. Sample one of their elaborate cocktails, or maybe grab a glass of champagne and an order of oysters. There’s always room for some oysters!

And if you haven’t quite gotten your fill after this very flavourful day, die-hard gourmands should drop by Franklin’s Subs and Suds where their milkshakes can soothe a sweet tooth, and their famous subs make sandwich fans weak in the knees. Open until midnight from Tuesday to Saturdays, this is the perfect end-of-night comfort food spot.

Le Vieux is the gastronomic neighbourhood par excellence, but it also contains plenty of great fashion places, chances to create sweet family memories, or even opportunities to take your time and just relax.

© Photo Credit : Yosniel Cobas