Ice Scoop: Montreal's best ice cream
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How do you like your coffee in the morning, in the afternoon and at night? Even with all the accoutrements – the V60s and the Chemexes, the Aeropresses and French presses – making a frothy flat white or achieving that perfect crema at home that little bit easier, nothing beats a caffeine hit from your favourite cafe. Montreal’s coffee scene has been brewing for years and there are international imports and local roasteries in every corner of the city. Our favourites, however, include the ones championing carefully sourced beans from near and far, specialist independent stores that have won the hearts of locals and, naturally, those with well-designed interiors. Here’s our guide to the best coffee spots in the city – no matter how you take it.
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1. Olympico
When the sun sets on the west, the sun light inundates this cafe, creating a special place to sit inside. People come in, line up in a circular queue around the center tables to the 40 feet counter. This is not a coffee shop for working on a laptop. Watch the people. |
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5. Le Paltoquet
Opened in 1990 by Laurent, with the help of our friend Kim behind the counter for many years until 2022, le Paltoquet is now at the ownership of Gervais Lavoie and wife Lily. The café au lait is the best of Montreal, order the bol de café, it is a delight. |
9. Crew Collective & Cafe
Come for the architectural design of a coffee shop. The Crew Offices and Cafe are located in the in the main hall of Montreal’s former Royal Bank headquarters, built in 1926 by New York architects firm York & Sawyeon on Rue St-Jacques. The neoclassical edifice was the British Empire’s tallest building when it was constructed in the late 1920s, when Montreal was the country’s financial capital. Transformed into an office for a tech start-up and a cafe for freelance workers by local architect Henri Cleinge. The bank's marble floor, painted-plaster ceiling and custom brass light fixtures were all retained and restored. |
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10. Duc de Lorraine
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