5-Hour Montreal Food Tour Discover the City's Culinary Delights

Discover the best of Montreal’s culinary scene with this carefully curated 5-hour food tour. Starting and ending at Gingerbread Manor Bed and Breakfast, this tour takes you through iconic delis, bakeries, and cafes.

Tour Itinerary

Gingerbread Manor Food Walking Tour Map

11:00 AM – Departure from Gingerbread Manor Bed and Breakfast

Address: 3445 Avenue Laval, Montreal, QC H2X 3C7
Bus 55: From Saint-Laurent / Prince-Arthur (13 stops) until Saint-Laurent / Bernard and then walk to:

Just to mention it, because the bus drops you not far from it: Bernie Beigne, the doughnut shop at 23 rue Bernard Ouest in the Mile End, is the one place on this walk we are deliberately not stopping. Its giant apple fritter is famous: Blake Lively posted a box of Bernie Beigne doughnuts with the verdict “has taken over my entire personality”, then held up the fritter itself with the caption “Send help.” We suggest that you phone ahead to learn when the fritters are coming out of the oven and line up to get one warm.

But timing one is a sport of its own, and straight after breakfast at the Manor, nobody is ready for a giant doughnut. Admire it as you pass, and save it for another time.

11:30 AM – Lester’s Deli

Address: 1057 Avenue Bernard, Montreal, QC H2V 1V1

Start your tour with a taste of Montreal’s iconic smoked meat and poutine at this timeless deli gem. And yes, they stock Black Cherry Soda.

12:00 PM – Cheskie’s Bakery

Address: 272 Rue Bernard O, Montreal, QC H2V 1T4

Indulge in delicious babka or hamantaschen at this popular Jewish bakery. It is closed on Saturdays for the Sabbath, so plan this tour for another day.

12:30 PM – St-Viateur Bagel

Address: 263 Rue Saint-Viateur O, Montreal, QC H2V 1Y1

Enjoy a fresh, wood-fired bagel and debate whether they are truly “the world’s best bagels.”

The shop also has a newer claim to fame. In the hit series Heated Rivalry, Rose Landry, played by Quebec actress Sophie Nélisse, opens an episode wearing the blue St-Viateur T-shirt, on screen for less than a minute. Sales of the shirt nearly tripled, and Nélisse later stopped by the Mont-Royal Avenue shop to sign one: “best team and best bagels in the city.”

1:00 PM – Kouzina Niata

Address: 221 Rue Saint-Viateur O, Montreal, QC H2T 2L6

Savour Greek specialties like kotopita and spanakopita at this charming ready-to-eat counter.

1:30 PM – Café Olimpico

Address: 124 Rue Saint-Viateur O, Montreal, QC H2T 1Y1

Enjoy a coffee break at this beloved local café, known for its vibrant atmosphere.

1:50 PM – Fairmount Bagel

Address: 74 Avenue Fairmount O, Montreal, QC H2T 2M2

Compare the bagels here with those from St-Viateur and decide your favourite. And do not let anyone tell you the two shops’ “everything” bagels are the same: Fairmount’s all-dressed has onion, garlic, caraway (kimmel), sesame, poppy and coarse salt, while St-Viateur’s everything is garlic, onion, sesame and poppy. Fairmount also sells garlic and onion bagels on their own.

Fairmount’s bagels have also left the planet. In 2008, Montreal-born astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, whose aunt Mona owned this shop, carried 18 of them to the International Space Station, because he could not face six months in orbit without them.

Montreal Food Tour: a bag of Fairmount bagels in the back of our car after a pickup

2:10 PM – Kem Coba or Iconoglace (Summer Only)

Address: 60 Avenue Fairmount O, Montreal, QC H2T 2M2 (Kem Coba)
Address: 50 Avenue Laurier O, Montréal, QC H2T 2N4 (Iconoglace)

Treat yourself to some of the best ice cream in Montreal.

2:45 PM – Hof Kelsten

Address: 4524 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1R5

Sample artisanal bread and pastries at this renowned bakery.

3:15 PM – Pâtisserie Au Kouign-Amann

Address: 316 Avenue du Mont-Royal E, Montreal, QC H2T 1P7

End your tour with a sweet treat, the buttery Kouign-Amann, at this beloved bakery. Open Wednesday to Saturday, only.

3:45 PM – Return to Gingerbread Manor Bed and Breakfast

Address: 3445 Avenue Laval, Montreal, QC H2X 3C7

Tips for the Montreal Food Tour

  • Run this tour Wednesday to Friday: Cheskie’s is closed on Saturdays for the Sabbath, and Au Kouign-Amann opens only Wednesday to Saturday, so those are the days every stop is open.
  • Consider using a combination of walking and public transportation or a taxi/rideshare service to maximize your time.
  • Enjoy the leisurely pace, allowing time to savour each stop and explore the surroundings.
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