Style Destination
Style destination: Montreal
Photography, Courtesy Boutique Vestibule, Ulysse Lemerise/OSA Images (Place des Festivals), Courtesy Instagram.com/torontorealaise (le Butterblume), Courtesy Instagram.com/fabulous_eats (Le Petit Dep), Adrien Williams (Crew Collective)
Style Destination
Style destination: Montreal
How to spend three days in Montreal, Quebec.
DAY 1
Check in to Le Mount Stephen for a chic sleep steeped in history – this stunning hotel was a 19th-century residence before it served as a men-only social club from the 1920s to the 1960s. Head out and fuel up for the day at Café OSMO in the downtown core. Located in the storied Notman House, this modern coffee shop is a hot spot for the startup set. Sit down for a chat and brush up on your French, or grab a cappuccino to go. Walk to Au Sommet Place Ville Marie, where you can ride the elevator up 46 floors to the 360° Observation Deck and take in an epic panoramic view of the city (major selfie opportunity). Stop two floors down to enjoy lunch at Les Enfants Terribles, where you can have reinvented versions of favourite childhood dishes and more. The beef burger and homemade fries are customer favourites, but this vegetarian loved the beet salad topped with warm goat cheese. Next, stroll to Place des Festivals and channel your inner child at Impulse – an interactive art installation featuring LED-lit see-saws and more. Continue this style-meets-tech day at the Society for Arts and Technology and experience a 3-D art show, virtual reality games and light displays. As for dinner, that’s easy. Food-lab, located in the same building, offers delicious dishes from celebrated chefs who combine local produce with foodie trends. Head back to the hotel’s Bar George for a drink. This cozy British-inspired space is a chic cocktail haven that executes an artistic (and delicious) Pimm’s Cup.
DAY 2
Start your morning at the stunning Crew Collective and Café, basking in the grand splendour of the 1928 building that was once the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Canada. Grab a cup of coffee and a buttery pastry that’s well worth every single calorie. Then, roam the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal, popping into Instagram-worthy shops like Le Petit Dep with its mint green storefront, gold accents and strings of twinkle lights (it’s also a great place to pick up a souvenir). Enjoy a light petit déjeuner at Olive et Gourmando, then check out Espace Pepin, which carries casual-cool fashion brands, and its sister store, Espace Pepin Home, which is stocked with modern accents as well as vintage and retro furniture designs. Once you’ve shopped until you’ve (almost) dropped, head over to Bocata for a decadent French dish. You won’t regret the palourdes et flanc de porc, but save room for a twisty cone back at Le Petit Dep. Enjoy it en route to the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, which glows in the moonlight. Go from reverence to revelry and grab a nightcap at The Coldroom, an off-the-beaten-path bar that’s accessed by ringing a discreet doorbell. Order up a seasonal cocktail and head back to the hotel to bid the day a bonne nuit.
DAY 3
Do like the locals and grab a bagel from St-Viateur Bagel. Then, mosey down to VdeV, a decor store teeming with Mid-Century-style furnishings, boho textiles and charming dishware. If your wallet still needs a workout, peruse equally covetable home goodies, as well as skin-care products, clothing and accessories, at Vestibule. When you’ve shopped up an appetite, head to Le Butterblume and make sure you order the yogurt pancake with poached pear. Continue your spree, stopping at places like Atelier B, which offers chic locally designed and made clothing, and Les Chocolats de Chloé, a dream destination for anyone with a sweet tooth. For dinner, how about some classic Québécois cooking? Restaurant au Pied de Cochon is the place for a taste of classic poutine – a fitting ending to a fabulous trip.
WHAT TO PACK
Icy days in the European-style city call for pieces that’ll keep you both cozy and chic.
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