October 2023
Montreal
Canada’s 2nd largest city, very deep historical roots and feels very much like a European city.
Food
India Rosa
- Best meal I had in Montreal, an absolute must visit
- The type of meal that makes you understand why people say Indian food in America doesn’t compare to Indian food in Canada
- Butter Chicken goes crazy
Olive et Gourmando
- One of the best brunches I’ve ever had in my life, an absolute must visit
- No reservations so might have to wait a bit
Damas
- High-end restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine, good for a special occasion
Il Bazali
- Nice Italian restaurant
QDC Burger
- Casual spot with unique burger options and pretty good mac & cheese
Ma Poule Mouillée
- Spot to grab poutine which is an iconic Canadian dish. Across the street is the famous La Banquise which also serves poutine (known more as drunk food but certainly can be tried sober as well)
Kouing Amann Bakery
- My favorite bakery I went to in Montreal, get the titular (misspelled?) pastry
Boulangerie le Toledo
- Solid bakery
Le Caffè
- Small Italian coffee shops with sandwiches
St-Viateur Bagel
- Super famous bagel place that I didn’t love but maybe was just a bad experience
- Featured on Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil
- Maybe try just getting bagel & cream cheese as opposed to bagel sandwich
Bars
Bar Henrietta
- Really neat bar with specialty cocktails and bites, line to get in gets pretty long
Le Darling
- Cool spot, good cocktails
- They also serve food
Activities
Walking Tour
- Very much worth doing, there is so much history and so much to the city that you would otherwise not know about
- I booked mine on Viator and loved it
Mount Royal
- Can hike up and see the famous cross
- This isn’t anything crazy but nice outdoor activity and can get good views of the city
- More of a casual walk than a hike
Montreal Botanical Gardens
- I didn’t get to do this myself but it’s supposed to be pretty amazing and seems worth checking out
Lodging
- Stayed in an Airbnb in Plateau Mont Royal which is a great area
General Tips / Notes
- Lots of menus / signs / etc. are in French but most everyone speaks both French and English
- Bakeries are French and on point
- Check out the Underground City which is just a bunch of interconnected tunnels and buildings which make up the largest indoor area in Canada
- If you have time, take the 3 hour train (Via Rail) to Quebec City for a couple of days
Quebec City
Very old and historic city sitting on the St. Lawrence River, feels much more like a European city than a North American city. Can take a 3-hour train (Via Rail) to here from Montreal for about $40 if booked in advance.
Food
Le Billig
- Very authentic and excellent crepe restaurant, highly recommend
Boulangerie Louis Marchand et Compagnie
- One of the best bakeries I’ve ever been to, highly recommend
D’Orsay
- Popular restaurant pub, solid food
Saprosti Champlain
- Extremely average Italian restaurant
Chez Tao!
- Asian street eats restaurant which had bad food but great everything else (drinks, ambiance, service, etc.)
Beavertails
- Good dessert spot
Bars
Bar 1608
- Exquisite ambiance
- Located in the landmark Fairmont Hotel Frontenac
Inox Brewery
- Small brewery with beers on tap, nothing crazy but lowkey spot
Activities
Walking Tour
- Very much worth doing, there is so much history and so much to the city that you would otherwise not know about
La Citadelle de Quebec
- Active military base & museum with lots of history attached to it. Really neat tour
Ferry to Lévis
- I didn’t get a chance to do this but can take a ferry across the river (short ride, less than 15 min) and spend some time / view Quebec City from across the river
General Tips / Notes
- Lots of menus / signs / etc. are in French but most everyone speaks both French and English
- Bakeries are French and on point
Toronto
Canada’s largest city and metropolitan powerhouse. Feels like an American city, reminiscent in different ways of NYC and Chicago.
Food
PAI
- Super popular Thai restaurant, pretty good
- If you like Thai tea or boba, get the Tea Mac cocktail, it’s one of my favorite cocktails I’ve ever had
Bar Isabel
- Solid Spanish tapas place
Banjara
- Traditional Indian restaurant, was very good
Dil Se
- Another traditional Indian restaurant, was also very good
Mildred’s Temple Kitchen
- Classic brunch spot, try their homemade hot sauce
St. Lawrence Market
- One of the largest food markets I’ve ever been to
- Cool experience and most foods one can imagine
Chica’s Chicken
- Casual fried chicken spot, gets the job done for a quick meal
Mos Mos Coffee
- Good coffee and other worldly Nutella chocolate chip cookie
Hanmoto
- Popular Japanese izakaya, no reservations so I wasn’t able to get in as it was a crazy long wait
Bars
BarChef
- One of the most insane cocktail bars I’ve ever been to
- Tough to describe but the ambiance is special and the drinks are crafted with precision
- Prices are what you would expect from a place that Drake follows on Instagram
Bowie Bar
- Speakeasy under a laundromat, awesome inside & vibes
Grace O’Malley’s
- Pub to go to while waiting for table at PAI
The Hole In the Wall
- Cool dive bar
- For the love of God do not order the marinara pizza, one of the worst dishes I’ve ever eaten in my life and a dish that stopped me from saying “there’s no such thing as bad pizza” ever again
Activities
CN Tower
- Pretty touristy but worth it to go to the top once
- Was once the tallest free-standing structure in the world and has been named one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World
Hockey Hall of Fame
- Can see the Stanley Cup & other trophies if visiting during the hockey season
St. Lawerence Market
- See food section. Can go just to see it even if not hungry
Eaton Centre
- Major shopping plaza in downtown Toronto
- Can shop at Canadian stores like Lulu Lemon & Aritzia and get items for “discount” (CAD $1 = USD $0.74 as of when this was written)
Harbourfront Centre
- Walk along the waterfront
High Park
- Massive park, good for a nice walk