thexiao longblog

To keep a woman like myself wanting for more in a place with below freezing temperatures, it takes a particular kind of whimsy. One that is covered in gravy and butter and salt, to be exact. I mean, just look at this:

Oh, Montreal. A city I chalked up to being a place where Bourdain fans kissed each other on the mouth and appraised one another for being so cultured. And now, here I am, ready and willing. Visiting Montreal was not on my 2026 (or ’27, ’28, ’29) bingo card, but my sister had surgery in the city and asked me to tag along, so I agreed. Needless to say, it’s back on my bingo card for the near future.

If you’re planning an upcoming trip and need some ideas for where to stop, here’s everywhere I went during my four days abroad:

** First things first: if you don’t want to rely on Uber to get you everywhere, you must purchase an OPUS card either from a kiosk or vending machine in the airport. The OPUS card is a pre-loaded transit card to get you rides via bus or train. The card itself is $6 USD and then you can load it with whatever amount you need.

I used the YUL bus line from the airport to the Lionel-Groulx train station in order to connect into downtown Montreal, but there are a few other routes. Google Maps works wonders in real time to get you from point A to point B. The total transit time shouldn’t be much longer than an hour and will set you back about $15.

1. Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Centre-Ville: Very central to all the action in the bustling metropolis. Other than location, the Hilton Garden Inn isn’t anything to write home about. Rates in the middle of January were a little over $200 USD/night, which is significantly cheaper than their peak season in the summer. (Not a lot of people want to travel into negative weather).
2. La Belle Province: My first poutine stop courtesy of the general recommendations on Reddit. I had it DoorDash’d over, considering I had just flown over 12 hours and was tired beyond reason – I don’t recommend doing this, because I think poutine needs to be consumed fresh. That being said, the food was still delicious. I ordered the classic and the Galvaude aka poutine’s fancy cousin. Galvaude is usually served with heaping piles of chicken and peas. I’m not a big fan of chicken, so I could have done with a little less, but the peas were a nice sweet addition to the savory dish.
3. La Finca Cafe: In Spanish, La Finca is a plantation, and that is exactly what this coffee shop/local market aimed to establish itself as when the doors reopened in 2020. With baked goods made in-house and an inviting atmosphere, it’s no wonder La Finca continues to serve a crowd in sub-zero weather. I recommend pairing a large americano – roasted from Costa Rican beans – with the shakshouka, baked using a blend of Middle Eastern spices. Montreal is not cheap, so prices run about the same as what you’d find in New York.
4. Marche Saint-Laurent: This coffee shop/locally curated tchotchke store was a cute stop on our walk to Chinatown and a nice way to re-up on some coffee. I recommend pairing the espresso ice cream with espresso for an affogato and trying one of their homemade chocolate chip cookies. If you’re in the market for local artwork, this is the best place to shop IMO.
5. Modavie: A quick Google search for, “best poutine in Montreal,” will quickly lead to this fine dining establishment on the corner of Rue Saint Paul and Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Modavie has been in operation since 1997 and you can tell the years have helped in developing an enticing atmosphere, as well as quality cuisine. I ordered the rack of lamb with a rosemary-infused demi-glace and sarladaise (roasted in duck fat) potatoes, and my sister had a duck confit paired with sautéed spinach. We both shared the poutine with braised lamb and its rich, dark gravy. This is a fine dining establishment, so the prices are expensive, but well worth the hit to your wallet. If you each get a drink, you’re looking at about $120 USD.
6. Marche Bonsecours: This historical building has been home to 17th century French officers, Charles Dickens and his performers in the Theatre Royal, 25 years of City Hall, and now, a curated hall for local artists, as well as an exhibition center. My slow stroll through Marche Bonsecours showed me unique jewelry pieces, winter clothing, and surrealist paintings. You can find a full list of retailers here.
7. Montreal’s Underground City: Built to combat the weather and traffic, the underground city connects over 20 miles of shops, train stations, universities, and more. There are hundreds of surface entrances throughout the city, each leading to its own unique haven. You can find a list of detailed maps here. I was closest to the Eaton Centre entrance, which leads to a glorified mall. The most unique of its shops being the Timeout Market. This massive food court has 15 eateries, 7 bars, and, “cultural spaces for art installations, music, and more.” Try a pistachio cherry cookie from Tunnel Espresso, then grab a glass of wine and find a seat against the window to watch the snow fall.
8. Indigo Bookstore: Like Barnes & Noble, but with live music and a fancier cafe. The downstairs is home to books written in French, and you can find English upstairs.
9. Freakin’ Poulet: I am a slut for fusion cuisine, so when I was recommended this Indian/French Canadian/Halal standalone, I just knew I was in for a treat. The decadent menu has everything from cheesy pastas to deep fried chicken, but I need you to run to order their butter paneer pizza (such an insanely delicious combo) and the freakin’ chicken poutine. Both servings were enough to keep me fed for an entire week, and cost me $46 USD – I told you Montreal wasn’t cheap.
10. L’Upper Cup: A very basic coffee shop I ran into on my brisk walk around town. It’s marketing caters to the boxing gym next door to it, and it’s meant to be for gym addicts who need a quick caffeine fix and some high protein snacks. There is a small seating area, as well, in case you need to get some work done before/after your workout.
11. Place des Artes: Though I didn’t get to tour the inside of the building, due to construction, I marveled in its grandeur as the sun set behind it. This beautiful piece of architecture is home to many performing arts events. You can find a list of current shows here. Some notable performances include Moulin Rouge!, The Lion King, and Mamma Mia! Though the arena seats close to 8,000, always book your ticket in advance – you never know when a show might sell out.
12. Sammi & Soupe Dumpling: For very obvious reasons, I had to stop here. The xiao long bao did not disappoint, nor did the environment, which allowed for guests to watch as their dumplings were hand rolled; I was immediately transported to a Taiwanese night market and felt right at home. Aside from the soup dumplings, you can also find pan-fried dumplings, seaweed salad, mapo tofu, and cold noodles on the menu. I ordered the pork soup dumpling, as well as the lamb and coriander for a little over $20 USD (not like Taiwanese street markets).
13. Brûlerie St-Denis: Another day, another cup of coffee. According to their website, the beans are roasted in-house with new blends monthly. I tried their January special, which was a rose latte, using homemade rose syrup. Better than Starbucks, obviously, but I wasn’t that impressed, considering it cost me almost $10 USD. Stop here if you need to re-up on caffeine in a pinch, but you’re better off grabbing coffee from 14 & 15:
14. Tim Horton’s: If you’re a sucker for grab-and-go convenience, you’ll love Tim Horton’s. This local chain can be found in 14 countries, but it started in Canada with only two donuts and coffee. Now, you can customize your coffee with a wide array of flavors – my favorite being pistachio – and gorge on over 15 different donut flavors. Hot food is also available for purchase. Fans of Dunkin’ Donuts will find semblance here. And you won’t break your bank. One cup of coffee and a donut is about $9 USD.
15. Cafe Olimpico: Recommended by my sister’s surgeon, as well as several people on Reddit, Cafe Olympico is a prestigious coffeehouse in Montreal, with just four locations throughout. Stepping inside is a bit like what I’d imagine a coffeeshop in the Ministry of Magic would look like (fuck you JK Rowling). The reason Olimpico works is because its tried-and-true blend has stayed the same since its conception in the 1970’s. You absolutely must have the caffee crema, loaded with a heaping dose of cream that perfectly compliments their roast. Pair this with the pistachio bomboloni for one of the best duos coffee has ever seen. Prices are fair with a cup of coffee running about $4 USD – cheaper and better than our notable chains.

I hope you enjoyed learning a little about this famed, French-Canadian hub! I hope I was able to provide some insight for your own trip planning. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at huangbaum@gmail.com. Thanks!