St-Viateur Bagel Shop

Allow us introduce you to the heart of Montréal culture and cuisine (cue drumroll please): the Montréal-style bagel. The Montréal-style bagel is distinctive, handmade and wood-fired. In contrast to the New York Style Bagel, the Montréal bagel is smaller, thinner, sweeter and denser. There are entire articles devoted to arguing why Montréal makes a superior bagel, but we’ll leave that fight to the experts and simply say this: a trip to Montréal is not complete with out a bagel and some schmear. How to: St-Viateur Bagel Shop and Fairmount Bagel are, hands down, the best spots in the city for an authentic bagel experience. Both sell bagels fresh, 24 hours a day. There’s a bit of a rivalry here. The difference? Fairmont bagels are a tiny bit denser and sweeter. Luckily, these two shops are located just a few blocks apart, making it easy to taste-test both (and start a bagel war with your travel buds) during your visit.