Pains et Saveurs — Restaurant in Montreal

Pains et Saveurs – A Lovely Bakery with Room to Shine

Stopped by Pains et Saveurs during a stroll through Montreal, and it turned out to be a charming little find. The bakery has a beautiful storefront—warm, modern, and inviting, with the smell of fresh bread and pastries drifting out as you walk by. It definitely has that cozy European café vibe, with wood accents, nice displays, and a peaceful energy that makes you want to sit down and stay a while.

The pastries are really the star here. I tried the croissant, a pain au chocolat, and a pistachio tart—everything was buttery, flaky, and well-executed. You can tell the ingredients are high-quality and made with care. The croissant especially had a great balance of crisp and softness. Not overly greasy, and not dry like some places. Just right.

Their bread selection also looked amazing. I grabbed a small sourdough loaf to go, and it held up beautifully at home. Great crust, great chew. If I lived nearby, I’d be back regularly just for that.

The coffee was good—not mind-blowing, but solid. I ordered a cappuccino, and it was smooth and balanced. Definitely enjoyable with the pastries, though not necessarily a standout on its own.

Staff were polite and helpful, although a bit on the reserved side. I wouldn’t say it was the warmest service I’ve ever had, but they were efficient and professional. The pace was calm, and even when a few people came in at once, they handled it well.

Prices are slightly on the higher end, but honestly fair considering the quality. You’re paying for craftsmanship, fresh ingredients, and a lovely environment, so I didn’t mind it at all.

Why 4 stars and not 5? Just a couple small things—service could be a touch more personal, and while the pastry game is strong, the coffee and vibe could be pushed just a little further to make it a full-on destination spot. But still, very impressed overall.

Would I go back? Absolutely. Great for a quiet coffee break, a box of treats, or to pick up a loaf of bread that actually tastes like something. If you’re in Montreal and enjoy bakeries, Pains et Saveurs is well...

It breaks my heart to give this place a two stars review but I can't pretend my experience did not happen and be intimated by all the other good reviews. Perhaps I happened to go there at a bad moment, but I highly doubt it (early morning on a normal weekday!). I had really high expectations walking into the newly opened and revamped place that used to be once Pâtisserie de Gascogne. There is no doubt the venue is beautiful and large but I sincerely did not see the big selection that other reviewers are talking about. Again, I may have walked in at the wrong moment so it's not really the reason for my rating.

I bought a cheese croissant, a raisin brioche and a latte. My first surprise was the price, and it's quite pricey in my opinion. Now I don't mind paying more, but I expect the quality to be at the rendez-vous, and here's the dilemma:

-The cheese croissant was quite hard on the outside and I could barely taste the cheese. The crust tasted bland and it was quite greasy / oily at the bottom and inside as well.

-The raisin brioche had some serious contents consistency problems. It was LOADED with raisins that were all concentrated in the middle with almost none on the outside. Biting into that brioche was like stuffing your mouth with raisins and it had an overpowering taste of cinnamon.

-Finally the latte....my greatest deception of all. It honestly did not taste good at all. I understand the beans were ground right before my eyes but it sincerely tasted off. Perhaps it's the beans quality or age, I can't tell. Or from experience, it may have the machine in itself, I'm not quite sure. Moreover, unlike the person working on the pastry counter, the gentleman working the coffee counter looked tired, unhappy and frankly disinterested.

To the management, forgive me for being the black sheep of the reviewers, but I've written about my experience in hopes that it will help you in the future. As far as I'm concerned, it will be a while before I go back, but I'm pretty sure I...

Food is good but staff is very rude. Been there 3 times, I was served by 3 different people on each visit, 3 times I felt like I was bothering them, and each time the place was not even busy!! 3 times they were super rude, no greetings, no thank you, crossing their arms while waiting for me to choose my order as if I was bothering them. When I asked about the price of a sandwich (because it was NOT DISPLAYED, the sign was not on the counter, so I had to ask!), they rolled their eyes while replying, loud sighs and all, and that came from 3 different employees so it can't be just one employee having a bad day... Even that should not be an excuse! If you don't like people, don't work at a customer service position!!! I will not come back anymore and told everyone I know to not go...