St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal — Restaurant in Montreal

When your sister-in-law is a born and bred Montrealer, you know her recommendation for bagels will be spot-on. @stviateurbagels has been her lifelong favourite (but that’s not to say she doesn’t also appreciate the city’s other famous brand – Fairmount), so their landmark shop which offers a dine-in menu of BagelWiches was our brunch destination today. Montreal’s bagels are immediately recognisable from their slightly thinner shape and larger hole. Texture-wise, I found the density of the bagels just nice, with an enjoyable chewiness that didn’t tire the jaw. The fact that they’re baked in a wood-fire oven meant they exuded a subtle smokiness and had another dimension of tastiness. This was the case with all the variants we chose: The “Breakfast Sandwich” in a Rosemary & Sea Salt Bagel ($13.50) - The omelette, grilled bacon, tomato and pesto was a conventional but tasty combo. The “Traditional” in a Poppy Seed Bagel ($13.50) – My number one! Stole my heart in one bite this did. Love, love, love the signature bagelwich of smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers and lemon. The “Wow!” in a Rosemary & Sea Salt Bagel ($13.50) – A vegetarian creation that featured a truckload of mildly spicy marinated eggplant, lettuce, creamy goat’s cheese, sun-dried tomato and pesto. The “Le Steak”in a Rosemary & Sea Salt Bagel ($13.50) – The portion of roast beef (medium done) was generous. And it paired deliciously with the Swiss cheese, caramelised onions, lettuce, tomato, olive oil, oregano and Dijon mustard. The “Club Sandwich” in a Poppy Seed Bagel ($13.50) – One cannot go wrong when slices of smoked turkey are married with bacon, tomato, lettuce and mayo. Le “Joe Bagel” ($11.50) – On hindsight, the Sesame Bagel might have been more interesting a flavour combination with the ricotta cheese, fig jam and balsamic glaze. Because as lovely as the Cinnamon & Raisin Bagel was, it did feel a bit sweet overall. But that’s just me. After eating, we bought some merchandise to take...

🥯 About St-Viateur Bagel & Café in Little Italy

Located at 1127 avenue Mont‑Royal Est, this sit‑down café branch offers freshly baked Montreal-style bagels along with sandwiches, drinks, and more—a walkable distance from Little Italy.

St‑Viateur Bagel was founded in 1957 by Myer Lewkowicz, and remains a landmark As the longest-running Montreal bagel shop, committed to the same hand-rolled, wood-fired tradition.

🍽️ What to Expect at the Café

Offers rich café menu in addition to the famous bagels—breakfast, light lunch items like smoked salmon, sandwiches, salads.

Opens daily from 7 AM to 8 PM for bagels, with a café service window operating 7 AM to 6 PM.

🥯 Why Try It

Authentic Montreal-style bagels: hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, then baked in a wood-fired oven—sweet, crisp crust, chewy inside.

Frequently top-ranked in Montreal’s bagel scene; considered a must-visit by food experts like Gail Simmons.

⚠️ Tips & Notes

The flagship location at 263 rue St‑Viateur Ouest (Mile‑End) is open 24/7 and cash-only; the Mont‑Royal café accepts debit cards in addition to cash.

Take note: some visitors accustomed to New York-style bagels find Montréal bagels milder in salt and sweetness. They may seem less savory but follow the traditional Montreal recipe.

✔️ Quick Visit Plan from Little Italy

From Jean-Talon Market or nearby, walk south or east to avenue Mont‑Royal Est. Pass nearby Italian cafés and shops; soon you'll arrive at 1127 Mont‑Royal Est. Grab a box of bagels (sesame, all-dressed, cinnamon‑raisin, etc.), and maybe sit for coffee or a sandwich if desired. Return to Little Italy or stroll toward nearby attractions like the Jean‑Talon Market or the Church of Madonna...

CASH ONLY at St Viateur bagel

I was here on Saturday noon, and there was a long line reaching in front of BMO. This is the line for both dine it and take out. Then at the door they separate you into left or right; left for sandwiches and right for take out/buying bags. By the way I waited 45 minutes before I got to the cashier.

The cashier recommended traditional on sesame bagel $14. I searched previous reviews for anyone who’s tried Courage Bagels in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, but no one seemed to have mentioned them. I absolutely LOVE Courage Bagels, so I was really excited to try Montreal-style bagels here. My hot take is the salmon lox at Courage tastes better than the traditional one at St Viateur. My reason is Courage Bagel uses a lot more seasoning, especially on the salmon. The salmon here is like barely salty, but it is very soft. The bagel itself is wonderful. (The line at Courage is atrocious.)

The other bagel I got to try is the smoked meat bagel on all-dressed bagel $14. This was one great with the mustard, but I added a bit of extra cream cheese from the salmon bagel, and it tasted even better! If I were to get it again, I would ask for cream cheese on this one.

Servers are nice and spoke English & French.

Indoor and outdoor seating available Bathroom available No...