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93 reviews for Fairmount Bagel
Review Highlights
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"Viateur but this place is just plain awesome." In 14 reviews -
"...bagels are either the poppy or sesame seed but we LOVED the..." In 7 reviews -
"They sell three varieties and smoked salmon." In 6 reviews
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92 reviews in English
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Review from Nicole S.
5/15/2012
NY bagels are so different compared to Montreal bagels that I won't even go there to pick a favorite or debate their different qualities. I'm just going to say that we loved the bagels from Fairmount sooo much. We ordered our bagels, went outside to try them, finished them and went back in for another round.
I ordered 'All Dressed' bagels which means it is an everything bagel. Sounds much nicer than asking for an everything bagel anyway. I thought they bagel was perfectly coated and really addicting.
Thankfully we found a place in Newton, MA that receives shipments of their bagels so we can get a fix whenever we want. As they are frozen they are not as good fresh, obviously, but still great to have as an option. -
Review from Daphne M.
5/1/2012
New York vs. Montreal bagels. The everlasting debate.
Quite simply, I think you will forever be loyal to whatever bagel you have been raised to eating. As a native New Yorker, I was excited to go to Montreal to try these out, and Fairmount Bagel was apparently the place to go. During weekend mornings, expect to wait on a line that goes out the door, but that doesn't say much considering the standing area in the place is as small as a closet. That's not an exaggeration.
I went with the classic sliced lox and plain cream cheese on a plain bagel. It was tasty! For those who are unfamiliar, Montreal(-ian?) bagels are a little smaller, and made with honey, to give them a distinctive sweet flavor, and have a noticeably chewy texture to them. Very different from their New York counterpart.
-2 for the no seating, not even any standing space. And because I while I didn't totally love it, it was still pretty good.
If in new in Montreal and have any appreciation for bagels whatsoever, Fairmount Bagels is a must. -
Review from Cassy H.
3/13/2012
After hearing so many fantastic things about Fairmount Bagel, I felt obligated to try it out. So, my friends and I stopped by Fairmount to grab a bagel or two or a dozen (depending on how we liked them) before heading back to the US.
When you walk by the store, you'll see stacked towers of red crates filled with bagels (or empty ones which I'm thinking are representative of crates of bagels sold), which appear ready to be shipped for sale somewhere.. so, I'm guessing this is the place where they make the bagels? Anyway, the store inside is actually pretty tiny. The different types of bagels are listed above the ladies standing behind the glass counter. And options for purchasing Philly cream cheese are displayed on the glass case to your right.
Since I'm not a huge bagel fan, I ordered one to try. I got the sesame bagel and an individual package of cream cheese. At first, I thought it was kind of hard to break into and tough... however, after a couple of bites, I thought the texture reminded of a pretzel from like Auntie Annie's Pretzel. However, that's not to say that I don't like Fairmount and reducing its taste value to your mall pretzel treat, I still enjoyed Fairmount's bagel.. most definitely. I think all the sesame seeds made it extra aromatic and flavorful otherwise, it might have been a little boring. -
Review from Kyri K.
5/5/2012
Tried one from here and one from St. Viateur. I had sesame both times. This one was a little sweeter and a little less chewy, but they were both really good in their own ways. Fairmount has so many different flavors to try and I really wanted to try them all, including the pretzel one, but I stuck my my classic favorite - sesame. Not disappointed at all.
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Review from Ephraim D.
Montréal, QC
5/4/2012
In Montreal you need to choose your religion, Fairmount or St. Viateur... and well, we are faithfully Fairmount. The only downside is when they are making the Costco order and the whole place is filled with packed bagels for Costco. You have to squeeze around the Costco order. But where else can you get such a delicious onion or garlic bagel! Parking's a pain, but park quickly, pick it up and go!
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Review from Patricia P.
Communauté-Urbaine-de-Montréal, QC
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
The best of the best!
Always fresh and tasty. Even better with cream cheese or without depends on your mood! -
Review from Billy F.
Kitchener, ON
5/4/2012
I much prefer Montreal bagels to NYC ones. Not too big of a bagel fan but these were delicious and cheap. Open 24/7 is always a good thing too. Tried the sesame, plain, and blueberry bagels
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Review from Robin M.
1/21/2012
There's this ongoing St Viateur--Fairmount Bagel debate in Montreal -- which is chewier, which is more authentic (to what, I'm not sure), which has more sesame seed to bagel ratio, which has a crispier outside, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But the fact remains: it's a personal thing. I just so happen to side with Fairmount in this dispute.
There was a time not too long ago when I could eat the wheat, and Fairmount was the final destination on any given Montreal debauchery-laden night. In the dead of winter, the seducing waft of freshly baked bagels hit my drunken nose like a baker's bag of day-olds and I'd wait in minus 30 degree weather just for a taste -- JUST A TASTE -- of that doughy offering of bagel bliss.
Straight out of the oven and baked to a crispy, crunchy, cushy, comfy bagel perfection, these are the bomb at anytime of day. Perfect sesame seeds and *just* sweet enough, these round dough-boys are the things dreams are made of.
But here's the real beauty of the Fairmount bagel: you got 50 cents? There's a sesame bagel. Got another 25? You just got yourself some cream cheese too.
Man, I miss Montreal.Listed in: I miss Montreal
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Review from Angela N.
4/10/2012 3 photos
Ordered the Chocolate Bagel. Untraditional and maybe it wasn't the right game plan. Sweet bagel isn't really my thing but it was my companions. Add a bite and there was a light crisps on the outside but a tad underwhelming overall. Not the best chocolate flavor. Small store front to order, cramped and much preferred my experience a couple of blocks northwest to the 24 hour St. Vinteurs.
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Review from Vic F.
3/10/2012 1 photo
Continuing our quest to experience the Montreal bagel, we made our way to Fairmount Bagel, and found that the line was out the door. While the line moved pretty quickly, the overall experience was not so good. Once inside, it was difficult to figure out the system, and it was so crowded that it was overwhelming, and I couldn't wait to get outside.
The bagels themselves were OK. Fairly similar in texture to NY bagels, but smaller and with a very very faint hint of sweet. We tried an everything bagel and found that the flavor pales in comparison to the NY equivalent. Also had a garlic bagel which was fairly disappointing because the garlic was overlooked (like burnt overcooked) and left an unpleasant after taste.
Most disappointing, however, was the cream cheese. They had several packaged cheeses available including Philadelphia which was a real drag. From the menu board and the way things were run, it was not clear whether or not we could get a bagel with cream cheese on it or if we had to purchase a package of cream cheese. So, we quickly asked for salmon cream cheese. They gave us 2 options, and we clearly chose the wrong one: Lactantia. This had little flavor of smoked salmon and had the chalky taste of low fat cream cheese.
Sadly this place was a disappointment. -
Review from A F.
2/19/2012
I had to try the Canadian version for a bagel to be able to compare with the New York style. I ordered a bagel w/ cream cheese and lux (5.5 CAD) and I was very impressed! The bagels are made in front of you in a large old fashion oven. They are slightly different then the NYC ones, and def. compare in taste and texture.
It's a must to try these of you're in town and like bagels. -
Review from Ehsan F.
Richmond Hill, ON
2/29/2012
Best bagels in the world. New York, eat your heat out!
My only issue with this place is that they don't have sitting space. You have to pick some up and eat it at home. -
Review from Risa D.
11/18/2011
Alright, I love St Viateur as well, especially the high spirits of the late night crew, but I have to say my heart will always give first place to Fairmount. I remember the first Fairmount bagel I had: teen gal adventuring in the Mile End with cute boy, eating them hot out of the bag, dipping into the Liberty cream cheese on a stoop in the autumn sun, and maybe they will always taste like that sweet day to me.
I like to order a dozen of whatever is freshest, then they'll pick the ones that just came off the fire and they are soft and hot and crisp and perfection. The fancy flavours are fun but for me the whole point is the raging fire right in front of you and the skilled people slinging them out of the flames on the long paddles. There is room inside for about 6 people to make their orders and wait in line (unless you are there when they are prepping the deliveries for grocery stores and restaurants - then there's room for about 2 skinny people) so the line frequently stretches out the door; but it moves fast and the hot homey bagel smell melts all but the coldest hearts and makes the wait mello, friendly and fun.Listed in: Weekend in Montreal, Things I wake Up Craving, Bagels
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Review from Linh N.
12/13/2011 4 photos
Bagels.
Freshly made by the minute. The sesame bagel with regular cream cheese was plain and simple yet it served its purpose as bagel. The bagel was lighter, it had a crusty crunch to it and yield a great sesame flavor. The best part (at least to me) was their cream cheese. If you ever had New York's cream cheese, they're a lot more dense and heavy so once you taste Fairmount's cream cheese you can definitely tell the difference. Fairmount's cream cheese is so much lighter, felt like it was whipped which is not bad. By whipping, you're adding more air into the cream cheese, hence the texture will be a lot lighter.
The pairing of the bagel and cream cheese is what made Montreal bagel a winner. NYC bagel, please step aside. -
Review from Victor F.
11/17/2011
Again, like Chinese food, bagels are also something I gladly detest like a sickness in NYC.....but eat to no end and thus dissolve all logic once I'm in Montreal.
Fairmount's bagels are much thinner and crispier...and fresher by a longshot compared to the smelly ring-sponges NYC passes off for a bagel, no question! Sucks that they don't have butter...juat cream cheese, jelly or lox...but that's also a testament to how heavenly they are by themselves. -
Review from Jando S.
9/7/2011 6 photos
Whenever I'm in Vancouver / Toronto, the first must eat food that comes to mind is Dim Sum. Other parts of Canada, it's all about poutine. But in Montreal, it's seems to be bagels. I couldn't resist a shot at trying Fairmount, a bagel shop where many locals have told me I'd have a life changing experience in bagelgasm.
To Fairmont's credit, I'm probably not the best person to evaluate bagels considering I rarely ever eat a decent breakfast and if I do, I'm always thinking of hash browns. But since hash browns are rare in the northeast, I've become more bagel friendly, but far from a bagel enthusiast. Having been spoiled from the amazing variety in New York, Montreal's finest bagel would certainly be hard to impress. And unfortunately, Fairmount's version didn't strike a chord with me like I had hoped but that's not to say they're not good.
These bagels were soft. Even when I had driven down from Montreal the batch in my bag somehow remained in a edible state, not chewy or stale, but had a nice bite to it. Their sesame bagels are quite good when toasted and taste awesome with a thin spread of onion cream cheese. Their everything bagels and wheat bagels have a certain density about them, certainly far from my favorite options here. Thankfully, all bagels were inexpensive and felt even more so when considering the US-CAD conversion at the time.
It's strictly a takeout joint and more importantly, a local staple in the community. I've been here twice and though it's been super crowded each time, I should also note my visits were during their afternoons. I can only imagine their mornings.
And while I don't want my NY bias to get in the way, I can say I prefer the "down south" version over these babies. The regional debate will always live on, but I'll be itching to give Montreal bagels another go when I'm back in town. -
Review from Claire F.
9/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I forgot this is in the anglophone part of Montreal. So when I ordered in French (like I had been trained to do over the past few days) the very weird server kept replying in English -- the opposite of how things were in the rest of town. Ah, the politics of language. But she kept giggling oddly and half talking to me, half talking to the bakers behind her. It made for a strange experience, like I was talking to someone playing the role of insane asylum escapee. Anyway.
The bagels were sweeter than a NY bagel but my favorite part was that there was less to them -- so you didn't feel like you were eating four servings of carbs (which is about what a NY bagel is) but maybe just two. I got a few of these on my last day and the sesame was by FAR the best, and the heavily carroway-seeded/salted bagel a surprising close second. The one with chocolate chips in it tempted me but I tossed it after a few bites because it just tasted off -- poor quality chocolate and not the right dough to mix with it.
I'd recommend these as "straight from the oven" as you can get them, but the couple I took home remained chewy and delightful for a few days in the tied up bag.Listed in: Sweet teeth : cupcakes,…, O Canada (Montreal)
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Review from Candace C.
12/2/2011
The Skinny: there isn't anything better than hanging outside in a beautiful fall day, munching on a hot crunchy sesame seed bagel with cream cheese (4) service: it's counter service... but it's still really slow. On the plus side, it's open 24 hours, 7 days a week to allow you a constant bagel fix. FYI - cash only. (3) Value: $3 for an experience not to be missed (4).
Open 24/7, this place is bustling with the workers churning out bagels from their real flaming oven on the large wooden boards. The smell is pretty outrageous as you walk into the yeasty goodness. Bagels come out smoking hot - wonderfully, warm by the time they reach your hands complete with cream cheese.
These bagels differ significantly from the bagels that I have ever had. They are very crispy on the outside while very surprisingly light on the inside. Unlike a regular styled bagel, I could have easily eaten at least 2-3 of these in the space of a few minutes.
I would say though, it would have been nice to have more cream cheese on my bagel (I love a large mound of cream cheese on my bagels) considering that it was piping hot and melting a little of it away.
Service for a place this busy is pretty slow and it only takes cash.
Culturally though, this place epitomizes the best of Montreal. -
Review from Antoniette C.
9/29/2011
My acronymic experience at Fairmount Bagel:
F-resh out of the oven
A-iry and slightly crisp exterior and studded with sesame seeds adds
another textural dimension!
I-ndecisive when it is my turn to buy so I buy a few of every flavor
R-an outside to find a bench to enjoy my bagel bliss
M-ore of a selection to choose from than St. Viateur Bagel
O-nion bagels and garlic bagels---potent! Need mints after consumption.
U-ndeniably the best bagels I have had
N-ever can just eat one!
T-asty ring shaped bread especially slathered with cream cheese -
Review from Monica M.
2/27/2012
When asking around Montreal for the best bagel place, Fairmount Bagel was highly recommended. After parking and waiting for what felt like forever, we made it. I guess I was expecting a New York bagel but I was sadly disappointed. They are completely different than your average NY bagel. They are way smaller, (kind of remind me of flat bagels) and have a sweet taste to them. They don't make their own cream cheese but instead use Philadelphia cream cheese which was a huge bummer. It was quite a charming establishment and while I will always love and prefer my NY bagels, this Canadian style bagel sufficed.
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Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I could not leave Montreal without bagels. A quick browse on Yelp and I knew where to head.
Our hotel was in the downtown area, and Fairmount was a couple of km away. Luckily we had a car, as it may be a little far for tourists.
YES it is the Montreal Bagel place you see on tv. I could not help but crane my neck over the heads in from of me in line to peer into the back where men were making bagels. A MASSIVE chunk of dough was slowly being snipped and the bits formed into bagels and set into a boiling bath. Once removed from the water, they were slung on a long plank, dusted with sesame seeds or seasonings and put into the oven.
"Excuse me, can I have some all dressed." "yes one minute..." "How long til the All dressed come out of the oven?" "Madame, it will be two minutes."
2 min later, me.. giggling with three dozen hot fresh bagels to eat on the five hour drive back to Toronto.
Tonnes of flavours available! We particularity enjoyed sesame and all dressed. Western cream cheese. They sell three varieties and smoked salmon! Plus the car smelled like bagels for days and my coworkers were all thrilled when I arrived bearing gifts.
Read the back of the bags, the entire family story is on the back. The family brought the bagel to Montreal in 1919, and moved to the current location in 1949.
Delicious! a must stop. Open 24/7Listed in: Montreal
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Review from Nadine P.
Markham, ON
2/28/2012
After waiting in line for 15 minutes or so, this place was pretty disappointing as we expected epic montreal bagels. We tried a number of flavours, and the pretzel however the breakdown of all follows:
Chocolate Chip bagel - was not great, very dry and tasted like lemon.
Garlic Bagel - Disgusting... the taste lingers in your mouth for days.. not to mention the smell.. Warning don't let them mix with your other bagels as it will ruin them, and keep them in a sealed bag as it has a pugnent stench. to be fair, our batch of garlic bagels may have been burnt, I don't know but that may help explain the horridness of this flavour.
Cinnamon Raisin bagels were the best of the bunch, decent flavour but still kind of dry.
Plain was also mediocre.
The pretzel was probably the best thing from this place but it was a little too salty.
Also you have to buy your own cream cheese and put it on your self. So if your just getting a snack, be prepared to buy a tub of condiments! -
Review from Danan R.
1/30/2012
I really liked the poppy seed and all dressed-up bagels. They are fresh out of the oven with a crunchy shell and soft, light interior.; they are also very slightly sweet. Try either one with the cream cheese, which is also fluffy and light. I really wish that we have one of these back home. Spread bagelry just doesn't come close. This is the real deal when it comes to Montreal bagels. St. Viateur is good, too, but I like the everything bagel here.
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Review from Vikas I.
Pickering, ON
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
FRESH BAGELS!
Fairmont Bagel is a great treat, but if you go here, please eat your bagels right away, they are best served fresh!
I had never ever seen bagels being made right in front of you it was entertaining to watch, and they make your fresh bagels 24 hours a day in a wood fired oven.
We ordered half a dozen bagels and ate most of them within 2 hours of getting them.
Don't fuss with all the different types of bagels, just get the freshest ones they have which are the white sesame seed bagels, because chances are those ones are going to be the freshest ones.
If you are good in the kitchen their bagels taste awesome with fresh Tzatziki. -
Review from Vanessa S.
8/11/2011
Taking advice from a local, I bought two dozen sesame bagels to stock up at home.
SO. GLAD. I. DID.
Sorry, NY bagel, you do not even compare. Montreal bagels in general are more bread-y and less dough-y, so they have a great chew. Fairmount bagels, specifically, are handmade, as evident in their misshapen size, and they're so popular that they go straight from the oven rack to people's hands. I initially didn't understand why they're open 24 hours, but now I see the appeal!
I should also mention that having two dozen fresh bagels in a car will set you on olfactory bliss. -
Review from Haiku-Project H.
8/10/2011
Bagels in New York
Are supposed to be the best.
Wrong! Frenchies makes 'em. -
Review from Tara F.
Montréal, QC
8/14/2011
The controversial question that divides the people of Montreal - Fairmount Bagel or St. Viateur?
Although my vote is St. Viateur, it's a close call, and Fairmount does serve a great bagel.
There are tons of varieties here - blueberry, choolate chip - although in my books the classics (sesame, poppy) are the best.
Bagels are made fresh, and are best eaten on the spot. There's even a little bench area right outside where people can always be seen digging in right away. -
Review from Jay B.
12/3/2011
Montreal and New York have a thing for bagels. You may even hear people arguing which is better. As I went back for the second time, I sat outside on a sunny day, spreading my own cream cheese on my delicious crunchy and soft everything bagel, I thought, "they're just different." While in NY you get a huge doughy on the inside, crunchy on the outside bagel, with a LOT of cream cheese (in any of the various flavors you can choose from), in Montreal, you get a smaller bagel, but still soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside.
Now, about Fairmount. I was a little intimidated going in the first time. It's SMALL. It's a bakery. You squeeze in, look at what bagels they have and order. One, a dozen, whatever. But here's a tip, most likely they are pulling out some sesame bagels out of this amazing wood fired stone oven so get one of those. Or whatever else they just finished baking.
It's difficult not to just want to stand and watch them pull and roll the dough, boil them and then bake them. It's ok to stand there and watch while the helpful staff is getting your order ready. They are patient because most people that are there, know what they want, order, pay and get out. Don't be intimidated by all the French speakers either. Just don't get in the way. -
Review from Serena R.
9/4/2011
Got a sesame bagel straight out of the oven...so good. It was worth the burn blisters I got because my greedy ass couldn't wait until they cooled a little before eating it. So light and airy. The bagels are delicious on their own, no cream cheese, jelly , etc needed. It was kind of cool to see the bagel making process.
For those wondering if NY bagels are better than Montreal bagels - it's not a competition it's just a matter of preference.
FYI Jersey bagels tops 'em all :-) -
Review from D'Arcy L.
Terrebonne, QC
11/6/2011
It's been a while since I got some of my favourite bagels! 6 cinnamon raison and 6 blueberry. The cinnamon raison just came out of the oven and were amazingly crunchy/crisp and soft in the centre. I know some people go to St. Viateur but this place is just plain awesome!
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Review from V B.
3/2/2011
My 250 Review!
NOT! I had 441 reviews in my previous Yelp life. So technically I have *counting fingers 691 horribly written and useless reviews.
But wait, I have had two flagged which again *counting fingers means I have 693!
Ok end rant.
NY Bagels are great, Montreal style bagels are better and are my favorite bagels in our solar system. And my favorite Montreal bagel are Fairmont's! I discovered these while on a romantic week long trip through Eastern Canada by myself. But traveling alone has it's benefits too, like you can make the call on what to have breakfast. So once I latched on Montreal bagels I made a point of eating one every single morning. I'm guessing your significant other would tire quickly of such a breakfast. But me? oh boy! I was in carb heaven!
Hey Fairmont Bagel, if you are ever looking to expand to the US, I know a small town that would welcome you with open arms. -
Review from Peter S.
1/18/2011
Too much hype I guess.
Not the greatest bagel I have sampled. But I am sure the debate will rage forever!
I had an all dressed with cream cheese and salmon. Maybe a bit too much salmon for a little bagel?
Cash only. Really? They make buckets of dough outta this place, and can't be bothered to accept Interac. Come on, I know they have been around for years, but make it easier for us to spend $$$.
I was also under the [foolish] impression that there might be a place to eat your bagel inside. Nope. Out to the freezing ass street I went. Argh.
Perhaps on a sunny summer day this review would be an easy five star.
Till then Fairmount keep slingin your doughy delights. -
Review from Jeff O.
9/16/2011
This was the bagel shop I liked better than the other one. Although Schwartz's smoked meat I like better than Katz's, NY definitely is my preference in bagel.
Listed in: Canada!
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Review from Frank L.
Toronto, ON
9/27/2011
I got someone shipped the bagels to me at home. It takes them around 6 hours and by the time of arrival it is too late at 2 a.m. to try them. The next morning I pick the Cinnamon and toast it. The texture is thicker and more chewy than those in Toronto. But with the high expectation I can only rate it a 3 star. I may have to go to Montreal one day to try it fresh from the oven before rating it again.
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Review from melissa m.
10/30/2011
Two ladies used to a New-York style bagel walk into a bagel shop...
We're glad we tried the tasty all-dressed bagel from Fairmount. Lighter, smaller and less chewy than the hefty treat we're used to. Probably still loyal to the comfort food of our people as we grew up eating it, but this charming shop provided a tasty bagel to nosh on a bench bathed in fall sunshine. Better-salted than the St. Viateur bagel, and less sweet, which appealed more to our New York-oriented palates. -
Review from Ana W.
4/6/2011
Fresh out of the oven!
Not only do I love the great selection of fresh bagels, but I love stopping by to watch the bakers do their magic.
I find these bagels big and dense. No fluff!
My favourite bagels is the blueberry (only because I love sweets).
They has a great selection of bagels made with unbleached flour, organic whole wheat flour, organic spelt, organic buckwheat (great for those on gluten-free diets!).
I can't wait to go back and try other varieties! -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
10/25/2010
I was reluctant to "spend" my 100th review on an establishment outside my home of Toronto, but for a Montreal or perhaps Canadian (but for sure, Jewish) institution, I'll make an exception.
What can I say? A visit here is a great experience. A step back in time. Highlights include a view of the bagel making process in action, and a pair of men carrying a "slab" of dough the size of a human body.
We hired a cab to take us here on the way to the train station (totally opposite direction) and wait while we went in. No surprise, this wasn't the first time the driver received this request. (He also received a fresh bagel for his trouble.)
Don't be misled by the (1951) in their name. Their origins go back to 1919. A must-visit if you're at all interested in the origins of the Montreal bagel, or Jewish culture in general. (It's at Fairmount and St. Urbain, for goodness sake.)
PS; I have one bone to pick. I truly doubt that Grandfather Isadore would approve of chocolate chip bagels. I think they should have stuck to sesame, poppy and plain. But that's just me.Listed in: 5-star Reviews, Montreal
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Review from D D.
Montréal, QC
5/4/2011
If you are looking for something tasty to spend your carbs on, have a just-out-of-the-oven sesame Fairmount Bagel sliced in half and slathered with full fat cream cheese. Then have another one. And another one. And eat every single one of the bagels that you bought, because these bagels are best on day one when just baked.
On day 2, you can freshen them up in the toaster, but it isn't as good as just baked. Also, tossing some in the freezer for a rainy day bagel binge in the future works well too at preserving the goodness, somewhat. But Day 2 and Defrosted bagels from Fairmount do not represent.
Yes, Fairmount Bagel is a small place that only accepts cash. Yes, there is no place to sit down. Yes, eating 6 bagels with cream cheese in one sitting is not necessarily healthy. But who cares? When bagels taste this good, it's worth it. -
Review from Jenny H.
9/3/2011
We went around 9pm and got some warm sesame bagels. It was a pretty impressive operation, a mass of dough on the wooden table, and workers putting them on wooden planks, sticking them in the wood oven, boiling them, bagging them, etc. It was a nice, chewy bagel, kind of tasted like a philly soft pretzel to me, but warm. it was yummy! We got their sesame, garlic, and mixed bagels to go.
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Review from Aaron M.
8/16/2011
It's all true:
- Probably the world's best bagels
- Open 24/7, from a miniscule little store with not much place to eat... but they'll sell them to you in whatever quantity you want, with cream cheese and a knife and a napkin if you so prefer. You can sit on the little bench right outside while eating if you are lucky.
- They generally have hot ones available, just ask (usually sesame, I've been told) but they won't serve these to you in plastic bags because the bags will melt!
- The magic in Montreal bagels is that the outside is almost toasted so that it has just a touch of crunchiness, while the inside is super duper soft and moist, literally almost like mochi. The overall flavor is slightly sweeter than that of New York style bagels, as Montreal style bagels are made using honey water. Amazing. Saint Viateur (sp?) bagels up the street are also pretty good and pretty famous, but didn't have quite the magical contrast between crunchiness and warm moistness that Fairmont bagels had in our two taste tests from five or so foodies.
- But before you get excited and take three dozen back home to the States, know this: they have a shelf life of about 12 hours. You've got to enjoy them right away!
BEST X AARON'S EVER HAD AWARD WINNER: MONTREAL STYLE BAGELS
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