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Le Cartet
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch French, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
106 McGill RueMontreal, QC H2Y 2E5
(514) 871-8887
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 7 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 4 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
41 reviews for Le Cartet
Review Highlights
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"This is your go to spot for brunch in Montreal." In 19 reviews -
"I love the long communal tables but they also have..." In 3 reviews -
"...goat yogurt, a fruit cup, and an Illy coffee for breakfast." In 3 reviews
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39 reviews in English
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Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
2/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Pre-made salads and sandwiches for take-away on pick-up-and-get-back-to-work lunches in the front, and a combo of small two top tables and long communal tables in the back -- Le Cartet appeals to many. I've spent a decent amount of time at Le Cartet. It's a naturally-lit, airy, above street space, where solo business guys on their laptops nestle up next to brunching felines on one side and a young family with a highchair on the other.
Service can run at a snail's pace. Attempt to catch the server's eye or get ready to wait a while for an order to be taken or the bill to arrive.
Coffees are fresh, juices are fresher. The ham and eggs breakfast is okay - a couple of pieces of thinly sliced salty ham and eggs scrambled, boiled or poached. But what makes it worth it? The duck fat fried potato wedges. They're a show stopper. I'd come back just for those! -
Review from Michael T.
Montréal, QC
1/9/2012 1 photo
Waiting in line at customs got you down? Has it already been an hour and a half? Getting hungry?
Le Cartet is just around the corner. Lovely, well-designed spot. I can't speak to the sit-down part of this joint, but the prepared foods were just what I needed. I bolted right in and out at lunchtime on a Monday. Grabbed a sandwich, H20 + CO2 and three madeleines. $14.
Delicious and took the edge off my wait. The Madeleines were particularly light and fresh. They also had freshly made Pasteis de Nata, which was a cool surprise. I love the Portuguese influence in Montreal.
Recommended. -
Review from Ms. V.
Mont-Royal, QC
12/15/2011
I won't lie the 2 of us considered other brunch options when we walked in at about 11am on a Sunday morning - there were dozens of people waiting to be seated! However, the server quickly took our name and we only waited about 15mins to be seated.
Our wait gave us time to peruse the grocery store section - the shelves were filled with a plethora of goodies; olive oils, chocolates, gourmet pastas, preserves.... made me wish I was a better cook!
We loved the restaurant with its open kitchen, high ceiling and bright airy feel. The little decor details, fall flowers and mini pumpkins, were a nice touch.
We were seated at the communal tables - you have just enough space to eat comfortably and its great if you enjoy a little eavesdropping like I do!
Menu isn't extensive but well thought out - there's bound to be a choice for you whether you're feeling "sucré, salé or santé"
Their specials (all about $15) come with coffee and juice (or a mimosa for a little extra!)
Rather than bread, they brought us a few pieces of apple cake to start - delicious and a nice detail.
I had the Brunch des Cantons - their version of the big breakfast - served in a cast iron pan. It had ham, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, beans, and potatoes, as well as a side plate of bread and fruit. It was good and filling without being too heavy.
Service was good - attentive but not overly so. The woman seated next us complained that her mimosa didn't have enough of a kick and was immediately brought a second, complimentary one.
Would definitely reccomend for brunch. -
Review from Michael C.
5/14/2012
Had a great brunch. Try the Toscan: poached egg, ham, spinach, and muffin with fresh fruit. Fresh ingredients in a great atmosphere.
Definately worth the trip on a weekend morning. NIce selection of take out items, but seemed a bit overpriced for packaged up material. -
Review from Ian H.
Toronto, ON
5/14/2012
Excellent service, great food, great coffee. The ambiance was nice as well, bustling with people and tastefully decorated. The eggs benedict were amazing, though not listed on the menu under that name. Croissants were just ok, as was the bread. Had the bowl of cafe au lait, which was the highlight for me.
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Review from Andrew C.
Montréal, QC
5/3/2012
The service ruined what could have been an average experience. Our waiter did not pay attention to us, serving others first. We ordered several dishes such as the Brunch Atlantic, Quiche and Salmon Cakes. They were average at best and nothing memorable. Further our orders were mistaken and drink orders delayed. I hope it was just an anomaly. Be prepared to wait.
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Review from Risa D.
2/10/2012
Lovely little front counter mini epicerie area with amazing muffins, bottled smoothies and other drinks, excellent coffee to go. But really if you have time and don't mind spending a little more, sit down in the calm, bright restaurant and enjoy the excellent brunch specials on the chalkboard.
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Review from Hussain S.
North York, ON
10/20/2011
Excellent service, friendly staff.
Nicely decorated place with creative and healthy menu. Strongly recommended for brunch. -
Review from Sara R.
9/28/2011
Probably one of the best breakfast experiences I've had.
I chose Le Cartet for my first breakfast in Montreal, a Sunday morning. The reviews for L'Avenue had stated the very long lines on Sunday, so I figured I'd do that on Monday instead.
Well much to my surprise, there was a long line here as well (about 25 minutes around 9:30am), and if it wasn't a sunny morning, you'd be stuck out in the rain or snow - as the line goes out the door and down the stairs to the outside. Regardless, it's such a charming setting on the southern end of Rue McGill.
Once I was seated, I took in the minimalistic pleasantness of the restaurant. High ceilings, rustic, white walls and columns, and it's set up like a long corridor with what appears like one, long table creating a communal setting, and also the option of separate tables around. Each table was adorned with a huge, clear vase of fully-stemmed sunflowers! One of my favorites!
I ordered the Brunch Sante, which consists of two poached eggs over toast that has been smeared in an herbed goat cheese and topped with greens, a side of yogurt mixed with granola and blueberries (the best), a dried fig, two medium-sized white cheddar sticks, a skewer of fresh fruit... and before they even bring it out, they give you a small cube of this delicious, most chocolate chip cake/pastry that gets all melty in your mouth full of Illy coffee. This was easily my favorite meal from the entire trip! It beats L'Avenue in terms of a clean, healthy, nutrient-rich breakfast - and the presentation is lovely.
Service is wonderful. So sweet and caring.
It's $14.95, which is a decent deal for the amount of food you get (I eat like a pig and I couldn't finish), and it's worth every dime. I can't wait to return again for breakfast, and also for lunch. Don't skip Le Cartet if you're ever in Montreal. It's on the way from downtown to Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal/Old Port), and a great stop along the way. -
Review from Yacine M. D.
Cote-Saint-Luc, QC
2/9/2012
Good place for breakfast/Brunch . sleek decoration. Fresh food . Good service
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Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
My two previous visits to Le Cartet during prior visits to Montreal were unsuccessful, as I always seemed to have a knack for arriving just as their kitchen was closing. I was excited to get there at 11am on a weekday to find the kitchen open, but my happiness was crested when I found out that only a limited menu was served in the time between breakfast and lunch. So, begrudgingly, I chose a goat cheese and vegetable frittata -- one of only two options available.
Given that there were only two options, I thought I'd get some sort of half-assed meal, but I was totally wrong -- the frittata was awesome: fluffy, perfectly cooked, and served in an individual glazed cast iron ramekin (I'm a sucker for food in individual compartments). I also ordered orange juice, which was fresh-squeezed but not too pulpy. On my way out, I grabbed some prepared food from the cold cases near the front of the shop to stock the fridge in my nearby rental. Delicious, and without the prefab food taste or feel you might get at other delis.
The best thing about my visit, however, was non-food related -- the cafe has this great artwork on the walls by an artist named James Kennedy (http://jameskennedy.ca), who uses hot rolled steel to produce these really interesting (and reasonably priced) pieces. My partner and I dug the art so much, we contacted the artist and purchased a piece. So, thanks to Le Cartet, I left with a happy tummy AND a very cool souvenir of my trip to this amazing city. :)Listed in: Vive Montréal!
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Review from Cynthia L.
8/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Again, the yelp posting says its "Good for Kids: Yes" and I disagree slightly. It's probably good for kids who can sit in their own seat and not in a high chair. If you have a kid who needs a high chair, I would probably bring your own food for him/her. The high chair that they brought was a bit disgusting. They obviously do not clean their high chairs every night. We were one of the first when they opened so it's not like tons of other kids used it before we got there. Also the choices are few and far between for a one year old. There are no waffles, pancakes, or anything of that sort.
WIth that being said, my quiche was tasty and was accompanied by a lovely side salad. The coconut banana bread was also very yummy, not too sweet and not too coconutty. My husband ordered the crab extravaganza - crab benedict, crab cakes, and some other crab item. All were tasty.
Our waiter was a bit stand-offish. I speak french but decided to speak english here and I felt like I paid for it. The waiter was unaccomodating, didn't smile, and ignored us. We had to wave him down everytime we needed something. It's unfortunate. There was another waiter who stopped by to say hello to my daughter who was very sweet so I don't think all of their staff is half-bad.
I would go back for sure...for the food and when my daughter is older! -
Review from Andrea S.
1/11/2012
My sister and I really enjoyed Cartet in April. If the day is nice and the wait is long, get prepared items from the shop section and picnic. We waited just long enough for me to buy blueberry chocolate spread from the shop (AMAZING). Brunch menu is extensive, and we both ordered huge plates with a little bit of everything. Sister--Brunch de L'Atlantique: Eggs with smoked salmon, half a bagel with all the typical accoutrements, greens, a little sweet potato and salmon cake, and fruit. Me: Brunch de Sante--yogurt with granola and blueberries, poached eggs on greens, and grilled bread, cheddar sticks, and a fig. And it came with coffee and juice, all for $15. This is the kind of plate I would dream up for myself at home.
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Review from Aaron C.
Victoria, BC
4/29/2011
Based on some reviews, we decided to head here for a quick lunch on our way out of Montreal.
Walking in I was completely amazed by the unsuspecting interiors of the place. We stumbled upon this place around lunch time, so the joint was packed with the buzz of hungry people.
The food selection was impressive and the service quite friendly considering how busy the place was.
The only problem arose from there only being two servers for the entire lunch rush, which led to longer than ideal wait times for our food and bill.
Afterwards, we picked up a few items from their great take out selection and headed on our way.
All in all, the experience was quite positive: the food and the atmosphere were fantastic despite the service being a bit slow. -
Review from Sandy S.
Vancouver, BC
10/29/2011
If you had one morning in Montreal - especially a Saturday or Sunday...Come here! Fresh, delicious food. The Berry French Toast was to die for. It was not your typical whip cream and syrup variety but very original and unique. I dined at the communal table which was fantastic. Families, groups, dates, solo? It doesn't matter. This is your go to spot for brunch in Montreal.
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Review from Chrystina Z.
7/5/2011
Went here on a personal recommendation (heard it was Montreal's best kept secret of the Old City), and slightly underwhelmed. The portions are large and nicely presented, but the food itself is average. We ordered the brunch cartet (cheese was great, the salmon cake not so much) and tosta mixta (too much egg for this sandwich and slightly overcooked). I did find the interior pleasing to the eye, and in some ways, it reminded me of a NYC cafe (white walls, soaring ceilings, original wood floors below).
Prices are super reasonable so that was nice, and since it's on the edge of the Old City, not very crowded even mid-day. -
Review from Alexandra D.
Montréal, QC
3/27/2011
Great stylish brunch spot in the old port.
Good selection of food on the menu and the servings are generous. I had the brunch Cartet, which came with a ham and cheese croissant, salmon cake, salad, fruit skewer, aged cheddar, and a fig. It was so generous that I couldn't finish it, but it was delicious nonetheless. My friends ordered brunch sante and brunch atlantique and everyone was very satisfied with their food.
If you go for the brunch and mimosa you're looking at about $30 with tip, but given the quality of the food, the service, and the beautiful decor it's worth it. Would definitely go back!Listed in: What I love in Montreal
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Review from Anabel L.
Toronto, ON
10/26/2011
the vogue-ified general store
:Old Montreal:
When I walked into Le Cartet I thought I was in a country general store, if said store was in a trendy New York burrow. It's got a Dean and Deluca feel, without the big box shadow.
The front area is a take-out coffee bar meets mini market whose shelves are filled with fancy preserves, designer chocolates, specialty teas, and a plethora of other goods as well as a cooler of fresh salads, sandwiches and pastas.
The rest is the restaurant.
My sister and I loved the interior, right down to the signage. The communal tables and open-window kitchen gave the place a laidback vibe, while the decor was classy and modern. I loved the little details - fresh fall flowers and little pumpkins. The buckets of natural light make it feel like the perfect brunch spot.
The tables are pretty close together, but there's enough room that you don't feel like you're being invaded.
The menu isn't extensive, but you should be able to find something you like. Traditional items are notably missing, such as benedicts and omlettes, but it's okay to embrace change once in a while.
Their specials (all about $15) come with coffee and juice. Love that.
I had the Brunch des Cantons - their version of the big breakfast - served in a cast iron pan. Love that.
It had ham, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, beans, and potatoes, as well as a side plate of bread and fruit. Three meats. Love that.
My sister had the Toasta Mixta, a portuguese grilled egg sandwich with ham, brie, onions and mustard. Tasted like our mom's egg sandwich. Love that.
Brunch is only served Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a to 3:30 pm. That's a narrow window, especially for a big stomach. But do as I do, suck it in. -
Review from Chen S.
Montréal, QC
10/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is my go-to place for brunch in my 'hood. What I like about this place:
- Simple and delicate yet NOT intimidating decoration, ambience, clientèle
- My words won't do justice for other orders but here are some highlights when you order "Brunch des Cantons" ($11.95) the one I always get:
a) before the main brunch, they bring you baguettes with confitures (tartinades)
b) "Brunch des Cantons" is served on a heavy hot pan, to keep it warm.
c) contains ham, sausage, bacon (all three meats! big+ for my in-decisiveness when it comes to choose one out of the three), home-made potatoes with fine herbs, fruits, and take note Baguette.
d) the portion is very generous (I can never finish everything, and I have a big appetite for breakfast)
- Most of the waiters/waitresses are friendly, soft-spoken hipsters. So are the clients. Their clients are: 25% business people working around old-port, 35% Artists working in the area, 20% some tourists, 20% residence.
- Yet another + for this place is they have a bar area behind cashier, where you can buy organic food, exotic products, lunch in boxes, illy coffee.
- In the morning till noon, they have illy coffee for 2.5$. Points card, where you can collect points (10 coffee to get 1 for free)
- Brunch for weekdays is 7am-11am; After that, they have lunch. Weekends from 9am to 3pm. There's usually a line for the weekends unless you get there before 11am. -
Review from Stella T.
6/25/2011
After reading the reviews on yelp, I walked the mile here from my hotel. I had had a late morning and was open to eating either breakfast or lunch when I arrived. I walked in the door at 11:15 on a Thursday. The place was almost empty. I sat down and the server told me that they had just ended breakfast and that they wouldn't be starting lunch for another 20 minutes.
I ended up getting food to go rather than wait 20 minutes for no reason.
It's unfortunate that for some reason they can't find a way to continue to serve between meals when...well...they're a restaurant and I'm one person.
The food I got to go was decent. So the lesson of the day is...don't walk here at 11:15. -
Review from Didier N.
5/24/2011
This lunch spot in Old Montreal looks quite unassuming from the street facade. However, the inside is quite spacious with a pleasing decor. The crowd is a mix of workers clad in business suit and trendy yuppies with plastic rimmed glasses.
The front of the restaurant also has a nice selection of takeouts, including some gourmet canned food like "Duck smoked meat". Please remember that as a great alternative the next time you have an urge to buy a "5 Dollar Foot Long" for dinner :P
The food was quite good although I was a bit disappointed with the small size of my sandwich. My friend had the dish of the day (lamb rack served with polenta and veggies). Quite good and a good value according to him. The dessert made up for it. I tried both the Praline chocolate mousse and the Pecan pie: both delicious!
it won't be my everyday lunch spot but worth a try. Expect to pay a little bit more. It's however expected considering the location. -
Review from J.F. H.
4/21/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Lately le Cartet has become my regular breakfast spot. I enjoy the communal table seating and the interesting art found on the walls.
The food isn't half bad either, the atlantique brunch and the soft boiled eggs are my favorite toped off with a cafe au lait in a bowl. Everything at le Cartet is good I've never heard anyone complain about the food.
The service on the other hand can be hit or miss, if one of the waiters friends happens to drop in for a coffee you could find yourself waiting for them to finish the conversation before they come take your order.
All in all Le Cartet is very nice place with good food and OK service, just remember this is old Montreal so the prices are old Montreal prices a little expensive. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
8/8/2010
* Nice physical spot, ok brunch *
The physical layout of this spot is really nice. It is a long narrow space with painted brick walls and wooden tables, along with about 8 sidewalk tables. There is also a small food market towards the front, which had a very nice selection of chocolate and some local products like smoked duck in a can, etc.
I had brunch at one of the sidewalk tables.
The brunch included:
- A sweet bread (not sweetbreads, but a cake like bread, which we were never served although saw all of the other tables getting)
- A smoked salmon egg scramble, where the whites and yolks were not fully incorporated to each other
- Half a bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers (tasty local bagel with nice quality salmon)
- A sweet potato and salmon cake (was a bit cold and crumbled apart but had nice salmon flavour)
- A green salad (which was good, but slightly overdressed)
- Some cut fruit (fine)
- A glass of orange juice (unfortunately not fresh squeezed)
- Coffee or tea (I had a nice quality tea, although the water was not as hot as it should be)
The sidewalk tables suffer from the attack of many bees. The two women at the next table had a constant battle (probably their strong perfume was saving our table a bit from the onslaught - but we had our fair share as well over the course of the meal). My side tip - open some of the confiture packs and place them away from your table to attract the bees away - it seems to basically work!
Overall the brunch was ok, but nothing I would rush back for.Listed in: Bon Vivant Montreal Edition
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Review from Elana P.
5/31/2011 1 photo
Went here for breakfast twice during a 2 day stay in Montreal. The food was absolutely fantastic and the ingredients were very fresh. Everything was arranged on the plate with many different components each adding their own flavor and contribution to the overall meal.
I would definitely go to this place again if I happen to find myself in this great city. -
Review from B W.
6/7/2011
Worth the wait!
We waited outside on line for about 20 minutes before being seated. Once we started eating, we completely forgot about the wait.
For $15 we were served a cup of coffee or cappuccino, a glass of fresh squeezed OJ, 2 poached eggs on toast that had been smeared with goat cheese (OUTSTANDING!!), a cup of fresh yogurt topped with homemade granola and black currants, and fresh fruit.
Would have been a 5 star review, but the waiter forgot our Amuse Bouche and we had to ask multiple times for the check. In his defence, he was very friendly and the place was super packed. -
Review from Jacques A.
3/21/2011
We stopped here for brunch on the way out of a weekend in Montreal, and were blown away by the food. I had the Brunch Sante, which featured poached eggs over shredded greens, herbed chevre and multi-grain toast. It also came with ginger granola and blueberryies over a yogurt that had the consistency of creme fraiche, some fresh fruit, aged cheddar, and a fig.
My wife had a Brunch Sucre, which included crepes, with blueberry and candied orange peel, toast topped with homemade apple-puree (almost half-way between applesauce and apple butter), and the yogurt/granola combo.
Both brunches came to about $15 each, and included drip coffee (delicious) and orange juice. In addition, the space is beautiful, with excellent use of wood, metal and air to provide an open environment.
We were in a bit of a hurry, and though we never mentioned it, the food came promptly and our server was attentive. If we hadn't been leaving the city, we would have definitely availed ourselves of the market in front, too.
If you're visiting Montreal for a weekend, it's totally worth a stop. -
Review from Karman L.
8/7/2008
Came here for brunch one time.
Interesting setup here. It's a mini-store that also serve as a restaurant.
They have communal tables in the back where you can share with other people.
Pretty wide selection for brunch, good portion, orange juice was great.
Pros - There was a lot of good looking boys at brunch that we stared at! :) -
Review from Isabel J.
4/9/2011
An amazing selection of chocolate from around the world in the little store at the front of the restaurant!
Great place for brunch: good food, stylish decor, friendly staff, light and airy space. -
Review from DAVE I.
Montréal, QC
2/8/2009
I'm always on the lookout for a cool place to get good eats during my lunch hour at work. One of my coworkers introduced me to Le Cartet, apparently the cat's meow of a fine foods market doubling as a gourmet restaurant.
At first glance, one's appetite comes alive just by looking at the restaurant/food store. The setting is absolutely gorgeous. It has the feel of an American general store from an old mill town, fused with a very modern feel. Every little detail has been exhaustively looked over by a very crafty team of designers. The staff is meticulously dressed and hired to look the part the restaurateurs desired. No Saran Wrap here, it's a fine plastic wrapping you would find in a flower shop to pack roses. The facing of the product is immaculate. The table settings are just inviting and warm. It just reeks of Old Montreal Goodness. Local stars and Olympic athletes can be spotted grabbing a bite there.
It just looks perfect.
Emphasis on the "looks". Sometimes a cake is crap but the icing makes it look good enough to eat anyway. And Le Cartet is such an example.
Let me take you through the culinary ordeal I went through. Let's begin with the salad entrée I took. A simple looking salad, which is the way it should be to kick-start one's digestion properly. It comes with a vinaigrette de Provence. Unless you have unclean or not so fresh lettuce, the dressing makes or breaks the salad. When I say Provence, if you enjoy wine, a nice wine-based dressing will most likely come to mind. Certainly not chili peppers, which are from Central and South America. Well, the dressing was made up of mostly chili peppers. Not being a lover of spicy foods (I feel spices take away the tastes of the food I'm eating) I immediately put aside the spice-ridden salad because it was awful.
Next in my meal was a simple egg salad sandwich on rye bread. I should spell that drye bread. It was too dry even for a corned beef sandwich. But wait, it gets worse. How they accomplished this is beyond me, but the egg salad was also dry. A good mayonnaise should be tangy and moist; I couldn't taste anything of the sort other than flat, boring mayonnaise. Throw in some herbs at least or some garlic, give it some punch. And the piece of Romaine lettuce still had the heart attached to it. It was big enough to choke someone. But since I had to eat something and I wasn't about to dole out another fifteen dollars for lunch, I finished the sandwich, washing it down with water so it could pass my oesophagus; yes it was that damn dry.
But that's not all. Since it was my first run at the restaurant I even treated myself to some dessert -- a lovely Tarte Tatin. This, for the uninitiated, is good ol' apple pie from France -- basically your regular apple pie but with the top caramelised with butter and sugar. Caramelised, not carbonised into extinction. When I took my first bite, hoping that the dessert would save me from this so far revolting experience, I cringed when I smelled the charred layer of burnt sugar and it was too late. The final straw.
The only thing that tasted okay was the water -- the one in the Evian bottle.
The problem with gourmet restaurants is that they fear the fat -- if you want taste, you must embrace the fat. It's what makes food taste good, end of story. Slap on some butter, some cream, or some punchy mayonnaise. The fat is the drummer of the food band. If you ain't got the beat, if you ain't got the rhythm, it's all for naught.
The restaurant gets a point for impeccable presentation and none for anything else. A big fat one out of five. Want good French cuisine in Old Montreal? For lunch, stick to Cluny's, and put a cross over Le Cartet.Listed in: WTF?
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Review from Lesley T.
7/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sometimes life gets too busy or exciting for mundane things like getting groceries or cooking, and you need a neighbourhood go-to place where you can pick up a relatively healthy meal on the run. For me, Le Cartet is that place. I know I can always grab a goat yogurt, a fruit cup, and an Illy coffee for breakfast. For lunch, they have a nice selection of sandwiches and salads. My favourite is a salad with salmon two ways: smoked and flaked with some mayo. The shelves are full of a variety of gourmet items, including enough varieties of fancy chocolate to keep even the most die-hard chocoholic busy for days on end. They also do a pretty killer brunch and a decent sit-down lunch. In summer they have a few tables on the McGill sidewalk.
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Review from Judy C.
3/3/2009
Had brunch there. Even though I've read mixed reviews about this place, my dining experience there was decent. The waiter was nice and friendly.
I had cafe au lait avec lait de soya (pretty much a soy latte as it was made with expresso instead of coffee), and it came in a big soup bowl, interesting! I got the brunch sucré (crepe with french toast). It came with freshly squeezed orange juice, and that was just awesome! I love the OJ. They gave us an 'amusee-bouche,' which was like a bread pudding (and much larger than an one-biter!). It was a bit cold but very tasty (cinnamon!!!). My main course came with yogurt with granola and blueberries (decent), french toast with apple butter/blueberries. The apple butter was good. The french toast was a little disappointing though (a little stale perhaps?). And it came with the 2 crepes with raspberry sauce and orange zest. The crepes were disappointing. The texture was a little rubbery. Definitely not my favorite there.
My friend got the Brunch Cartet (ham/cheese sandwich), and she said that was delicious. My other friend got the Brunch L'Atlantique (salmon bagel, salmon with eggs, and salmon cake), and I totally prefer that over my sucré brunch!
Aside from the brunch sucré, the food, the service, and the decor of Le Cartet was pretty good! -
Review from Ashley B.
1/10/2010 3 photos
I just came back from having brunch at Le Cartet. It was, as always, delicious!
Cartet is such a great place, it has a modern design with some small single tables and then a couple long communal tables in the back. Sitting at the long table can actually be pretty fun, since chances are you will be seated next to someone that's interesting and looks like they should be a model. (The crowd is usually filled with cool, young urban people.)
It's pretty busy on the weekends, but the wait is never longer than 20 minutes. The servers are super friendly and very prompt.
The menu offers a pretty wide variety of choices, my friend is a vegetarian and had plenty of options to choose from. All of the food is fresh and high quality. It's also always masterfully prepared and super tasty. Le Cartet is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Montreal, and somewhere you have to visit if you're in town. -
Review from K M.
Toronto, ON
10/4/2010 4 photos
Completely Amazing is all I have to say! had Sunday brunch there yesterday with my wife and 3 friends on the recommendation of the concierge at Hotel Gault. Atmosphere at Le Cartet had us on entry (hard to do with 4 young hip architects from Toronto in the group). Service was superb and the food...sublime!
Arrived at 10am which is early for Montrealer's and found it already packed. A 5 minute wait landed this party of five at one of the long communal tables. Who knew they opened at 9am on Sundays?
From a traditional Farmers Breakfast style to the healthy fruit and granola options, each one is served fresh and with a little panache!
Their little front shop had lots of grab-n-go fare as well as the most amazing assortment of chocolates! I think we spent more in the store than on lunch! -
Review from Rob P.
7/19/2011
Had the Atlantic brunch plate - it was outstanding... what a great combination of all the ways you could enjoy salmon... well worth the wait, and have already recommended this to other friends visiting Montreal. As a frequent brunch diner in NYC, I can honestly say that this place was brilliant, and that many NYC places could learn from Montreal about brunch - especially the skewer of fresh fruit!
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Review from lucinda k.
Vancouver, BC
6/2/2011
I want to be able to give this fresh place more stars, so maybe I'll go back and try again- but based on the brunch I had last Saturday, this is the most deserving rating. It looks great when you walk in~ fresh food displayed, great decor. The menu is diverse for brunch. My friend got an egg dish and latte which she really enjoyed.
I on the other hand had my mouth water over their Banana Coconut (french) Toast with Yogurt and fruit. It looked good when it came (~5min after my friends dish), however the top toast was lukewarm and the bottom refridgerator cold bananas throughout the cold toast. I asked the server if it was supposed to be cold and she apologized and took it away. Only to return a few minutes later with the Same one I tried before, now pipping hot and soggy ~ I suspected microwave- and asked if that was the case. She said no, but they would now make me a fresh one. Surprised that didn't happen initially. Much to my surprise, a "fresh" one arrived burnt! not just a little either... Done with sending it back I ate around the most burnt pieces. Coconut torched is not the most pleasant taste. Maybe this was an anomaly, but surprised that this was my experience. The good thing is that the waitress was very friendly and nice- but the kitchen was off for my dish. -
Review from k r.
10/3/2011
Great ham & cheese baguette though not much for my husband (vegetarian). Excellent selection of chocolate bars inside, and I am regretting that I didn't order a chocolate dessert, they looked amazing!
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Review from Mira B.
Toronto, ON
1/6/2011
i usually go for saltier/egg-y brunches but this time i tried out their sweet brkfst meal (i dont remember off the top of my head the name, but it came with plain yogurt/crepes/toast/apple sauce/fruits). it was amazing! the plain yogurt was a nice way to off-set all the sweet stuff.
surprised this place has such few reviews. no regrets. i'm from Toronto but if i ever go back to Montreal, definitely hitting up this spot again. -
Review from Luisa D.
3/25/2010
I had a delicious lunch here. The Plat du Jour for $13 was a big portion of perfectly cooked bowtie pasta with a pesto and goat cheese sauce. A couple of slices of grilled peppers sat on top looking very pretty. I washed it down with a glass of Illuminati Riparosso for $7.50. They had a high chair for my friend's baby. I love the long communal tables but they also have individual tables. The room is long, narrow and modern in decor but still feels cozy and intimate as the tables are quite close to each other. I could have spent more time drooling over all the delicious gourmet foods up front that you can buy to go. I heard that if you buy food you can also buy wine to go. This would be a perfect spot to pick up your picnic ingredients in Old Montreal.
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Review from Mohammad R.
2/17/2009 5 photos
I had a couple of nice brunches there with friends. Tried the sweet dish and the savory dish, the crusty crunchy toast and de awakening coffee. Will go back there again for its communal seating and of course the food.
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