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77 reviews for St-Viateur Bagel
Review Highlights
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"The bagel (without cream cheese) was tasty, a little sweet..." In 18 reviews -
"Their most popular is the sesame seed bagel." In 8 reviews -
"...sur place et s'imbiber de l'âme du quartier Mile-End." In 4 reviews
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76 reviews in English
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Review from Risa D.
5/17/2012
Buttery delicious hot chewy bagels, amazing sense of hot-off-the-fire history, funny friendly service (not like "can I take your order madam" friendly, but more like "hey, sup. jokesjokesjokes"). This place is a brightly-lit beacon in the dead of night, and wrapping your hands around a bagel right out of the fire-breathing oven at 3am in the dead of winter is true Montreal experience - only for the hearty and hale. Don't waste your time at the St Viateur cafes (these are fine, they are just beside the point.) Don't wait two days to eat your bagels back home then complain that they are stale. Just grab a half dozen of whatever is hot, get some cream cheese and go for a walk - and be thankful that your life contains such sweetness. ;)
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Review from Richard M.
I had been dreaming of this bagel palace ever since seeing it on the travel channel. Bagels coming out of a wood fired oven, WTF. I couldn't wait to taste them. So off to St-Viateur the oldest bagel shop in Montreal. As you walk in you see the assembly line of bagels going to their wood fired death. But they don't come out all burnt, instead perfectly toasted to a crisp outer deliciousness. Well I ordered a half dozen mixed and preceded to devour them one by one. So much for being off carbs.
There dough was light and fluffy inside with a crisp crusty outer shell. It was one fine bagel. No disappointment here, just satisfaction. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
St-Viateur Bagel Stop #3
24 hours and 7 days a week?!
How many dozen of bagels do you need?
Are you going to eat all of those? Let me see how many kilometres you need to walk to burn one of these bagels off?
Only Sesame and Poppy seed left... can I just have 3 dozens or so...
I feel the warm and smell the bagels driving all the way back to Toronto... and I end up smelling like bagels too... sweet sweet smell of sesame and honey!
BTW, St Viateur Bagel might be the safest place in Montreal tonight as there are 2 police officers chatting away with the bakers. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
I liked St-Viateur much more than Fairmont - I did a back-to-back comparison of the sesame bagels and found St-Viateur were denser, chewier and not as sweet.
The only downside is this is purely a bagel joint - you can buy cream cheese, salmon, etc. from the freezers - but you have to construct your own bagel sandwiches at home. Bagel dude was able to recommend Café Olimpico (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) that had decent coffee... and tolerated me cutting up my bagel was a plastic knife and leave sesame seeds everywhere...Listed in: Un garçon de Vancouver à…
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Review from Angela N.
4/10/2012 7 photos
NY has bagels and Montreal has bagels. They're different and I like 'em both. Like at H&H (in the USW in NY) I order whatever just came out of the hot oven. And so, tried and true, I ordered the Sesame Bagel. Seemed like the sesame was the overall favorite and most popular so we ordered one to go - it was warm to the touch, smelled wonderful and the toasted sesame crisp to the bite. Was so good I just ate it w/o cream cheese. Also ordered the Everything Bagel just for a taste, however, it was was sitting for a while so wasn't the best texture - was tough/dry - and was a tad stale. Great experience; friendly staff and efficient.
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Review from Whitney J.
1/14/2012
Ok, so I live in New York and I have learned from bagels.
However, Montréal bagels are a totally different beast than NYC bagels. The texture is more like a pretzel, but without any salt and sweeter. It's thinner and a bit bland on it's own. However, it's perfect for making a sandwich. With NYC bagels, I always feel like the bread:food ratio is too heavy on the bread side. Not so with Montréal bagels. They need to be eaten with stuff. Clearly, my hangover needed to be warded off with the application of smoked salmon, red onions and capers, which is exactly what I did. The sesame seed bagel was nice and nutty. Did I mention that these babies are baked in a wood-fire oven? Oooh, yeah. Yum.
Love this place and their bagels. Best breakfast sandwich ever -
Review from Linh N.
12/13/2011 4 photos
This shop is literally 2-3 blocks down from Fairmount's Bagel. St. Viateur also makes their bagel daily and had just the same variety as Fairmount's. What I didn't like about this place was the fact that they didn't cut open my bagel and spread cream cheese on it, instead I had to choose my own cream cheese from the fridge and do it myself.
Aside from this, the bagel is a lot more softer and didn't have that crunch. There weren't a lot of sesame on the bagel which meant the aroma of the sesame bagel wasn't as intense. Each person has their own opinon about this bagel shop. As for me, I would pass on this bagel shop. -
Review from Eric V.
Pierrefonds, QC
4/9/2012
This is your perfect place to bring someone after going out.
Instead of going to macdonald or some fast food joint this place is cheaper,healthier and quicker than any fast food store.
Plus you can grab something for breakfast the next day.
No matter what time i go i always see people baking fresh bagel.
I'm more of a conservative guy so i usually take sesame bagel or butter bagel.
Hope this help,
Cheers,
Eric Van Nguyen -
Review from Daniel P.
11/19/2011
I'm going to play the New Yorker card here. Why? Because the New Yorker card was invented for a sticky pickle of a contest like this, and I'm settling it:
As a born and lived-in New Yorker who has eaten bagels all over (yeah H&H, A&S, Murray's, Bagelsmith, etc.) I vote Montreal as bagel capital. It's only by a slight margin, but these chewy buttery babes are better. They have more character and are a more slender, more al dente version of our bagel--not so fluffy and bready, more textured and refined--just right with a dip of cream cheese.
Me and my girl brought back 3 or 4 dozen, having feverfits and trying not to eat them all on the 9-hour drive back. -
Review from Veronique P.
Rosemère, QC
9/25/2011
The best bagels in the world! Beware, if you get them in your car, the smell will conquer your buds and you will eat 2 on your way home, so count those in when you order the quantity desired! Only reason why not a 5 stars, no place to sit and enjoy them on the spot. Not that they need to turn this fab joint into a resto, but a bench outside would be nice so you can savour a bagel while enjoying the Mile-End vibe.
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Les meilleurs bagels au monde. Et attention, si vous les entrez dans votre voiture, l'odeur conquira vos narines et vous en goberez 2 avant d'arriver chez vous, donc considérez ces deux bagels extra dans votre commande! La seule raison pour laquelle je ne donne pas un 5 étoiles, est qu'il n'y a pas de bancs pour dégustation sur place. Pas qu'ils aient besoin de changer ce petit comptoir génial en resto, mais un banc à l'extérieur serait apprécié afin de pouvoir déguster sur place et s'imbiber de l'âme du quartier Mile-End. -
Review from Mike A.
Montréal, QC
10/11/2011
Let me start by stating what this place is NOT.
- You don't come here for a warm customer/owner interaction. Think seinfeld episode of your choice ;)
- You don't come here for a variety of sandwiches or toppings or to have your bagel toasted lightly with a smidgin of butter.
- You don't come for the ambiance...
You come here for the undisputed best bagel on the planet!! (tied with fairmont bagel...)
Best enjoyed fresh out of their wood-fired oven with or without the spread of your choice.
You want them toasted with butter (or cream cheese)?
Take 'em home and do it yourself!
Save yourself the aggrevation... -
Review from Sara R.
9/28/2011
I'm a native of Los Angeles. I love NYC bagels (Ess-A-Bagel, hello!). What do I think of Montreal bagels?
CHA-CHING!! On the money, yo.
I must say here, documented, that Montreal bagels whip the butts of NYC bagels. An NYC bagel is good, but it gets its perfection from the mounds of cream cheese. A Montreal bagel is perfection without any alterations or additions.
I've never, ever had a bite of any bagel and felt that I would want to willingly eat it plain and in its entirety, right there and then. At St. Viateur, I looked at the bagel and wondered why it wasn't cut in half. "Do you put cream cheese on it?".. and she smiled and said, "No", and pointed to the fridge to my right and said, "You can buy for .50" (I think she said 50 cents, but it was something in that amount). I decided nah.. and told her it's ok, I'll just go with it as is. She smiled big and made that gesture with her hand that can be read as "magnificent choice!"
I took it outside towards the drizzly morning of Montreal/Mile-End, and sunk my teeth into it. And more. And again. And suddenly felt that I needed a cup of coffee to help slow down, and to be able to relish it. Stopped by a coffee shop nearby (I forget the name, darn it!), but it was a very good latte... and oh what a delightful breakfast. The coffee was certainly not necessary, but unless you want to scarf the bagel down and wish you hadn't, you should get one to pair it with. :)
The shop offers nowhere to sit. It's not really a dining establishment. Just a shop that makes bagels. I wish they'd have somewhere to sit, but perhaps that's part of the decades of charm. The area itself seems residential nearby, and it was a bit of a trek by a bus from the downtown area, to get here. I'd say about 25 minutes by bus. Worth every bumpy moment.
This is a way to consume carbs the way they were meant to be consumed. And you won't feel one bit of guilt.
Didn't get the chance to try Fairmount, but the reviews make them sound so similar.. so I've left Fairmount for my return visit. -
Review from Denise L.
10/23/2011
During my recent trip to Montréal, I made sure I grabbed a bagel and see if it was all hype, or if this was a great style of bagels. St-Viateur Bagel & Café was on the top of the list, and a must-visit in the books.
St-Viateur's shoppe greets you with the smell of freshly baked bagels cascading down a ramp ready to be packed into a bag for you to enjoy warm. Bagels can be eaten plain, or with your choice of spread, or used in a sandwich.
I tried the "all dressed" and sesame seed bagels. Unlike the New York style bagel, the "all dressed" aka everything was missing a key ingredient: salt. Other than that, it was a decent bagel. I loved the sesame seed bagel - it was crunchy and sweet; and not very doughy. Even if you save a bagel for the next day, they are still soft inside. But why would you wait that long - it's best eaten right out of the oven. -
Review from Elaine P.
2/29/2012 3 photos
Sweet & chewy. Great price & fast service. I'll be back!
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Review from Michael F.
10/17/2011
I have to say I was a little disappointed. No doubt these are good bagels, but I don't really see the point of eating a bagel plain. I thought you were supposed to eat them with obscene amounts of cream cheese??
NYC style bagels FTW... -
Review from Danan R.
1/30/2012
The bagels here are slightly more dense than Fairmount's, and the shell isn't as crunchy. Overall, they are softer and more chewy. The sesame here is probably the best type here, with a nutty, aromatic flavor. I love that they ship bagels to the US; we order a couple dozen every once in a while and store them in the freezer. Personally, I like Fairmount's bagels more but this comes in at a close second.
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Review from Tara F.
Montréal, QC
8/14/2011
The controversial question that divides the people of Montreal - Fairmount Bagel or St. Viateur?
Though both are outstanding Montreal bagels, St. Viatuer wins my vote. The bagels are the freshest ever. You literally see them coming out of the oven just moments before you're popping them in your mouth.
Sesame bagels are being made constantly, so if you're eating them on the spot, sesame is the way to go. Poppy seed is my top pick, and I still get one sesame to eat on my way out, poppy seed to take home.
In my books, the Montreal bagel has yet to be surpassed, and St.Viateur is the place to get 'em. -
Review from Stephanie L.
9/11/2011
I am not sure why this place is open 24 hours a day? Are there that many people that get bagel cravings in the middle of the night?
I came here with my cousin since she read in one of her guidebooks that this is THE place for bagels. I'm from NYC, so I wasn't expecting much (I live a hop and a skip from one of the best Jewish delis). When we entered, it was quite impressive to see the big wood burning stove where they make the bagels, as well as the large pile of bagels that were done. Down one side of the shop were drinks and the other were fridges stocked with all sorts of packaged condiments for your bagel. It's like a supermarket dedicated to bagels.
We were a bit disappointed since we were hoping for sandwiches but oh well. We grabbed "all dressed" & sesame bagels, and a carton of whitefish salad (my spread of choice).
There were no where to sit as many have noted. Apparently this is the factory and St-Viateur has many other cafes around Montreal that actually offers seating and freshly made bagel sandwiches. Wish I knew that well ahead of time since it was raining and we had to find a bench on the street to sit on while propping up our umbrellas to eat.
The bagels were good. The sesame one is definitely fresher and softer since its turnaround is faster. The all dressed bagel was well encrusted in all the toppings but I wished there were more onions since it's one of my favorites. The bagel itself was a bit doughy but tasty, they say they dipped it in honey water before baking.
I suggest trying their bagel in one of their cafes. There's quite a few, just find one near wherever you're staying. It's probably also better when they actually make it for you fresh on the spot rather than buy the ones here in the factory shop, usually it's bought in bulk here and people reheat it at home. Plus, you wouldn't have to spend insane amount of money to buy all the packaged condiments to make one decent sandwich, especially with the packaged salmon. Skip the "original" unless it's 3 o'clock in the morning and you must have a good bagel. -
Review from Esther Y.
4/29/2011
Here's the thing. If you are expecting a NY style bagel, it's not it. But, what you will get, is a different kind of bagel.
The sesame seed and everything bagels were pretty awesome. They were even more awesome when they were warm and fresh. The cinnamon raisin bagel? Not so much. It was kind of dense and a little bland.
I think this is worth a drive by and stopping in if you have time, but not necessarily a "must" eat. -
Review from Jeff O.
9/16/2011
I liked the other bagel shop marginally better. Not enough to make a difference in stars though. I won't be back, I prefer NY bagels.
Listed in: Canada!
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Review from Diane H.
Updated - 12/2/2011
Picked up several dozen of my favorite sesame bagels on our way home, and had 2 of them right out of the bag. So good. A few bags are supposed to be given to family but it's going to be hard parting with them!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/26/2011
I dreamt of St-Viateur sesame bagels again. They are like food from Heaven, so so good one can eat… Read more »
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Review from Jason P.
1/12/2011 6 photos
What do you get when you combine a pretzel with a bagel, a St. Viateur Bagel!
I came here during the morning and watched the workers work their craft, quickly cutting, hand-rolling, seasoning, and throwing the dough in the wood-burning oven. Just as quickly as fresh ones were taken out of the oven and thrown onto the long conveyor-like ramp. The bagels are served fresh and hot so be sure to eat one on the spot. Although this location does not prepare the bagel with sides such as salmon, cream cheese, butter or the like, there are a couple refrigerators stocked with tubs of different types of cream cheese and packages of salmon that you can purchase and take to go. If you're looking for a full-on experience of a warm bagel with sides, as well as coffee and other foods, you can go to the other St. Viateur Bagel & Cafe locations.
I ordered a Sesame Bagel ($0.60 CAD), unsure of what to expect. What I got was smaller than a New York bagel. My first thoughts when biting into it, was soft as a pretzel with an airy/fluffy consistency and a subtle sweetness. And as an added bonus, this delectable bagel counts in at only 220 calories where a New York bagel is about twice as much!! As you enjoy your bagel, peruse around the front entrance where there is a wall of photographs of famous celebrities and advertisements glorifying this place.
And some good news: This legendary bagel shop is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!! Even on New Year's Day while the rest of Montreal is still sleeping!! Be sure to call ahead if you're wanting to try a certain type of bagel to see if they are making it at the time you're planning on visiting.
Bagel Menu (CAD Prices: Single, 1/2 Doz, Doz):
Sesame - $0.60, $3.40, $6.75
Poppy - $0.60, $3.40, $6.75
Seedless - $0.60, $3.40, $6.75
Cinnamon Raisin - $0.70, $4.20, $8.40
All Dressed (Everything) - $0.70, $4.20, $8.40
Whole Wheat - $0.70, $4.20, $8.40
Flax Seed - $0.75, $4.50, $9.00
9 Grains - $0.80, $4.80, $9.60
Bread - $2.50
Matzoh - $1.30 -
Review from Jason P.
7/5/2011
This place completely blows. If this is the best bagel in Montreal - I'd rather have Lender's frozen bagels in a heartbeat. There is no debate. New York bagels completely obliterate this sham of a place. I cannot believe there are positive reviews on this page. St-Viatuer Bagels are horrible. Let me count the ways. They taste like complete cardboard. The sandwiches are "pre-made" - meaning, all of your toppings are just sitting there (turkey, cheese) all day - rather than being cut fresh. i went there with high hopes with this being the "18th" ranked restaurant in Montreal. What s joke. Again, the bagels suck. Absolutely no taste. None.
So, in sum.... RUN, don't walk away. It is a complete waste of your money for this tasteless, stale imitator with rancid, tasteless toppings.
AVOID!!!!! -
Review from Brian P.
5/8/2011
Trekked here the day after a serious blizzard slammed Montreal in 2008 and to say the roads and sidewalks were a mess would be an understatement. Between the buses and the walk, it took almost 45 minutes to arrive. At the time, we had no idea that St-Viateur had a sit-down cafe in Mont Royal that was a couple metro stops away from where we were staying, so we trekked all this way only to have no place to sit and eat our bagels. Did this matter to us? No. These bagels were so damn good that we forgot how tired our legs were and I ended up taking a dozen back home with me. Every bagel I've had since then gets measured to St-Viateur's awesomeness.
I'll take Montreal-style bagels any day of the week over the NYC varieties. -
Review from Wayne R.
12/6/2011
Bagels were good, but I prefer a good New York style over these. Prices for sandwich (with bagel instead of bread) were higher than expected - $10-$13 if I recall. No credit cards was a disappointment and the neighborhood is not fantastic.
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Review from Alyssa K.
1/6/2011
There are only a few bagels out there that can taste amazing without anything on it. So is the case at St-Viateur. I've been to Montreal three times, and each time I've always gotten a St-Viateur bagel.
I've been to both this location and the Mont St. Royal cafe. The cafe is a sit-down joint that sells bagel sandwiches and with whatever spreads you want. This location only sells bagels and tubs of cream cheese, packages of salmon, and whatever else you would normally put on your bagel, and there are no tables (think H&H in NYC). They do sell individual-sized containers of cream cheese, but honestly you won't need it.
The day I went here (New Year's Day), they only had plain, sesame, and poppyseed bagels. I was sad the "tout garni" ("all dressed," aka everything) bagel wasn't available, but the poppyseed more than satisfied my bagel craving. The very subtle sweetness from the honey water the bagels were boiled in give the bagels a pleasantly different taste. The dough itself has a texture like a fresh pretzel and doesn't feel as dense as a NYC bagel. Best of all, since the bagels are constantly made in the wood-fire oven right before your eyes, you're sure to get a warm, soft, fresh bagel, and nothing beats that. Oh, and they're only .60 CAD. You definitely can't compare Montreal bagels to NYC bagels; the size, taste, and even shape are different. But if you love your carbs, you'll definitely love St-Viateur! -
Review from Victoria K.
7/6/2010
I would certainly not compare these bagels to NY bagels. It's a whole different animal. NY bagels are plumper, chewier, are more substantial by nature. They swell so large that the "hole" in the center is sometimes non-existent. NY bagels are wonderful and filling. The bagels at St. Viateur are different than NY bagels, but in their own right they are sublime. Hand-made, each bagel has a slightly different shape. The dough is rolled thinner with a larger hold in the center, allowing the bagel more of a crustiness and less of the doughy chewiness that NY bagels offer in the bagel's interior. This past weekend, I ate about 4 sesame bagels from St. Viateur, two a day. They are smaller and less filling than a NY bagel (I can usually BARELY finish one of those). The flavor is incredible, however. If you're ever in Montreal, get your bagels here! Soooo good!
And PS Anthony Boudrain, a proud New Yorker, tried the bagels here on his Quebec episode of No Reservations and agreed they are delicious, not comparing them to his beloved NY bagels, but still admitting their greatness :) -
Review from Melanie K.
7/11/2009
Few things in life can compare with a St. Viateur bagel hot from the oven. It is one of life's greatest simple pleasures, and should feature on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
I love poppy and sesame. I beg friends and family to mail me bagels from St. Viateur. They freeze well and toast up nicely.
If you're going to freeze them, cut them when they're still fresh and THEN freeze them. But they are best hot and fresh and melt-in-your-mouth perfect.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Candice B.
7/8/2009
I was really excited to try some authentic East Coast bagels because everytime I say how much I like Noah's bagels, people give me a disgusted look.
St. Viateur's bagels come in small selection of flavors. When we were there, they had plain, poppy seed and sesame.
Their bagels are cheap. I saved 10 Canadian dollars for the last breakfast before leaving Canada, and used like $4 for 4 bagels plus some cream cheese.
There is no place to sit: it's not a cafe, just a place to buy bagels. They will supply you with a plastic knife, however, if you buy individual size cream cheese.
Now, onto the bagel. It's definitely different from Noah's, whose bagel now start to resemble more like bread with this new comparison. St. Viateur bagels are dry but not brittle, look hard but really chewy.
I am so glad I can now say I have tried authentic East Coast bagels. -
Review from T K.
8/16/2011
On this visit we did not have time to try the bagels from Fairmont, but definitely loved the bagels at St-Viateur. So much so we got a dozen for the trip home. They were still hot when they went into the bag. The car smelled great for hours!
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Review from Yvonne Y.
8/22/2011
We had the same expression as Anthony Bourdain did after taking the first bite. It's good, but not THAT good. Definitely not worth the 50 min walk for sure. I didn't find the crust all that crispy. server was very friendly.
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Review from Valerie G.
Montréal, QC
12/7/2011
I am a montrealer that has tried bagels in other cities, and I have to say that these are not your tipical bagels. They have a crisp outer layer and are far less bready in the middle, the flavor is also more buttery. I usually get 6 sesame and 6 poppy to round out my happy dozens, If you dont plan to eat them all within a few days, I suggest you cut them in half and freeze them while there fresh. They will be easier to toast when your ready for them. I also usually buy the astro cream cheese as the lighter texture makes an awsome spread, (especially if you add butter), and the salmon spead is also delish. If you planning a brunch, consider bagels, cut into small bite sizes with an assortment of spreads like salmon, creme cheese, jams and preserved, or hummus, cheeses or fresh berries (ex bluberries). My favorites way to enjoy is toasted bagels, topped cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, onion, a slice of lemon, a slice of fresh tomato and fresh ground pepper.....mmmmmm mouth watering good
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Review from luke b.
6/23/2009
As a bagel connoisseur (I'm a Jew, it's in my genes) I'll have to say that these are some of the best bagels I've had. It's no Rosenfeld's, that's for sure but I suppose it's hard to compare French-Canadian bagels to Jewton, MA bagels. So, I'll just say these are some of the best, if not THE best bagels in the city.
Here's what you do:
1.Buy a dozen bagels(prefereably of whatever was just baked), a package of lox and a nicely sized tub of cream cheese.
2. Find a nice spot outside (park bench, etc. etc.) or your brother's car.
3. Be the designated bagel maker for ALL FOUR PEOPLE IN THE EFFING CAR
4. Slice a bagel, smear with cream cheese, layer with lox. Devour. Repeat.
5. Exclaim: Oy vey! or Mon dieu!! (considering the locale) etc. etc.
There you have it. 12 bagels serve 4 with 4 bagels leftover. (you do the math). -
Review from Kwoky L.
6/15/2009
I went to check out St. Viateur and their bagels were amazing! It is open 24/7 and I actually got to see them make the bagels from scratch. From cutting the dough to boiling them to baking in a brick oven, they are all handmade. They have the regular plain and sesame bagels but they offer other classics like poppy seeds and organic varieties as well. Every single one is crunchy on the outside but warm and soft on the inside.
However, you will most probably get what's coming out of the oven. If they don't have any of the less popular ones available, tough luck, because they are not going to make a batch just for you. Personally, I stick with what's fresh from the oven. Get a bag of 'em with some cream cheese and smoked salmon from the fridge and make yourself the meal ever! Now that's some late night snack that we need in Chicago. -
Review from Bobby A.
2/8/2010
Hands-down the BEST bagels in the world!
Montreals often cite the rivalry between St.Viatuer and Fairmount Bagels but I'm partial to the former. The latter also makes great bagels, don't get me wrong but I'm a bit of a purist, plain, sesame, poppy seed, cinnamon - in my book, that's all you need while Fairmount on the other hand makes more creative options like sun-dried tomato, blueberry, chocolate and orange etc. which is fine, it's a matter of preference really.
This is a *must* stop for anyone visiting Montreal.
Hell even the members of Arcade Fire come here and bought members of Radiohead over one day to try it out and they're still raving about the place! -
Review from Michael E.
9/18/2011
Good bagel.
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Review from Judy C.
3/2/2009
It was cool to see the bagels in the making when I walked inside St. Viateur. There was soooo many bagels...it was great!
I got their signature sesame bagel. I was a little bummed that they don't spread cream cheese for you (have to get packaged cream cheese). However, the bagel came out hot and fresh. The bagel (without cream cheese) was tasty, a little sweet, and the sesame seeds gave a little kick to the bagel.Listed in: An epicure in Montréal
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Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2009 1 photo
I happen to like both St. Viateur and Fairmount Bakery. I've visited and bought from both bakeries, both of whom share similar points in the product they specialize in:
- Both are open 24/7 to appease the appetites of drunk Montrealers and late-night snackers.
- Both of their bagels are chewy and made fresh on the spot.
- Both enjoy a long list of loyal patrons.
I think that St. Viateur is better known for offering more traditional bagel flavours such as plain, sesame and poppy seed, while Fairmount offers different flavours.
To further investigate this rivalry, I've asked former Montrealers which ones were their favourite bagel shop. Their answers have been pretty diplomatic, admitting that in this particular neighbourhood, there are a few bagel shops around so depending on your personal preference, you either go to one bagel shop than the other.
As a Torontonian, I just wish we had a plethora of bagel shops for us to argue about which ones is the best. I'm jealous of the Montreal bagel rivalry. -
Review from Lee S.
7/29/2009
Definitely not your typical bagel.
It's more like very simple, round, artisan bread...baked in a wood-fired oven and best eaten warm. So damn delicious, you don't need a spread.
Is it bad that we have these at least twice a day whilst in Montreal?
Totally worth the price of an Air Canada airline ticket. Especially if you add-in a Shwartz brisket sandwich.
(Thank you N & N for the addiction!) -
Review from Lorraine L.
9/6/2010
Ok, so I'm not going to say they are better than NYC bagels. Why? Because these Montreal bagels are a different beast than their cousins in the States. These are slightly smaller and thinner. St. Viateur's come in a variety of flavors. At this shop you can come and get them hot out of the oven at all times. I recommend immediately tearing into one while it's still warm and soft. Then you'll realize how heavenly light and fluffy they are. I walked down the street devouring one. This location sells only bagels and has a cooler full of cream cheeses, assorted bagel toppings, and cold beverages. I wish I had a bagel joint like this in L.A. to walk to on a lazy weekend morning.
Oh, and they are AS good as NYC bagels. Yum!
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