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How the Mile End scene of the twenty-tens and Egyptian heritage brewed a drink Montreal today couldn't do without.
Other cities are rethinking how everyday spaces support connection, comfort, and community. Here are five trends Montreal should be paying attention to in 2026.
![The Bulletin: A bookstore revived, a nightclub's last dance, and Pink Floyd under the stars [Issue #166]](https://themain.ghost.io/content/images/2026/01/ezgif.com-optimize-1.gif)
The neighbourhood's smitten with Au Coin's all-day coffee, natural wine, and sourdough pizza.
It's the unspoken problem of early popularity in restaurants: Nineteen months in, La Spada's owner reflects on the chaos, clarity, and learning to step away.
Japanese restaurant veterans Hiroshi Kitano and Hideyuki Imaizumi bring the fire, united by the grill and hip-hop.
Three cafés redefining specialty Vietnamese coffee through heritage, fusion, and first-gen identity.
Inside the warehouse where four bakers shape everything by hand, all night, every night to make 2,000 loaves a day.
Anthony Gentile spent ten years building up his family's café across Montreal. His fourth location brings him back to old stomping grounds.
Three generations and 65 years later, this family business is having its busiest run yet.
From 2025's defining themes to predictions for 2026, here's what Montreal's food insiders are saying about the city's evolving dining culture (and its next Michelin hopefuls).
In a quiet village, a church has turned into a sanctuary for artists living on the margins of the world.
Following the Joe Beef co-founder through two days of cold-climate viticulture harvests where hospitality takes the form of al fresco meals, crushed grapes underfoot, and relentless labour.
Ancient technique, unpredictability, and slow, communal craft: Goregama has gathered twice a year since 2019 to feed wood into an anagama kiln for 40 hours straight.
From farm fields to natural wine, Baie-Saint-Paul makes the case for a quick pause away from it all.
From flea markets to pickleball courts, a reporter retraces his roots to find out why Saint-Eustache is suddenly among Quebec’s happiest cities.
Nathan Gawalko left high-end restaurants across the world to bottle ancient traditions of fish, salt, and time on British Columbia's coast.
A coastal escape where every room has ocean views.
The city hosted 63 fewer conventions in 2025 but generated $43 million more in economic impact.
Radio veterans Terry DiMonte and Ted Bird gave The Main a shoutout on their podcast Standing By.
The Swiss watchmaker chose Montreal for its Canadian debut, drawn by the city's Francophone ties to its home in Le Locle.
The expanded downtown store features local stone, a refurbished copper cornice, and double the floor space.
One-hour delivery pilots late February, with 100 mini-store locations planned across Montreal, the South Shore, and Quebec City by summer.
The 107-year-old bakery's first major expansion lands directly across the street from the original.
Plein(s) Écran(s) marks 10 years with an Oscar-shortlisted doc and 38 more.
Quebec premier steps down after months of historically low polling numbers.
The best of Montreal's culinary scene
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A guide to the very best of Montreal, curated by our editors and the voices we feature in our stories.
Explore the Directory
Yakitori Hibahihi
La Petite-Patrie · Restaurant
Hana Korean Steakhouse
Old Montreal · Restaurant
Cococina
Old Montreal · Restaurant
Au Coin
Mile End · Restaurant
Grille-Nature
Dollard-Des Ormeaux · Restaurant
Café Gentile (West Island)
Dollard-Des Ormeaux · Restaurant
Mezcla
Old Montreal · Restaurant
Vol de Nuit
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Bar
Bar A
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Bar
Bily Kun
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Bar
Le Filet
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Restaurant
G. Lafrite
Lachine · Restaurant
Mojito & Margarita
Rosemont · Restaurant
Mexico Restaurant
Saint-Michel · Restaurant
Bar Dominion
Downtown · Bar
Taverne Atlantic
Mile-Ex · Bar
Bar Le Mal Nécessaire
Downtown · Bar
Snowbird Tiki Bar
Rosemont · Bar
El Pequeño Bar
Old Montreal · Bar
Badin
Little Burgundy · Bar
Verdun Beach
Verdun · Wine Bar
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly
Mile End · Bookstore
Librairie Maktaba Bookshop
Old Montreal · Bookstore
Pulp Books & Café
Verdun · Bookstore
Librairie Saint-Henri Books
Saint-Henri · Bookstore
CCA Bookstore
Shaughnessy Village · Bookstore
The Word Bookstore
Milton Park · Bookstore
Librairie Le Port de tête
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Bookstore
Eva B.
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Boutique / Store
Hadio
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Boutique / Store
Friperie Notre-Dame
Lachine · Boutique / Store
Marché Floh
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Boutique / Store
Fripe-Prix Renaissance (Saint-Jacques)
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce · Boutique / Store
L N F
Mile End · Boutique / Store
Cul-de-Sac
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal · Boutique / Store
From boundary-pushing tasting menus to perfected single plates—this is where to eat when it matters.
Where work gets dodged, books get read and written, and half the city seems to be locked in conversation.
Intimate, theatrical, memorable: the spots that make an evening feel like an occasion.
From cozy second-hand shops with rare finds to generalists and specialty stores rich in diverse voices, this is where we go to find our next great read.
From garage racks to curated closets, here's where to start digging for stylish castoffs that got a second life.
It's wandering, but rewarded: Shop local, shop curious, and let these spots surprise you.
Lean back and listen in at these vinyl-heavy addresses in the city with slow, intentional, and mature atmospheres inspired by Japanese jazz kissa.
Baby it's cold outside.
A local guide to local rituals, routines, and pleasures big and small that make the season a good one.
From quick after-work laps to full-day drives worth the mileage.
Classic dives with no pretense, plenty of character, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting.
The spots, the broths, the sides—everything you need to eat your way through the city’s landscape.
Where work gets dodged, books get read and written, and half the city seems to be locked in conversation.
Shop The Main's Dépanneur. Open 24/7.
![The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.shopify.com%2Fs%2Ffiles%2F1%2F0601%2F1709%2F0544%2Ffiles%2FIMG_9098.heic%3Fv%3D1730301494&w=3840&q=75)