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The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

    partnerships@themain.com

    Content

    • Articles
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts & Culture
    • History Lesson
    • Bulletin
    • Events

    Guides

    • All Guides
    • Best Restaurants
    • Best Cafés
    • Best Bars
    • Best Brunch
    • Best Bakeries

    Explore Montreal

    • Browse Directory
    • Restaurants
    • Bars
    • Cafés
    • Bookstores

    About

    • About us
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Advertise
    • Pitch us
    • RSS Feed

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    Follow us
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    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
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      --°C|Friday, April 3, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.ROYALMOUNT Wants to Be Your Dining Destination for a Whole MonthGet 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
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      Magazine
      Categories
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        Creativity, heritage, and expression.

      • Beyond Montreal

        Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

      • Design

        The best of Montreal design.

      • Food & Drink

        La bonne bouffe.

      • History

        Stories, lessons, and context.

      • Newsletter

        Our weekly newsletter.

      • See all original stories
      Explore Montreal
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
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      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
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      • Boutique / Store
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      Food & Drink

      This is Even, a Mile-Ex Hybrid Café-roastery with Deep Intent

      An exhibition of immersed planning in coffee, hospitality, design, and craftsmanship.

      ByJ.P. Karwacki

      March 5, 2025 · 6 min read

      This is Even, a Mile-Ex hybrid café-roastery with deep intent
      Photograph: Thomas Tessier / @thomastessier_

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Café Even

      There's a particular alchemy that happens inside the best cafés that take their craft seriously—not with pretension, but intent. It’s that careful balance of space, aroma, sound, and human connection that transcends the simple act of serving coffee, and in the Mile-Ex, it’s the unassuming corner that feels both hidden and perfectly placed where Even Café and its roastery has set up shop.

      Andrew Werbowyj, the founder who dusted off the garage door to Dispatch Café’s first location, raised it again in the final days of fall 2024 under a new banner that would draw from his work experience, travels, and a deep connection to Montreal.

      Photograph: Thomas Tessier / @thomastessier_

      Something brewing

      Werbowyj's connection to Mile-Ex runs deeper than convenience. "When I first moved to Montreal, I lived in Mile-Ex, so signing the lease felt like a homecoming," he recalls. "It was like coming full circle."

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      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

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      The Main

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      Follow on Google
      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today

      The Cloakroom founder on value over flash, the scene's missing middle, and what Montreal's bar culture still needs to figure out.

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer
      Food & Drink
      Rachel Cheng

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer

      Keaton Ritchie of Flor Vin was on the banks of the Loire last week. Today he's hauling bottles through the slush.

      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing

      Chef Chouchou Jia spent years cooking in French and Italian kitchens before opening their first restaurant, and the result is unlike anything else in town.

      Arthurs Nosh Bar Is Coming to NDG, and This Time, They're Bringing Dinner
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Arthurs Nosh Bar Is Coming to NDG, and This Time, They're Bringing Dinner

      Alex Cohen and Raegan Steinberg are combining dinners with breakfast classics to the 48-seat Arthus Dinette in Monkland Village.

      Peel Pub Is Coming Back
      Food & Drink
      The Main

      Peel Pub Is Coming Back

      Eight months after closing, the downtown institution has new owners, a renovation, and a reopening before St. Patrick's Day.

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution
      Food & Drink
      Anick Jasmin

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution

      Owner Jermaine learned to cook from his grandmother in Jamaica at six years old. Everything at Boom J's still carries those teachings.

      Food & Drink

      This is Even, a Mile-Ex Hybrid Café-roastery with Deep Intent

      An exhibition of immersed planning in coffee, hospitality, design, and craftsmanship.

      ByJ.P. Karwacki

      March 5, 2025 · 6 min read

      This is Even, a Mile-Ex hybrid café-roastery with deep intent
      Photograph: Thomas Tessier / @thomastessier_

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Café Even

      There's a particular alchemy that happens inside the best cafés that take their craft seriously—not with pretension, but intent. It’s that careful balance of space, aroma, sound, and human connection that transcends the simple act of serving coffee, and in the Mile-Ex, it’s the unassuming corner that feels both hidden and perfectly placed where Even Café and its roastery has set up shop.

      Andrew Werbowyj, the founder who dusted off the garage door to Dispatch Café’s first location, raised it again in the final days of fall 2024 under a new banner that would draw from his work experience, travels, and a deep connection to Montreal.

      Photograph: Thomas Tessier / @thomastessier_

      Something brewing

      Werbowyj's connection to Mile-Ex runs deeper than convenience. "When I first moved to Montreal, I lived in Mile-Ex, so signing the lease felt like a homecoming," he recalls. "It was like coming full circle."

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      The Main

      Advertisement

      Follow on Google
      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today

      The Cloakroom founder on value over flash, the scene's missing middle, and what Montreal's bar culture still needs to figure out.

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer
      Food & Drink
      Rachel Cheng

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer

      Keaton Ritchie of Flor Vin was on the banks of the Loire last week. Today he's hauling bottles through the slush.

      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing

      Chef Chouchou Jia spent years cooking in French and Italian kitchens before opening their first restaurant, and the result is unlike anything else in town.

      Arthurs Nosh Bar Is Coming to NDG, and This Time, They're Bringing Dinner
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Arthurs Nosh Bar Is Coming to NDG, and This Time, They're Bringing Dinner

      Alex Cohen and Raegan Steinberg are combining dinners with breakfast classics to the 48-seat Arthus Dinette in Monkland Village.

      Peel Pub Is Coming Back
      Food & Drink
      The Main

      Peel Pub Is Coming Back

      Eight months after closing, the downtown institution has new owners, a renovation, and a reopening before St. Patrick's Day.

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution
      Food & Drink
      Anick Jasmin

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution

      Owner Jermaine learned to cook from his grandmother in Jamaica at six years old. Everything at Boom J's still carries those teachings.

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      The Best New Restaurants in Montreal [December 2025]
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      J.P. Karwacki

      The Best New Restaurants in Montreal [December 2025]

      A Montreal take on a Scottish tavern, famed chefs jump back into action with a new project, a fresh Italian hangout in Westmount, and more.

      Numéro's brutalist bar wants to serve your next post-shift martini
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Numéro's Brutalist Bar Wants to Serve Your Next Post-shift Martini

      Walk-ins and reservations share a warm welcome in this highly customized space, and it's got the menu to match.

      Montreal's most exciting openings and heartbreaking closures of 2025
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      Montreal's Most Exciting Openings and Heartbreaking Closures of 2025

      The restaurant and bar arrivals that thrilled Montreal writers, photographers, and influencers—and the beloved spots whose closures left lasting gaps.

      Old Montreal gets an intimate speakeasy for Peruvian dining with the arrival of Mezcla
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      The Main

      Old Montreal Gets an Intimate Speakeasy for Peruvian Dining with the Arrival of Mezcla

      Chef Marcel Larrea resurrects the restaurant that put him on the map seven years ago, this time hidden inside Capisco with a blind tasting menu and full creative control.

      Bossa had a bread problem, so they built a 24-hour bakery to solve it
      Food & Drink
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      Bossa Had a Bread Problem, so They Built a 24-hour Bakery to Solve it

      Inside the warehouse where four bakers shape everything by hand, all night, every night to make 2,000 loaves a day.

      Cécile Puts Fine-Dining Polish on Rotisserie and Acadian Comfort Cooking
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Cécile Puts Fine-Dining Polish on Rotisserie and Acadian Comfort Cooking

      The Fleury Ouest newcomer pays tribute to post-war family tables and its chef Benjamin Gilker's Nova Scotian roots.

      Latest from The Main

      NewsletterThe Bulletin: Roman Sculpture and Italo Disco, Maple Xiao Long Bao, and an Easter Costume Party [Issue #175]Arts & CultureOur Picks of the Best Shows for this year's Jazz FestArts & CultureThe Action Comedy Hollywood Forgot How to MakeArts & CultureWhat to do this weekend (04.02–04.05)Food & DrinkThe Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today

      More Food & Drink

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      The Best New Restaurants in Montreal [December 2025]
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Best New Restaurants in Montreal [December 2025]

      A Montreal take on a Scottish tavern, famed chefs jump back into action with a new project, a fresh Italian hangout in Westmount, and more.

      Numéro's brutalist bar wants to serve your next post-shift martini
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Numéro's Brutalist Bar Wants to Serve Your Next Post-shift Martini

      Walk-ins and reservations share a warm welcome in this highly customized space, and it's got the menu to match.

      Montreal's most exciting openings and heartbreaking closures of 2025
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Montreal's Most Exciting Openings and Heartbreaking Closures of 2025

      The restaurant and bar arrivals that thrilled Montreal writers, photographers, and influencers—and the beloved spots whose closures left lasting gaps.

      Old Montreal gets an intimate speakeasy for Peruvian dining with the arrival of Mezcla
      Food & Drink
      The Main

      Old Montreal Gets an Intimate Speakeasy for Peruvian Dining with the Arrival of Mezcla

      Chef Marcel Larrea resurrects the restaurant that put him on the map seven years ago, this time hidden inside Capisco with a blind tasting menu and full creative control.

      Bossa had a bread problem, so they built a 24-hour bakery to solve it
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Bossa Had a Bread Problem, so They Built a 24-hour Bakery to Solve it

      Inside the warehouse where four bakers shape everything by hand, all night, every night to make 2,000 loaves a day.

      Cécile Puts Fine-Dining Polish on Rotisserie and Acadian Comfort Cooking
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Cécile Puts Fine-Dining Polish on Rotisserie and Acadian Comfort Cooking

      The Fleury Ouest newcomer pays tribute to post-war family tables and its chef Benjamin Gilker's Nova Scotian roots.

      Latest from The Main

      NewsletterThe Bulletin: Roman Sculpture and Italo Disco, Maple Xiao Long Bao, and an Easter Costume Party [Issue #175]Arts & CultureOur Picks of the Best Shows for this year's Jazz FestArts & CultureThe Action Comedy Hollywood Forgot How to MakeArts & CultureWhat to do this weekend (04.02–04.05)Food & DrinkThe Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today
      The essentials according to restaurateur Soufian Mamlouk

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      The Essentials According to Restaurateur Soufian Mamlouk

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      The Nomadic Kitchen of Pasta Pooks Has Set up Camp in Little Italy

      The nomadic kitchen of Pasta Pooks has set up camp in Little Italy
      The essentials according to restaurateur Soufian Mamlouk

      Previous

      The Essentials According to Restaurateur Soufian Mamlouk

      Next

      The Nomadic Kitchen of Pasta Pooks Has Set up Camp in Little Italy

      The nomadic kitchen of Pasta Pooks has set up camp in Little Italy