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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|Monday, March 23, 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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      |
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      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Categories
      • Arts & Culture

        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
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
      • Saint-Henri
      • See All
      Business Type
      • Restaurant
      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
      • Bakery
      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
      • Place-Saint-Henri
      • Place-d'Armes
      • Jarry
      • View all
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      Design

      One Woman's the Reason Every Good Terrasse Has These Tables

      Lea Berger missed the folding biergarten tables of her German childhood. A decade later, they're at every great bar in Montreal, shipped in from Stuttgart.

      By Christopher DeWolf

      March 23, 2026 · 4 min read

      One Woman's the Reason Every Good Terrasse Has These Tables
      Photography via Canada Beergarden & @canadabeergarden / Instagram

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Canada BeergardenlarrysVin PapillonPumpuiPoincaré ChinatownMellön - BrasserieBar WILLS

      What’s wrong with the good old-fashioned picnic table? A lot—at least in the eyes of graphic designer Lea Berger.

      “It’s like there was no design thought behind it,” she says. “It’s just super heavy, so you can’t easily move it around. It’s not really beautiful. And it’s meant to be outdoors, but it doesn’t age well.”

      That’s one of the reasons why, in 2012, she decided to buy something she remembered fondly from her childhood: a German biergarten table.

      “They’re pretty much everywhere in Germany,” she says. “In Hamburg, they have very large sidewalks so businesses just put them outside for people to sit. In Berlin, you have them in the parks, under trees. They fold up but they actually look good.”

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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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      Advertisement

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      Follow on Google
      Design

      One Woman's the Reason Every Good Terrasse Has These Tables

      Lea Berger missed the folding biergarten tables of her German childhood. A decade later, they're at every great bar in Montreal, shipped in from Stuttgart.

      By Christopher DeWolf

      March 23, 2026 · 4 min read

      One Woman's the Reason Every Good Terrasse Has These Tables
      Photography via Canada Beergarden & @canadabeergarden / Instagram

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Canada BeergardenlarrysVin PapillonPumpuiPoincaré ChinatownMellön - BrasserieBar WILLS

      What’s wrong with the good old-fashioned picnic table? A lot—at least in the eyes of graphic designer Lea Berger.

      “It’s like there was no design thought behind it,” she says. “It’s just super heavy, so you can’t easily move it around. It’s not really beautiful. And it’s meant to be outdoors, but it doesn’t age well.”

      That’s one of the reasons why, in 2012, she decided to buy something she remembered fondly from her childhood: a German biergarten table.

      “They’re pretty much everywhere in Germany,” she says. “In Hamburg, they have very large sidewalks so businesses just put them outside for people to sit. In Berlin, you have them in the parks, under trees. They fold up but they actually look good.”

      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

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Follow on Google

      More Design

      Montreal Has a Winter Identity. But Who Does It Belong To?
      Design
      Philippe Demers

      Montreal Has a Winter Identity. But Who Does It Belong To?

      Our city has made winter an art form, so the next step is making sure everyone's invited to enjoy it.

      Montreal’s public spaces are good, but are they good enough?
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      Philippe Demers

      Montreal’s Public Spaces Are Good, but Are They Good Enough?

      Other cities are rethinking how everyday spaces support connection, comfort, and community. Here are five trends Montreal should be paying attention to in 2026.

      Emilie Pittman's Em & May designs clothes for bodies, not trends
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      Emilie Pittman's Em & May Designs Clothes for Bodies, Not Trends

      A look at Em & May’s evolving collections, hands-on production, and commitment to inclusive style

      Meet Dazy Chains, the tech-inspired knitwear brand combining fibre arts with digital culture
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      Meet Dazy Chains, the Tech-inspired Knitwear Brand Combining Fibre Arts with Digital Culture

      Hand-knit designs merge CAPTCHAS and AI imagery with fibre arts, while the publication Needlebound builds a tangible community for textile artists.

      Ivy Studio is shaping Montreal's visual identity from the inside out
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      Ivy Studio is Shaping Montreal's Visual Identity from the Inside Out

      Always in collaboration with local craftspeople, this nimble design firm creates immersive commercial spaces designed for that ineffable 'wow' factor.

      The design behind the REM's 14 new stations, and changing how Montreal moves
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      Thom Seivewright

      The Design Behind the REM's 14 New Stations, and Changing How Montreal Moves

      The expansion adds 14 stations and 33 kilometres to Montreal's light-rail network, connecting the North Shore to the South Shore through downtown for the first time.

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      Montreal, Inc.Welcome Back From the Dead, Frank And OakNewsletterThe Bulletin: The 201st St. Patrick's Day Parade, Doom-Scrolling Performance Art, and Live Jazz in a Skyscraper [Issue #173]Arts & CultureGore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth MakingArts & CultureWhat to do this weekend (03.19–03.22)Arts & CultureRequiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
      Welcome Back From the Dead, Frank And Oak

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      Welcome Back From the Dead, Frank And Oak

      More Design

      Montreal Has a Winter Identity. But Who Does It Belong To?
      Design
      Philippe Demers

      Montreal Has a Winter Identity. But Who Does It Belong To?

      Our city has made winter an art form, so the next step is making sure everyone's invited to enjoy it.

      Montreal’s public spaces are good, but are they good enough?
      Design
      Philippe Demers

      Montreal’s Public Spaces Are Good, but Are They Good Enough?

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      Emilie Pittman's Em & May Designs Clothes for Bodies, Not Trends

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      Meet Dazy Chains, the tech-inspired knitwear brand combining fibre arts with digital culture
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      Hand-knit designs merge CAPTCHAS and AI imagery with fibre arts, while the publication Needlebound builds a tangible community for textile artists.

      Ivy Studio is shaping Montreal's visual identity from the inside out
      Design
      Lili Monette-Crépô

      Ivy Studio is Shaping Montreal's Visual Identity from the Inside Out

      Always in collaboration with local craftspeople, this nimble design firm creates immersive commercial spaces designed for that ineffable 'wow' factor.

      The design behind the REM's 14 new stations, and changing how Montreal moves
      Design
      Thom Seivewright

      The Design Behind the REM's 14 New Stations, and Changing How Montreal Moves

      The expansion adds 14 stations and 33 kilometres to Montreal's light-rail network, connecting the North Shore to the South Shore through downtown for the first time.

      Latest from The Main

      Montreal, Inc.Welcome Back From the Dead, Frank And OakNewsletterThe Bulletin: The 201st St. Patrick's Day Parade, Doom-Scrolling Performance Art, and Live Jazz in a Skyscraper [Issue #173]Arts & CultureGore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth MakingArts & CultureWhat to do this weekend (03.19–03.22)Arts & CultureRequiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
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