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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
    InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
      --°C|Tuesday, March 24, 2026|
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      --°C|Tuesday, March 24, 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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      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
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      • View all
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      Food & Drink

      Shopping for Wine? Head Down to Your Local Caviste.

      Find out about the alternative to buying wine in Montreal at the SAQ with this short introduction to local cavistes.

      By Daniel Bromberg

      July 11, 2023 · 5 min read

      Shopping for wine? Head down to your local caviste.
      A typical spread at Vino Rama on Beaubien Est

      Most of you have been to the SAQ once or twice. Fine, maybe three times.

      For most of us, the SAQ—otherwise known as the Société des alcools du Québec—has existed as the province's alcohol monopoly for as long as we can remember. (For historical context, visit the SAQ's official chronology or this epic compilation of images and other information put together by the McCord Stewart Museum for the agency's 100th anniversary.)

      But did you know it's not the only place you can buy privately imported wine in Quebec? Well, in case you haven't had the chance to discover one of these shops, we're happy to inform you that they have a pretty little name that goes by caviste.

      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
      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.

      Bistrot Boisselet Skipped the Hype and Went Straight to Work
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Bistrot Boisselet Skipped the Hype and Went Straight to Work

      A quietly confident Little Italy bistrot from Montreal restaurant alum puts chef Darcy Gervais-Wood front and centre.

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple

      Meatballs from a family recipe, martinis refreshed before you ask, and a room dressed in heirlooms: eat with your hands and make a mess.

      Food & Drink

      Shopping for Wine? Head Down to Your Local Caviste.

      Find out about the alternative to buying wine in Montreal at the SAQ with this short introduction to local cavistes.

      By Daniel Bromberg

      July 11, 2023 · 5 min read

      Shopping for wine? Head down to your local caviste.
      A typical spread at Vino Rama on Beaubien Est

      Most of you have been to the SAQ once or twice. Fine, maybe three times.

      For most of us, the SAQ—otherwise known as the Société des alcools du Québec—has existed as the province's alcohol monopoly for as long as we can remember. (For historical context, visit the SAQ's official chronology or this epic compilation of images and other information put together by the McCord Stewart Museum for the agency's 100th anniversary.)

      But did you know it's not the only place you can buy privately imported wine in Quebec? Well, in case you haven't had the chance to discover one of these shops, we're happy to inform you that they have a pretty little name that goes by caviste.

      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
      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.

      Bistrot Boisselet Skipped the Hype and Went Straight to Work
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Bistrot Boisselet Skipped the Hype and Went Straight to Work

      A quietly confident Little Italy bistrot from Montreal restaurant alum puts chef Darcy Gervais-Wood front and centre.

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple

      Meatballs from a family recipe, martinis refreshed before you ask, and a room dressed in heirlooms: eat with your hands and make a mess.

      More Food & Drink

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      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.

      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.

      The steamie is an ugly and weird hot dog. It's also essential to Montreal food culture
      Food & Drink
      Mason Persaud

      The Steamie is an Ugly and Weird Hot Dog. It's Also Essential to Montreal Food Culture

      We built this city's culinary history and fuelled its nights out with this soggy, unphotogenic icon.

      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.

      His Restaurant Almost Broke Him. Does It Deserve a Second Chance?
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      His Restaurant Almost Broke Him. Does It Deserve a Second Chance?

      Omar Zabuair lost everything when Le Coq de l'Est closed in 2022. Three years later, he ran a pop-up to find out if the food still works—and whether that's reason enough to try again.

      My restaurant got busy before it was ready. Now I can finally take a step back.
      Food & Drink
      Scott Usheroff

      My Restaurant Got Busy Before it Was Ready. Now I Can Finally Take a Step Back.

      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.

      Latest from The Main

      DesignThe Story Behind the Biergarten Table That Became a Terrasse StapleMontreal, 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)
      The Fascinating History of Montreal's Spiral Staircases

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      Miett Chips: The New Potato Chip Everyone Is Talking About

      Miett Chips: The New Potato Chip Everyone Is Talking About

      More Food & Drink

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      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.

      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.

      The steamie is an ugly and weird hot dog. It's also essential to Montreal food culture
      Food & Drink
      Mason Persaud

      The Steamie is an Ugly and Weird Hot Dog. It's Also Essential to Montreal Food Culture

      We built this city's culinary history and fuelled its nights out with this soggy, unphotogenic icon.

      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.

      His Restaurant Almost Broke Him. Does It Deserve a Second Chance?
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      His Restaurant Almost Broke Him. Does It Deserve a Second Chance?

      Omar Zabuair lost everything when Le Coq de l'Est closed in 2022. Three years later, he ran a pop-up to find out if the food still works—and whether that's reason enough to try again.

      My restaurant got busy before it was ready. Now I can finally take a step back.
      Food & Drink
      Scott Usheroff

      My Restaurant Got Busy Before it Was Ready. Now I Can Finally Take a Step Back.

      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.

      Latest from The Main

      DesignThe Story Behind the Biergarten Table That Became a Terrasse StapleMontreal, 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)
      The Fascinating History of Montreal's Spiral Staircases

      Previous

      The Fascinating History of Montreal's Spiral Staircases

      Next

      Miett Chips: The New Potato Chip Everyone Is Talking About

      Miett Chips: The New Potato Chip Everyone Is Talking About