The Main

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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|Thursday, March 26, 2026|
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      --°C|Thursday, March 26, 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
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      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
      Shop
      Subscribe
      Subscribe
      1. Articles
      1. Articles

      History Lesson

      55
      The story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the man, not the restaurant)
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the Man, Not the Restaurant)

      How an eccentric tavern keeper became a working-class hero of Montreal—and one of its unlikeliest legends.

      Betrayal, rivalry, and the Montreal Screwjob that redefined pro wrestling’s reality
      Adam Hickey

      Betrayal, Rivalry, and the Montreal Screwjob That Redefined Pro Wrestling’s Reality

      On November 9, 1997, in Montreal’s Molson Centre, a quintessential American art form was reborn.

      How Montreal falls in and out of love with Brutalist architecture
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Falls in and Out of Love with Brutalist Architecture

      How Montreal’s unapologetic concrete giants went from symbols of modernist utopia to polarizing relics—and why the city just can’t quit them.

      The Main's picks for the biggest headlines from Montreal in 2024
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Main's Picks for the Biggest Headlines from Montreal in 2024

      From record-breaking weather events to protests and cultural milestones, here’s a look back on some of the biggest stories of 2024.

      Dic Ann’s: A conversation about Montreal, family, and burgers since 1954
      Dahlia Snaiderman

      Dic Ann’s: A Conversation About Montreal, Family, and Burgers Since 1954

      The story of what started as a small trailer-turned-diner in 1954 and become a Montreal icon, thanks to its ultra-thin patties, toasted buns, and signature tomato-based sauce.

      Montreal's ugly tree should've become an annual Christmas tradition
      J.P. Karwacki

      Montreal's Ugly Tree Should've Become an Annual Christmas Tradition

      Forget the Platonic ideal of Christmas symmetry: Montreal should bring back its ugly tree for Christmases moving forward.

      Preserving the ‘tableaux vivants’ of Ogilvy’s Christmas mechanical window displays
      The Main

      Preserving the ‘tableaux Vivants’ of Ogilvy’s Christmas Mechanical Window Displays

      How mid-20th century holiday clockwork tells the story of a Montreal tradition and the history of a storied department store.

      How Gibeau Orange Julep became a Montreal icon
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Gibeau Orange Julep Became a Montreal Icon

      The Gibeau Orange Julep has endured wars, expressway expansions, and changing tastes, remaining a beacon of Montreal’s love for the eccentric and the nostalgic.

      The story of Laurentide Beer: Created by nationalism, revived by nostalgia
      Pierre-Olivier Bussières

      The Story of Laurentide Beer: Created by Nationalism, Revived by Nostalgia

      An icon of Quebec’s brewing scene, Laurentide was born when Molson tapped into the province's national spirit by launching a distinctly Quebec beer.

      When Beatlemania conquered Montreal for one day
      Stuart Nulman

      When Beatlemania Conquered Montreal for One Day

      🎵 It was 60 years ago today / The Beatles came to Montreal to play 🎵

      Montreal melons: A city's forgotten fruit, and the modern farms preserving its agricultural heritage
      J.P. Karwacki

      Montreal Melons: A City's Forgotten Fruit, and the Modern Farms Preserving Its Agricultural Heritage

      And catching up with David McMillan during a delivery run of Montreal melons to chef Ari Schor's Verdun restaurant Beba.

      The story of Labatt 50, a working class beer
      Pierre-Olivier Bussières

      The Story of Labatt 50, a Working Class Beer

      Labatt 50 was the best-selling beer in Canada for over 10 years, but nowhere has it had as much of an impact on popular culture as it has in Quebec. Here's an investigation of that legendary beer.

      Traces of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Montreal
      Justine Smith

      Traces of Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe in Montreal

      On the futuristic allure of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Montreal creations, where sleek and minimalistic architecture reimagined modern living.

      Café Union: An elder statesman of Montreal’s coffee history
      Jon Dempsey

      Café Union: An Elder Statesman of Montreal’s Coffee History

      Montreal’s Café Union has been around for over a century—here’s how it has survived a world of constantly evolving trends.

      In the rearview mirror: The biggest headlines from Montreal in 2023
      J.P. Karwacki

      In the Rearview Mirror: The Biggest Headlines from Montreal in 2023

      From ChatGPT experiments and institutions shuttering to ice storms, floods, fires, and protests, here's a look back on some of the biggest stories of 2023.

      A man named Dandurand, and the first cars to ride the streets of Montreal
      J.P. Karwacki

      A Man Named Dandurand, and the First Cars to Ride the Streets of Montreal

      At a time before potholes, when horseless carriages ran free.

      • Previous
      • 1
      • 2
      • 3
      • 4
      • Next

      History Lesson

      55
      The story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the man, not the restaurant)
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the Man, Not the Restaurant)

      How an eccentric tavern keeper became a working-class hero of Montreal—and one of its unlikeliest legends.

      Betrayal, rivalry, and the Montreal Screwjob that redefined pro wrestling’s reality
      Adam Hickey

      Betrayal, Rivalry, and the Montreal Screwjob That Redefined Pro Wrestling’s Reality

      On November 9, 1997, in Montreal’s Molson Centre, a quintessential American art form was reborn.

      How Montreal falls in and out of love with Brutalist architecture
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Falls in and Out of Love with Brutalist Architecture

      How Montreal’s unapologetic concrete giants went from symbols of modernist utopia to polarizing relics—and why the city just can’t quit them.

      The Main's picks for the biggest headlines from Montreal in 2024
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Main's Picks for the Biggest Headlines from Montreal in 2024

      From record-breaking weather events to protests and cultural milestones, here’s a look back on some of the biggest stories of 2024.

      Dic Ann’s: A conversation about Montreal, family, and burgers since 1954
      Dahlia Snaiderman

      Dic Ann’s: A Conversation About Montreal, Family, and Burgers Since 1954

      The story of what started as a small trailer-turned-diner in 1954 and become a Montreal icon, thanks to its ultra-thin patties, toasted buns, and signature tomato-based sauce.

      Montreal's ugly tree should've become an annual Christmas tradition
      J.P. Karwacki

      Montreal's Ugly Tree Should've Become an Annual Christmas Tradition

      Forget the Platonic ideal of Christmas symmetry: Montreal should bring back its ugly tree for Christmases moving forward.

      Preserving the ‘tableaux vivants’ of Ogilvy’s Christmas mechanical window displays
      The Main

      Preserving the ‘tableaux Vivants’ of Ogilvy’s Christmas Mechanical Window Displays

      How mid-20th century holiday clockwork tells the story of a Montreal tradition and the history of a storied department store.

      How Gibeau Orange Julep became a Montreal icon
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Gibeau Orange Julep Became a Montreal Icon

      The Gibeau Orange Julep has endured wars, expressway expansions, and changing tastes, remaining a beacon of Montreal’s love for the eccentric and the nostalgic.

      The story of Laurentide Beer: Created by nationalism, revived by nostalgia
      Pierre-Olivier Bussières

      The Story of Laurentide Beer: Created by Nationalism, Revived by Nostalgia

      An icon of Quebec’s brewing scene, Laurentide was born when Molson tapped into the province's national spirit by launching a distinctly Quebec beer.

      When Beatlemania conquered Montreal for one day
      Stuart Nulman

      When Beatlemania Conquered Montreal for One Day

      🎵 It was 60 years ago today / The Beatles came to Montreal to play 🎵

      Montreal melons: A city's forgotten fruit, and the modern farms preserving its agricultural heritage
      J.P. Karwacki

      Montreal Melons: A City's Forgotten Fruit, and the Modern Farms Preserving Its Agricultural Heritage

      And catching up with David McMillan during a delivery run of Montreal melons to chef Ari Schor's Verdun restaurant Beba.

      The story of Labatt 50, a working class beer
      Pierre-Olivier Bussières

      The Story of Labatt 50, a Working Class Beer

      Labatt 50 was the best-selling beer in Canada for over 10 years, but nowhere has it had as much of an impact on popular culture as it has in Quebec. Here's an investigation of that legendary beer.

      Traces of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Montreal
      Justine Smith

      Traces of Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe in Montreal

      On the futuristic allure of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Montreal creations, where sleek and minimalistic architecture reimagined modern living.

      Café Union: An elder statesman of Montreal’s coffee history
      Jon Dempsey

      Café Union: An Elder Statesman of Montreal’s Coffee History

      Montreal’s Café Union has been around for over a century—here’s how it has survived a world of constantly evolving trends.

      In the rearview mirror: The biggest headlines from Montreal in 2023
      J.P. Karwacki

      In the Rearview Mirror: The Biggest Headlines from Montreal in 2023

      From ChatGPT experiments and institutions shuttering to ice storms, floods, fires, and protests, here's a look back on some of the biggest stories of 2023.

      A man named Dandurand, and the first cars to ride the streets of Montreal
      J.P. Karwacki

      A Man Named Dandurand, and the First Cars to Ride the Streets of Montreal

      At a time before potholes, when horseless carriages ran free.

      • Previous
      • 1
      • 2
      • 3
      • 4
      • Next