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
  • Subscribe

Legal

  • Terms of service
  • Membership Terms
  • Privacy Policy
Follow us
InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

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
    • Subscribe

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    Follow us
    InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
      --°C|Thursday, March 19, 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
      --°C|Thursday, March 19, 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

      Related articles

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      The shamrock has been on Montreal's coat of arms since 1832, and the pub culture that followed has been here just as long.

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?

      Jazz legends, burlesque queens, and organized crime made it one of the most alive corners in North America. Then Montreal decided it had a reputation to protect.

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built
      History Lesson
      The Main

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built

      The story of La Maison d'Haïti: Its welcome and advocacy for Montreal's growing Haitian community since 1972.

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano

      In so many ways, Montreal jazz exists because Daisy Peterson Sweeney both masters and generations of kids in Little Burgundy.

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club

      The story of Rufus Rockhead, the Jamaican-born railway porter who built Montreal's most legendary jazz club—and spent decades defending it.

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics left behind, 50 years later
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics Left Behind, 50 Years Later

      Were the Summer Games a triumph, a total failure, or somewhere in between?

      Related articles

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      The shamrock has been on Montreal's coat of arms since 1832, and the pub culture that followed has been here just as long.

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?

      Jazz legends, burlesque queens, and organized crime made it one of the most alive corners in North America. Then Montreal decided it had a reputation to protect.

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built
      History Lesson
      The Main

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built

      The story of La Maison d'Haïti: Its welcome and advocacy for Montreal's growing Haitian community since 1972.

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano

      In so many ways, Montreal jazz exists because Daisy Peterson Sweeney both masters and generations of kids in Little Burgundy.

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club

      The story of Rufus Rockhead, the Jamaican-born railway porter who built Montreal's most legendary jazz club—and spent decades defending it.

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics left behind, 50 years later
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics Left Behind, 50 Years Later

      Were the Summer Games a triumph, a total failure, or somewhere in between?

      1. Articles
      2. History Lesson

      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.

      By Pierre-Olivier BussièresMay 28, 2024 - Read time: 9 min
      The story of Labatt 50, a working class beer
      Gilles Villeneuve at the Canada Grand Prix in 1979. |Photograph: Bernard Brault

      In Quebec's brewing landscape, Labatt 50 occupies as special a place as Laurentide. Those who have never drank it know that it's emblematic of a bygone era, but having left its mark all the same, and those who have know this beer speaks of the toil of Quebec and the tenacity of its working classes.

      In this article, we're taking a look at this beer that's been so dear to the generations of the 1960s and 1970s.

      Photograph: Le Temps d’une Bière

      Labatt 50's origins

      It all began with the founding of Labatt in 1847. The grandsons of Labatt's founder decided to celebrate 50 years of partnership with a unique brew. This anniversary beer, which was supposed to remain on the market for less than a year, quickly became a classic and was the best-selling beer in Canada until 1979 when it was dethroned by Labatt Blue.

      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

      Advertisement

      Ruby Foo's was an absolute legend of a Chinese restaurant
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Ruby Foo's Was an Absolute Legend of a Chinese Restaurant

      From its 1945 opening to a 1984 closure and its present-day hotel, the Décarie Boulevard institution was where Montreal went to see and be seen.

      When Montreal had a steam-powered shortcut to the top of Mount Royal
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      When Montreal Had a Steam-powered Shortcut to the Top of Mount Royal

      From 1884 to 1918, a steam-powered cable railway hauled Montrealers to the summit in minutes, despite a park designer's vision of leisurely mountain strolls.

      The century-long smoked meat legacy of Schwartz's Deli
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Century-long Smoked Meat Legacy of Schwartz's Deli

      How a Romanian immigrant's recipe and stubborn refusal to change built Montreal's most iconic sandwich.

      Before "world music” was a genre, there was Club Balattou
      History Lesson
      The Main

      Before "world Music” Was a Genre, There Was Club Balattou

      From exile to empire, this is how a tiny St-Laurent nightclub became the global heartbeat of African music in Montreal.

      Operation Fish: When Montreal hid Britain's fortune during WWII
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Operation Fish: When Montreal Hid Britain's Fortune During WWII

      Billions in gold and securities sat three storeys beneath Sun Life while 5,000 employees worked overhead, completely oblivious.

      Get to the heart of Montreal's Latino communities through a single grocery store
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Get to the Heart of Montreal's Latino Communities Through a Single Grocery Store

      For decades, Sabor Latino's been the gravitational centre for Montreal's Latino communities.

      1. Articles
      2. History Lesson

      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.

      By Pierre-Olivier BussièresMay 28, 2024 - Read time: 9 min
      The story of Labatt 50, a working class beer
      Gilles Villeneuve at the Canada Grand Prix in 1979. |Photograph: Bernard Brault

      In Quebec's brewing landscape, Labatt 50 occupies as special a place as Laurentide. Those who have never drank it know that it's emblematic of a bygone era, but having left its mark all the same, and those who have know this beer speaks of the toil of Quebec and the tenacity of its working classes.

      In this article, we're taking a look at this beer that's been so dear to the generations of the 1960s and 1970s.

      Photograph: Le Temps d’une Bière

      Labatt 50's origins

      It all began with the founding of Labatt in 1847. The grandsons of Labatt's founder decided to celebrate 50 years of partnership with a unique brew. This anniversary beer, which was supposed to remain on the market for less than a year, quickly became a classic and was the best-selling beer in Canada until 1979 when it was dethroned by Labatt Blue.

      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

      Advertisement

      Ruby Foo's was an absolute legend of a Chinese restaurant
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Ruby Foo's Was an Absolute Legend of a Chinese Restaurant

      From its 1945 opening to a 1984 closure and its present-day hotel, the Décarie Boulevard institution was where Montreal went to see and be seen.

      When Montreal had a steam-powered shortcut to the top of Mount Royal
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      When Montreal Had a Steam-powered Shortcut to the Top of Mount Royal

      From 1884 to 1918, a steam-powered cable railway hauled Montrealers to the summit in minutes, despite a park designer's vision of leisurely mountain strolls.

      The century-long smoked meat legacy of Schwartz's Deli
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Century-long Smoked Meat Legacy of Schwartz's Deli

      How a Romanian immigrant's recipe and stubborn refusal to change built Montreal's most iconic sandwich.

      Before "world music” was a genre, there was Club Balattou
      History Lesson
      The Main

      Before "world Music” Was a Genre, There Was Club Balattou

      From exile to empire, this is how a tiny St-Laurent nightclub became the global heartbeat of African music in Montreal.

      Operation Fish: When Montreal hid Britain's fortune during WWII
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Operation Fish: When Montreal Hid Britain's Fortune During WWII

      Billions in gold and securities sat three storeys beneath Sun Life while 5,000 employees worked overhead, completely oblivious.

      Get to the heart of Montreal's Latino communities through a single grocery store
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Get to the Heart of Montreal's Latino Communities Through a Single Grocery Store

      For decades, Sabor Latino's been the gravitational centre for Montreal's Latino communities.

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      Advertisement

      Korean Film Festival Canada: Exploring sleep, dreams, and the body

      Previous

      Korean Film Festival Canada: Exploring Sleep, Dreams, and the Body

      Next

      Beigne Habitude: High-end Pastry Technique Meets Donut Americana in Little Italy

      Beigne Habitude: High-end pastry technique meets donut Americana in Little Italy

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      Advertisement

      Korean Film Festival Canada: Exploring sleep, dreams, and the body

      Previous

      Korean Film Festival Canada: Exploring Sleep, Dreams, and the Body

      Next

      Beigne Habitude: High-end Pastry Technique Meets Donut Americana in Little Italy

      Beigne Habitude: High-end pastry technique meets donut Americana in Little Italy

      Latest Stories

      Arts & Culture

      Gore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth Making

      MAR 18
      Gore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth Making
      Arts & Culture

      What to Do This Weekend (03.19–03.22)

      MAR 18
      What to do this weekend (03.19–03.22)
      Arts & Culture

      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather

      MAR 17
      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
      Arts & Culture

      The Most Predictable Oscars in Years Were Still Pretty Damn Good

      MAR 16
      The Most Predictable Oscars in Years Were Still Pretty Damn Good
      History Lesson

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      MAR 14
      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      Latest Stories

      Arts & Culture

      Gore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth Making

      MAR 18
      Gore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth Making
      Arts & Culture

      What to Do This Weekend (03.19–03.22)

      MAR 18
      What to do this weekend (03.19–03.22)
      Arts & Culture

      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather

      MAR 17
      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
      Arts & Culture

      The Most Predictable Oscars in Years Were Still Pretty Damn Good

      MAR 16
      The Most Predictable Oscars in Years Were Still Pretty Damn Good
      History Lesson

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      MAR 14
      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture