J.P. Karwacki
JP Karwacki is the managing editor of The Main. His work has previously appeared in Time Magazine, the Montreal Gazette, Time Out, NUVO, and more.
Montreal, Quebec
Website
The neighbourhood that keeps reinventing itself without losing the plot.
Inside a raw concrete space on Murray Street, banana-infused espresso and matcha drinks anchor a broader ambition to become part of the neighbourhood’s daily rhythm.
Set inside a former Mile End bakery, two Bouillon Bilk alumni are pairing French-influenced cooking with private import wines and a handcrafted dining room.
Architect Julien Nolin’s Quebec prefab company Base Habitation is building high-performance cabins around local manufacturing and simplified designs.
Michelin’s second Québec selection adds four new One Stars while continuing to push the guide beyond Montreal’s usual fine dining conversation.
From printed art fairs and playoff hockey to cider week and grand opera: May 7 to 10, 2026.
From free street festivals to $1,000-a-ticket blowouts, here's where the city comes alive during race week.
What to watch, where to eat, and why this city makes the Canadian Grand Prix unlike any other stop on the F1 calendar.
As Quebec’s second Michelin Guide approaches, longtime critic Lesley Chesterman questions whether the city’s restaurants are built for what the guide rewards—and what chasing stars really costs.
With 28 restaurants on the 2026 list, the city outpaces the rest of the country (yup, Toronto and Vancouver included).
Built from scratch in a Kirkland strip mall, La Tratt has spent 20 years playing the long game to earn loyalty, and it shows.
From cider crawls and kimono parades to DJ-fuelled Sundays and neighbourhood street festivals—Montreal in May doesn’t slow down.
A complete guide to the neighbourhood that launched a thousand opinions (and earned every one of them).
From West Island newcomers to decades-old institutions, here's where to take mom out for a good time on May 10, 2026.
On terrasses, vintage shops, horny summer vibes, and drinking beer under the Van Horne bridge.
From Pointe-Claire to Parc La Fontaine, here's where the Mile End Kicks actor eats, drinks, and goes to stay grounded.
![The Best New Cafés in Montreal [April 2026]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.sanity.io%2Fimages%2F2edxk5v7%2Fproduction%2Fdc1fb68d70932313a1b633ab8abc651d2b8fbcaf-1080x1350.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
Freshly baked cakes, vegan donuts, matcha, coworking destinations, and more.
![The Best New Restaurants in Montreal [May 2026]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.sanity.io%2Fimages%2F2edxk5v7%2Fproduction%2F599b440fae2162a5a76c94fd76f31d7daed6a76c-1080x808.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
Pizza omakase and caviar add-ons, classic Italian comforts, and Bouillon Bilk alumni hit the ground running in the Mile End.
![The Best New Bars in Montreal [April 2026]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.sanity.io%2Fimages%2F2edxk5v7%2Fproduction%2Ff3a17cf3bb6b2cdc67ecf4d687685e484cc86a91-1440x960.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
A swish take on the classic pub, an 'old Vegas' dive, a sports bar for women's sports, and more.
From greasy spoon classics to elegant all-day affairs—where to eat when the weekend calls.
Our guide to the best on offer in Montreal, from cocktail dens to wine bars to our favourite dives.
From boundary-pushing tasting menus to perfected single plates—this is where to eat when it matters.
From spots to work and places to print to undercelebrated artistic curios, few people are better to offer a guide to Montreal from an illustrator’s perspective than this enigmatic artist.
