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
From free street festivals to $1,000-a-ticket blowouts, here's where the city comes alive during race week.
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.
NHL hat tricks, Hollywood icons, expertise passed on through nearly a century—this legendary shop is a cornerstone of a city's sartorial history.
A volunteer-run spectacle with crowds numbering at 300,000, a testament to resilience, and a city-wide tradition that refuses to fade.
A challenge to the city’s love affair with small, intimate restaurants with dinner and a show.
The city's role in André the Giant's path from French farm boy to the Eighth Wonder of the World, with a downtown brasserie pitstop.
From pop-ups to permanence, Montreal’s most raucous pasta operation finds a home—with the same energy, same chaos, and even better carbs.
An exhibition of immersed planning in coffee, hospitality, design, and craftsmanship.
Soufian’s essentials reflect deep ties to culture, craftsmanship, and community—local spots that celebrate bold flavours, timeless style, and the art of a well-curated experience.
Late-blooming chef Isaël Gadoua built a 35-seat La Petite-Patrie spot where creativity trumps convention, offering one of Montreal's most uncompromising menus.
The future of Montreal dining looks a lot like its past.
Chef Amine Laabi puts social media aside to focus on a restaurant of trust, simplicity, and solid cooking.
How an eccentric tavern keeper became a working-class hero of Montreal—and one of its unlikeliest legends.
Call 'em inventive pastries, call 'em killer donuts from a Californian Montrealer.
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.
