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    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
    • Leaderboard
    • Editor's Picks
    • New Places

    About

    • About us
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    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    Follow us
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    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office

      Your cart

      Your cart is empty.

      --°C|Tuesday, May 12, 2026|
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      EN/FR
      The Main Logo
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      Sections
      • Arts & Culture
      • Beyond Montreal
      • Design
      • Food & Drink
      • History Lessons
      • The Bulletin
      Explore
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
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      July 11, 2023 · 5 min read

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

      The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend. Support us today.

      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.

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      For readers who care about Montreal

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      Follow on Google
      Quebec's Wine Scene Is the Best It's Ever Been
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      Joe Kanzangu

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      Carlos Ferreira built his Peel Street restaurant to represent a larger vision of Portugal. Three decades later, his daughters are helping carry that ambition into its next era.

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      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.

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      From producers and artisans to chefs and sommeliers, the industry gathered in Montreal to celebrate its own ecosystem and signal where the province's gastronomy is heading next.

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      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.

      ByDaniel 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

      The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend. Support us today.

      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

      The Main

      Comments

      Welcome to The Main's comments section!

      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

      No comments yet. Be the first!

      Follow on Google
      Quebec's Wine Scene Is the Best It's Ever Been
      Food & Drink
      Joe Kanzangu

      Quebec's Wine Scene Is the Best It's Ever Been

      As climate change reshapes traditional wine regions, Quebec's winemakers, sommeliers, and natural wine bars are ready for their moment.

      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.

      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.

      A New Pub Aims to Bring Finesse to the Plateau's Bar Scene
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      A New Pub Aims to Bring Finesse to the Plateau's Bar Scene

      Elevated pub classics, a daily 5 à 7, and a kitchen open until 1 a.m. have all arrived at the corner of Prince-Arthur and Saint-Laurent.

      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.

      An Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip Mall
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      An Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip Mall

      After decades in Quebec, Abdul and his family built a restaurant where traditional Afghan cooking has earned a following that extends well beyond the South Shore.

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