15 of the Best Things to Do in Mile End

The bagel is to Montreal as the cheesesteak is to Philadelphia, the beignet is to New Orleans, the pasta is to Rome, and, well, as the bagel is to New York, too. And, Mile End is the hub of the city for this particular baked good with two of the most famous bagel shops. If you’re coming from the east, you’ll likely discover Fairmount first. There, they churn out fresh bagels, batch after batch and if you’re lucky, they’ll hand them to you fresh out the oven.

Just a short walk away, you’ll also find St. Viateur—an equally, if not more recognizable name. Do a two-destination bagel crawl, or stick to one, but wherever you go, get the sesame.

The Mile End’s resident neighbourhood micro-cinema and café-bar, Cinema Moderne is at once a community meeting place and film-lover’s sanctuary. Their programming heavily features independent features, short films, and documentaries, both Canadian and internationally-produced. Lesser-known arthouse works are complemented by more mainstream movies, like Oscar nominees, all projected in 4K with Dolby Atmos sound. They also regularly host screenings, for local film festivals, like Accès Asie and Montreal Asian International Film Festival.

Rich in literary history, is the Mile End, once home to Leonard Cohen and Mordecai Richler, now cultivating a new generation of erudite minds (if they have not already been corrupted by social media). It’s natural, then that the neighbourhood would house a host of bookshops and libraries. Joie de Livres is one such place. The bilingual bookstore-café-bar leans into the more whimsical side of reading, with a specialty in romance and speculative fiction. With tables, booths, and chairs surrounded by bookshelves, community is organically integrated in the selection process.

Just a 15 minute walk away is the beloved Drawn & Quarterly, a similarly genre-focused bookshop and small publisher, dedicated to producing award-winning comics (though they sell a range of titles). La Pastèque is also comics and graphic novel-oriented, though they publish French language texts, and Librairie WINO is the place to go for all wine-related books. If you’re not in the market to purchase a book, Bibliothèque Mordecai-Richler is a public library with a large collection of novels, comic books, and children’s books.

The Mile End is a shopping hot spot—especially if you’ve got a penchant for vintage and pre-owned clothing, shoes, and more. Among the neighbourhood’s best destinations for curated goods is Seconde Vintage, known for carrying an eclectic assortment of vintage and local designers. Its space is as thoughtful as its collection, with enough room between racks that you won’t bump into other shoppers, and a dressing room area that totes ample seating for whoever accompanied you.

While you’re there, you might as well pop by next door to Annex Vintage—Seconde’s Y2K-forward neighbour—and explore their shelves with local art, jewellery, accessories, and clothing, of course. And, after that, if you decide to make a day of it, consider hitting Take Three, L N F, La Pompadour, and Palmo Goods.

Maguire Shoes was launched in Montreal in 2017, and has since opened stores in Toronto, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. Their flagship store in Mile End, is one of the neighbourhood’s beloved boutiques, and a visit is worthwhile for shoe lovers and moderates alike. In addition to their stylish selection of small batch-crafted, in-house designed, leather shoes, the boutique sells wallets, shoe clips, and other accessories.

If you’d rather look for homeware, accessories, and art, head to Bref, an art and design gallery-boutique that showcases the work of emerging local artists, designers, and brands. Other local shops worth visiting include: Jeans Jeans Jeans (for jeans), Monas & Co. (kitchen supplies), Papeterie Zoubris (stationery and copy service), Bio Terre (organic, fair trade and bulk products), and Agriculture du Coin (gardening products).

Forget jogging, pilates, and weightlifting. At Sports de Combats you can multitask: break a sweat and break plates. In addition to their Rage Cage, a room where you can take your pick of crowbars, baseball bats, and sledgehammers to demolish what’s in front of you, the recreational centre offers archery, weapons throwing, and NERF games. When hurling axes and smashing stuff loses its appeal, Allez-up provides another kind of activity—rock climbing.

On summer nights, you’ll likely find a line wrapped around the corner of Fairmount and Clark. The culprit? Kem CoBa. The pink-and-green-decked storefront is one of many popular Mile End ice cream shops—and for good reason. Serving up an assortment of Vietnamese-inspired scoops, and with rotating soft-serve twists throughout the season, their simple selection makes for the perfect dessert. Iconoglace is another, newer neighbourhood creamery, that’s worth visiting. Though they’re most famous not for their simplicity, but for their elaborate sundaes, their artisanal ice cream is itself delicious.

If gelato’s more your preference, Dalmata is your fix, while Bernie Beigne will satisfy doughnut lovers with their selection.

Galerie Simon Blais has lived in the Mile End for over thirty years. The art gallery, founded by husband-wife duo Simon Blais and Sylvie Cataford, represents over fifty mostly Québécois artists and presents primarily Post-War works, spanning modern and contemporary. While they specialized with works on paper when they first opened, they now collaborate with artists working across media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, prints, and photography. A walk through their space will leave visitors with a new understanding of Québécois visual art.

Also in the Mile End is Centre d'art et de diffusion CLARK, an artist-run centre focused on creating and showcasing contemporary physical and virtual art. They have regular exhibitions open to the public.

The creation of professional makeup artists Léa Bégin, Beauties Lab is a space focused on simplifying self care. They offer a range of facials and treatments, personalized to your skin, as well as makeup classes. Try out the Self-love Facial, or Microneedling, or attend the Glow Soirée, a group makeup class. For Bégin, it’s more than a beauty studio—it’s a community built around feeling your best. Whether you're a beauty enthusiast or just starting your self-care journey, there's something for everyone.

Whether you just want to spruce up your living room, you’ve got an impending special occasion, or you just want to smell the roses (literally), the Mile End has a range of florists you can stop by—Dragon Flowers being at the top. Founded and continued for over 40 years by Tamey Lau, Dragon Flowers is a landmark of beauty and precision. Lau arranges the flowers herself, making every bouquet a testament to four decades of passion, and imparting a personal touch into every petal.

Of course, Dragon Flowers isn't the only stop worth making. Fauchois Fleurs, Venus Fleurs, and Art et Fleurs each bring their own distinct personality to floral design. Between the four, you'll never leave empty-handed.

Though bagels dominate the Mile End-oriented baked goods conversation, there are plenty of other spots to get pastries in the neighbourhood, and Carlota Boulangerie is one of them. Displaying an array of conchas, cookies, and other treats, Carlota is chef Mariana Martin’s vibrant celebration of Mexican baking tradition, where every shelf is as colourful as it is delicious.

While Carlota focus on Mexican fare, Cheskie produces a healthy selection of Jewish pastries, Farine & Vanille leans French, and Guillaume is a bread-lover’s dream.

Théâtre ESPACE GO is a contemporary performance house, aimed at creating space for women artists to develop their craft. The feminist theatre, which opened in 1979, rents rooms, hosts artist residencies, and, of course, regularly produces shows—plays and other performance art. Tickets are under $50, even less if you are over 30 and over 65 years of age, making for an accessible and meaningful night out that supports artists who deserve to be seen.

Van Horne Skatepark is a hub for skaters in the Mile End. The perfect place to drop-in, and socialize. For those who don’t skate, though, the park is covered in graffiti—an easy and free destination for those who like street art. If you’re more of a park traditionalist, and neither skating nor graffiti sounds appealing, try out Lahaie Park. While it lacks the typical grassy expanses found in the likes of Jeanne Mance or La Fontaine, Lahaie is the perfect place to enjoy a meal or chat, as picnic tables and benches are aplenty.

If you find yourself hungry and wandering the Mile End, KazaMaza is the kind of neighbourhood spot that never disappoints. Tucked into a former residential building on Parc Ave, the Lebanese mezze restaurant is perfect for sharing. Order some hummus and pita, the fattoush salad, and whatever else looks good, and let the meal stretch as long as the conversation does.

Not in the mood for Middle Eastern flavours? Prezze Mollo keeps it casual with Italian comfort; Renzo is a go-to for fresh sandwiches; Queen Sheba invites you to enjoy a fragrant, communal Ethiopian spread; Hansang satisfies a craving for Korean flavours done right; and Bar Minou is the move if you're in the mood for something a little more lively.

A golden hour drink or a slow evening with good company is best spent at Bar Henrietta, where an inventive craft cocktail menu and relaxed atmosphere make it easy to order a few more. Try the Belle Jaune (gin, lemon, thyme, and cucumber) or the Amédée (rye, Amermelade, raspberry shrub, cocoa bitters, and lemon).

For those looking to keep the night going, Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! is a Mile End institution for craft beer lovers; Le Plongeoir offers a more intimate, wine-forward experience; Double's brings an amusing, dive-bar energy to the mix; and, if you just want to settle in, pub Bishop & Bagg provides.