Aire Commune co-founder Philippe Pelletier's favourite things in Montreal

Spanning two islands in the Saint Lawrence River, Parc Jean-Drapeau is a landmark rich with history, culture, and year-round activity. Comprised of Île Sainte-Hélène and the man-made Île Notre-Dame, this expansive green space was home to Expo 67 and the 1976 Summer Olympics, and today remains a hub for festivals, outdoor adventures, and architectural relics and modern-day wonders.

The park’s attractions are as varied as its history. Music lovers flock to massive events like Osheaga and Piknic Électronik, while thrill-seekers can enjoy La Ronde, the Six Flags amusement park. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve draws Formula 1 fans for the Canadian Grand Prix, while serene spots like the Jean-Doré Beach or the lush flower gardens of Île Notre-Dame offer peaceful escapes. History buffs can explore the Victorian-era fort on Île Sainte-Hélène or admire Expo relics like the Biosphere, once the U.S. pavilion, and the monumental sculpture L’Homme by Alexander Calder.

With 25 kilometres of walking, biking, and skiing trails, the park is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, and the landscape is alive with public art and views of the St. Lawrence. In winter, the Fête des Neiges transforms the park into a snowy wonderland of family-friendly fun. Named after visionary mayor Jean Drapeau, who spearheaded Expo 67, the park is a testament to Montreal’s ability to blend innovation, recreation, and natural beauty.

Taverne Atlantic, debuting in Montreal’s Mile Ex in late 2019, swiftly became a hotspot at the corner of Avenue du Parc and Rue Beaubien. It’s where restaurateurs Alexandre Baldwin, Alexandre Wolosianski, and Éric Dupuis have crafted a stylish Art Deco haven featuring a long, elegant bar, central seating, and a rooftop terrace. The drink menu, curated by Frédérique Fortin and Alexandre Taillon, includes creative cocktails and a robust selection of beers and wines. Chez Eddy Snack Bar complements the drinks with its menu of pizzas, hot dogs, and poutines, blending American comfort food with gourmet touches.

Once the go-to strip for wedding dresses and discount suits, Plaza St-Hubert's 1.2-kilometre stretch between Bellechasse and Jean-Talon has become one of the most unpredictable and alive arteries in the city. You’ll find curated ingredients served on plastic dinosaurs at Montréal Plaza, late-night spaghetti and ranch water at Spaghetti Western, or a tropical blackout at Snowbird Tiki. There’s also vintage fashion, Latin American groceries, cult bookstores, and a three-storey contemporary art gallery. Add line-dancing, dumplings, and the odd Sesame Street cameo, and you’re starting to get the picture. The street’s recent glow-up hasn’t erased its weirdness—it’s amplified it. Behind it all is the SDC, a non-profit that acts like both booster and guardian, advocating for local merchants while making room for the chaos that keeps this place interesting. There’s no single Plaza vibe. That’s the point. Keep walking.

MTELUS has worn a lot of hats since 1884—ice rink, cabaret, porn theatre, disco—but it’s best known today as one of Montreal’s most iconic live music venues. Reborn as Métropolis in the late ’80s and renamed in 2017 after a Telus-backed facelift, the venue now operates under the banner of L’Équipe Spectra. Its main hall holds over 2,000 people and has hosted everyone from Bowie and Björk to Jean Leloup, who’s practically the house band at this point. Beyond concerts, it occasionally shapeshifts into a club or private event space, holding onto the versatility that’s defined its history. The annex, M2, doubles down on the nostalgia with chandeliers and Belle Époque flair. Wedged into the Quartier des Spectacles just off Saint-Laurent, MTELUS isn’t just a room with good acoustics—it’s where decades of reinvention collide onstage, under lights that never stay off for long.

You got the newer wave of Portuguese restaurants with sleek branding and modern menus—and then there’s Chez Doval. Open since 1974, this Plateau mainstay hasn’t changed much, and that’s the point. The wood-panelled dining room, covered in framed photos, trophies, and faint reminders of the old country, is a time capsule of Montreal’s early Portuguese scene. The menu hasn’t veered far either: charcoal-grilled chicken, grilled sardines, and hearty plates of octopus or pork, served without fanfare and priced like it’s still the ’90s. Long-time co-owners Carlos Soares and João Gonçalves keep the place running like a neighbourhood clubhouse, where regulars know the wine list by heart and lunchtime specials come with a coffee and dessert. It’s not reinventing anything—but that’s exactly why it’s beloved.

Tucked away off Parc Avenue in Mile Ex, Bar Cicchetti brings Venetian charm to Montreal with its focus on cicchetti—small, delightful Venetian snacks—and a curated selection of wines, including macerated vintages. Opened by Elyse Leclerc, Gabriel Lavallée, and Mathieu Delisle, the bar offers a cozy, low-lit atmosphere with a design by architects Julia Manasas and Maxime Lefebvre. Enjoy a vibrant terrace in warmer months and a menu of fresh, seasonal bites on the cheap. With a mix of organic and biodynamic wines, creative cocktails, and a welcoming ambiance, Bar Cicchetti is perfect for a relaxed evening of drinks and snacks.

A fixture of Montreal’s Little Italy since 1933, Jean-Talon Market is one of North America’s largest and most vibrant open-air markets. More than just a place to shop, it’s a sensory experience—stalls overflowing with just-picked produce, fishmongers and butchers calling out their daily specials, and the scent of fresh bread, spices, and roasting coffee filling the air.

Originally built to feed a growing city, the market remains deeply rooted in Montreal’s culture, blending local tradition with international flavours. Farmers, cheesemongers, bakers, and specialty grocers offer everything from Québec terroir products to hard-to-find global ingredients. Whether you’re a seasoned locavore or just here for a warm pastry and a stroll, there’s something for every appetite.

Open year-round, Jean-Talon transforms with the seasons—enclosed in winter for a cozy market feel and expanding into pedestrian-friendly outdoor aisles in summer. It’s a place where generations of Montrealers have gathered, and where food, community, and culture come together daily.