Zoé Duval built an audience around curating what Montrealers want before they know it themselves, so that put their first brick-and-mortar venture in Griffintown to the test.

Café BRUT operates under the "café urbain" banner, and the space earns the label: raw concrete walls, wood bench seating, and steel pedestal tables set a tone that's industrial. The coffee program runs on Quebec roaster Café TorQué’s beans. Matcha gets equal billing.

Come warmer months, the dog-friendly terrace opens up, making BRUT the place you show up to with your laptop and your whippet in tow for three hours.