Monopole plays it quiet, but it doesn’t miss. Open since 2017 on the edge of Old Montréal and Griffintown in Cité Multimedia, this café-buvette hybrid was built by five industry pros—Gabriel Gallant, Daniel Alvarez, François Larose, Ngoc-An Trinh, and a silent partner—who saw a gap in a neighbourhood saturated with chains but starved for soul. The name, borrowed from a fictional wine bar in one of their favourite books, nods to both their geeky streak and Québec’s singular wine landscape.
By day, it’s a coffee stop with pastries from Hof Kelsten and beans from 49th Parallel. By night, it shifts into a low-key wine bar with a sharp, seasonal menu: lobster rolls, venison tartare, “potato of the day,” and late-night snacks like spicy popcorn and liver mousse. The wine list leans natural, with small-producer bottles starting at $35. It’s intimate, affordable, and unflashy in all the right ways—a place to talk, eat well, and drink better.
Mentioned in
A curated list of the best wine bars in Montreal
From loud to laid-back to low-key, these are the spots with superb selections where you can easily grab a chair and glass (or bottle).
Where to drink during RAW WINE in Montreal
Where growers, makers, and drinkers of low-intervention, organic, biodynamic, and natural wines will want to drop in for a bottle (or two).
A local’s guide to the best restaurants in Old Montreal
Not all cobblestone charm is created equal—here’s where to skip the clichés and eat like you actually know the city.
Shop The Main's Dépanneur. Open 24/7.
Want to know what's happening in Montreal?
We curate local content into a weekly news bulletin so you can find out what's going on around town in one place. Sign up to stay informed.
