Montrealers love to drink outside, especially at any bar with a terasse (terrace or patio in English, but anglophones here adopted the French term). Next to the Lachine canal in the heart of the former industrial area of the St-Henri neighbourhood in the southwest of Montreal, is St-Ambroise, a Quebec micro-brewery with a huge terasse in a great location.
One of the great things about St-Ambroise, is beside the typical IPA beers available everywhere, they have different and unusual flavoured ones, such as oatmeal stout, pumpkin ale, and apricot wheat ale. What I like the most is the size of the terasse. Bars in Montreal with outdoor seating fill up quite quickly, but at St-Ambroise, I never have to worry about having to wait for a table. There’s also a view of an open field and the abandoned Malting Factory (check out my article), it’s pet-friendly, with games on hand if you want to bring your kids.
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Housed in an art deco building in Old Montreal, the PHI Foundation is focused on making contemporary art accessible to the largest number of people.
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I really recommend their cortado, where the rich, chocolatey espresso meets a dose of milk in a really satisfying combination.
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Sit on the sidewalk and eat the most delicious gnocchi for only $5, with a rich tomato sauce and imagine whatever you want in your own alternate reality.
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I was struck by the enthusiastic staff and the very tender exhibit about window coverings that invited us to consider what is shown and what is hidden.
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Here you will find a strange pyramid of benches that doubles as an art gallery, small fields & greenhouses tended by students from the nearby university.
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Olimpico attracts the young and beautiful. And Club Social feels like it's been there longer, and remains true to its roots. Both have terrific bombolini!
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The cannoli! A crisp shell that shatters a bit as you bite into it, first-class ricotta cheese. Not too sweet. Somehow light and filling at the same time.
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Caffe Italia has been popular with Italian families for decades & it never lost the homey feeling. The coffee is delicious. The vibe is welcoming and loud.
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Jean Talon market is the kind of place where there is a vast choice, but I'd bet that most regulars end up with their favorite sellers.
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The exhibits are free to the public, and very well curated by Isabelle de Mévieus and her team. The converted post office is worth a visit on its own.
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Somehow in the race to make everything chain stores Duluth has remained pretty much a family-run affair, skewed towards the hippy/punk end of the spectrum.
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I was quite smitten with the gnocchi at Restaurant Marconi, not least because a portion of the price of the meal is shared with those in need around town.
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