Old Montreal: One Coffee To Go, Please!

When it comes to coffee, whether you like it iced to try and keep summer’s high temps going, or you love hot coffee because your passion isn’t conditional on the weather, Old Montreal is THE neighbourhood to visit!

THE EVERGREEN CLASSICS

Cafecito, 60 Prince Street

Here, discover one of their Cuban iced lattes, as you sit amidst the catchy music and colourful decorations. We love their smiling and always lovely staff. And as for their drinks, we’re a fan of the stark colour contrast of the white on chocolate colour of their coffee: it’s a work of art viewed through the transparent glass, best enjoyed without the pink lid in this one instance!

U67, 204 Place d’Youville

While everything they serve at U67 is great, we always choose the Baronnet: cold brew coffee with Coureur des Bois flavoured milk, topped with ice cream. We love the sweet, lingering taste of the vanilla, and its decadent coolness.

Aloha, 15 de la Commune Street West

It’s mandatory to start your day with their Latte Art: creamy foam, bright leaves drawn on top, and a green, flowery mug all put a bright ray of sunshine into our mornings, no matter what the weather is doing outside!

Structure, 460 McGill Street

We love the “home-roasted” coffees and the fact that they’re on a first name basis with their producer partners. Their menu is varied and their products live up to their promise! If you aren’t sure what kind of coffee fits you best, ask for advice in their store or take the test on their website!

Note: Their Roaster Club allows you to discover new coffees and save up to 30% depending on the package you choose.

ITALIAN-STYLE COFFEE

Olimpico, 419 Saint-Viateur Street

A true Montreal staple, here they can serve your coffee in the authentic Italian style. Ask barista David to prepare your cappuccino and enjoy the moment, the coffee, and the whole experience. You can feel the European café fabric that fits so well in Old Montreal, and you will be rewarded with some of the best coffee in town.

La Dispensa, 696 William Street

This is Italian coffee made to perfection. Caffè cream with espresso: if you’ve never tried its insane creaminess, you’ve got to test it out for yourself!

Café de Mercanti, 350 Notre-Dame Street East, Suite 1

We like coming here for the unforgettable cappuccino and its cacao-infused foam. As well as their high-quality Italian grocery section and Ferrero Rocher cookies! Really, just being here is a joy!

Marinelli Brothers, 31 Queen

We love their very Instagrammable retro-style decor and tiles, the neighbouring Marinelli grocery store, their Latte Art, and the way their macchiato’s foam is so thick it stands up if you get some on the tip of your nose. Whether you want hot or cold, this place has you covered in any season!

THE GOURMET’S SNACK BREAK

Ludo Café, 640 St-Paul Street West

This café is paired with the Panda Boxing gym upstairs, but that’s not the only thing that makes this place good for your health. Take for example, their Nutella biscotti dipped in one of their lattes (as demonstrated on their Instagram). True, it’s pretty indulgent, but we promise: indulge now and then afterwards we’ll get in the ring. Eventually. But for now, we’re going to savour the flavour!

La cave à manger, 386 St-Paul Street East

Now here’s a bakery/wine house that perfectly walks the line of savoury food and wine: sourdough bread, fresh croissants, and coffee on one side, and specialty cheeses and sausages on the other. No better excuse to pair up a good bread and jam or spread and drink!

And we cannot understate our love for their blueberry cruffin with Tahitian vanilla crème pâtissière, Graham blueberry jam, and cinnamon!

49th Parallel, 488 McGill Street

As they have just recently opened up their first café in Montreal, and they’re selling their coffee alongside Lucky’s doughnuts, we just had to mention them here for their pure gourmet spirit. Good to know, you can also order their coffee (espresso, ground, capsules, instant) and get a $5 discount on your next order if you refer them to a friend!

Cookie Stephanie, 272 St-Jacques Street

Our favourite from here is their affogato, an ingenious and decadent Italian dessert composed of a mug of coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which slowly cools the hot coffee and flavours it perfectly. Oh and we should say that their caramel coffee, both hot and iced, is our other favourite.

Big plus: everything on the menu is gluten-free!

SOME ORIGINAL OPTIONS

Paquebot, 520 St-Laurent Boulevard

Here you’ll be introduced to a certain sweet madness! Bold palates will be rewarded with tingly bubbles and a dose of energy upon trying their lemonade-iced coffee. We love the originality of this unexpected, yet excellent combo that gives us the pep needed to get through the heat and a busy day! And if you fall in love with their coffee, you may also buy a bag of ground coffee to go.

And! They also sell wine and beer!

Délice Érable et compagnie, 84 St-Paul Street East

In this part of the world where maple is king, naturally people will try mixing it with coffee. Like, for example, this establishment’s maple syrup coffee; a perfect pair to the snacks prepared here in-house! The sweetness of the maple syrup elevates the mug’s perfection! With orders served up by Mark and his team, it’s always a pleasure to enter this shop and feel as though you’ve walked into a spun-sugar cocoon.

*****

N.B.: We update this list regularly. If your café is not yet mentioned here, let us know so we can include it! info@sdcvieuxmontreal.com

© Photos Credit 1-3: Geneviève Giguère
© Photo Credit 4: Aloha Espresso Bar