Author: mingooland

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5 of Montreal’s oldest restaurants you can still dine at, including a 270-year-old gem

One thing tourists often remark on when visiting Montreal is how “old” the city feels.

Whether that’s a compliment or not isn’t always clear— are they admiring the charm of the Old Port or commenting on the pothole-ridden streets across the island? Either way, Montreal’s rich history is undeniable, and it’s not just in the architecture. It’s also in the city’s restaurants, many of which have been serving up local favourites for generations.

With that in mind, here are five of the oldest eateries in Montreal that are still going strong today.

L’Auberge Saint-Gabriel (Established in 1754)

Price: 💸💸💸

Cuisine: French-Canadian

Address: 426 Rue St. Gabriel, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: L’Auberge Saint-Gabriel isn’t just the oldest restaurant in Montreal — it’s the oldest in Canada.

Originally built as a two-storey house in 1688, it became North America’s first inn in 1754, eventually earning the continent’s first liquor license.

Since then, this spot has been serving up a variety of French-Canadian delicacies in a rustic setting for the past 270 years and counting.

L’Auberge Saint-Gabriel website

Montreal Pool Room (Established in 1912)

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Fast food

Address: 1217 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Montreal Pool Room is one of downtown’s quintessential late-night greasy spoons, famous for its classic steamies (Montreal-style hot dogs) and no-frills charm.

Over the years, this iconic spot, located in the city’s former red light district, has welcomed all kinds of characters, including infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone.

It’s a piece of history served with a side of fries.

Montreal Pool Room website

Fairmount Bagel (Established in 1919)

Price: 💸

Cuisine: Bakery

Address: 74 Av. Fairmount O, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Fairmount Bagel, Montreal’s first bagel bakery, was founded in 1919 by Isadore Shlafman, who introduced hand-rolled, wood-fired bagels to the city.

Located initially off Saint-Laurent Boulevard, the bakery moved to Fairmount Street in 1949, where Shlafman built his signature oven.

Still family-run, Fairmount Bagel continues to use the same traditional methods and recipes over a century later.

Fairmount Bagel website

Schwartz’s Deli (Established in 1928)

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Deli

Address: 3895 Boulevard St. Laurent, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Is there any Montreal restaurant more iconic than Schwartz’s Deli?

Established in 1928, this legendary smoked meat institution has been serving up its world-famous sandwiches for nearly a century.

From locals who’ve been loyal for generations to tourists who line up for hours just to get a taste, Schwartz’s remains the ultimate Montreal foodie pilgrimage.

Schwartz’s website

Wilensky’s Light Lunch (Established in 1932)

Price: 💸

Cuisine: Sandwiches

Address: 34 Av. Fairmount O, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Since 1932, Wilensky’s Light Lunch has been dishing out its legendary Wilensky Special: a grilled salami sandwich with mustard on a soft roll.

This charming, no-frills spot in Mile End is packed with nostalgia, from its vintage decor to its strict “no cutting the sandwich in half” rule.

Wilensky’s website



Enjoy, Montreal!

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Quebec is about to shake up the way prices are displayed in grocery stores

Starting this spring, shopping for groceries in Quebec is about to get way simpler. New rules aimed at making pricing more transparent are kicking in on May 15, 2025, and it’s all thanks to Bill 72, which was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly back in November 2024.

These changes mean no more getting duped by sneaky yellow-tag “deals.” According to the Office de la protection du consommateur, as of May 15, grocery stores must clearly display prices on goods by including the unit price, price per measure, regular price, and any “non-member” prices.

This will make it simpler for shoppers to see whether products are cheaper bought in bulk or separately, and will make it the difference between sale prices and regular prices clearer.

Bill 72 — meant to protect consumers and make pricing more transparent — also requires grocery stores to show which food items are taxed under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Quebec Sales Tax (QST). Basic groceries like milk, eggs, and vegetables are not taxed, but snacks like candy and carbonated drinks are. Under the new legislation, the total tax must be clearly shown at checkout.

But that’s not all. The province’s Price Accuracy Policy is also being altered for the first time in 25 years. As of the same date, if a store’s pricing error involves a product that costs $15 or less, the product is given to the customer free of charge. Until now, that policy only applied to items worth $10 or less.

If that wasn’t enough, tipping on card readers is getting a shake-up too. Terminals will soon calculate tip percentages before taxes and offer a clearer “no tip” option on purchases. That means no more payment terminals guilt-tripping you into choosing a 20% tip by default with “Amazing!” or “Great service!” labels.

Bill 72 also introduces changes to limit door-to-door HVAC sales, ensure more transparency in gas pricing, and reduce penalties for victims of banking fraud.

Some measures under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) are already in force, and several others will take effect in 2025 and 2026.

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