Call it Montreal’s hipster capital or the city’s most artistic neighborhood—the diverse Mile End Labels don’t matter in Montreal. This vibrant neighborhood, which is technically part of the trendy Plateau Mont-Royal but is far more authentic, is only ten blocks long. It is also home to some of Montreal’s most well-known eateries and the greatest concentration of artists in Canada.
Here are some of the things I think you should see and do in Mile End if you’re eager to explore this vibrant, varied, and alluring area of town. As a hint, you’d better bring some food.
Travel Guide to Montreal Mile End, 2025
Take a Mile-End and Plateau Cycling Tour
Take pictures of the stunning structures.
Take a Mile-End culinary tour.
Shop at artisan-owned, neighborhood boutiques.
Attend the Marché des Possibles
Attend an independent performance.
Dine at the renowned Mile End Restaurants in Montreal
Enjoy a drink from Montreal’s top microbrewery.
Choose a side: Mile End is friendly. Local feuds in Montreal
Fill up in a vibrant coffee shop.
Enjoy a romantic evening with your significant other.
Take a Mile-End and Plateau Cycling Tour
With more than 500 kilometers of bike lanes, many of which are in the Plateau district, Montreal is an exceptionally bike-friendly city. You know, hipsters adore their fixie bikes.
With Fitz Montreal Bike Tours, why not follow the crowd and explore the city like a local? A well-informed tour will help you comprehend the rich history of the trendy and artistic area of the Mile End. It is a comprehensive trip that includes the posh and verdant Outremont as well as the Little Italy neighborhood and the gourmet Jean-Talon Market. Additionally, the trip is a fantastic choice for all types of travelers because it is slow-paced and somewhat easy.
This event will be particularly appreciated by music lovers. This Plateau & Mile-End Montreal Bike Tour makes extensive use of the rhythmic tradition of local superstars, specifically Leonard Cohen and Arcade Fire.
Take pictures of the stunning structures.
The great bulk of the Mile End does beg to be shot, a phenomenon that local “grammers” frequently refer to as Instagram porn.
There is no lack of photographic inspiration in this area, thanks to the rows of vibrant homes, the striking murals, the oddball Dragon flower store, and the Church of St. Michael and St. Anthony. Basically, you should never leave your phone charger behind.
Take a Mile-End culinary tour.
The Mile End is a highly sought-after gastronomic hotspot in North America, with numerous well-established tables and nearly weekly restaurant openings.
A Mile End Montreal Food Tour, which will include the greatest restaurants as well as hidden back lanes, privately owned stores, and cultural landmarks, is ideal in this vibrant creative neighborhood. Unquestionably, a delicious and well-rounded tour that is well worth the cost.
Shop at artisan-owned, neighborhood boutiques.
Librairie Quarterly
As could be expected in a neighborhood known for its creative and entrepreneurial energy, the Mile End is dotted with numerous tiny businesses where one may support local artists and their work. Some of my favorites are as follows:
Quarterly & Drawn (books)
Maguire (shoes for ladies)
Papier & Boucle (stationery)
Women’s clothing (General 54)
Clark Street Mercantile (home goods and men’s clothing)
KOTN (women’s and men’s ethical clothing)
Annex Vintage (vintage men’s and women’s clothing)
Men’s and women’s clothing from Frank & Oak
The sneaker store Mile End Kicks
Home goods, or VdeV
Attend the Marché des Possibles
Make sure to schedule a visit to Marché des possibles if you’re in the area from May to September. With musical acts, workshops, food trucks, outdoor movie screenings, craft markets, a biergarten, and—my personal favorite—an annual dog fashion show, Entrepôt77 is an outdoor market and event venue.
The well-liked weekly event happens from Friday afternoons through Sunday evenings. Everyone is welcome and it’s free!
Attend an independent performance.
The Poppolo House
There are two prestigious venues in Mile End that host anything from circuses to comic acts and music performances. A 1923 movie theater known for its opulent neo-baroque décor, Théâtre Rialto is located on Avenue du Parc and is now a National Historic Site of Canada. Definitely one of the most quaint places in Montreal!
The odder, more quirky Casa del Popolo on Boulevard Saint-Laurent is an alternative. With only 55 seats, “The House of the People” is a small, intimate vegetarian restaurant, coffee shop, indie music venue, and art gallery.
Savor meals at renowned eateries in Montreal’s Mile End.
Although the Mile End neighborhood is home to many notable eateries, I have a few favorites that never let me down, whether it’s the welcoming staff, the gorgeous setting, or the delicious food.
In the Mile End, here is where I typically go for a night out with friends:
Lester’s Deli, Wilensky’s Light Lunch, Nouveau Palais
Fine Kem Coba Boulangerie Drogheria Bagg Lawrence and Guillaume Bishop Tsukuyomi Ramen
Nita tout garni
Enjoy a drink from Montreal’s top microbrewery.
Dieu du Ciel
After all that trekking, why not reward yourself with a well-earned pint at Canada’s top microbrewery? Having pushed the boundaries of beer since 1998 with bold and creative home brews inspired by Quebec folklore, Dieu du Ciel is perhaps Montreal’s best craft brewery.
To secure a spot on their lovely outside terrace, arrive early!
Choose a side: Mile End is friendly. Local feuds in Montreal
Every person I know from Montreal has a favorite bagel store and has strong opinions about it. Although many of my friends prefer Bagel St-Viateur and are rarely seen passing Bagel Fairmount, I personally work for Bagel Fairmount because of the welcoming staff and the fact that you are encircled by ceiling-high columns of bagels as soon as you walk in the door.
Similarly, you will need to visit both the sun-drenched patio of Café Club Social, where old Italians are playing cards, and the Italian coffee shop Cafe Olimpico, which established in 1970, before deciding to join one of the opposing teams.
Fill up in a vibrant coffee shop.
It goes without saying that hipstertown is full with hip third-wave coffee shops that serve delicious lattes. In fact, a lot of the cafés listed below are featured in my round-up of Montreal coffee!
Pastel Le Butterblume To be clear, Rita Cardinal Tea Room is a tea room rather than a coffee shop, but it’s too excellent to ignore.
Gamba Standard Café Caffe
Enjoy a romantic evening with your significant other.
Guillaume Boulangerie
You will need some recommendations for dimly lit, wine-filled restaurants if you are traveling to Montreal with your significant other. Given that Montreal is one of the most romantic cities on this side of the Atlantic, there’s a good chance you are. Fortunately, there are two in Montreal’s Mile End:
Photographs by the wonderful Gaelle LeRoyer of Henrietta Buvette chez Simone Bar à Flot Ile Flottante Boxermans Tinc Set June I*
