One of my all-time favourite things in the world is coffee. In fact, the most said sentence to me by my friends and family is, “Jennah, coffee is not a meal!” When I came to McGill, I knew that I had to find the best cup of coffee in Montreal. Therefore, I made a list of all of the places I wanted to try and conducted a café crawl throughout the year. Every weekend, I would go to a different café, get myself a cup of coffee, and study there for the day. This article is a review of my top five cafés in the city so far – ranked (out of five) on ambiance and of course, coffee!
5. Café Castel (coffee: 3, ambiance: 4)
Café Castel, located just a two-minute walk from campus on Sherbrooke Street is the perfect summer café! When the weather is nice, they open the windows and you just get the perfect breeze while studying! The café has a beautiful Italian feel to it, regardless of the fact that it’s located in a major city. The hot coffee is pretty standard but one of my favourite things to order is a chocolate hazelnut smoothie with a shot of espresso – it is the perfect summer drink! Café Castel is definitely a must-go when the weather gets nice, but try to avoid peak hours as it can get really busy!
4. La Finca (coffee: 4, Ambiance: 4)
La Finca, located at Rue de Bleury, was the first café I tried when I came to Montreal and therefore, it holds a very special place in my heart. It has a very bright and open ambiance where there is room to study and socialize. There is a high table facing the street where laptops are permitted and the rest of the tables have a “no-computer” and “no wifi” sign which I personally love as it forces people to disconnect from technology and socialize with others! The coffee at La Finca is very good but their homemade hot chocolate is absolutely phenomenal!
3. pikolo (coffee: 5, ambiance: 3)
Pikolo is a small café on Park Street close to campus. As there is not much sitting space in the balcony area, I suggest getting to Pikolo quite early if you would like to spend the day studying there. Nevertheless, Pikolo has one of the best mochas (both hot and cold) that I have ever tried! Pikolo’s mochas are a must-try for the coffee and chocolate lovers of McGill!
2. crew café (coffee: 4, ambiance: 5)
Crew Café is probably the most beautiful café in Montreal as it is a renovated bank and has a very Hogwarts feel to it. It is the perfect place to go right when the doors open and spend the day studying. Every day around lunchtime it gets extremely busy and crowded with tourists, but in the early morning it is very calm and serene. Their coffee is very good with an excellent amount of foam at the top! Crew Café is definitely a must-try for everyone either living or visiting Montreal!
1. café olympico (coffee: 5, ambiance: 5)
Now I’ve saved the best for last! Café Olympico is a small café with so much character located in the Old Port. There are quite a number of small tables and little reading nooks that look out a window surrounded by cobblestone walls. It is truly a picturesque café that’ll make you feel like you’re in the heart of Europe! Not only is the ambiance delightful, but their coffee is to die for! The first time I went there I ordered a latté and haven’t ordered anything else since – I love it! Café Olympico’s simplicity and elegance in both ambiance and coffee are why it is my favourite café in Montreal thus far!
I hope that this review has inspired you to try a new café in the city or to take on your own café crawl! Although I have covered much ground in my first year so far, in my next three years living in Montreal I can assure you that I will be continuing this café crawl and, of course, trying as many new cups of coffee as I can!