Travel

A Design Lover’s Guide to Montreal

For many U.S. residents, it’s a quick trip—but the UNESCO City of Design feels oceans away
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Old Town Montreal, Canada, in the winter.Photo: Lonnie Kishiyama / Getty Images

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A short jaunt from most U.S. cities, Montreal feels like a quick trip to Paris. The blend of Canadian and French cultures can be seen throughout the city’s design, art, and food. While the gastronomy scene has always leaned toward high-end French cuisine, a new influx of immigrants is bringing a variety of tastes and textures to the mix. Montreal is also embracing the modern age with the opening of sleek luxury hotels, and avant-garde art exhibits from Quebecois designers and creators. Here, what to see and do in Montreal now.

Stay

The Hotel William Gray.

Photo: Alexi Hobbs / Courtesy of the Hotel William Gray

A handful of new builds are nestled among Montreal’s Art Deco and Gothic Revival buildings. One of the standouts is the flashy Four Seasons, which just opened a month ago in the glam Golden Square Mile district downtown. The polished interiors have earthy tones, with rose-quartz-colored velvet banquettes in the lobby, custom wallpaper prints of Mount Royal in the dark lounge, and white marble tables in the bright Marcus Restaurant + Terrace, helmed by chef Marcus Samuelsson. It’s also attached to the massive Holt Renfrew Ogilvy flagship—a perk for serious shoppers. Hotel William Gray, also in Old Montreal, opened two summers ago. Its black, white, and gray design scheme extends to the spa and rooftop restaurant, with skylights throughout that bring in the sun on a cold wintry day.

Discerning travelers can also bed down at Hotel Birks, a chic bijou housed in the former Maison Birks jeweler on Phillips Square. Two new glass stories—designed by Neuf Architectes—crown the landmark Beaux Arts building, opened last fall. Gold accents, gas fireplaces, and crystal chandeliers set the scene, from the 130 guest rooms to the serene spa and trendy brasserie.

There are also a few notable renovations of old classics. This summer, Hôtel le Germain Montréal will debut a $20 million makeover, featuring a new restaurant, fitness room, and bar with a terrace. Four floors were constructed to add 35 guest rooms, all of which are done up in a Mad Men–esque design with midcentury-modern furnishings, such as bubble chairs hanging by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Meanwhile, the grand dame of Montreal’s hotel scene—the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth—reopened in 2017 after a $140 million facelift, with a new look that hearkens back to the middle of last century (think lots of gold and chrome), fitting given its 1958 debut. Grab a seat in one of the egg chairs off the lobby, or relax with espresso and a flaky croissant at Kréma Cafe.

Eat & Drink

Bistrot La Fabrique.

Photo: Susan Moss / Courtesy of Tourisme Montréal

Finding a good meal in Montreal? Très facile. Dining in a veritable design showroom can be more of a challenge. Enter Pastel, a lofty space with blush pink tablecloths and splotches of pastel chalk on the exposed-brick walls. The plates are equally artistic; think foie gras finished with a mosaic of beets. Feast your eyes (and stomach) on the creative Quebecois tasting menu at Toqué—arguably Montreal’s top restaurant.

For something lighter, head to Lov, an airy vegan and vegetarian spot (get the kimchi fries); Dandy for a brunch of ricotta pancakes and coconut chia bowls; or Pastel Rita, an ultra-instagrammable café and art studio. Carnivores can get their meat fix on the wood-fired fare at Foxy bistro (don’t miss the 60-day-aged rib steak, grilled to tender perfection).

Inside Bar George.

Photo: Cindy La

Where the Latin Quarter meets the Plateau, Bistrot la Fabrique’s minimalist design centers around the sunken open kitchen. Uniquely plated dinner dishes fold in Quebecois ingredients, such as the French toast dessert, topped with a gob of salted caramel sauce; or lamb and octopus stew in coconut and red curry broth.

Thirsty for a late-night tipple? Arts-minded locals flock to Foodlab, inside the Société des Arts Technologiques—under white umbrellas on the terrasse during summer and, come winter, in the intimate third-floor space. Atwater Cocktail Club is another favorite as is Bar George, a handsome British den in the Le Mount Stephen hotel.

Do

A piece from the Mural Festival.

Photo: Daniel Esteban

The city’s many street-art murals expand each June after the Montreal Mural Festival wraps. House of Meggs’ colorful mural is one of the most photographed, with its tropical flowers and bright hues; find it where Rue Prince Arthur meets Boulevard Saint-Laurent.

Montreal is home to 50 museums, and among its best is the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The highly anticipated Thierry Mugler Couturissime exhibit (through September 8) incorporates virtual-reality theater performances and film footage to showcase the designer’s whimsical fashions. Lesser known is Arsenal Gallery, inside an 83,000-square-foot former shipyard building.

Habitat 67, designed by Moshe Safdie.

Photo: Alexi Hobbs

For a reminder of Expo 67, check out Habitat 67, one of the first examples in North America of an eco-friendly and affordable apartment building. Designed by Moshe Safdie, the edifice is primarily occupied by renters and owners—but a section just opened to the public last year for 90-minute guided tours. Hint: You can also take in the exterior views from across the river at Bota Bota, a Scandinavian-inspired water circuit spa located on a floating barge.

Shop

There are endless places to browse in Montreal, between the swanky Golden Square Mile shopping district and Mile End’s quirky boutiques. Start at Ruse, which stocks a collection of vintage and consignment threads, then wander up St. Laurent Boulevard—the main artery of cafés and galleries—and pop in La Montréalaise Atelier for trendy outfits and body products.

If you’re out exploring the quaint cobblestoned streets of Old Montreal, make sure to spend some time in the SSENSE Montréal’s personal showroom and rooftop café overlooking the Notre-Dame Basilica. Or stop around the corner at Maison Pepin for fringed throws, ceramic dinnerware, and custom artwork by the owner.

Want to know a secret? The Cloakroom is a Japanese suit and tailor shop that hides a barber in the back and a sultry speakeasy, so you can get a cut and a cocktail.