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In Montreal, we are spoiled with an eclectic mix of quality eateries. Considering the fact that the island of Montreal has slightly over 5,000 restaurants, combined with the shameful truth that, if my student budget allowed, I would gladly eat out for every meal, I have done my fair share of exploring the many breakfast joints in the city. Whether you want to go on an adventure up to the Plateau or are feeling lazy after a night out and want to keep it simple in the ghetto, there’s a great selection to curb that insatiable craving for classic Canadian breakfast food.
Beauty’s – 93 Avenue du Mont-Royal (Corner of St. Urbain)
Beauty’s is arguably the most iconic breakfast place in the city. This self-proclaimed “first place to serve breakfast in Montreal” has all the qualities of a classic diner. Large, comfortable booths, paper placemats, and a simple-yet-pleasing menu selection characterize the vintage aesthetic of the restaurant. Serving classic breakfasts with eggs, hash-browns, bacon, and toast, combined with Jewish comfort food selections such as challah bread grilled cheese, Beauty’s lives up to all elements of a traditional diner. And if you’re really yearning for a time-warp that stretches beyond the décor and history lesson on the menu, order a massive beauty’s smoothie that comes in a cool tin cup. The line is usually long, but the service is great and you’ll always leave with a full, satisfied belly.
L’Avenue – 922 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est. (corner Berri)
The hipness of the Plateau oozes out of the massive front window of L’Avenue. Blaring music, spray-paint covered walls complete with a hanging motorcycle, and bathrooms that take you into a psychedelic trance will make you wonder if you’re in a restaurant, or at a massive party on the trendy side of town. The unmatched originality fuelled by extremism is emulated in each dish: be prepared to leave this place feeling like you’re in your third trimester. Eggs Benedict with French toast and the most garlic-y, delicious potatoes, comically humongous club house sandwiches with fresh cut fries, or omelettes that are falsely advertised as made with “three eggs” (looks more like six), makes sure you get the most bang-for-your-buck. The only un-hip thing about L’Avenue is its popularity to mainstreamers: be prepared to wait in line for at least a half hour on weekends and 10 minutes on weekdays.
Too hungry to wait in line? “Café El Dorado” right across the street survives off those too starving to brave the L’Avenue line. And it’s pretty good, too.
Place Milton – 220 Rue Milton (Your Backyard)
Where else can you go to in your pajamas, with remnants of last night’s makeup smudged on your face and no shoes, simply because you were too tired to remember to put them on? Unpretentious Saturday mornings at Place Milton are the Tokyo Thursdays of the breakfast world. Sure, a freezing draft from the door interrupts your meal every 30 seconds, it’s so cramped you can hear people three tables back chewing their food, and the servers are so stressed out it seems like they just want you to leave. But there are few places in this city where you can get three eggs, two sausages, bacon, toast, potatoes, a massive crepe, and bottomless coffee for the accommodating price of $9. Or if you want to opt for something other than a grease-laden breakfast, you have the option of a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel. The guarantee of Place Milton is consistency: you always know exactly what to expect, you have your staple breakfast choice, and, like always, you’ll regret not having cash on you once you remember that inconvenient, typical Montreal lack of a debit machine.
While these are only three of the many, many choices Montreal has to offer, each provide something unique, while remaining true to the essence of a hearty Canadian breakfast. Save up your pennies and get out of bed to go for a nice brunch with friends. There’s just no better way to start the day.
