A few weeks ago, I took a mini vacation with a few girlfriends. We rented a car and drove up to Montreal with no agenda other than to explore and enjoy. In my opinion, this is the best kind of getaway — no “have-to-dos” or rushing around in an attempt to fit everything in. I think that we got to know the city better that way, too. It also helped that the four of us were generally focused on two things: wandering and eating!
We started the trip right with a lunch of buckwheat crepes, a glass of white wine (yay, vacation!), and a few macarons for dessert in the Quartier Latin. Once we were properly fueled, it was time to explore!

Montreal is such a quirky city in many ways, starting with the fact that it’s a bilingual city. English and French are both widely spoken, although French does seem to take precedence. One of my friends is une française living in New York, so she was excited to speak her native language during our stay. Of course, the first person we approached for directions smiled at her and responded, “I’m sorry, but I don’t speak French!” Of course, after she heard the French of the Québécois (which is, to say the least, not the prettiest or easiest to understand version of French), I think she preferred the English speakers we ran into! It must be said that Montrealers are some of the nicest people I’ve ever encountered — everyone is friendly, patient with visitors trying to navigate the languages, and super helpful in giving recommendations and directions!

Something that we all quickly realized was that the freshness of the food in Montreal was just a step above what we’re used to in the States. On a trip to the Marché Jean-Talon, an enormous outdoor food market, you could actually smell tomatoes and strawberries as soon as you walked in. We spent well over an hour wandering stall to stall and sampling all of the beautiful food. The pasteurization laws in Canada are closer to those in Europe than in the U.S., so we also made it a point to sample as much cheese as possible!

Most large cities have a Chinatown, and it’s always fun to visit them if you get the chance. Montreal’s Chinatown is one of the most fun that I’ve been to, with tons of inexpensive and delicious food! We loved Patisserie Harmonie, which had these beautiful pastries. We found ourselves back in the shop a few times during our short stay!

Finally, what’s Montreal without a classic plate of poutine? Montrealers take their French fries with cheese curd and gravy very seriously, so of course we couldn’t leave without trying it. We tested it out at Café Local — not particularly known for their poutine, but a solid restaurant nonetheless. The verdict? Some of us were more enthusiastic about the dish than others, but the plate was clean in a matter of minutes. I could definitely see myself ordering a plate after a boozy night out!

I hope to get back to Montreal very soon — it’s a truly vibrant city with so much to do and (more importantly) so much to eat! If you have any great Montreal recommendations, please let me know!