10 great cafes in the Quartier des Spectacles !

Main text of post

Winter is the perfect season for checking out some new-to-you cafés where you can relax, work or hang out with friends and colleagues. Looking for a spot in the Quartier des Spectacles to meet up for a hot or cold drink and good company?

Here are a few of the best places to try!

Café Tranquille
In the Grand Salon of the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion

Located in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, in the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion, this brand-new café welcomes skaters and passers-by looking for some warmth and quiet. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday), it serves delicious fair-trade coffee and locally made sweet and savoury snacks. It’s also a member of the La Vague program, which offers a 10% discount to customers who bring their own reusable mug.

Café Parvis
433 Mayor St.

The venerable Café Parvis is tucked away on tiny Mayor St., behind St. James United Church, just steps away from Saint-Catherine St. It’s a calm retreat that attracts people-watchers, tourists and local residents daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Drop in for a coffee or a drink from the bar, and when you start to feel peckish tuck into a delicious pizza or another mouth-watering menu item, for yourself or to share.

Anticafé
294 Sainte-Catherine St. West

This large, quiet space occupies two floors of a former apartment overlooking Place des Festivals. It’s just the place to settle in to read or work – especially since the cookies and coffee are free! L’Anticafé has a unique business model: instead of paying for what you consume, you pay for the time you spend there.

Commodore Café
355 De Maisonneuve Blvd.

The Commodore is a French bistro that includes its own café. Located in the lobby of the Honeyrose Hotel, it’s a prime breakfast destination and an elegant place to meet up for afternoon coffee. It also offers convenient, healthy and delicious meals to go.

Café St-Henri
301 Emery St.

One of the Quartier Latin’s best-kept secrets, this small café close to UQAM and across the street from the movie theatre is treasured by coffee lovers. The owners are hardcore coffee lovers who comb the globe for the very best beans, in the process forging strong relationships with numerous growers.

Café Pista
1587 Saint-Laurent Blvd.

Just steps away from the Saint-Laurent metro station, you’ll find the elegant, tranquil and warm Café Pista. It’s the café’s second branch, and it exudes a cozy neighbourhood vibe despite being in the heart of downtown. As well as serving fantastic coffee made with high-quality beans, there’s also a nice list of natural wines.

Parva Café
475 de Maisonneuve Blvd.

Be sure to check out this small café next time you visit the Grande Bibliothèque. You’ll love the elegant space, including the furniture designed by Bixi creator Michel Dallaire, as well as the affordable locally focused menu. The lattes are great, and the tantalizing pastries come from Les Co’Pains d’abord.

Café Léo
1215 Berri St.

Just a few steps from Berri-UQAM metro station, this relative newcomer to the neighbourhood, launched by engineer Andréanne Léonie-Murdaca, is ideal for get-togethers and conversation. The well-lit, infinitely reconfigurable room is also an exhibition space for local artists.

Café SAT
6 Place du Marché

This bright space just north of the Chinatown gates is a non-profit café on Place de la Paix – a great view that you can admire through the café’s all-glass façade. The menu goes above and beyond typical café fare, with seasonal local products, vegan and vegetarian dishes, organic wines and microbrews.

Café de la cinémathèque
335 de Maisonneuve Blvd.

The perfect spot to get together with friends before or after a film, this small café in the Cinémathèque québécoise is also a fine place for after-work drinks. There are beers from the MaBrasserie co-op along with a tempting wine list, and a large selection of coffee drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages. The café’s ambiance is paced by the Cinémathèque’s screenings, and you’ll find it populated not only with movie buffs but industry players as well.