A Weekend in Montreal: A Curated Guide for Aesthetes and Food Lovers

If cities had moods, Montreal would be a study in contrasts: historic yet modern, bold but quiet, relaxed yet endlessly creative. For those who travel with a designer’s eye and a food lover’s appetite, it’s the perfect weekend destination: walkable, artful, and 

Here’s how we spent 48 hours in this design-forward city this summer, soaking up architecture, interiors, and meals that are as thoughtful as they are delicious.

Day 1: Architectural Icons and Culinary Standouts

Morning: Habitat 67 

Start your day with a pilgrimage to Habitat 67, a Brutalist icon created by architect Moshe Safdie for Expo 67. This modular housing complex on the Saint Lawrence River still feels futuristic, decades later. Whether you take a guided tour or admire the river path, it’s a must-see for anyone interested in urbanism, form, and light, and it re-opened for tours in 2025! 

Tip: Early morning light gives Habitat’s geometric shadows even more drama—bring your camera.

Lunch: Schwartz’s Deli 

Once you make your way back into the city from the island, stop at Schwartz’s, Montreal’s legendary Jewish deli. The menu is simple: order the smoked meat sandwich on rye, add a pickle. While it’s a cultural institution more than a design one, the timeless signage and no-frills vibe feel oddly cinematic.

Afternoon: Vintage Treasure Hunting at Morceau

Walk off lunch with a browse through Morceau, a vintage furniture store that blends design eras with care and style. One of many vintage shops in the St Laurent Blvd area, this is the kind of space where every object—from Italian lighting to Scandinavian dining chairs—feels curated and considered. Whether you’re sourcing or just looking, Morceau is a dream for anyone who loves design with patina.

Expect rare finds, conversational pieces, and just the right amount of wear.

Dinner: Elena 

Elena feels like the future of dining: graphic, modern, warm, and delicious. Known for its sourdough pizzas and natural wine program, the restaurant also features a bold interior with playful art and mid-century tones. Every detail feels designed, because it is.

Order the verde salad, the Diavolo 2.0 pizza, and trust the staff’s wine recs.

Day 2: Coffee, Small Plates, and Street Corners

Brunch: Bar Bara 

Start Sunday slowly at Bar Bara, a small neighborhood spot with a cult following. The food is unfussy but clever, think trout tartine, soft-boiled eggs, and house-made pastries, with interiors that feel lived-in and tactile. Circle back here in the evening to enjoy a glass of wine, and a great playlist. 

Arrive early to beat the crowd and snag a window seat open to the street. 

Afternoon: Wandering & Street Corners

No plan needed, this is when Montreal really shines. Wander through the Mile End or Plateau neighbourhoods, where the buildings are low, the balconies are cast iron, and the colour palettes look like they were pulled from a heritage paint deck. Pop into bookstores, walk up Parc Avenue, and admire the city. 

Dinner: Le Vin Papillon 

For your final meal, book Le Vin Papillon, a wine bar and sister restaurant to the famed Joe Beef. The interior is understated—brick walls, amber lighting, chalkboard menu—so that the food can speak. The menu changes often, but vegetables are the heroes, treated with the same reverence usually reserved for meat.

If it’s on the menu, order the braised leeks. And don’t skip the razor clams. 

Montreal is a place that rewards observation. Design is everywhere; not loud, but deeply embedded in how the city eats, lives, and moves. This is a weekend we’ll be referencing back to for a long time.