Shopping in Montreal

Montréal is home to many gorgeous boutiques and shops. From designer menswear, to affordable vintage, you’ll find it in Montréal. The best part? Whether you’re into the big department stores, or unique items found only in Montréal, it’s all there – you just need to know where to look. Here are my top picks for shopping in Montréal.

Style Labo
5765 Saint Laurent Boulevard
Montréal, QC H2T 1S9

A rustic, industrial-themed homewares store with a wonderful selection of vintage furniture and an abundance of marquee lighting pieces. Here you’ll find a selection of candles, homewares and unique accessories.

The owners, Anne Defay and Romain Castelli, describe it “As a tendance laboratory, our store propose an alchemy between industrial style, vintage pieces and new creations A scientist melting to wake up or reveal the spirit of your loft” (their words).

Marche Jean Talon
7070 Avenue Henri Julien
Montréal, QC H2S 3S3

A short walk from the Jean Talon Metro station, this market is a food lover’s paradise. Stalls line the centre of the large indoor market, with shops around the exterior. From pork to paté, it’s all here. From fresh flowers and gifts, to smoked meat and sausages – this market is a feast for all the senses. In the heart of little Italy, the public market is one of Montréal’s oldest. Named after the first Intendant of New France, the Jean Talon Market has been open since 1933. I had the pleasure of trying a crepe from Crêperie du Marché, although full from breakfast, I had heard wonderful reviews of the salted butter caramel and could not resist. It was well worth it!

Haven’t had your market fix? Check out the Montreal Public Markets website. I also visited the Atwater market after a walk along the scenic Lachine Canal.

Dolce and Gateaux
27 Rue Bernard Ouest
Montréal QC H2T 2J6

A gorgeous shopfront, yummy gelato, fresh baked cupcakes and cake themed curios – now that’s a recipe for my perfect store.

We stumbled upon this gorgeous bakery while strolling along Rue Bernard, a great little shopping street in the Mile End. The cupcakes are tasty, and made only with the freshest, highest quality ingredients. There’s also a small patio outside to enjoy your cupcakes or gelato in the sunshine.

Arterie
176 Rue Bernard Ouest
Montréal, QC H2T 2K2

Could not tell you how gorgeous this shop is. A mixture of wonderful vintage finds for women and men, as well as locally made items, provides for a great little boutique. The boutique also boasts a selection of paper and stationery items, body care, accessories and jewellery and an impressive selection of Montréal designed clothing.

Here I picked up a Montréal designed tee, made by The Lost City, a unique souvenir I will always treasure.

Spice Station
174 A Bernard W
Montréal, QC H2T 2K4

Never have I ever seen such a remarkable selection of spices in one place. I’m told they have an extremely unique selection of spices, many of which are difficult to find. I was surprised to see they had Murray River Salt in stock the day that we visited. My only wish was that I had been able to take something home.

From Indian black cardamom, to dill and fennel pollen, they have it all.

Savoie Fils
251, Rue St-Viateur
Montréal, QC H2V 4G9

This boutique on St-Viateur stocks a carefully curated selection of well-crafted men’s wear and accessories including but not limited to denim, sweatshirts, belts and oxford shirts. The front wall of the boutique is lined with masculine accoutrements including shaving accessories, hockey pucks and more leather goods – get your gentlemanly fix here. But what about your caffeine fix? Yes, there’s also an espresso bar if you’re in need of a great cup of coffee.

Lunch-a-Porter
355 rue Saint Paul West
Montréal, QC H2Y 2A6

Very cute selections of eco-friendly bento boxes and accessories for lunchtime grace the shelves of this delightful little shop in Montréal’s Old Port. The bento craze has quickly been taking over Pinterest and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Not only a great way to get children interested in and having fun with food, these colourful additions will just make you … happy. So, if you’re looking for a few pieces to turn your monotonous lunch box into something special, you’ve come to the right place. From bread cutters, to water bottles, lunch bags and containers it’s a one-stop shop.

A few others to mention include:

The Eaton Centre – mentioned in my last post, this is shopping en-masse. From large retailers such as Sephora, Aldo and Gap, to smaller independent retailers, you’ll find it in Montréal’s underground tunnels of the Eaton Centre. Nothing you can’t find elsewhere in Canada, but if you’re looking to spree, this is the place to be.

Simons  – from homewares to clothing and everything between, this retailer has almost everything under one roof. Being new to Canada, this French-Canadian retailer was one of my favourite places to shop. A wide selection of the affordable, to pricey big brands, Simons have you stylishly covered.