Oxford Cafe – an NDG institution

The 411

Out in NDG is an institution called the Oxford Café. I say institution because it has been around for ages. Lots of people in the area know it well and it had a reputation for a good breakfast years ago. It’s a no-frills diner style spot that does not look like it’s changed since it opened. You come in to get some classic breakfast dishes, have some drip coffee and kick it old school maybe with a newspaper and let your day sink in. So, with this institution around and almost having done every spot in NDG I felt I needed to check it out.

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Eggspression- West Island Brunch all week long

The 411

Once upon a time I had a goal to try out every breakfast/brunch spot in the West Island. I felt I was pretty close then my focus shifted back to downtown Montreal. I had a list of what I reviewed and what needed to be reviewed and I felt I was pretty close to getting it all done. Then my friend organized a get-together at Eggspression just off of St. Johns. I was confused. Could iit be that there was a spot I missed and so close to an area that I am in at least once a week? It turns out that Eggspression has been there for quite some time and my friend was shocked that I did not know about it. With a new spot added to my list, off we went to see what there is.

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Edgewater Cafe – out of town adventure

The 411

Since I have begun doing this site, I have implemented a policy of “have brunch, will travel.” I like this policy since it allows me to sample brunches from other cities and see their specialty. A while ago I was in Kahnawake with some friends to see the pow-wow and a friend told me that they have a brunch place here. The place doesn’t offer a typical native breakfast, but it’s somewhere I have never been so it makes it that much more interesting.

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Wellhouse – An addition to the Westmount scene

The 411

Westmount is nice little spot in Montreal with lots of parks, nice homes, and, unfortunately, a lack of brunch options. I can count on one hand how many spots in Westmount offer brunch. When Wellhouse began offering brunch I was curious to see what it offered to the brunch scene. So we got a bunch of people together and headed out.

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Café Local – Local secret no more

The 411

Tucked away on Saint Viateur street is Café Local. This is a nice little spot that offers a brunch menu to a street that does not have too many brunch options. With its nice large corner terrace, ample interior and narrow but plentiful windows, it makes for a nice place to escape in the summer and grab a bite and have a coffee.

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Cafeteria – Morning after remedy

The 411

In Montreal there are some staple places that, as a student, you go to after a night of hard partying and drinking. Sometimes you don’t have much time to make it to bed so you skip that and get some food. Now, if this has happened to you once, twice or maybe a few more times, then you know one of the spots you go to for this. That’s right: Cafeteria, St Laurent’s own little spot if you are done partying but don’t feel like straying from the street too much.

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Marché De La Villette – Old world in the old Port

The 411

The Old Port has a bunch of nice spots for brunch; some are hotel brunches with buffets and full meals, others are really fancy and some are more laid back. Each has it’s own unique identity that makes the Old Port a fun and delicious area for brunch. Marche De La Villette makes itself unique by transporting you to France. This restaurant has that European butcher shop feel to it and pumps out some rather unique dishes.

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Deli Joe – Little Italy has a brunch spot

The 411

In Little Italy, right nearby Jean Talon market is an area that lacks in brunch spots. There used to be one that I loved years ago but sadly it closed down. The area is so nice and in the summer it’s the perfect way to spend the afternoon; grabbing a bite then going in to peruse the goods of the Jean Talon market. To my knowledge there is only one spot that serves brunch in the area and that is Deli Joe with its breakfast/brunch service everyday from 6 am to 3pm. You can go there any time and fill your stomach for a day of adventure in the Jean Talon market.

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L’assommoir – A late night legend takes on brunch.

The 411

Bernard street is like my first love when it comes to brunch; it’s where some of my earliest reviews come from and it’s a street that offers a high concentration of restaurants in only a couple blocks. Many of these restaurants have been doing brunch for years and as of recently other have begun to offer brunch menus to their offerings. L’assomoir has been putting out great and fun meals for years and they are one of my favourite dinner places on Bernard. When my friend decided to do his birthday brunch here, I was excited.

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Ristorante Otto – Fancy Brunch on McGill Street

The 411

Old Montreal has its fair share of fancier brunch places; McGill street alone is home to a good concentration of them and one that I have been curious about for some time is Otto. Situated inside the W hotel this restaurant serves up a weekday early morning breakfast starting at 7 am and going until 11:30 am, as well as a longer weekend schedule of 7 am to 2pm. I have been to Otto for dinner and enjoyed it. Otto is a fancy restaurant; the décor is exquisite; the outside terrace is vey nice and covered by umbrellas. With this rather positive dinner experience I wondered how it would convert to brunch.

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