By Ariane LarivièreITWPA Member
With simplicity and warmth emanating from its restaurants, shops, and bars, Montreal’s Rosemont neighborhood can claim to be an entertaining comfort food paradise. Come for the notorious poutine, and stay for the chatty storytellers and the decadent Raspberry Field cocktail.
At Café Coyote, corner of Beaubien and Châteaubriand, a waitress will greet you with coffee and a no-stress attitude. The staff’s authenticity combined with the simplicity of the decor let you experience what it’s like to live in the Rosemont neighborhood. Order the Spécial Coyote and you’ll receive eggs, bacon, ham, sausages, creton, potatoes, beans, fruits, bread, and a crêpe. Enough to get you going until your smoked meat poutine at dinner… 514-658-6896; 751 Beaubien St. E
Take a 20-minute walk towards Parc Molson, the most enchanting park in the area. Located between Beaubien and Saint-Zotique streets, and divided in the middle by D’Iberville, the park displays art installations and allows for many sports to be enjoyed. You’ll appreciate the walk and the view around Parc Molson’s gazebo, and the red and yellow leaves of autumn falling on you are a definite plus.
You can hardly go wrong, if you’re looking for gifts and souvenirs, to stop by Boutique Identi-T. The cute little store is filled with handmade, Quebec-inspired things. You’ll stumble upon pottery glasses and magnets, leg warmers made from recycled fabrics, laser cut earrings, hand painted cups made of porcelain, posters of Montreal landmarks, and so much more. They carry many lines of baby items as well. 514-374-5325; facebook.com/identi.T.boutique
Le Roi du Smoked Meat is a Montreal classic. Their poutine is renowned amongst Montrealers who, let’s face it, know what they’re talking about. The North American style diner offers many seats, mostly in retro red booths, and a large and diverse menu for all tastes. You can choose between salads and burgers, spaghetti and pizza, but really, it’s the smoked meat poutine you’ll want to try. It’s made of fresh fries that stay crispy a surprisingly long time under the authentic-tasting gravy, squeaky cheese curds, and trademark meat. 514-273-7566; leroidusmokedmeat.com
Warmed by pendant lights over the tables and romantic candles, Bar Le Jockey welcomes storytellers on its narrow wooden stage every Sunday from September to May. Les Dimanches du Conte (presented in French only) will charm you with legends and enchanting stories. We trust the founder Jean-Marc Massie and the host Francis Désilets to bring us quality shows every week, this 20-year tradition being a landmark in storytelling all over the world. As for the venue, the staff is friendly and they’re good at keeping the drinks coming. Pair the experience with the fruity Raspberry Field cocktail. 514-564-6646; barlejockey.com, 514-277-9084; dimanchesduconte.com
On-street parking can be difficult to find basically everywhere in Montreal. Walking and public transportation are the best options to visit around comfortably.
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