Café Milano in St-Leonard is a popular Italian bistro with café. The specialties are sandwiches (Salcicia/ Steak/Chicken), submarines, soups and salads. Open late for the late night diners and offers what many say is "the best Italian espresso".
Café Milano remains a legendary Montreal spot known for its old school atmosphere, strong espresso and pastries, and solid Italian sandwiches and cannolis. The room feels like stepping back in time, and many return for the friendly service, late hours, and reasonable prices for the area, with a big terrace and a bustling tone when busy. Some reviews note the recent renovations have doubled the size and given a modern cafe vibe, while others miss the former coziness and quote thinner portions and occasional dryness in the chicken cutlet sandwich, with dressing and salt sometimes not meeting memory. Cleanliness is uneven according to some, and while the coffee and cannolis are praised, the full dining experience can be hampered by noise, wait times for tables, and occasional inconsistencies. Still, Café Milano is often cited as a dependable place for a sandwich, coffee, and a chat with friends, and many say it offers good value and a classic taste of Montreal.
Its been nearly 15-20 years since I used to frequent Milano's. It used to be much smaller & run down. Kind of a greasy spoon type of place that made the best sandwiches & salads. Its a lot different now. Its been redone, doubled in size & has a modern cafe bistro vibe. I ordered the 7' chicken cutlet sandwich. The smaller chicken salad, an aranciata & cappucino. The bill with tip was $40. The sandwich was good, but small. The chicken cutlet & toppings much thinner than I remember. The salad also okay. The chicken a bit dry & the dressing not as good as I remember. It needed also salt, which was not provided on the tables. Everything tasted fresh. The coffee was amazing. I should have asked for chocolate on top of my cap. Very clean inside the resto but the bathroom was not. All in all, I enjoyed my meal. It was a blast from the past with a bit of nostalgia mixed with some disappointments.
Mar 1, 2026
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Le Sandwich était bon , par contre la salade au poulet pas terrible cette fois-ci , salade marinée ( cuite dans l'huile , molle , pas d'assaisonnement domage ; d'habitude c'est bon . Je l'est dit au serveur , soit il a pas compris , ou il s'en fou je sais pas , zéro réaction
The food is good overall, & the sandwiches & sweets are definitely worth trying. Their salads can be great too, but you have to be really specific with your order to get the best result. The only downside is the coffee-it's a bit on the weak side.
Food & service was good. We ordered sandwiches & a salad. Sandwiches were great, salad was under-seasoned & lacking some flavour & toppings given the price. But overall really good & i would go back.
Accoglienza calorosissima come la si può trovare solo in posti italiani. Veramente tanta tanta cortesia e gentilezza. Il cibo è buonissimo, lai sandwich alle insalate e ai dessert. Sia i proprietari che il personale sono davvero amichevoli e sanno sempre mettere a proprio agio i clienti. Consigliatissimo. A wonderfully warm welcome, the kind you can only find in Italian places. So much courtesy & kindness. The food is excellent, from sandwiches to salads & desserts. Both the owners & the staff are truly friendly & always make customers feel at ease. Highly recommended.
Sep 20, 2024
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Salade très basic, les rondelles d'oignon par contre était délicieuses, pichet de sangria était bien alcoolisé pour un prix très abordable! Ça mérite un bon 7/10
On June 18th my husband & I went to milano's on 3352 st.Martin .O. & I ordered a boccochini salad with eggplants inside, & my husband ordered a regular salad with hot peppers inside. & didn't get the eggplants & my husband did not get his hot peppers, so I went to see them at the counter, & the young lady was orguing, saying we never mentioned them. & I said, yes we did, I told her it was up to you to check it. & I told them, I will go & see Marco the owner, the one in st. Leonard, about the service. I told them, I know. The owner very well. It wasn't pleasant the service there. Today.
Ca fait longtemps que j'y vais de temps a autre..les sandwich sont super bon..les salades également..je vais sans doute y retourner & le recommande..c'est pas la grosse gastronomie..tout simplement de la bonne bouffe & du bon café..
My favorite spot in the east end. Love the sandwiches & salads. I take out often here, I call & the order is always ready within 10 minutes. Prices are fair, staff is always EXTREMELY friendly. Nothing but good things to say, & they are literally open 24/7 365 days a year. Don't forget the canolis, to die for!
