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".
Reviews describe Café Milano as a legendary and historic spot with an old school vibe and a reputation for great Italian sandwiches, cannolis, and espresso, plus strong value and a welcoming atmosphere that invites conversations and late night visits. The coffee and desserts are frequently praised, with several describing the café as a reliable place to meet up or grab a bite, and the sandwiches and cannolis often highlighted as standout items. The ambiance and a large terrace are noted positives, though some reviewers warn that the interior can be noisy or dim and that cleanliness needs attention, with one or two saying the place isn’t as fresh as in the past. Service is described as friendly and prompt at times, but other comments point to inconsistent experiences, long waits, or miscommunications during busy periods. Parking is occasionally mentioned as a challenge, but the overall sentiment remains affectionate, presenting Café Milano as a classic, comforting Italian cafe that draws visitors for coffee, paninis, and sweets despite the caveats.
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.
Great sandwiches, the place was crowded. No table service. You order at the counter & they call out your name inside the restaurant or on the terrace when your order is ready.
Jul 31, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Update 2: I don't know what happened but this is not the same place. There is no taste
Update: Tried chicken sandwich & Ferrero rocher cake next day & it was disappointing. The chicken was missing taste & the cake was gummy & chewy.
First time: Very tasty Italian sandwiches & desserts. I tried steak sandwich with fries that are served with chipotle mayo, Oreo cake & tiramisu. All tasty & at reasonable prices.
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.
Apr 12, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
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.
J'y prend régulièrement mon café La sandwicherie est excellente, le reste est correct. Endroit propre & invitant, l'ambiance est toujours au rendez-vous, énormément d'achalandage. Ma note complète serait 7/10 J'aime bien
Staple neighbourhood café with excellent Italian coffee, desserts & sandwiches. Good for a quick bite or sit down with friends. I like both this location & their Laval location. It gets pretty busy & loud though.
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.
Great place, with delicious sandwiches, the bread is crispy, the vegetables were fresh, & the meat was nicely grilled. The drink selection is wide, & their summer special-coffee fusion was delicious.
Back in the 90's, this was the best place to get an Italian sandwich in St. Leonard. Be it steak, sausage, veal, or chicken, the sandwiches were fresh, delicious & reasonably priced. No more as times have changed. I ordered a veal & a steak sandwich yesterday. Also ordered a cappuccino while I waited only for it to be served when my order was ready. Bread was very stale. Toppings were no longer generous as they once were.
