Chez José Café comes across in reviews as a small, cozy, colorful neighborhood spot on Duluth where a warm, family run vibe and lively atmosphere make guests feel instantly at home. The menu blends brunch favourites with Portuguese specialties, delivering pastéis de nata praised as among the best, hearty Portuguese breakfasts and chouriço dishes, tasty crepes, and a seafood soup that many describe as outstanding, with vegan and vegetarian options noted as well. Guests repeatedly highlight the friendly, attentive service and the welcoming vibe, while acknowledging that the space is compact and can get crowded, with occasional waits or slower service during busy weekends and a few hiccups like dishes arriving a touch cold or heavy on salt for some. Prices are often described as reasonable for the quality but a bit higher than casual spots, and the overall sentiment remains that the atmosphere, decor, and consistent quality create a memorable Montreal brunch and lunch destination worth returning to for drinks, pastries, and more.
A really cute spot to grab some brunch, lunch, or drinks with friends. The Portuguese breakfast was hearty & delicious & our server was very friendly. A great family business that you can tell has a lot of history as a cornerstone of the neighborhood. I certainly recommend that you come here if you are in the area.
My favourite brunch spot in Montreal! Food is excellent, I would strongly recommend the Mexican omelette or the breakfast sandwiches. Coffee & drinks are good. Above all else the interior is cozy, & comforting in a way that makes every meal enjoyable. Food is on the heavier side but all the more delicious for it.
The space is limited, so it can be difficult to get seating with larger groups. Additionally, the tables are located pretty close to each other so it can be a little tight if you have a lot of bags or other stuff.
C'était très très bon,l'omelette était délicieuse & la décoration était superbe 👍 l'ambiance était satisfaisant mais le service était un peu trop long.Je ne peux que recommander ce brunch.
Meilleur brunch en ville. La bouffe est complètement démente & absolument délicieuse & les portions sont très généreuses. Service impeccable & chaleureux, prix raisonnables. Bref, je ne vois pas la pertinence d'aller bruncher ailleurs. Seul petit hic: l'endroit peut être un peu bruyant car très populaire & plutôt exigüe. Mais c'est pas une raison pour s'en priver!
Nov 9, 2025
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I really thought brunch here was amazing. I had coffee, a fresh juice, & egg tart & the vegetarian crepe. Everything was awesome. It's the best egg tart I've had outside of Portugal. The waiter told me they have them brought in from a bakery in Ontario. It was warm inside in August as there is no AC but outside seating is cute.
Excellent place for brunch. I had the breakfast sandwich & hands down one of the best sandwiches I've had in a while. I added the salad & potato's & they were excellent. Don't skip on it.
TIP: You can get on the waitlist on Yelp so you're already in the queue when you arrive to cutdown on the waiting
We came for brunch. The wait was not long at all. The food was delicious & the service was impeccable. The weekend seafood soup is a must try. Sarah, the owner, was so sweet & efficient. I highly recommend!
Aug 3, 2025
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Great brunch spot! Friendly staff & just what I fancied, a lovely veggie omelette with spinach, courgette, & feta, with salad. Simple old school. I liked it.
Came for brunch on a Saturday. Waited +40 minutes for a table, which was understandable given that it was a busy weekend. What wasn't okay was that the waitstaff forgot about us. By the time we got our drinks, the table who was seated next to us (they had come in & ordered at the same time as us) was already finishing up their meal. Our food came out luke warm, & they got one of our orders wrong. We told the waiter this & they said they would check. But they never came back to follow up. The brunch rush had cleared out by this point, so we were pretty frustrated with the service still being slow. Just wanting to leave at this point, we had to flag down a waiter to ask for the bill, waited 15min for them just to come back & ask if we wanted to order anything else. Overall disappointing. The food would have been amazing if it was hot. But to pay +70$ for a smoothie a coffee & 2 cold meals was not worth it.
Jun 28, 2025
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I love this place 🥰 we stopped by for brunch, i just had a drink & the pastei, which is to die for!! I think my friends each got the portugese breakfast plate, i tried it & i wished i was hungry enough to eat more but i wasnt that day.
i brought their pasteis with me on the plane for my flight the next morning, & shared them that weekend with my family. I airfried them for 5 mins at 350 & they were just as delicious as i remembered them in montreal :) i will definitely come back here next time im in town 🥰
