Fairmount Bagel Bakery produces iconic Montreal-style bagels through a traditional wood-fired oven process that ensures a distinctively crisp exterior and a dense, chewy interior. Each bagel is hand-rolled and boiled in honey-infused water before being baked on wooden planks to achieve a signature golden hue. The menu centers on these hand-crafted rings, which are available in classic varieties like sesame, poppy seed, and everything. Patrons often pair these fresh creations with high-quality cream cheese, smoked salmon, or capers available for purchase. The bakery functions as an essential purveyor of local culinary heritage, maintaining long-standing techniques that define the regional bagel profile. By focusing strictly on artisanal baking methods, the establishment remains a cornerstone for those seeking authentic, high-quality products that prioritize texture and flavor above all else.
Fairmount Bagel Bakery is widely celebrated as an iconic Montreal institution, famous for its authentic, wood-fired bagels that are prized for their perfect balance of a crispy exterior, chewy interior, and subtle honey-sweetness. Many visitors consider these to be the best bagels in the world, often recommending that guests enjoy them fresh and warm directly from the oven while wandering the neighborhood. While the establishment is frequently busy and limited in space, most patrons find the experience of watching the hand-rolling process and sampling the diverse variety of flavors to be well worth the wait. Although reviews occasionally mention mixed experiences with service speed, payment restrictions like cash-only or Canadian debit policies, and limited seating, the majority of visitors remain loyal to the bakery as a essential, high-quality stop in the city.
Montreal classic bagels, somewhat flat if compared to NY-style. The store is easy to spot, no line when I arrived but it moves steadily when guests start arriving. Plan ahead your order, be kind to the small crew. The pretzel isn't such, just the folds give a pretzel shape, not a good value or specialty creation. The store clearly states that they don't accept credit cards. So, if you are not a local using debit, bring cash. They accept usd $ at $1 for 1$. Some of us paid in usd, not very visitor-friendly move. Still, their prices are budget & worth the visit.
What I Like 👍:
A) Fresh bagels if you order at the front.
B) They have cream Cheese & spreads for sale as well.
C) It has history & a one of the popular bagel shops.
D) Service is good. They are bilingual. French & English.
What I did not like 👎:
A) Some of the bells they give were a little burnt for me.
B) It's a not a bagel shop where they put meat or salmon etc. Many tourist think it's like a sandwich shop.
C) No credit. Only Canadian Debit or Money.
D) Pricey for my budget still worth it though.
Final thoughts 💭:
It's a good & decent bagel shop. Been here many times. Just improve on the bagels & customer sastifactoon.
An iconic bagel shop in Montreal that's conveniently open 24/7. I got their sesame & onion bagels which I enjoyed. Personally do prefer St.Viatuer's but these are quite good as well. They are cash only under $10 I believe & also accept debit.
Jun 12, 2026
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Note, below $10, they will only take cash. I only had old notes, which they rejected. Also only local debit cards accepted, but will take overseas cards for a fee. At that point, I left, without trying. St-Viateur win hands down with their immaculate service. For just over $8 for 2 bagels & tuna spread, they provided serviettes, a knife, & cleaned a preparation table for me, all with friendly smile, & accepted my overseas credit card without any fuss.
Bagels were FAB. Great experience for other tourists looking to engage in the Montreal culture. Didn't know that you had to apply the cream cheese to one's own bagel, however, it ended up being OK. We got a bonut (with the cream cheese on top in the pic). you can only use cash or debit cards if you're from the US.
This establishment Being Canadian debit or CASH ONLY was a little annoying but the coffee shop a few doors down did have an ATM so it wasn't that big of a deal. The bagels were good, they're a little more dense than the typical New York bagel. The cream cheese was put on top which was also different. But it tasted great, we even got some to go. I'd go back for sure.
