Whether it's for breakfast, lunch or even after "last call", come and have a bagel of your choice with or without cream cheese and/or smoked salmon, ready to take out.
Fairmount Bagel Bakery is described as an iconic Montreal staple, with wood fired ovens delivering warm, chewy bagels that are best enjoyed fresh and often taken to go. Reviews celebrate a broad lineup of flavors from sesame and everything to blueberry and sun dried tomato, with many calling the sesame bagel the standout and consistently excellent. Readers note the aroma and the hands on experience of watching dough being shaped and boiled in honey water before baking, which adds to the charm. The atmosphere varies in tone from warmly praised staff to occasional comments about slow or uneven service, and some notes about unfriendly moments. A common caveat is that the shop is cash or Canadian debit card only, with some posts noting no seating and lines that move slowly at peak times, but many still say the wait is worth it for the quality. Several reviewers declare it among the best bagels in Montreal if not the world, often preferring it to competitors and NYC comparisons, while a few say the quality can vary and freshness fades later in the day. Overall, the reviews paint a picture of a beloved institution where fresh, warm bagels, classic toppings, and a straightforward takeout experience define the visit, and where the ritual and taste keep locals and visitors returning.
A staff member at the bagel-only shop across the street told me I could bring the bagels to the café & they would make them into sandwiches, so I bought four bagels.
However, when I went to the café, they said they couldn't do that & that I would need to order again if I wanted a sandwich.
If the staff member wasn't sure, they should have said so instead of giving incorrect information.
The café did offer to cut the bagels in half, but without toasting or cream cheese, it was very difficult to eat.
If you want a sandwich, just order directly at the café. Overall, my first experience was disappointing.
I drive from Toronto to Montreal for any reason, but first I go to Fairmont Montreal bagel shop fill two pockets of bagels. Start eating them hot. Then go there every day to get the hot & fresh bagels. When I leave Montreal my ritual is to go there again. Stay in the line up with all excited individuals. Get so many bagels as their varieties are amazing for my family & my relatives & friends in Toronto. That is my beloved bagel place! Thank you for being so good for all these years.
Mar 31, 2026
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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.
The NY Pretzel is just incredible but you are just an inconvenience to them.
The first time we asked for vegan cream cheese (my bad I thought it was a different shop that had it on their menu) & just got grunted at. Ok, that's on me for mixing it up.
Second time we just asked for the pretzels, in French & paid. No questions no requests just a straight forward ask, pay & out. Still just got grunted at.
So amazing bagels but I have no idea what it takes for them to be polite about it.
We were excited to try the hype of the Montréal Bagel, but we were unfortunately disappointed. The atmosphere immediately seemed tired & unfriendly, especially towards tourists. We had the salmon bonut & poppy bagel with cream cheese. The texture was more dense & the flavour sweet, but we expected fresh hot bagels as we could see them being made. However ours was cold & chewy. The toppings were hrs to eat being placed directly on top. There was no pricing displayed or instructions on how to order so we were forced to ask questions which was annoying for them. It was okay, I think they would be better warmed up at home with your own toppings. Not a bagel sandwich shop. Cash only or 5% foreign card fee.
Long wait, Bagels are not super fresh & warm like I had expected. They do not take credit cards & the staff are not super helpful at all. Overall, I was happy to have experienced it, I would shop here regularly if I lived in the are, a good business t open near here would be a cafe with toasters & tables to use to eat your bagel. The bagel was amazing though.
If you are used to NY bagels or in my case, Massachusetts bagels, you will find these very disappointing. Not even close to comparable to bagels served at our local Massachusetts bagel shop. I didn't try their competitor so it's quite possible these are the best that Montreal has to offer. Are they edible, yes? Are they great, sadly they are not. I had high expectations in the Montreal vs NYC bagel war & sadly, NYC wins hands down.
Very cool to see , the wood stove was really cool. We got the sesame & the everything bagels. The everything was really good & tasted differently than another bagel shop we were at,I liked the everything bagel better here. Wish there was a little spot to eat your food inside but it's a bakery & still worth getting!
They have a variety of flavours to choose from, & their bagels were so delicious & chewy! The only drawbacks are that the shop is so small & they accept only cash.
This isn't a cafe or place where you can eat; it's literally just a tiny bagel shop where you line up to get a bagel (& a spread) to eat somewhere else. We ate our onion bagels (the receipt said they were all dressed, but the sign we pointed to said onion) on the sidewalk outside. It's a nice little shop & a fine experience. That said, after having tried a couple different top-rated Montreal bagels, I think this style of bagel just isn't for me. The ones at Fairmount were a bit physically flat/dry &, in my opinion, lacked flavor. I found myself wishing they were saltier, which isn't something I usually feel about foods; adding butter helped, but only just barely.
If the line-ups don't assure you that this is a great place & a Montréal staple, then please read the following. I am not a bagel person (Type 1 diabetic) but these bagels are so delicious! When visiting family/friends, I ALWAYS get the special request to bring them Fairmount Bagels! Service is always efficient, & recently, I had Michael help me out. He surpassed my expectations! Thank you Michael!!!! Yes, counter service is basic BUT it is bilingual! As well, they multi-task to be sure to serve more than 1 client at once. Line-ups are crazy on weekends but Tuesday afternoon at 2pm & Wednesday morning at 10am was quick (dated July 16-17, 2024) ** FYI: they are open 24/7. ** Parking (street meters) can be a challenge but so far I've been lucky :-) Space is small & cramped, but this is part of the experience. I never leave without having a nice chat with someone, whether it be a local Quebécois or out-of-town tourists. As for anyone giving a 1-2 star bcuz of method of payment, your reviews are in bad taste & NOT genuine to the food/experience. Reviews are meant to be impartial/unbiased. Please be sure to have currency in the country your are visiting & stop giving bad reviews bcuz you're incompetent travelers (credit card payment means extra fees for merchants which, in turn, increase prices for everyone). This is a small shop offering quality bagels. It's not their job to be converting USD funds into CAD to benefit you. No doubt line-ups are long bcuz of tourists like C. VanderHart. Note: I reported your review bcuz it's not accurate. While waiting in line, I spoke to a local who told me he buys the prepackaged dozen bagels & freezes them, Every morning he microwaves them for 25 seconds & swears it tastes just as good as the fresh ones. Plus, they are less expensive. Thank you to that local man for the tip!!!
Another tasty bagel, personally found it a bit drier than St. Viateur & not as warm (prob just a timing thing) but the seasoning on the outside was delicious. Line moves pretty fast & the inside of the shop is cozy, you're just surrounded by shelves of bagels which is great haha. Suggest you bring cash!
This is the place to go for bagels in Montreal I was told. It didn't disappoint. Very busy place but exactly what I hoped it would be. Felt like I was in a bagel shop in New York.
I popped into this bagel shop to see what they had, & I ended up trying a bunch of different bagels. The blueberry & cranberry ones were my favorites-they were super fresh & delicious. The shop is tiny, so only a few people can line up inside at a time. The cashiers were really helpful & patient. Prices are fair, but finding parking around here is a bit of a challenge. The bagels were so good that I almost ate them all on my way home!
