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.
You can only buy the bagels here, & you have to get the cream cheese on the side. They sell individual packets or tubs of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. The bagels are a bit tough, & they only accept cash (CAD & USD) & Canadian debit.
I have been coming around 6:30am for a couple of days & unfortunately the fresh bagel selections are sparse (usually only one or two types are hot out of the oven). For morning risers who want a fresh bagel, you probably need to come a little later in the day! Staff are very helpful & friendly though. I needed change to buy bus tickets & they gladly exchanged some coins for me.
Jun 27, 2025
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One of our very top picks for bagels in montreal, our favorite always flip flops between the two most popular! This was the first time today that we got in & out with no lineup! However on the way out they were already 10 people behind us! Can't wait to devour another dozen of our favorite Fairmont bagels!
Not sure what the fuss is about. We had a brief line up to try a couple of bagels. We set our expectations to Montreal standards & were pretty disappointed. Glad we only bought a small amount.
Jun 10, 2025
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The best bagel I've had in my life! There was a short line but it moved fairly quickly. Best way to enjoy is to pick them up & head to a nearby park to savour it! The sesame bagel & garlic bagel were the highlight. So fresh & worth the visit! Will definitely be back when I visit Montreal again!
Le bagel au sesame était ok mais nous avons pris en plus un bagel sucré & voilà la taille. Est ce normal ou bien c'est spécialement pour les touristes ? Sans intérêt & très décevant…
I'm usually more of an all-dressed bagel enthusiast, but the sesame bagel really has the upper edge here. The all-dressed bagel is fairly strong in garlic & cumin, so I wouldn't suggest having it with a lighter topping like I did (salmon & cream cheese), but leave that to the sesame bagel instead.
I made the mistake of coming here straight after a run (with only my Revolut on my phone) - they don't accept Mastercard so I had to come back a second time.
Definitely worth trying while in Montreal!
Jun 3, 2025
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Take about 10 clients to make the place looking full. Fast service. Best quality bagel in town 👌. Ask for the warmest & take some cream cheese for a nice evening walk.
Always the best sesame bagels in the city… St viateur is good too but these ones seem to always last longer.
Try a pretzel too & the blueberry bagel. Can't go wrong !
May 25, 2025
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Been going there for the last decade whenever I visit Montreal. The quality & service have always been great. Unfortunately, this time the service was sloppy. I bought 6 dozens of bagels. After bagging these bagels, I noticed I wasn't given plastic bags so I let the cashier know. She told me the plastic bags were already in the paper bags but decided to give me a couple more. I thanked her & left. Upon returning home, I realized she never initially placed any plastic bags. Even with the couple she provided, I was still 5 bags short. I had to bag them in some Ziploc bags & give them to my family friends. Not a huge deal but simply disappointed with the sloppy service especially I did my due diligence to remind her.
J'ai testé & j'ai comparé.. par rapport à son célèbre challenger seul bémol pas de consommation sur place mais un choix très varié.
Je préfère cet endroit
The place is a bakery specialized in bagels. Compared with the ones in New York, these are a bit thinner than that & the hole is larger. We have the one with garlic & classic with sesame. It was nice, nothing wrong on that, proce around $2 each. It was good.
However, they accept only cash or just Canadian cards. No sign of this at the entrance.
The lady who served us today was quite unpleasant: no smile, no customer service, didn't say thank you, seems like that we were disturbing her. I don't know, maybe she had a bad day, but from an iconic place that is marked a'must visit' in Montreal, i'm expecting something.
