Since 1957, St-Viateur Bagel has been a central part of the culture and daily life of Montreal. Its legendary landmark bagel shop operates 24/7 and sells over 1,000 dozen bagels a day. St-Viateur Bagel was founded by Myer Lewkowicz who brought his now famous recipe from Eastern Europe. The art of bagel making means hand rolling each one and baking them in a wood-burning oven. The current owner, Joe Morena, with over 45 years of experience in the bagel business, ensures that the traditions at St-Viateur Bagel continue to be respected. Over half a century, this family business has grown to include 4 bakeries and 2 Bagel Cafés in Montreal. Come and visit us soon or order online today. St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal is located in the bustling "Plateau". The avenue is lined with trendy cafés, restaurants and specialty food stores, which contribute to the district's European flair. The café menu offers a number of bagel sandwiches, salads, and a wide variety of specialty coffees.
St-Viateur Bagel & Café is widely praised for fresh, Montreal-style bagels that are warm and chewy with a crisp exterior, often served with simple, flavorful toppings and a range of bagel sandwiches made on site from a wood-fired oven. Reviewers note the quality ingredients and favorites like sesame, poppy, rosemary and sea salt, with classics such as smoked salmon on sesame and egg or bacon bagels. The atmosphere is cozy and bustling, with friendly, efficient staff and quick service despite long lines that move steadily; seating can be limited and the space feels tight, and payment is usually cash only or Canadian debit, with international cards not always accepted. Overall sentiment frames the place as an iconic Montreal institution that often meets or exceeds expectations and is considered worth the wait and hype, though a few find it pricey or not as exceptional as expected. The takeaway is that this spot remains a must-visit for bagel lovers and visitors to Montreal, offering a memorable, hands-on bagel experience with strong flavors and a distinct local character.
I'm here to settle the long-standing debate: Fairmount Bagel vs. St-Viateur Bagel.
As someone who especially enjoys bagels as sandwiches, St-Viateur takes the win for me. The bagels are fresh, flavorful, & have the perfect texture-slightly crisp on the outside while still soft & chewy inside.
The prices are very reasonable, the service is fast, & the portions are surprisingly filling, making it a great spot for a satisfying meal without breaking the bank.
We tried both the Traditional & Le Steak, served on their all-dressed bagel, & both were absolutely delicious. The combination of the fresh bagel with the sandwich fillings worked perfectly & really showcased why this place is so popular.
This is definitely a spot I'll come back to every time I visit Montreal.
Recommended items: Traditional, Le Steak (on all-dressed bagel)
L'institution tient bien sa réputation. Car quel que soit le bagel choisi (& il y en a pas mal) la garniture passe au deuxième plan & on se règale surtout de ces petits pains utrafrais. Gros débit, attente à l'avenant, mais tout reste juste. Recommandé
Mar 23, 2026
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Great bagels & super friendly staffs! They really try to keep the line moving for dine-in, & tables get cleaned quickly. Highly recommend Le Joe Bagel.
One thing to note though: they only take cash or debit cards.
We really enjoy the variety of beagles, the foods are prepared at the moment, they have a lot of quality & flavor, the attention of all-personal is excellent. We highly recommend living the experience of a traditional place. Congratulations & thanks.
Very Delicious bagel. Not hard, moderate chewy & very fresh. I visit the store in the morning, long line, but staff were very efficient & were very kind. I highly recommend to visit & I would visit again if I have a chance.
Feb 21, 2026
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Absolutely loved my experience here! The bagels are what breakfast dreams are made of - fresh, soft bread that's clearly made with care. But what really elevated it was the cheese spread - it perfectly complemented the bagel's flavor without overpowering it. You can tell they pay attention to quality ingredients & flavor balance. This is definitely my new go-to spot for bagels. Highly recommend giving them a try!
Visited as a tourist & had a wonderful experience. There was a wait which is unavoidable because this place is very popular, but even during the wait the staff kept people moving & informed. Excellent customer service, the best I've had in a while! I came with lots of family & a toddler & staff were so friendly & accommodating to a family. They even had a change table! The bagels were very tasty! I see why this place is so highly recommended.
Dec 26, 2025
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Solid spot that's is worth trying. My brother & I came here in August & we had the traditional bagel sandwich (smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers) & it tasted pretty good, everything paired really well together. The service was mixed; we had one particularly rude employee get annoyed since we misunderstood the'bagel vs sandwich line' but the others were fine. Overall atmosphere isn't anything incredibly special but it's a decent interior & the exterior has a nice patio. For someone who wants to check off the bucket list Montreal bagels, I would definitely recommend going here.
Cash only at this location. Is it the best bagel on the world? It's hard to argue that point. Warm out of the oven with crispy outside, tender inside with great flavor in both toppings & bread. Highly recommend these to any lover of bagels even those from New York.
We visited as part of a food tour while in Montreal. These bagels (unique to Montreal) are worth every penny & are absolutely a treat to have while visiting!
They are all handmade (10,000 a day) & if you can get one hot out of the oven - even better! The speed at which they can make them is pretty incredible & worth a visit just to watch! This is cash only so keep that in mind when you come looking to purchase.
I was here on Saturday noon, & there was a long line reaching in front of BMO. This is the line for both dine it & take out. Then at the door they separate you into left or right; left for sandwiches & right for take out/buying bags. By the way I waited 45 minutes before I got to the cashier.
The cashier recommended traditional on sesame bagel $14. I searched previous reviews for anyone who's tried Courage Bagels in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, but no one seemed to have mentioned them. I absolutely LOVE Courage Bagels, so I was really excited to try Montreal-style bagels here. My hot take is the salmon lox at Courage tastes better than the traditional one at St Viateur. My reason is Courage Bagel uses a lot more seasoning, especially on the salmon. The salmon here is like barely salty, but it is very soft. The bagel itself is wonderful. (The line at Courage is atrocious.)
The other bagel I got to try is the smoked meat bagel on all-dressed bagel $14. This was one great with the mustard, but I added a bit of extra cream cheese from the salmon bagel, & it tasted even better! If I were to get it again, I would ask for cream cheese on this one.
Servers are nice & spoke English & French.
Indoor & outdoor seating available
Bathroom available
No wifi
CASH ONLY
Aug 11, 2025
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This place is amazing because of the bagels they really are the best in the city hence the constant line up around the block. But due to the line up the ambiance definitely takes a bit of a hit. Though they never rushed us & we never felt crowded in the venue seeing the line outside the door just really made the place feel a little like I was in a crowded subway. So recommend the food but dont expect to have too much of a conversation with out feeling rushed or distracted. But REGARDLESS definitely worth a visit.
Not a big bagel guy but came in with an open mind & both my wife & I were supper happy with the service & flavour of the bagels we chose. Staff was knowledgeable & guided us through the order based off our taste buds & we were definitely satisfied. Recommended if visiting Montreal!
PHENOMENAL BAGELS! The smoked meat & the Joe bagel were amazing! The atmosphere is POPPING despite the small space & staff super friendly! Would recommend, went twice on my trip!
