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.
A must-visit for anyone looking to experience Montreal's iconic bagels. This small, stylish shop is well worth the trip-we enjoyed it so much we went out of our way to visit twice during our stay.
The bagels are excellent across the board, but the standout was the toasted rosemary & sea salt with butter-simple & incredibly flavourful. We also tried plain, sesame, & cinnamon raisin, & picked up extras to go. Even dining in felt thoughtful, with small touches like fresh fruit on the side.
Expect a lineup, especially before lunchtime, which speaks to its popularity. There's a separate, faster line if you're just grabbing bagels to go. Street parking can be limited, so plan accordingly.
Located on Mont-Royal Avenue, Montreal, this spot is walking distance from Ojeux-a nice bonus toy shop stop with Jellycats if you're exploring the area.
Overall, a classic Montreal experience-fresh, flavourful, wonderful staff & absolutely worth going out of your way to experience.
The BEST bagels in MTL! Great choice of sweet or savoury options. Very friendly staff. Small little place, so it gets very busy. Well worth the trip or any wait time. Best to go early. If you go closer to closing, (as we did on 2nd visit) they may be out of bagels (except in take out bags), & serving individual sandwiches on regular bread instead. You *want* the bagels! We loved both the cinnamon raisin, toasted, with strawberry cream cheese, & the lovely steak & caramelized onions on a sesame seed bagel. You get cantaloupe slices on the side, which is a nice touch. Very, very filling, & so good you'll want to come back for more!
While the bagel itself & customer service was good, I feel like I got robbed. 6$ to add bacon to a bagel. 6 DOLLARS! I'm sorry but that's insane. Don't think I'll be going back for this reason alone.
Mar 15, 2026
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Best bagels ever!!! I really regret not coming here once more when I could have. The bagel is so so delicious. I would love to come back. Best bagels in the city for sure
Un endroit qu'il faut vraiment découvrir & expérimenter.
L'organisation & la rapidité du service sont remarquables. La gestion est impeccable, même lorsque l'on attend dans la file à l'extérieur.
Le goût des bagels est exceptionnel, avec une grande variété de sandwichs.
Tout est à la fois nostalgique, délicieux & d'une fraîcheur parfaite.
Les bagels sont fabriqués devant nous & plutôt bons , mais je trouve que c'est un peu sur côté. Il y a souvent une file d'attente car peu de places assises à l'intérieu
Managed to sneak in before the rush on a Saturday morning. It's a busy place, but the staff is super helpful for pointing you in the right direction (one counter is for just bagels, the other is for sandwiches, coffee, etc). The bagels are completely worth the hype, & they make some great breakfast sandwiches too. Worth stopping by!
Mar 13, 2026
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They don't accept credit cards, only cash or canadian debit cards which is a bit dissapointing for such a touristy place. Not a lot of veggies options. Bagels were honestly overhyped, I guess it can depend on your taste but we found them very dense & not fluffy at all. The filling was good though.
