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.
Reviews describe St-Viateur Bagel as an iconic Montreal staple baked in a wood-fired oven, delivering warm, crisp-on-the-outside and chewy-on-the-inside bagels with rich flavor. The selection spans sesame, poppy, everything, and other classics, with many noting the pleasure of watching bagels bake right in front of customers. The experience is typically grab-and-go, with limited or no seating and cash-only payments at some locations, and lines that can be long but move quickly. Overall, the bagels are praised for freshness and quality, making St-Viateur Bagel a must-visit for both locals and visitors, often regarded as among the best in Montreal despite occasional notes of variability.
Phenomenal bagels! As one of the original Montreal-style bagel shops, St. Viateur Bagel & Cafe is a must-see for folks who enjoy a good bagel (or really any carb). The bagels are served piping hot & have the slightly sweet flavor so core to the Montreal-style bagel. They're quite a bit lighter & airier vs. the New York-style bagel, which I appreciate, & they're great with a sandwich, cream cheese, or just on their own. I tried their sesame bagel, & it was completely covered in sesame seeds. It's also really fun that you can see their whole operation from the cash register -- the kitchen is totally open, so you can see the staff mix the batter, shape the bagels, & pop them in the oven.
Un classique montréalais à ne pas manquer - mais attention au paiement !
Une véritable institution à Montréal ! On y vient pour ses bagels frais, cuits au feu de bois, avec une texture légère & une touche légèrement sucrée. La variété est toujours au rendez-vous : sésame, pavot, tout garni, cannelle-raisin… Le tout servi chaud, directement sortis du four.
Le lieu est simple, efficace, & l'ambiance typique du Mile-End ajoute au charme. C'est parfait pour une fringale à toute heure.
Point important : le magasin accepte uniquement l'argent comptant. Ce serait une bonne idée de l'indiquer clairement à la porte, plutôt que de l'apprendre une fois rendu à la caisse. Cette pratique surprend beaucoup de clients, surtout les visiteurs.
Le service est souvent rapide, mais peut parfois sembler sec ou expéditif, surtout quand il y a foule. Il faut y aller en sachant ce qu'on veut, & ça se passe bien.
En résumé : pour des bagels montréalais authentiques, c'est une excellente adresse. Mais pensez à avoir de l'argent comptant sur vous - ou à faire un détour par le guichet automatique.
Everybody has their favorite Bagel in Montreal. After tasting so many over the years, St-Viateur is consistently my personal favorite. Always love that nostalgic feeling walking in!
A must do while visiting Montreal. We tried the plain, sesame, onion & cinnamon raisin bagels. Would recommend buying cream cheese onsite to complement the bagels. Limited standing area to eat onsite & parking can be difficult.
Nice atmosphere.
It is obvious that the place has been touched by all this kind of publicity.
Tasted a) the plain, b) all seeds, c) poppyseed, d) onion. I tasted them as they were & with cheese-ham.
They were pretty nice.
Now.. comparing it with the NYC… tough call. But.. i think i will go with the NYC.
Nevertheless nice flavors, cut the too much social activity.
Best
Jun 11, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Spécialiste du bagel à toute heure je m'attendais à des produits frais. Or seul le bagel au sésames était frais & même encore chaud & donc tendre Par contre les autres spécialités (oignons, seigle ou pavot ) étaient là depuis je ne sais combien d'heures & juste mangeables aucune souplesse impossible à trancher sans un bon couteau & pas agréable du tout & ils ne font que des bagel natures & pas garnis & vendent la garniture à part dans un frigo & donc à vous de le confectionner.
Tasty bagels with a wide assortment of options to choose from. The staff are friendly & they're open late, bring cash with you. The sesame bagels & poppyseed bagels are really tasty, either on their own or paired with cream cheese. Eat them while they're warm, soft & fresh - best bagels in Montréal by a MILE!
Place is a tourist trap, my food was barely
Seasoned if at all.. I don't understand why people think this place is so great .. I've had better made bagels at many other places for cheaper.. I guess it was for experience.
They felt slightly sweeter & chewier than the Fairmount bagels I'd tried before, preferred them that way actually.
Got an all dressed & a sesame bagel, both were equally as good. Need to try the sweeter bagels now!
They only accept cash here so always good to come with some directly.
