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.
It felt like there was magic all over Montreal, Quebec.
I think it was my second day there when my friends wanted to try this bagel shop. When we arrived, we were stunned by how popular the place was - there were people from different provinces & even other countries who had come to visit. Everyone had the same chill, natural manner. Despite the cold & the long line, I noticed a vintage shop next door that added even more charm to the scene.
I have to say, everything related to Quebec seems so stylish & unique.
Finally, we got inside the store. Newspapers & photo memos were pinned to the wall like butterfly wings. The staff moved around constantly, almost like they were part of a well-rehearsed dance. That's when I realized this place only sold bagels, & you could choose your own toppings or sauces to make them yourself 😋 - a truly authentic experience. We ordered every kind of bagel to try, along with some root beer. Of course, we couldn't finish it all.
I have to admit, they offered more variety here than any other bagel shop I've been to. However, only the most popular bagel was served warm - the rest were cold & hard. The garlic & herb cream cheese was okay, but not great.
Still, I'd say this was more of an experience - almost a social experiment for me.
The parking situation was an impossible mission. We drove for almost an hour trying to find a spot - but there were none. In the end, we took a chance & parked in front of an apartment building 🫢. By the way, there was a lot of snow on the streets at the time, & the shop was in an ethnic neighborhood. It almost felt like being in another world 🔮.
Cash only! ATM on site that charges about $4 in fees. They help people really fast & the line moves fast! I got a variety of bagels & they were patient & courteous helping me out.
I've gone here for years to st Viateur & mont royal but when I get home the bagels are always burned despite me asking politely for unburned ones, they could care less, - Bye!
When we're ever in Montreal, we have to make a stop for St. Viateur Bagels! The shop sits along the 80 Avenue du Parc North bus line & is just a minute from the bus stop, making it easy to reach by public transit. It operates as a grab-&-go storefront with no seating. If you don't have cash, an ATM is located near the entrance. Our friends & family love St. Viateur Bagels & can't wait to come back again to make a large pick up when we are ever in the area!
Their bagel selection sticks to the basics & expands into a broader range, including the classic Sesame, Poppy, & Plain, alongside more varied options like All Dressed, Cinnamon & Raisin, Rosemary & Sea Salt, Whole Wheat, Blueberry, & Pumpernickel. The pricing is available per single, half dozen, or full dozen, which helps us plan quantities for take-home consumption. Their bagels are constantly made fresh, & the store can get really busy, being so popular with long lines at different times throughout the day.
The store also offers merchandise such as t-shirts, tote bags, bagel chips, oils, all-dressed seasoning, pucks, & mugs, as well as refrigerated items like spreads & dairy products. The packaging provided for bagels is a brown paper bag, but they offer plastic bags for storage afterwards. The staff suggests slicing the bagels in half before freezing to preserve freshness. Lastly, make sure to bring a bag to carry it all home!
Difficult to argue on the famous bagels from Montreal. They are the best, & Saint-Viateur with such a long history rarely disappoints.
I obsessively choose poppyseeds all the time. Great service & you can watch that oven & workers while you select your bagels, but take too much time the line builds up all the time.
I've long been a defender of Fairmount Bagel. Today - after 30+ years of loyalty - I finally gave St-Viateur a shot again (mostly to make my beloved mom happy). We've gotta stay open to change, right?
Turns out I still prefer Fairmount from every angle: the service, the shop is cuter, & even the packaging is better-the bag isn't comically oversized for just six bagels.
& most importantly: the bagels themselves. In my experience, Fairmount is simply more consistent. At St-Viateur, some bagels were noticeably more golden than others, & the ones I tried were less chewy & a bit drier than Fairmount (I sampled both the least & most golden).
All due respect to St-Viateur - thank you for keeping the rivalry alive. Montréal wouldn't be the same if we all agreed. :)
I visited St-Viateur Bagels on New Year's Day, & despite all the history & hype, my experience was a bit underwhelming. The bagels were fresh & tasty but on the harder side rather than soft. They also lacked consistency-one side of the bagel was thin while the other was thick, which made me feel that having so many hands involved in making these bagels affected the quality. Overall, the bagels seemed uneven, & I've had better elsewhere in the city. On top of that, they only accept cash; even though there's an ATM on-site, it was still inconvenient.
