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 is described as an iconic Montreal spot with a wood-fired oven that bakes bagels fresh in view, offering classics like sesame, poppy and plain alongside a wider range such as all dressed, cinnamon raisin, rosemary sea salt, whole wheat, blueberry and pumpernickel. Reviewers praise the fresh hot bagels with a chewy center and crisp crust, and many say the aroma and taste are outstanding, worth the wait though lines can be long. The shop operates as a grab-and-go with little or no seating and is cash only, with an on-site ATM and packaging that encourages taking them home. Service is fast and friendly in busy times, though a few notes mention occasional uneven quality or bagels that are drier on some visits. The experience is described as a Montreal ritual, a must-stop for visitors, with bagels often called among the best in the city and the chance to watch the bakers at work in front of you. Location near transit makes it easy to reach, and many customers buy a dozen or more to take away, while some reviews compare it to other local bagel spots and say preferences vary. Overall the sentiment celebrates fresh, hot bagels, a classic flavor profile, a steady crowd, and a strong sense of tradition that keeps people returning to St-Viateur Bagel when in town.
best bagels i've had by FARRRRRR. you have to try these. you can't go wrong with everything bagels i tried a few but they were sold out of onion 💔 so i just ended up getting everything, poppy seed, sesame, & rosemary salt? i think that's what it's called. if i had to say my least favourite was the rosemary salt. it was too dense. the everything bagels on the other hand. they were crispy & salty on the outside & warm & soft & slightly sweet on the inside. amazing. i have to try onion next time. but yeah im definitely okay with only ever having the everything. it was just too good. most of the cream cheese options were decent but the kiri cream cheese is the best. go home toast your everything bagel & get some kiri cream cheese & slice some cucumbers & it might be the best thing you've ever had. thank me later.
St-Viateur Bagel ( as La Maison du Bagel), founded in 1957, original shop is located in Montreal's Mile End neighborhood & is Montreal's longest-established bagel shop.
Bagels are a quintessential Jewish traditional food, their history deeply intertwined with the migrations of the Jewish people. Bagels originated in 17th-century Jewish communities in Poland. At that time, bagels were given as gifts to postpartum women, their circular shape symbolizing'life cycle' &'eternity.'
In the early 20th century, with the large-scale migration of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, bagels were brought to cities like New York & Montreal. St-Viateur Bagel was founded in 1957 by Myer Lewkowicz, a Polish Jewish Holocaust survivor. He had dreamed of having a loaf of bread while in a concentration camp, & after his rescue, he established the shop in Montreal, continuing the traditional wood-fired baking method.
The combination of bagels, cream cheese, & smoked salmon is a classic brunch setup for North American Jewish families.
Mar 15, 2026
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Never a disappointment here. Find a parking spot & you're good to go to enjoy the best bagels, no matter the the flavor. They have cream cheese for immediate bagel consumption.
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 🔮.
Quick take & go outfit. Went in the afternoon & no queue. Looks like several regulars will drop by to buy a dozen bagels & drive back off in their cars. Daily staple. Enjoyed the salmon cream cheese bagel for 12.50. Loved it!
Nov 13, 2025
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The bagels are really tasty & affordable. I did got onion, sesame & rosemary which some cream cheese (which you need to purchase extra). All of them tasted great, especially the ones being fresh out of the oven.
My second time to drop in & just grab a bagel, add some cream cheese & a slice of salmon, most amazing way to eat a piece of culture when in Montreal. Absolutely love this place. The staff are always friendly & the bagels are most likely the best in Canada. Want to see my food stories, head over to my YouTube channel Junk Food Japan & let's go ! Subscribe to become a TOMODACHI & support the community!
Interesting place. They only make bagels here. You can buy additional add ons like cream cheese, smoked salmon, etc & assemble it yourself. So judging the bagel by itself, not bad. I still prefer a New York City bagel. This place also is cash only.
Mar 23, 2025
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Best bagel in town, better, in my opinion, than the counterpart on Fairmount 😅 Fast & efficient, I'd recommend the classic sesame as they're fresher & authentic. All others are fresh but not out of the oven minutes ago. We'll priced. Don't need to splurge on cream cheese & other goods there, much more expensive than at any grocery store around the corne
Having only had NY style & other terrible knockoff bagels, I didn't have much in terms of expectation for Montreal style bagels, but woah...these bagels really blew my mind. Soft, doughy, warm...the rosemary & sea salt is my absolute favorite. St Viateur is cash only, & they only sell bagels & bagel fixings (& merch) - get your tea/coffee elsewhere! Getting a warm bagel here with an individual plain cream cheese made me happier than I can express.
The original St Viateur Bagel & a staple food in Montreal. I have been here several times & I never got tired of watching them make the fresh bagels, pulling them out of the wood fired oven, & eating them hot. Their "everything bagel" 🥯, plain bagels, cinnamon raisin bagels & actually all their bagels are to die for. They have other products you can pair your hot fresh bagels with, such as smoked salmon, cream cheese, fruity cream cheese & others I cannot recommend this place enough for your bagel cravings. Seriously, eat here.
May 9, 2024
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Amazing bagels, especially fresh out of the oven! This is only a bakery, but you can purchase fixings, i.e cream cheese & smoked salmon to make your own sandwiches at home. They do have a cafe location near Mont Royal where they will make sandwiches. It's unfortunate they choose not to tell us this when we visited. Ladies at the cashier were not kind & annoyed with our questions.
