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.
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. :)
Feb 6, 2026
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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.
Jan 23, 2026
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The bagels are great. I love that there's many flavours & types - & that you see them made in front of you.
However:
1 - There needs to be more than 1 counter. You guys need at least 2-3. It's not normal that there's a line of people waiting with no place to sit down.
2 - We need to be able to pay with our cards.
In fact, you should even have a system to order online, pay, & get people to pick them up instantly. This way, no one would have to wait in line on a sunny afternoon.
Absolutely delicious bagels! Light, fluffy with a crunch, a mild sweetness which invokes a deep flavorful beady flavor - like standing in a wheat field.
Competes with NYC bagels - arguably one of the best I've ever eaten… (as a New Yorker, from Brooklyn… shhh they're gonna get mad at me.)
