Stash Café serves traditional Polish cuisine within an interior defined by exposed brick walls, dark wood accents, and an intimate, rustic atmosphere. The kitchen specializes in authentic staples such as handcrafted pierogi filled with various savory stuffings, hearty cabbage rolls, and rich, vinegar-forward borscht. These dishes emphasize robust flavors and traditional preparation methods that mirror historical Eastern European culinary practices. The menu features an array of sausages and comfort-focused platters designed to provide a substantial experience for those seeking classic regional fare. Patrons occupy tables set amidst a collection of vintage decor elements that contribute to a distinct, storied setting. Every plate reflects a commitment to preserving the integrity of Polish recipes through careful sourcing and preparation, ensuring that each component contributes to the overall cohesion of the meal.
Stash Café is widely celebrated as a premier destination in Old Montreal, offering a warm and authentic Polish dining experience that many guests describe as a comforting home away from home. Visitors frequently praise the hearty, flavourful cuisine, with highlights such as the pierogies, schnitzel, cabbage rolls, and the signature dill pickle soup. The restaurant creates a unique and inviting atmosphere, largely defined by its charming decor, cozy setting, and the presence of a talented live pianist. While the popularity of the location often leads to a busy environment and occasional service delays, the staff are consistently noted for being welcoming, knowledgeable, and attentive. Guests strongly recommend making reservations in advance to secure a table, and many agree that the combination of high-quality food, reasonable pricing, and an enchanting musical backdrop makes for an unforgettable culinary experience worth repeating.
I enjoyed visiting Stash Cafe since few years back. I always crave for their cobbler dessert & black coffee, especially.
However, about a week ago, I went to the restaurant with my husband again & we were somehow disappointed. It was on Saturday & the restaurant around 3-4pm was about 80% full. The service was slow, in terms of taking order, serving food & drinks. &, we had to remind the waiter of the hot coffee, because he forgot our order.
As usual for each visit, I ordered apple & peach cobblers. Sadly to say, the dessert was not nice. I kept quiet after taking it & when my husband tried one bite & he looked at me with his eyes opened big. We were like why the quality dropped that far down. Luckily we had a good Polish crepe dessert & the black coffee was still as nice as before.
It used to be when someone asked me which restaurant is worth visiting in Montreal, I would recommend Stash Cafe. But if I was asked again, I probably would not say the same. Stash Cafe has been unique to me but I do expect good quality for both food & service.
Still remember vividly during our second visit, other than tipping usual, we still tip one particular waiter separately & generously. Imagine that level of service!
While it is understood that when a restaurant is busy, slower service can be expected but I do think that it just can't be very slow & not that professional.
My husband & I went with our two daughters, 18 & 13. Our kids were OK with it, but hubby & I loved it. We went on a Friday night & realized reservations were the norm AFTER we arrived, but the staff was great about finding a spot for us at the bar, giving us a unique perspective of the restaurant. While waiting, we were next to the pianist, who seemed to enjoy our singing along to some tunes. The menu offers regular & prix fixe items... we found prix fixe was the better deal, as for the same price as an entree & soup individually, you could also get dessert. However, only three entrees were available via prix fixe. The dill pickle soup was outstanding. Between us, we had krioket, bigos, peirogis, latkes, & veal schnitzel-- all great. Cocktails were good too-- especially the bloody polak. Live music continued throughout the meal. The ambiance was cool with church pews acting as much of the seating & red fabric lamps.
The fixed menu was fantastic especially for the price (which was very fair relative to other places in old Montreal). I don't have much experience with Polish food, but I thought the soup complemented the mains quite well, especially because most of the main dishes are very hearty/comfort food oriented. For dessert, I was impressed by the sweet cream though the apple cobbler wasn't that remarkable.
The restaurant has a great location, a very cozy atmosphere, & quality live piano which is not too loud or overbearing. Service was good as well, & I would definitely come back.
Jun 28, 2026
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First visit to Stash, can't wait to go again! Superb, delicious, authentic Polish food. We had krokiety, potato pancake, beetroot salad, pierogies, bigos & schnitzel followed by peach cobbler for dessert. Wonderful! Wine & mixed drink selection is good. Pleasant atmosphere & service was excellent.
This has to be my favourite meal I've had in my 8 months of living in Montreal. Stash Cafe had been on my bucket list for months, but due to the busy schedule & shallow pockets of a student like myself, I had to put off making the trip to Old Montreal for a while.
First of all, the restaurant itself is gorgeous. The ambiance is perfect with the soft piano & all the wonderful art to admire.
The beef pierogis were so flavourful & paired perfectly with the peppery sauerkraut & sour cream. Exactly what I needed today after finals. I tried both desserts, & while I felt the apple cobbler was a bit lacking (too much crust/not enough apples, & I felt like it should have been served warm instead of cold), the sweet cheese crepe was life changing. I could have drank a bucket of the raspberry coulis mixed with the sweet cream.
Our server was very friendly, the food came extremely fast after ordering, & the meal wasn't even that expensive! Two main courses & 2 desserts for $56 is extremely reasonable for this level of quality & deliciousness. I'll be returning the first chance I get after summer break!
Stopped here for lunch & was blown away. The prix fixe menu was amazing value - would highly recommend. The food was all hearty & delicious - as one would expect. The dill pickle soup was a fun surprise & the menu debutant & stroganoff were both top notch picks. My highlight was dessert - the peach crumble with fresh cream was absolutely amazing.
The real special thing here is the ambiance though. The dim lights, wooden benches, & the pianist playing really elevated the experience. Everyone moving through the space was absolutely struck by how great it was. Make sure to bring some cash to tip them!
Nous sommes allés au Stash Café pour célébrer un anniversaire. L'ambiance est vraiment superbe, avec un pianiste qui joue extrêmement bien & apporte une touche chaleureuse & intimiste que nous avons beaucoup appréciée.
Côté cuisine, les plats sont bons & il y a pas mal de choix pour tous les goûts. Nous avons commencé avec une soupe à la betterave, puis pris en plat le'débutant', qui permet de goûter à un panaché de spécialités, une très bonne idée pour découvrir plusieurs saveurs en une seule assiette. & pour finir, une crêpe polonaise juste incroyablement bonne.
Petit plus très apprécié : si vous le mentionnez, ils ajoutent une bougie sur le dessert de la personne qui fête son anniversaire, & le pianiste joue la chanson, un moment vraiment spécial !
Nous avons adoré l'ambiance intime & l'expérience globale. Nous recommandons vivement 👍
Delicious Polish food. Had the pierogis & kielbasa & both were excellent. The apple cobbler dessert was also very nice! They have a solid cocktail list as well!
Delicious Polish food. Had the pierogis & kielbasa & both were excellent. The apple cobbler dessert was also very nice! They have a solid cocktail list as well!
Great place for lunch with live music. We had a great time. Each of the dishes were very flavorful & cooked to perfection. I really enjoyed the dessert crepe with cheese filling served with fresh & tangy raspberry coulie & creamy vanilla sauce
