11 Amazing Montreal Brunch Spots That Won't Empty Your Wallet
Because brunch shouldn't break the budget.
A breakfast spread from Resto Meson. Right: The classic brunch plate at Arthur's Nosh Bar.
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the perfect Montreal brunch must be a very close second. It's just like breakfast, but you're allowed — nay, encouraged — to drink as many mimosas as is physically safe for your body.
But brunch can get pricey fast, especially if you're in the mood for something truly memorable. Thankfully, Montreal has plenty of lower-cost, higher-quality brunch places for your crew of budget-savvy besties.
To make it onto this list, each restaurant has to be affordable enough for you to get BOTH a great meal and a nice drink. We can't be making you choose between an Irish coffee and an eggs bennie. It's simply not done.
Each restaurant is listed with an average price — that's the cost of a mid-range entree plus a randomly selected delicious beverage. It's approximate, and your mileage may vary. Let's get into it.
Meson
Price: $24
Where: 345, rue Villeray
Why You Should Go: Meson offers a range of breakfast entrees, including a loaded French toast and all-dressed patatas bravas. If you want a slightly more adventurous mid-morning wakeup, they also offer a Galician-style chopped octopus with poached eggs. All this, for less than $30 before tax.
Orange Café
Price: $25
Where: 4011, boul. Decarie
Why You Should Go: This reasonably priced local favourite (on a part of boul. Decarie in NDG where there isn't a visible freeway) is known for big portions and lots of options, all around $20 per plate. Add a drink and you're cooking with gas! Try their wide range of omelettes or opt for a breakfast special, either way, you're going home full and happy.
Le Vieux St-Laurent
Price: $24
Where: 3993, blvd St Laurent
Why You Should Go: This popular breakfast resto offers a lot of variety, which is a godsend for some and a hellish gauntlet of choices for me. Getting a full plate of bacon, eggs, home fries and a side plus a house smoothie won't even break $25.
Tula
Price: $21
Where: 5258, boul. St Laurent
Why You Should Go: From 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., this Indian restaurant serves a Thali brunch to die for. Priced extremely reasonably at around $15 a plate, Tula offers classic idlis, omelettes and more, most of which come with a side of jeera aloo (cumin potatoes) you won't want to miss.
Le Café Bloom
Price: $18.75
Where: 1940, rue Centre
Why You Should Go: From a Japanese tofu and rice bowl to an eggy spinach concoction, this brunch spot has a more limited menu that doesn't compromise on quality. If you want a merguez breakfast sandwich and a nice 11 a.m. cider, you're at the right place.
Arthur's
Price: $25
Where: 4621, rue Notre Dame Ouest
Why You Should Go: Another high-quality spot with a relatively brief menu, Arthur's offers breakfast foods with Levantine flair, including an $18 latke special with a poached egg and salmon. Within the range of cheap brunches, it's more of a splurge, but it's popular for a reason!
Universel
Price: $29
Where: 359, rue Saint-Catherine Ouest; 2055, rue Peel
Why You Should Go: With a massive menu and an equally large interior, this restaurant is a great spot for bigger groups. Universel serves a wide range of eggs benedict, waffles, omelettes and breakfast sandwiches — and the alcohol options aren't too shabby, either.
Wolf and Workman
Price: $30
Where: 139, rue Saint-Paul Ouest
Why You Should Go: A pricier spot on this list, relatively speaking, Wolf and Workman is known for its brunch options, which include blueberry and bacon pancakes and a full English breakfast. Add on a cocktail and the price increases, but not over our limit, if you're a little crafty — and sources say it's worth the splurge.
Café Régine
Price: $27
Where: 1840, rue Beaubien Est
Why You Should Go: Another city-wide favourite, Café Régine offers meals for meat lovers and vegetarians alike. Their sweet options, including their strawberry-topped brioche French toast and a smaller waffle with fruits, look as appetizing as their slightly wider range of savoury meals. If you like cheesy croissant sandwiches or mushroomy poached eggs, this is the place for you.
Café Gentile
Price: $30
Where: 4126, rue Ste-Catherine Ouest
Why You Should Go: This Italian breakfast resto has both beautiful plates and lovely cocktails, the perfect brunch combination! Some of the mains ramp up in price, but on the cheaper side, there is a baked Italian omelette loaded with veggies and cheeses and a gourmet breakfast sandwich with truffle scrambled eggs (!!). Gentile is on the thin edge between affordable and high-end, and it's worth a visit to see what life might be like on the other side.
Brasserie 701
Price: $29
Where: 701, Côte de la Place d'Armes
Why You Should Go: This egg-heavy menu offers all the classics, plus some pricey foie gras French toast (??) and a more reasonably priced chicken and waffles. If you're ready to spend a little extra, there's an open mimosa bar for $29 per person. It may be against the spirit of this list, but it is absolutely in the spirit of a fabulous brunch with the girlies. Only you can say what matters more.
- 8 Unmissable Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Brunch Spots In Montreal ›
- This Dog-Friendly Café In Montreal Lets Your Whole Family Brunch, Lunch And Dine Together ›
- 12 Brunch Spots In Montreal That Take Reservations So You Can Skip The Ridiculous Lines ›
- 16 Cheap And Amazing Montreal Meals For $10 Or Less - MTL Blog ›
- These 8 Montreal Brunch Restaurants Ranked Among The Most Popular In Canada - MTL Blog ›