montreal plaza

A Montreal street once known for its array of '80s-style prom dress shops, freaky mannequins and dilapidated buildings — which even a seemingly endless supply of dollar stores couldn't fill — has risen from the ashes to be named among the coolest streets in the world in 2024.

Following a $50-million cash injection from the city and two years of construction ending in 2020, Plaza Saint-Hubert has made Time Out Magazine's list of the 30 coolest streets in the world, which it released on March 13.

The 2-kilometre strip, the heart of which is bordered by rue de Bellechasse and rue Jean-Talon, has become an eclectic mix of its past charm. You'll still find sparkly wedding dresses, exotic dancewear and Le Roi du Smoked Meat but now they're intermingling with modern wine bars and trendy boutiques.

The strip's 400 businesses now sit alongside widened cobblestone sidewalks, new street furniture and a fresh awning in place of the iconic green-trimmed glass one — protecting pedestrians from rain and snow.

Time Out contributor Isa Tousignant, who referred to Plaza Saint-Hubert as a "Latin enclave and hipster hotspot," recommends taking a walk between contemporary gallery Art Mûr and inventive brunch joint Le Toasteur as well as exploring the area's thrift stores, independent book stores and local streetwear shop Pony before bowling at Quilles G Plus and catching a show at Ausgang Plaza.

In terms of bars and restaurants, she suggests popular Mexican spot Place Juárez, the "pillowy dumplings" at La Maison de Mademoiselle Dumplings, the pizza and clams from Marci and "bol with a side of Texas Ranch Water" from Spaghetti Western. She also praises Montreal Plaza, known for its higher-end creative fare. If you fancy a strong tropical beverage, the kitschy Snowbird Tiki Bar is her top pick.

If all that isn't reason enough to mark Plaza Saint-Hubert as a a cool destination on your list of cool things to do in Montreal, you should also remember to keep an eye out for some exciting developments that are in the works. For instance, the City of Montreal announced that the entire length of the plaza will be blocked off to traffic and transformed into a pedestrian street this summer.

Plaza Saint-Hubert was ranked number 27 on Time Out's list of cool streets. The number one coolest street was High Street in Melbourne, Australia. Other cool streets that made the cut include Commercial Drive in Vancouver, Hollywood Road in Hong Kong, East Eleventh in Austin and Guatemala Street in Buenos Aires.