St-Viateur Bagel

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 and is just a minute from the bus stop, making it easy to reach by public transit. It operates as a grab-and-go storefront with no seating. If you don’t have cash, an ATM is located near the entrance. Our friends and family love St. Viateur Bagels and 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 and expands into a broader range, including the classic Sesame, Poppy, and Plain, alongside more varied options like All Dressed, Cinnamon & Raisin, Rosemary & Sea Salt, Whole Wheat, Blueberry, and 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, and 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, and mugs, as well as refrigerated items like spreads and 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!

St-Viateur Bagel ( as La Maison du Bagel), founded in 1957, original shop is located in Montreal's Mile End neighborhood and 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" and "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 and 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, and after his rescue, he established the shop in Montreal, continuing the traditional wood-fired baking method. The combination of bagels, cream cheese, and smoked salmon is a classic brunch setup for North American Jewish families.

St-Viateur Bagel is a great place to enjoy authentic Montreal bagels at a good price. The bagels themselves are very good—fresh, flavorful, and exactly what you expect from such an iconic spot. One interesting aspect is how the toppings work. They give you the bagel, and then you choose and buy whatever you want to put on it from the refrigerators next to the counter. You assemble it yourself. This setup has both pros and cons: it gives you flexibility and choice, but it may not be ideal if you’re looking for a fully prepared bagel sandwich. I also liked that they have a wide selection of souvenirs, which makes the visit more fun, especially for tourists. On top of that, the service was friendly and efficient. Overall, it’s a classic Montreal experience with good bagels, fair prices, and a unique self-serve style that many people will enjoy.

I visited St-Viateur Bagels on New Year’s Day, and despite all the history and hype, my experience was a bit underwhelming. The bagels were fresh and 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, and 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.

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.)

Quick take and go outfit. Went in the afternoon and no queue. Looks like several regulars will drop by to buy a dozen bagels and drive back off in their cars. Daily staple. Enjoyed the salmon cream cheese bagel for 12.50. Loved it!

Was coming to a hockey game from America and wanted to try out the famous bagel store here. The bagels were very good and freshly made. The employees were friendly and spoke English. Parking was difficult to find and the business is cash only which made it very hard for exchanging American money somewhere beforehand. Bagels were fresh though and doughy, enjoyed the variety we purchased.

Sweet baby Jesus these are good bagels. They said sesame was their most popular, I vote the everything. It was amazing. I don’t know how they make it so all the goodies don’t fall off the bagels. One tip I didn’t know, that my wife should’ve relayed, as she did the research for this place is that it’s only cash, though they do have an atm in the shop. We also took advantage of the coffee shop two doors down that was pretty good too!