Duelling bagel shops. Funky fashion. Shops specializing in everything from graphic novels to Quebec pottery. And possibly the most arcane parking rules in the Western Hemisphere.
The Church of St. Michael and St. Anthony is a distinctive landmark in Mile End. Photo by Laura Byrne Paquet.
I discovered all this and more on two recent trips to Mile End, a new-to-me neighbourhood in Montreal partway between the Jean Talon Market and downtown. I’m definitely a latecomer to this party:
- According to the ‘hood’s lengthy Wikipedia entry, Spin tagged it as an indie music hotbed as far back as 2005.
- Earlier this year, The Montreal Gazette profiled the area in a multimedia project and encouraged readers to vote for their favourite local spot. (The hands-down winner was Café Olimpico.)
- And Mordecai Richler, who grew up in the neighbourhood, immortalized it in novels like The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. Online, you can find several walking tours based on Richler’s childhood, including one by radio broadcaster Stan Asher and another created by The Gazette.
Well, better late than never, I say. And considering that the artsy neighbourhood is constantly evolving, anytime is the right time to discover the area.
I stumbled on it when I drove there to check out Drawn and Quarterly, a very cool bookstore that specializes in graphic novels.
However, driving was a mistake. Street parking is at a premium, and most of it is reserved for residents and delivery vehicles. Fair enough. Read the street signs very, very carefully before walking away from your vehicle; they’re more complicated than Captain Kirk’s made-up game of Fizzbin on the original Star Trek. (William Shatner is another former Mile End resident, by the way.)
Parking in Mile End is complicated, but you don’t need a car anyway. This is a neighbourhood made for walking, and the Metro is just a 15-minute stroll away. Photo by Laura Byrne Paquet.
I avoided parking in the neighbourhood on my second trip by parking in one of the plentiful lots around the Jean Talon Market and walking 20 minutes southeast to Mile End. The closest Metro stops are Mont-Royal and Laurier, each about a 15-minute walk from the heart of the ‘hood.
You won’t want to be bothered with a car anyway when you get to Mile End—there’s so much to discover in each block that you’ll want to be on foot. One of my favourites was Poème, a gorgeous clothing boutique on St. Laurent where owner Erin Herbert will keep bringing you clothes to try on—almost all of them created by Quebec designers—until you find something you can’t resist bringing home. (I scored a dress and a pair of black pants.)
Owner Erin Herbert gives visitors a cheery welcome at Poème. Photo by Jane Heller Photography.
I also loved Arterie, where new and vintage clothes are displayed with artistic flair.
New and vintage mix artfully at Arterie. Photo by Laura Byrne Paquet.
For kids, there are quirky stuffed dolls at Raplapla, and for arty types there is the aforementioned Quebec-made pottery at Poterie Manu Reva.
Choose from the stuffed dolls on the shelves at Raplapla or commission a custom-made one. Photo by Laura Byrne Paquet.
And don’t leave Mile End without delving into the rivalry between two landmark bagel shops, St. Viateur and Fairmount. I tried goodies from both and liked them both equally. (You think I’m going to take sides in a contest going back generations? Not me, mon ami.)
Bagels fresh from the wood-burning oven at St. Viateur Bagel. Photo by Laura Byrne Paquet.
Do you have a favourite stop in Mile End? Let me know in the comments!
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If you go
Distance from downtown Ottawa: 196km
Information: Tourism Montreal