A guide to local favorites in the Plateau

Plateau thoroughfares crisscross, according to the compass, northwest-southeast (or “Montreal north-south” — you’ll find that locals give directions that rotate the city grid east). But try cutting “west” on this cobblestone street, from Saint-Hubert or Saint-Denis streets to the foot of Mont-Royal. Food options abound, including the famous gourmet Québécois restaurant Au Pied de Cochon (mapped below), and many of them are BYOB. Pick up a bottle of wine on the way.

It’s worth having breakfast or lunch at this tiny, long-standing spot, which offers an odd but delicious mix of crepes, omelets, smoothies and its famous Portuguese chicken sandwiches. There are vegan options, and almost everything is under $10 Canadian. (Students, predictably, are passionate about this place.)

This beloved bar hasn’t changed through the Plateau’s ups and downs, and many of the customers have been coming for decades. The staff is warm, the decor colorful and the playlist fun and unpretentious. Most customers end up wishing they lived around the corner.

Residents of certain streets love reminiscing about running into Leonard Cohen at the local bagel shop or corner store. Born in Montreal, the musical legend loyally returned all his life and owned a small home facing the Parc du Portugal. When Cohen died in 2016, Montrealers kept vigil by his house for days. There’s no public memorial there now, but the little plaza is easy to appreciate.

This wine and cocktail lounge is a relatively new addition to the neighborhood, a modern take on the Old World atmosphere of the Main. It has oysters and small plates and a cozy but stylish vibe.

Each wave of the local music scene plays out, at some point, on a block of Saint-Laurent between Villeneuve and Saint-Joseph — small cafe-bar-venue Casa del Popolo is across the street from another performance hall called La Sala Rossa. Arcade Fire, Stars and Godspeed You! Black Emperor may not be playing in either spot these days, but you can catch a newer artist or just enjoy a drink.

Schwartz’s smoked meat is right across the street, which means you can brave that wait with some homemade ice cream from Ripples. This shop, which is all of six feet wide, shuts down for about eight months of the year. While it lasts, though, its chocolate raspberry truffle is a must.