Atwater Market guide: what to buy and eat by the Lachine Canal

Atwater Market is the other great public market in Montreal, and for many people in the southwest of the city it is the everyday one. It sits beside the Lachine Canal in a striking art deco hall, with butchers and specialty shops inside and farmers' stalls outside, and it is open all year. If you have already done Jean-Talon in the north, Atwater is the natural next market, and it is close enough to downtown to fit into a short visit.

Where is Atwater Market?

Atwater Market is in southwest Montreal, on Atwater Avenue at the edge of Saint-Henri, right beside the Lachine Canal. The closest metro station is Lionel-Groulx, where the Green and Orange lines meet, and it is a short walk from there. Several bus routes stop nearby, and the canal's bike path runs past the back of the market, so many people arrive by bike in the warmer months.

What is the history of Atwater Market?

The market opened in 1933. It was one of the public works built to create jobs and stimulate the city after the 1929 stock market crash, and its art deco building, designed by the architect Ludger Lemieux, is often counted among the most beautiful in the city. It takes its name from the avenue beside it, which honours Edwin Atwater, a nineteenth-century businessman and city councillor.

Is Atwater Market open all year?

Yes. The market is open in summer and in winter, but it changes shape with the seasons. Around the time of the first frost, walls go up around the outdoor stalls so that shopping can carry on sheltered from the cold. When the weather warms up in spring, the walls come down again and it becomes an open-air market. Opening hours are published by Montreal's public markets and change for holidays, so check before you go, particularly early in the morning or late in the day.

What should you buy at Atwater Market?

Atwater is known above all for meat. The main hall is lined with butchers selling everything from steaks and sausages to game, terrines and pâtés. Around them you will find:

What	What to look for
Butchers	Dry-aged beef, sausages, game, pâtés and terrines
Cheese	Two cheese shops with Quebec and imported cheeses
Fish	Fresh fish and seafood from a dedicated fishmonger
Bakery	Fresh bread and pastries
Produce	Seasonal fruit and vegetables from outdoor stalls
Flowers and plants	A big part of the spring market
Wine	Quebec and imported bottles from a wine shop on site

In spring, horticultural producers set up outside and the stalls overflow with flowers, herbs and seedlings. Through the summer and into autumn the outdoor stands fill with Quebec produce: strawberries in early summer, then corn, tomatoes, apples and squash as the season turns.

Can you eat at Atwater Market?

You can. In summer there is a ready-to-eat area with picnic tables and a large terrace looking over the Lachine Canal, which makes the market a good place for lunch rather than only for shopping. Many people also build their own picnic: bread, a wedge of Quebec cheese, some charcuterie and fruit from the stalls, eaten on the grass by the canal.

How do you make a day of it?

Atwater Market works well as the centre of a slow day in the southwest:

1. Arrive mid-morning and walk the outdoor stalls first, while produce is at its best.
2. Shop the hall for cheese, charcuterie and bread.
3. Picnic by the canal or use the market's terrace.
4. Walk or cycle along the Lachine Canal path in either direction.
5. Head into Saint-Henri in the evening, a neighbourhood with a strong restaurant scene of its own.

How is Atwater different from Jean-Talon Market?

Jean-Talon, in Little Italy, is the larger of the two and the bigger produce market, with a long run of farm stalls. Atwater is smaller and more compact, and it is particularly strong for butchers and meat. Many Montrealers simply use the one closer to home. If you have time for both, Jean-Talon is the place for a long wander through produce, and Atwater is the place to buy the best things for a dinner.

What should you know before visiting?

• Weekends are busiest, especially Saturday mornings in summer and autumn.
• Bring a cooler bag if you are buying meat or cheese to take back to a hotel.
• Ask for samples at cheese counters; staff are usually happy to help you choose.
• Bring cash for small farm stands, though most shops take cards.

On Mosey you can rate the places you ate at and the dishes you tried, with photos, and keep a list of market favourites to share with friends.

More guides to read next:

• How to check a Montreal restaurant's food safety record
• How to order in French at a Montreal restaurant: useful phrases
• Little Italy Montreal food guide: espresso, pizza and delis

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