Best Bakeries in Montreal: Croissants, Sourdough and Babka

The best bakeries in Montreal are spread across nearly every neighbourhood, and they bake in the French tradition alongside Jewish, Portuguese, Italian and Greek breads and sweets. Croissants make the fairest comparison, then sourdough, babka and custard tarts. Start with one neighbourhood, buy a single item at each shop and note what you ate.

What makes the best bakeries in Montreal?

A good Montreal bakery does a few things well. The bread has a crisp crust and an open crumb. The croissants are laminated, with layers you can see, and the pastries use real butter. The shop smells of baking when you walk in, and the trays turn over through the morning.

Montreal also has a habit of mixing styles. A single shop might sell a French croissant, a chocolate babka and a loaf of rye, and none of it will feel out of place.

Montreal croissants: where to compare

Croissants are the easiest way to compare bakeries, because every shop makes one. One bakery is often mentioned for a chocolate croissant that many rank among the city's best, as well as for an almond croissant, and another is known for croissants, pain au chocolat and a chocolate babka, and for flavoured twists such as a za'atar torsade. Neither was confirmed on an official page, so neither is named.

Eat the croissant plain and still warm if you can. Look at the layers, the colour and the weight in your hand.

Montreal sourdough: bread to take home

Sourdough has become a staple at the city's artisan bakeries. One bakery is described as prized for its sourdough loaves, and other neighbourhood bakeries bake rye, baguette and country loaves. Ask which loaves are baked that morning, and buy one for the day plus one for the freezer.

Slice sourdough and freeze it in bags. It toasts well straight from frozen.

Montreal viennoiserie: pastries beyond the croissant

Viennoiserie means the sweet, laminated baked goods of the French and Viennese tradition: croissants, pains aux raisins, brioches, chaussons and kouign-amann, a Breton cake with caramelized layers. A bakery named after the pastry comes up in comparisons, and another appears in local guides.

Pick two or three pastries and share them at a bench or in a park. It is the best way to compare.

Which Montreal pastry shops should you know?

Beyond the bakeries above, Montreal has pastry shops that specialize in French cakes, tarts and macarons, Portuguese custard tarts and Italian cannoli. The older neighbourhoods have family bakeries that have sold the same loaves for decades. Look for a line of regulars at opening time and a short menu.

Hours differ, and many bakeries close on Mondays or sell out early. Check before you go, especially on Sundays.

How to shop at a Montreal bakery

Arrive early for the best choice. Many bakeries run out of popular items by midday. Bring a tote bag, since paper bags can be flimsy, and carry some cash for small shops. If a bakery has a counter and a short line, order what you want in French or English; staff are used to both.

Ask if something is vegan or free of nuts, because labels are not always posted, and tell the person at the counter about any allergy before you order. Most bakers are glad to explain what goes into a loaf or a pastry, and many will point you to something simpler if you ask.

What are the Jewish, Portuguese and Italian bakeries of Montreal?

Montreal's bagel bakeries are the best known, but the same communities bake other things. Jewish bakeries make challah, rye bread and babka. Portuguese bakeries sell custard tarts (pasteis de nata) and crusty rolls, and Italian bakeries sell focaccia, pizza al taglio and cannoli. Greek and Lebanese bakeries add pita, spinach pies and honey pastries.

These shops are often family-run, with long-serving staff and a loyal following. Ask what the specialty is and take it warm if you can.

How should you plan a bakery crawl in Montreal?

Pick one neighbourhood and walk. Mile End, the Plateau, Griffintown, Verdun and the Plateau-adjacent areas each have several bakeries within a short distance. Start early, buy one thing at each, and carry a bag for bread. Share pastries with a friend, so you can try more.

Cafes next to bakeries are good places to rest. Order a coffee and a glass of water, and compare notes on what you tried.

What goes with bakery treats in Montreal?

Coffee is the obvious partner, and Montreal's cafes brew strong espresso and cafe au lait. A pastry and coffee at a counter is a classic morning. For a picnic, add cheese, fruit and charcuterie from a nearby market. Bread from a bakery is a good base for a sandwich.

Where should you go next?

For a weekend meal that includes pastries, read the brunch in Montreal guide and the Verdun restaurants guide. For orchards and ciders outside the city, see Quebec apple orchards. Every city is on the Canada guides page.

Every Montreal bakery has one thing it does better than the rest. The Mosey app lets you rate each croissant, loaf and babka by dish and keep a list of where to buy what.