Montreal bagels: what makes them different and where to get them

Montreal takes its bagels personally. The city's style is distinctive, its two most famous bakeries have been rivals for decades, and the question "Saint-Viateur or Fairmount?" can start a long argument. Here is everything you need to know before you join it.

What is a Montreal bagel?

A Montreal bagel is smaller, denser and slightly sweeter than a New York bagel, with a bigger hole. The dough is hand-rolled, often contains egg and a little sweetness, and has no salt or very little. Each bagel is boiled in water sweetened with honey, then dipped in seeds and baked in a wood-fired oven. The result is a crisp, slightly charred crust and a chewy, tight interior.

What is the difference between Montreal and New York bagels?

	Montreal bagel	New York bagel
Size	Smaller, thinner, bigger hole	Larger and puffier
Boiling	In honey-sweetened water	Usually in plain water, sometimes with malt
Baking	Wood-fired oven	Usually a conventional oven
Flavour	Slightly sweet, smoky	Saltier, more neutral
Texture	Dense and chewy, crisp crust	Soft and chewy

Where are the famous bagel shops in Montreal?

Both of Montreal's legendary bagel bakeries are in Mile End, a block apart:

• Fairmount Bagel, on Fairmount Street, which traces its history back to 1919.
• St-Viateur Bagel, on Saint-Viateur Street, founded in 1957.

Both still roll bagels by hand and bake them in wood-fired ovens, and both are known for staying open around the clock. You can buy bagels by the dozen or half-dozen, fresh from the oven.

Try both, on the same morning, and decide for yourself. That is the real Montreal tradition.

What kind of Montreal bagel should you order?

The two classic flavours are:

• Sesame seed (often called "white" seeds): the most popular.
• Poppy seed (called "black" seeds): a close second.

Many shops also sell everything, onion, garlic, cinnamon raisin and other flavours, but start with sesame.

How do you eat a Montreal bagel?

Purists eat them plain, warm and fresh, straight from the paper bag. Others add cream cheese, smoked salmon or butter. Toasting is unnecessary on the day they are baked; a Montreal bagel is at its best within hours of leaving the oven.

Why are Montreal bagels baked in wood-fired ovens?

The wood fire is a big part of the flavour. It gives the crust its slightly smoky, blistered character and the irregular, darker patches that make each bagel look a little different. Bakers slide the bagels in on long wooden boards and turn them by hand, so a busy bakery is fun to watch in itself. Stand near the counter and you can see the whole process, from rolling to boiling to baking, within a few feet.

How do you keep Montreal bagels fresh?

Montreal bagels go stale faster than many bagels because of their size and lack of preservatives. Eat them the same day if you can. To keep them longer, slice them and freeze them on the day you buy them, then toast straight from frozen. Avoid the refrigerator, which makes them stale faster.

Can you buy Montreal bagels outside Montreal?

Some bakeries elsewhere in Canada bake Montreal-style bagels, and some Montreal shops ship frozen bagels. They are worth trying, but nothing beats a hot one from a wood-fired oven in Mile End.

Are Montreal bagels vegan or allergy-friendly?

Recipes vary, and many Montreal-style recipes include egg in the dough, so ask if you avoid eggs. Sesame is a priority allergen in Canada, and sesame seeds are everywhere in a bagel bakery, so people with sesame allergies should be especially careful. Ask staff before ordering.

How much do Montreal bagels cost?

They are one of the city's best food bargains. Bagels are sold individually or by the dozen, and a bag of hot bagels makes an inexpensive breakfast for a group. Prices change over time, so check at the counter.

What else should you eat in Mile End?

Mile End is also full of cafés, bakeries, small places and specialty shops. After your bagels, walk the neighbourhood for coffee, pastries or a casual lunch. It is one of the most pleasant areas of Montreal to explore on foot.

Mosey is built around rating specific dishes, and the bagel debate is the perfect example: two shops, one block apart, each with people who swear theirs is better.

More guides to read next:

• Atwater Market guide: what to buy and eat by the Lachine Canal
• Montreal smoked meat: how to order it and what makes it special
• Poutine in Montreal: where it came from and how to spot a great one

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.