Montreal arguably makes the best bagels. Some say better than New York. Bagels in Montreal are thinner, boiled in honey water, then baked in an open flame oven. 

They also make a smoked meat sandwich . It’s Montreal’s version of pastrami. The best is at Schwartz’s Deli, 3895 St. Laurent. There are always long lines to sit in the restaurant, but there is a take out counter too. Why do I care so much about bagels and deli? It’s because I’m a Jue! There are 90,000 Jews living in the greater Montreal area. It’s one reason why all the food here is so damm good. I guess I make it 90,001.

For ice cream and sorbet, try Kem CoBa, 60 Avenue Fairmount Quest in the Mile End District. It’s run by a French-Vietnamese couple.  Their choice of flavors are inspired by both cultures and of their ingredients are locally sourced. Flavors are changed out every two weeks, so there is always something new.

The Mile End is a neighborhood in West Montreal. More artists live here than in any other part of the city. It has a great food scene. You can learn all about it by taking the excellent Mile End Food Tour offered by the company Local Montreal Tours. It includes tastings at many of the area’s restaurants. Afterward, you can work it off by hiking up Mont Royal. It’s a nice easy climb with great views of the city.

You don’t need a car to get around Montreal. The 747 bus from the airport runs 24 hours, seven days a week. the subway and bus system is excellent and on a nice day, you’ll want to walk everywhere or rent a bike from Bixi Bikes. They’re all over the city.