A Medley of Montreal Museums

Description:

This extremely popular breakfast chain offers well-above-average quality and huge portions, the menu includes choices for both the health-conscious and for those who eat as if they are heading to the woods. Dishes include the usual bacon and eggs, crepes, waffles and maple syrup on each table.

Description:

Montréal's Museum of Fine Arts is the city's most prominent museum, opened in 1912 in Canada's first building designed specifically for the visual arts. The original neoclassical pavilion is on the north side of Sherbrooke. A striking new annex was built in 1991 directly across the street and tripled exhibition space, adding sub-street-level floors and underground galleries that connect to the old building. Art on display is nearly always dramatically mounted, carefully lit, and diligently explained in both French and English.

Our recommendation is to enter the annex on the south side of rue Sherbrooke, take the elevator to the top, and work your way down. The permanent collection, which totals more than 33,000 works, is largely devoted to international contemporary art and Canadian works created after 1960, and to European painting, sculpture, and decorative art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. On the upper floors are many of the gems of the collection: paintings by 12th- to 19th-century artists Hogarth, Tintoretto, Bruegel, El Greco, Ribera, and portraitist George Romney; and works -- representative, if not world-class -- by more recent artists including Renoir, Monet, Picasso,...

Description:

Running from the far east end of the city to the far west, this broad street is one of the most stylish and elegant in Montreal, with much of the architecture still preserved both in private homes and in the various businesses and institutions along the way. Olympic Park dominates the east end, and the street's downtown passage is defined by the McGill University campus and high rise towers. To the west lies what is called the "Golden Square Mile," home to elegant buildings and the Musée des Beaux-Arts.

Description:

The tables on the terrace that wraps around this corner building are filled whenever there's even a slim possibility that a heavy sweater and a bowl of café au lait will fend off frostbite. In summer, the loyalists get to stay out until way past midnight. Brunch is popular even if the food is unexceptional, but do consider this place any time a snack or a meal is in order. Portions are ample and inexpensive. An easygoing atmosphere prevails; it's popular with musicians, actors, and artists, so contrive to look mysterious or celebrated.

Description:

The boutique of the contemporary art museum sells much of what might be expected, including poster-size reproductions of paintings and prints, postcards, and art books. Added to the mix are tasteful design pieces and unusual gifts as well as souvenirs that eschew the lowest-common-denominator standards of too many Vieux-Montréal shops. The museum's bookstore, Oliveri, has a wide selection, in both French and English, of monographs on Canadian and international artists since the 1950s.

Description:

Cataplana is the name of both a venerated Portuguese recipe and the hinged copper clamshell-style pot in which it is cooked. Ingredients vary depending on the cook, but at this extremely popular downtown spot, that means a fragrant stew of mussels, clams, potatoes, chouriço sausage, and chunks of cod and salmon. Mostly middle-aged and dressed in business wear, customers fill every seat at lunchtime but go home at night, which is when to visit if you prefer a bit of tranquillity with your grilled squid or classic fried cod. Many dishes are priced according to the daily market, so they can be higher than outlined below.

Description:

This luxury hotel on Sherbrooke Street West features a wide variety of well-appointed suites, some extravagantly decorated. Though there is a swimming pool, fitness club and restaurant (Bistro Dell'Arte) on the property, most guests take full advantage of the dozens of area restaurants and attractions: the Musée des Beaux-Arts is just a few blocks to the west. Ideally suited for business travelers, each suite features a fax machine and large working desk in addition to the usual amenities.

Our Local Expert Says:

Several locations around the city offer up the same breakfast and lunch fare, eggspect eggcellence.

Description:

One of five outlets in Montreal, this restaurant takes the lowly egg and creates an entire menu around it. Set in a renovated office building, the décor features a two-storey space with wrought iron, huge windows and exposed brick. Dishes include two eggs any style with bacon, ham or sausage, toast, baked beans and grilled potatoes and ham and potato gratin topper. Service is cheerful and helpful and breakfast for two, excluding tip, comes to between.

Description:

Spread across 75 hectares (185 acres), Montréal's Botanical Garden is a fragrant oasis 12 months a year. Ten large conservatory greenhouses each have a theme: orchids, begonias and African violets, ferns, flora from the rainforest. Outdoors, spring is when things really kick in: lilacs in May, lilies in June, and roses from mid-June to the first frost. The Chinese Garden, a joint project of Montréal and Shanghai, evokes the 14th- to 17th-century era of the Ming Dynasty and was built according to the Chinese landscape principles of yin and yang. It incorporates pavilions, inner courtyards, ponds, and myriad plants indigenous to China. The serene Japanese Garden fills 6 hectares (15 acres) and includes a cultural pavilion with an art gallery, a tearoom where ancient tea ceremonies are performed, a stunning bonsai collection, and a Zen garden. A small train runs through the gardens from mid-May to October and is worth the small fee charged to ride it. The grounds are also home to the Insectarium, displaying some of the world's most beautiful and sinister insects. Birders should bring along binoculars on summer visits to spot some of the more than 190 species that have been spotted here....

Our Local Expert Says:

The biodome is quite simply a must-see. There is nothing quite like walking from the Arctic to a tropical forest in under 5 minutes.

Description:

Housed in what was the Olympic velodrome, this science centre and ecological zoo is home to four distinct ecosystems. You will find a lush Tropical Forest, the temperate Laurentian Forest, the St. Lawrence Marine Ecosystem and the Polar worlds of the Arctic and Antarctic. Plenty of interpretative panels and staff are on hand to help you on your self-guided tour. The Environment Place amphitheatre presents films, performances and lectures, all related to conservation and environmental protection.

Description:

The Insectarium is the largest insect museum in North America and a great place to take the kids for a day of exploring the wonder of the creepy and crawlier aspects of a bug's life. With one of the largest collections of live and dead insects from around the world you and your family will see Beetles that look like dazzling jewels, enormous "walking sticks" which aren't sticks at all, multicoloured butterflies, and furry spiders. The insectarium is truly an amazing building inside and out. In fact, you won't get to see this first-hand (unless you go to the Olympic Stadium observatory) but the whole building of the Insectarium is designed to look like a giant insect. Various rooms have both live and mounted exhibits, with each room based on one unique theme in the understanding of insect life; from adaptation to various climates to insects that live in organized societies. Outside your children will be certain to enjoy themselves in the BuzzGround - an outdoor discovery play spaces for tots (inducing their Fun Zone of rides) as they walk through butterfly houses and ponds that showcase aquatic wildlife

In the past the Insectarium has had many wild events. Once they even... read more

Description:

The Olympic Park was the pride and joy of Montrealers when it was built for the 1976 summer Olympics. They nicknamed it the "Big O". Now the Olympic Park has been re-named the "Big Uh-Oh!" because of the money it has cost the city to maintain the structure. That said, it does not take away from the spectacular architecture- or the thrill of riding up the elevator tower and watching the city fall away from you through the glass walls in front of you. Also making the trip in that direction of town worth it are the Biodome, Botanical Gardens and the Insectarium, all clearly indicated and none further than a five minute walk from the Olympic Stadium.

Description:

Like most skyscraper restaurants, 737's kitchen has at times had difficulty living up to the view; but what a view! Perched atop Place Ville-Marie, chef François Da Ponte takes diners through a solid menu of world cuisine in lavish décor. Dishes include Eggplant Caviar with tomato and tarragon, Calamari Cake with warm goat cheese, and the 737 Steak Tartare. Desserts are presented with flair, and might include the Banana Flambée for Two.

Description:

This luxury hotel on Sherbrooke Street West features a wide variety of well-appointed suites, some extravagantly decorated. Though there is a swimming pool, fitness club and restaurant (Bistro Dell'Arte) on the property, most guests take full advantage of the dozens of area restaurants and attractions: the Musée des Beaux-Arts is just a few blocks to the west. Ideally suited for business travelers, each suite features a fax machine and large working desk in addition to the usual amenities.

Description:

This restaurant and market covers 30,000 square feet on the lower level of Place Ville Marie. Food is prepared to order at various stations, and it is the perfect spot for children as the choice is all but unlimited. Though the concept is originally Swiss, the foods of the world are literally at your feet: seafood, grilled meats, pasta, pizza, Indonesian and Chinese specialties and sushi, to name but a few. The Caveau offers an extensive selection of wines from around the world by the glass.

Description:

This museum is both a look at Lachine's fascinating history and a contemporary art gallery. The Maison LeBer-LeMoyne permanent exhibit focuses on the history of the building itself, which dates from 1669. Temporary exhibits, held in the Pavillon Benoît-Verdickt and the Pavillon de l'Entrepôt (2901 St-Joseph Boulevard, near 28th), run the gamut of modern art, while the Outdoor Sculpture Museum in René-Lévesque Park is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Admission is free.

Our Local Expert Says:

This slightly out of the way restaurant serves up some spicy Cajun love on a plate.

Description:

If the spirit of Cajun and Creole cuisine suits you, rather than a badge of authenticity, then this comfortable little space on busy Sherbrooke Street West is the spot for you. Décor is simple and tables are tight together, making for a warm, friendly place that buzzes right along. Main dishes include deliciously-textured crab cakes and grilled Shrimp Étouffe. The desserts, including an addictive bread pudding, are massive.

Description:

As the name implies, this gallery, located in the beautiful and historic Bonsecours area of Old Montreal, presents ceramic art both from recognized artists from around the world and recent graduates of the center's own school. The pieces are for sale at reasonable prices; watch for group exhibitions from Quebec ceramists, rotated on a semi-annual basis, and year-round student exhibits. This is a great place to find that unique ceramic gift for that special person.

Description:

One of the most well established private galleries in Montreal, this prestigious space specializes in contemporary Canadian art, especially in the Inuit communities from the north. Pieces range from traditional soapstone carvings to surprisingly complex and occasionally harrowing depictions of animals and other figures. Elca caters to a very upscale clientele.

Description:

In a city brimming with accomplished French restaurants, this is a personal favorite. The dining rooms run through the ground floors of two old row houses, and with rich maroon wallpaper and white tablecloths and china, the decorative details are suggestive of namesake Bonaparte's era. Adroit service is provided by schooled pros who manage to be knowledgeable without being stuffy. Recent highlights included salmon in a phyllo crust stuffed with leaks and a dash of vanilla, Dover sole filet with fresh herbs, and beef tartare with capers. Lunches cater to the upscale business crowd, and the restaurant offers an additional theater menu in the early evening.

Description:

This luxury hotel on Sherbrooke Street West features a wide variety of well-appointed suites, some extravagantly decorated. Though there is a swimming pool, fitness club and restaurant (Bistro Dell'Arte) on the property, most guests take full advantage of the dozens of area restaurants and attractions: the Musée des Beaux-Arts is just a few blocks to the west. Ideally suited for business travelers, each suite features a fax machine and large working desk in addition to the usual amenities.