Montréal neighbourhood: Discover Little Italy

Five things to know about Montréal’s Little Italy

1. It’s delineated to the south by Bellechasse, to the north by Jean-Talon, to the west by Saint-Laurent and to the east by Saint-Denis
2. It stars one of the city’s most famous food attractions: Jean-Talon Market, among the biggest and best four-season public markets in Montréal
3. The residential streets around the market feature mostly cute, small duplexes with exterior spiral staircases, originally designed for the Italian railway and quarry workers of the area
4. The neighbourhood is nestled within a trifecta of metro stations: Jean-Talon, Beaubien and De Castelnau stations will all get you there, as will the 55 bus on the Main
5. Every August the neighbourhood celebrates its Italian roots with ItalFestMTL, a perfect time to visit to get the full street-festival effect!

Architecture and demographics of Little Italy

Little Italy was still dominated by fields and farmland as recently as 1900. That history lives on in the Jean-Talon Market, originally where neighbouring farmers gathered to sell their fresh produce. Today, it’s a hopping, bustling place to wander about, shop, munch on street foods and more: meat, fish, cheese, bread, Mexican dishes at El Rey Del Taco, fresh fish & chip at Aqua Mare, yummy burgers and local beer at Patati Patata, and so much more from around the globe. 

Architecture fans will enjoy the many Art Deco buildings around the market, as well as the rows of tree-lined houses with painted spiral staircases — a Montréal classic. There’s a growing LGBTQ+ community establishing their homes in the area, as well as a ton of young families mixed in with the remaining Italian residents.

Why residents love it

There’s a lively, always buzzing energy on the main commercial strips in Little Italy, whether it’s the brunch, café and neighbourhood bar scene on Beaubien East, the Vietnamese food fest on Saint-Denis or the Italian emporia and many pretty boutiques on Saint-Laurent. That strip of the Main turns into party central during FIFA and Grand Prix F1 season — the street closes off traffic altogether to turn into an open-air car museum. It all makes for the perfect mix of action-packed fun and quiet, residential lifestyle. Despite the community festivities, the side streets remain sleepy and quaint, green and lush. It’s the best of both worlds.

Little Italy has the jewel of the city at its core, Jean-Talon Market, but it’s a foodie destination for many other reasons — and we’re not even talking about the restaurant scene (that’s coming up next). 

• Start with Milano — this sprawling Italian grocery store on the Main is packed with Italian specialties from pastas to cheeses to cured meats, as well as produce and pickled veggies and sweets
• Nearby, Anatol has been an icon for decades as the most complete source of spices in the city
• Quincaillerie Dante on Saint-Dominique is a chic hardware store that sells everything from the most stylish espresso machines to the best cookware
• Cute homeware boutique Zone on Saint-Laurent, is where you’ll find beautiful dishes to serve all that food on, as well as other home objects 
• After all that shopping, stop into Caffè Italia for an espresso, or Notre Dame Des Quilles (a friendly pub with a small-scale bowling lane)

And when hunger strikes

For non-Italian flavours:

• Mon Lapin turns peak seasonal ingredients into clever sharing plates, backed by one of the city’s most exciting wine lists
• Bistrot Boisselet brings beautifully executed French classics to Saint-Laurent Boulevard
• Channel a bustling Spanish bar at Buvette Pompette where natural wines pair to perfection with patatas bravas
• Buvette Beaubien can take you from weekend brunch and casual lunch to apéro, seasonal small plates and one more glass of wine
• The famous homemade hotdogs at Chez Tousignant are a must
• Enjoy a heartwarming brunch at Le Vieux Vélo
• Market-fresh fine cuisine and select wines await at Parapluie 
• The Syrian and Armenian specialties at Le Petit Alep bring regulars from all over town
• The Vietnamese pub fare at Cafedenis a great way to wind down your day
• And of course the whole “marketful” of multicultural fare to explore at Jean-Talon Market