Montréal à la San Francisco
San Francisco’s reputation of the city of peace and love is rivalled by Montréal’s own hippie history—no less than John Lennon and Yoko Ono made the city their headquarters for one of their highly-publicized Bed-Ins. But more than that, SF’s queer-friendly, tech-forward buzz is also here in spades, easily found when you dive into Montréal à la San Francisco!
Sure, the Golden Gate Bridge is a stunner, but Montréal’s Jacques-Cartier Bridge is over 2,000 feet longer and its state-of-the-art lighting installation changes throughout the seasons to reflect its surroundings. The Samuel De Champlain Bridge spans even farther and is one of the widest in the world, but who’s counting?
Montréal has also long been a gathering place for LGBTQ+ persons, with a bumping bar scene in the Village and intriguing venues and queer scenes throughout the city. Some of Canada’s most iconique drag talent also calls Montréal home, lip-synching and dipping in beloved venues like Cabaret Mado (named for the legendary Mado Lamotte) and Bar Le Cocktail. Some of the best dancing is also to be found in the Village, with Stereo noted for one of the best sound systems on the planet.
Much like San Francisco, Montréal’s Chinatown is an essential part of Downtown Montréal’s cultural fabric. Locals queue up at their favourite dining spots throughout the neighbourhood, and surprise shopping spots are tucked around every corner. The Michelin-approved CHICHA San Chen bubble tea shop is but just one new arrival sure to thrill anyone’s tastebuds.
SF’s queer-friendly, tech-forward buzz is also here in spades, easily found when you dive into Montréal à la san francisco
A tech hot spot of particular interest to geeks and gamers, Montréal holds its own up against Silicon Valley. And we’d argue the city’s bright blue BIXI e-bikes are decidedly more fun to zip around the city via an extensive cycling network than a self-driving car stuck in traffic.
Montréal’s rooftop farming initiatives are innovating the idea of rooftop to tabletop dining, with rooftop gardens at spots throughout the city including atop the Esplanade Tranquille, Lufa’s popular rooftop farm and Canada’s biggest farm on top of a supermarket (which in turn sells the produce grown right upstairs). Both the Montréal Convention Centre and the Fairmont Le Reine Élizabeth hotel grow produce and house honeybee hives for use in-house. And speaking of The Queen E, those looking for a dose of ‘60s peace and love won’t want to miss a night in the John Lennon and Yoko Ono Suite, the site of one of their highly publicized Bed-Ins for Peace and the recording venue for their 1969 hit single ‘Give Peace a Chance’. ✌️
Mark Hamilton
Mark Hamilton is the community director for QueerMTL, an internationally-touring musician with his projects Woodpigeon and Frontperson and a graduate studies student of history researching LGBTQ+ activism in the city. He’s lived in Montréal since 2015, during which time he’s most often spotted atop a BIXI bike usally running a few minutes late.