favorite places to shop for cookware/ dinnerware in Montreal

[emerilcantcook]

I am about to relocate to this wonderful city. Except my beloved Le Creuset cookware (which I accumulated through year end sales, garage sales and sheer luck) I don't have much stuff and I would love to start building up some collection of knifes, dinnerware and other stuff; slowly. I am already blowing a lot of money on rent, so I am looking for good deals. What are your favorite:

Discount stores
Restaurant supply stores
Thrift stores
And other hidden gems

For food hardware shopping? Merci beaucoup!

[JennyBrooks]

Although not on the island, Ares in Laval has an excellent assortments of goods, and at quite reasonable prices as well.

[eoj]

mona's has a website: www.monas.ca

[thelonious777]

I like Depres-Laporte, a very big store which supplies restaurants but is retail-friendly, on Cure-Labelle in Laval and I also like to go to Ares at Centre Laval. These are both really big stores with a lot of the big names as well as generic stuff and the prices are reasonable (as compared to Dante for example--although neither is a discount store by any means). Just for the record, I don't live in Laval.

[carswell]

Are you saying Dante is more expensive than Ares? My experience is that Dante offers some of the best prices around and lots of high-quality, non-big name stuff that's really affordable.

[thelonious777]

I think Depres-Laporte is more affordable than Dante. Ares is not really a bargain (high overhead in Centre Laval) but the advantage there would be that I've seen a lot of higher end (and big name) stuff you don't find elsewhere and for that big name stuff I'm not sure Dante is cheaper. I could be wrong but my fiancee and I recently bought a lot of stuff when we moved in together and this was my impression. Personally, I've never thought of Dante as being a great value although I think its a great store.

[Chai Latte]

You can check out Pascal's on Bleury and La Gauchetiere street. It's a restaurant cookware supplier, but is open to the general public (Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday).

[hungryann]

Also Tzanet on l'Acadie just across from Costco has lots of pots and pans. They supply restaurants also. Some of their prices are negotiable (at least they used to be).

[eoj]

Mona's restaurant supply on du Parc, just north of Mont-Royal for pots/pans/bakeware.

Dollarama for small glassware like prep bowls (3 for $1) or stuff like squeeze bottles.

La Soupiere is a nice kitchen-ware shop, and usually has good knives on sale, but they are quite pricey for bakeware and gadgetry. I'm not actually sure how their knife prices compare with somewhere like Mona's, though, even if they do have 15% discount signs out.

Home Sense and Winners are good places to snag a bargain, but not if you go with a specific item in mind. They frequently have paderno or le creuset stuff though.

[lagatta]

I very much like Quincaillerie Dante - full to the rafters with stuff from pricy to gadgets that cost a couple of dollars, and such a part of the history of my neighbourhood. (See the Gourmet Montréal issue).

There is a Chinese kitchenware shop on St-Laurent just north of Bellechasse, east side - opposite side from Canadian Tire in that rundown strip between the end of the Plateau and beginning of la Piccola Italia. It can have very good prices for Asian prep and sauce bowls.

I have found bargains at Winners (where on earth is Home Sense? Does it have another (French) name? but of course it is a lucky chance. I've had as much luck at somewhat upscale church bazaars and garage sales... ah, my wee oval Vandesca Ware ramekins, from St-Madeleine d'Outremont church bazaar last week! Still happy about those...

[kpzoo]

Lagatta - HomeSense is attached to several Winners outlets in Montreal, including the ones at Decor Decarie & Fairview. There are others as well: http://www.homesense.ca/en/search_res...

[lagatta]

Thanks! Since I live north-central, and don't have a car (or want one) I rarely get out to such malls except of course Marché Central, a short bicycle ride from my place - but I could fairly easily get to either Décarie Square or Place Versailles, by metro or bicycle.

[rillettes]

If you cycle to Marché Central, you'll find a HomeSense next to the FutureShop there.

[cherylmtl]

At Marche Central, it's not HomeSense, it's Home Outfitters. Two different entities entirely - the first is the same company as Winners, the second is owned by The Bay. HS will have decent finds from time to time - not HO, imho.

[kpzoo]

There isn't also a HomeSense attached to Winners? Haven't been to that location in a while, but a lot of Winners now have the sister housewares store adjoining it.

[cherylmtl]

Unfortunately there isn't (but there is a Krispy Kreme there...). There are only five HomeSense stores in the Montreal region. Decarie Square is probably the most central of them.

[kpzoo]

Ah, thanks! I've been to the one at Decarie Square but was disappointed with the selection. The one at Fairview had much more stock.

[eoj]

The one at Decarie square is near the Namur metro stop. As with all Winners, the selection really varies depending on when you go. When I was there, there was a great selection of nice bakeware. I got a paderno bundt pan for $12.

[SnackHappy]

On a side note, the Krispy Kreme in Marché Central is closing. I think today might be their last day.

[kpzoo]

You're kidding! Guess the novelty of sickly-sweet donuts wore off on Montrealers. ;-)

[rillettes]

Shows how much I know about big-box stores. Yay me, I guess.