Any great bagels convenient to autoroute 10 or 15? Or combine with lunch in Montreal?

[Blumie]

Will be driving from Burlington VT to Labelle QC on a Sunday afternoon. Is there anyplace not too far off of autoroute 10 or 15 to stop to pickup great bagels? Better yet, can you recommend a delicious and scenic place to stop for lunch in Montreal and pick up bagels nearby? We will be a group of 13, so even though we are willing to split up into three or four tables, a place that will accept reservations would be nice.

[Blumie]

Looks like I may have created confusion by embedding one question in another. I'm actually looking for two things -- a great bagel shop, and a place for lunch -- but probably not lunch in a bagel place! So I think bagels are pretty well covered here and elsewhere. As to lunch, if people think Bistro Vu sounds too risky (and I agree that it probably does), can people recommend a place for us to have lunch. Criteria include:

-- open for lunch (or brunch) on Sunday
-- can handle 13 of us, even if we have to split into three or more tables
-- preferably takes reservations
-- pricy is ok, but not over-the-top expensive; on the other hand, great cheap eats are fine, too!
-- a good location for those in our group who never have seen Montreal before
-- preferably French or Quebecois, again so our new visitors to Montreal can get a taste of the city

[kpaxonite]

I recommend starting a new thread...your right, your question wasn't clear at all and will get lost.

[cherylmtl]

Lemeac fits all your criteria. Reservations for brunch for a group of 13 would be a must - and if the weather's nice, they have a lovely outdoor terrasse. Food is bistro/french, it's in the middle of Outremont (well, okay, the southern part, not exactly the middle, but still...) on a nice street for strolling and shopping. Prices are not bad IIRC. And if you're going there for lunch, you're only a few blocks away from the bagel places - St. Viateur and Fairmont - you can visit both and compare!

[Blumie]

Thanks! I've made a reservation and we're going to give it a shot. (It also happens to be much more convenient for our Montreal cousins who are going to meet us there!)

[Blumie]

Hey, just want to report back that Lemeac worked out perfectly. We had lots of space, service was excellent, the menu offered lots of options (one can order off either the brunch menu or the regular lunch menu), and the food was very good. Afterwards, we walked over to the Tam Tam Festival, and then hit St. Viateur for bagels on our way out. (The bagels were not a huge hit with my family -- all of whom were raised on NY bagels -- but we ate them over the course of the next several days, instead of fresh from the oven, so I'm willing to give them another shot!)

[joclouti]

Hi, Of course it will never beat the Fairmont Bagel or St-Viateur but if you are driving in from Burlington you can stop off Highway 10 just before the Champlain Bridge Exit 8 for Taschereau Boulevard on Brossard. turning right at the xit: Brossard Bagel 286, rue Gladstone, Greenfield Park, QC J4V 2P7
They have real bagels and they are very popular here:

[Blumie]

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions.

Just out of curiosity, I did an opentable search to see if any place in Old Montreal could accommodate a group of 13 for lunch, and Bistro Vu came up. Any views (pun intended) on this place?

[SourberryLily]

If it's in Old Montreal and not a recommendation from this board, i would avoid it.

[kpaxonite]

Indeed...highly avoid it (i have not been to that bistro and have never even heard of it).
Go to St Viateur

[SnackHappy]

I think Bistro Vu opened only very recently so that would explain the lack or reports.

It's in the Old Port.

http://www.bistrovu.com/

http://www.montreal.tv/portail/view_v...

Looks kinda douchey, but you never know.

[SourberryLily]

When you spend that much on appearances, you don't have enough (or care about) to pay for a good chef.

[SourberryLily]

St-Viateur and Fairmount is on everybody's lips, since they are on the Plateau (other locations as well) and are the most well known.

But i maintain that Mount Royal Bagel Factory are just as good! One location, just off the 15:
https://www.montroyalbagel.ca/Intro.html
Buy their creamcheese (chives is my favorite). It's divine and has nothing to do with philadelphia!

[mikjomom1]

I agree with you, Mount Royal bagel (corner Lucerne and Jean-Talon) has fantastic bagels and also the best bagel boards (matzoh boards) around.

[SourberryLily]

Last time they gave me bagel boards to taste and while this was my first time having them, they were great!

[davekry]

Why not make a picnic of it, weather permitting? Best bagels in town are at Fairmount and St Viateur, and not too far away is Mount Royal Park. Grab some spreads or smoked salmon, or anything else you'd like on your bagels, and enjoy the meal outdoors.

Google mapped for your convenience

http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=burl...

[cherylmtl]

St.Viateur Bagel also has a location on Monkland (as per jay's post above) and will gladly accommodate a group of 13 at one table (I have done it before) - that would definitely be my recommendation.

[jay_81k]

Closest I can think of would either be St Viateur on monkland or Real bagel on queen mary. Both are close to the 15. Thing is not sure if you will be passing that direction exactly, it would be exit Cote st Luc off the 15.