Mandy’s New Old Montreal Location Tosses Salads And Bar Service Together

Since opening their first counter in a Mimi & Co store in 2004, Mandy’s Gourmet Salads has grown into a very Instagram-friendly micro-empire of two storefronts (Westmount and Crescent Street) and one counter (in a Laurier Avenue Mimi & Co).

Today, their territory expands again with a new Old Montreal location — but they’re also changing up the formula and adding both alcohol and breakfast to their offerings.

The St-Nicolas Street location, which opens officially today (but soft-opened just before the weekend), is sticking to beer and wine (including sparkling wine), with a list put together by Nora Gray principal-slash-sommelier Ryan Gray.

On the breakfast side, the menu is as health-conscious as one might expect (were you really expecting Mandy’s to morph into a greasy spoon?), with granola and avocado toast as a couple of options.

As for the space — it’s in tune with a few other France-meets-warmer climes designs that have appeared of late; the Mandy’s team tells Eater that the 75-seat space mixes elements from Paris and Palm Springs. The mixed bag of elements fit together neatly though — plants and colour make it lush, combined with Euro-vibing touches like the checkered floor (see also: L’Express) and ornate sconces. Some of the fixtures — the bar in particular — were custom-made by a local millworker for Mandy’s.

Given that a terrasse is on the way for the summer months, the new location is definitely angled at more of a sit-down crowd than Mandy’s smaller, other locations out there. Between this and December opener LOV, Old Montreal has had a small spike in the number of “good-but-not-Toqué” eating options, offering something mid-range that’s also not a tourist trap: it’s satisfying to know that lunch options in the area now extend beyond oh-so-lovable Olive & Gourmando.

Take a look inside the new Mandy’s location below.

Grid View

STATUS — Mandy’s is open as of Monday, February 20 at 423 Saint-Nicolas Street (near St-Paul) — 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Delivery available via À La Carte and Foodora.