At this small, mother-daughter-run coffee shop tucked steps away from the waterfront in Pointe-Claire, expect to find an array of cold drinks, pastries, and chatty patron — oh yeah, and your dog is welcome, too.

Ahuntsic's very own micro-roaster perks up the Fleury strip with single origin and blended coffees. Part bistro, Le Brûloir also serves pastries, sandwiches, and light meals.

This 2020 addition to the northern end of Villeray brought fair-trade coffee from Celsius 94 to the neighbourhood, as well as an excellent list of sandwich options and cookies filled with Oreos, Fruit Loops, and other goodies.

One of the few places with a decent cup of coffee in Monkland Village, Melk pulls its own organic roasts and features an array of homemade baked goods. There’s another location downtown, on Stanley.

Well-established brand Larue & Fils operates three shops, including on De Castelnau, Jarry East, and St-Zotique, and made a splash with an expansion into vegan ice cream in the summer of 2021.

Dispatch, which began as a mobile vendor, is a fearless player on Montreal’s coffee scene. The café in Mile-Ex doubles as a roastery, has additional locations on the McGill campus and a sleek location on the Main, and a national coffee delivery service.

As one of the few third-wave options in Outremont, Dax proudly serves coffee from Montreal and other North American roasters, as well as a wide variety of teas and baked goods.

Perhaps the closest thing to a small espresso bar in Italy, this Saint-Laurent hotspot — open since 1956 — is as classic as they come. Its “get-in-and-get-out” vibe isn’t pretentious; it’s just the way it goes. Their panini are some of the best around (don’t forget to add hot peppers) and there are plenty of pastries that go nicely with your latte.

This new environmentally conscious, vegetarian café is minimalist in design, and dedicated to the concept of slow living. The coffee shop spans two large spaces, one side that offers spaces to relax, read, or climb into a cozy second-floor corner, while the other has a few tables, a bar, and a place for kids to play.

Best known as one of the top microroasters in Montreal, Zab’s café-boutique on Saint-Denis is a great place to fuel up on caffeine or grab a bag of beans to go while riding the REV.

Paquebot was the first coffee shop to serve nitro cold brew in Montreal. Since then, it took its wares to Old Montreal, not long after taking over Mile End’s Café Plume.

Gamba sources quality beans from the likes of Café Saint-Henri, Intelligentsia, Detour, 49th Parallel, and Counter Culture. Their newest location on Saint-Viateur opened in late 2019.

Siphon coffee, Japanese-inflected grub, and the coolest décor in the city, all on the industrial-turned-techy side of Mile End.

Officially listed as a café-buvette-boutique, this expertly decorated space offers its clientele more than just a coffee experience. With a full menu, locally made artisanal goods, and a curated wine list, this Beaubien superstar is also just steps away from Parc Molson and the wonderful gazebo that features on its own apparel.

This petite Plateau café across the street from Laurier metro serves coffee in espresso, filter, and cold brew forms. And a recent expansion into Mile Ex in summer 2021 proved a smart choice.

Life and business partners Tony Campanelli and Sophie Hébert run this popular new school Italian café and sandwich counter in Saint-Henri, which is well worth the visit.

One of the better cafés found on the western edge of downtown, this café owes its name to Shaughnessy Village, a small but historic neighbourhood located just steps away. Coffee beans, accessories, and a curated selection of merch are available in-store and online.

This bright space on the bustling stretch of Laurier East is a neighbourhood favourite for multiple reasons, including indoor countertop seats and outdoor benches that provide for some great people-watching.

This micro-roasting pioneer is a utopia for coffee nerds. Above and beyond your standard neighbourhood café, there are outlets in Saint-Henri, Verdun, Square-Victoria-OACI metro, the Latin Quarter, and Jean-Talon Market, and of course, a stunning HQ near Jarry Park.

Specializing in manouche, rounded flatbreads topped variously, this Rachel Street shop also highlights Lebanese coffee (with or without cardamom), plus all the typical caffeinated beverages you’d expect at your cool, new local café.

You can get standard espresso-based drinks at Replika, but what makes this delightful Plateau spot tick is Turkish coffee, sandwiches, and snacks.

Anthony Benda is as responsible as anyone for Montreal's contemporary independent café scene, founding this café in 2008. He has since sold the business, but not before adding an outlet in Club Monaco's flagship downtown Montreal store, and one more up on the Plateau.

This Little Burgundy favourite has kept up with the times in its decade-plus in business, and didn’t lose any steam when it moved homes some years back. A second outpost can be found on Wellington Street in Verdun.

This Italian-inspired espresso bar in the heart of Montreal’s downtown is proving to be one of the better options now that many of the chains and franchises like Starbucks and others have shuttered in the area. The stunning décor was designed by local architectural and design firm Ménard Dworkind and responds well to the neighbourhood’s need for a quick coffee (and pastry) option.

With three locations to its name, Pista holds up as a classic third-wave coffee shop, serving up its own roast amid pastel tones.

With a sprawling hidden terrasse out back, this Duluth café is well-located and plenty charming. Steps from Parc La Fontaine, coffee goers can grab a cup to go or choose to sit back in this comforting, slow-paced environment. For a caffein alternative, try one of their homemade lemonades.

However you prefer your caffeine fix — cold brew, latte, espresso, pour over — Pikolo is at the vanguard. The narrow gem on the fringes of the McGill Ghetto orders from choice roasters like Calgary's Phil & Sebastian and Portland's Heart.

My Little Cup is a spin-off of a popular Brussels café run by French brothers Laurent and Bertrand Lucas. The original — "a unique espresso bar, the first of its kind in Belgium" — was the fulfillment of a dream for Bertrand. The globetrotter told a French newspaper in 2012 that he discovered third-wave coffee shops while in the United States and wanted to import the concept to Europe. The McGill metro spot opened in January 2016.

The third wave may not have totally broken over Verdun yet (to the relief of some) but that doesn’t mean there’s no good coffee — Station W has caffeinated extractions from Kittel and Le Brûloir, and a skilled team of baristas. With a study-friendly Rosemont location in the Angus Shops, too.

Head to this charming Pointe-Saint-Charles café for healthy lunch fare — think eggy breakfast sandwiches and freshly made baguettes — and coffee from local micro-roaster Kittel and Calgary’s Phil & Sebastian.

This airy downtown shop is boosted by a tidy menu of light meals from grilled cheeses to tartines, as well as one of the best secret terrasses in the city. It’s also expanded its offerings by curating a local marketplace in a space previously used as a meeting room.

This vegan café serves Huckleberry coffee from Colorado, while positioning itself as an accessible space for the residents of the Centre-Sud district.

Located on a busy stretch of Wellington Street, this industrial-looking Pointe-Saint-Charles café-gelateria offers a wide selection of drinks, snacks, ice cream, and local merchandise. 

Plenty come to Crew just for the spectacle — it's a stunning space in a historic, repurposed bank building. But with coffee from Saint-Henri Torrefacteurs, there's no shortage of worthwhile beverages to complement the view.

Billing itself as fun, festive, and environmentally-conscious, it’s all love and good vibes at this café in the heart of the Gay Village. Offering plenty of takeout options, La Graine Brulée is a must-visit if you are in the neighbourhood.

Diagonally across from Papineau metro lies Troisième Tasse, an inviting, leafy space that offers great coffee to explorers of Village streets — or, the more adventurous, following a run or bike ride over the Jacques-Cartier bridge.

An extension of restaurant Hélicoptère, this café features an incredible selection of brunch fare, wines, and fresh pastries. Enjoy your treats inside, on the seasonal terrasse, or by the fountain facing Marché Maisonneuve, just a block away.