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Where to Get Great Cheesecake in Montreal

Ten delectable dairy dessert destinations

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Montreal isn’t especially known for its cheesecake, which is surprising given the city’s abundance of delis and love of unpretentious, calorie-packed dishes. Still, a few local delis o specialize in a dense, rich, sharp cheesecake that is unique to Montreal. A classic “Montreal-style” cheesecake is usually crustless and topped with glazed berries and a biscuit crumble; mostly, though, it’s just a whole lot of dairy and sugar.

Beyond the delis serving up cakes in this homegrown style, there are a few patisseries and restaurants that offer stand-out takes on the dessert, from light and airy Japanese-style cheesecake to decked out, sugar-loaded mini cakes.

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Afroditi

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The cheesecake at this beloved Greek Parc-Ex bakery is served with lots of glazed berries and even more whipped cream. If that’s not rich enough for you, it also does an equally delicious chocolate-laden Oreo cheesecake.

Cheskie's

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It’s hard to go wrong with any of the dairy-based offerings at this iconic Jewish Mile End bakery. The dense, individually-portioned cheesecake is served sandwiched between thin layers of milk chocolate; a perfectly rich but not overly sweet appetizer before you move onto the bakery’s life-changing babka.

Pâtisserie Rhubarbe

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Pâtisserie Rhubarbe’s stylishly fruity cheesecakes contain both baked and fresh cheese, and the flavour options changes depending on the season. Like most of Rhubarbe’s desserts, they’re as nice to look at as they are to eat.

Aux Vivres (multiple locations)

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Vegan cheesecake might sound like a hard sell, but Aux Vivre’s “uncheesecake” (or “gateau au faux-mage”) is beloved by vegans and could easily convert many a non-vegan. It naturally lacks the dense, pungent quality of a classic baked cheesecake, but it’s nicely tangy and has the light, creamy texture of a homemade no-bake cheesecake that somebody’s grandma brought to the picnic. (Also available at Aux Vivres’ Westmount location.)

Main Deli Steak House

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This deli’s smoked meat might have reportedly gone down in quality, so consider dessert instead: the Main’s Montreal-style slices are coated in a thick layer of strawberry jelly atop the signature biscuit crumbs. It’s less sweet than your average cheesecake, and has a delightfully homemade quality.

Yoko Cheesecake

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It’s not often that you find drool-worthy desserts in the culinary wilderness that is the Underground City, but the Japanese-style cakes at Yoko, located steps from Peel metro station, are worth a pause in one’s morning commute. Japanese-style cheesecake is fluffier and milder in flavour than its North American cousins, and has developed a strong fanbase in Canada in recent years. Yoko opened in 2017 to much less fanfare than Toronto fave Uncle Tetsu (which opened in Montreal last summer), but still does a bang-up job.

Reuben's Deli

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Reuben’s is the kind of place that tourists flock to and locals generally avoid, but whatever you think of the clientele, you can’t knock its creamy Montreal-style cheesecake (there are other styles, too). If you’re not keen on the smoked meat and steak, it’s worth visiting for the cheesecake alone: their mile-high slices are a meal unto themselves.

Uncle Tetsu

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Japanese chain Uncle Tetsu already had a huge following in Toronto before opening in Montreal last summer, and the fervour for their fluffy, jiggly cakes has been just as strong here (as evidenced by the long lines snaking outside its lone downtown shop). Their cakes, available in regular and matcha flavours, are indeed tasty — light, delicate and subtly sweet — but maybe head down to Yoko if you don’t love lining up.

Chenoy's

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Another purveyor of Montreal-style cheesecake, this rambunctious, rough-around-the-edges 24-hour deli and West Island landmark does Montreal-style cheesecake exceptionally well. The cakes are somehow simultaneously fluffy and heavy — so make sure to grab an extra fork or a doggie bag as one slice could keep you going for days.

Le Cheesecake Bar

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The name says it all at this Laval dessert cafe: one of few places in town to put an emphasis solely on cheesecake, both full-sized options and mini “cheesecake bites” are available in a range of flavours. Those cakes are not for the faint of heart, though, with options like fudge brownie and caramel and Ferrero Rocher.

Afroditi

The cheesecake at this beloved Greek Parc-Ex bakery is served with lots of glazed berries and even more whipped cream. If that’s not rich enough for you, it also does an equally delicious chocolate-laden Oreo cheesecake.

Cheskie's

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the dairy-based offerings at this iconic Jewish Mile End bakery. The dense, individually-portioned cheesecake is served sandwiched between thin layers of milk chocolate; a perfectly rich but not overly sweet appetizer before you move onto the bakery’s life-changing babka.

Pâtisserie Rhubarbe

Pâtisserie Rhubarbe’s stylishly fruity cheesecakes contain both baked and fresh cheese, and the flavour options changes depending on the season. Like most of Rhubarbe’s desserts, they’re as nice to look at as they are to eat.

Aux Vivres (multiple locations)

Vegan cheesecake might sound like a hard sell, but Aux Vivre’s “uncheesecake” (or “gateau au faux-mage”) is beloved by vegans and could easily convert many a non-vegan. It naturally lacks the dense, pungent quality of a classic baked cheesecake, but it’s nicely tangy and has the light, creamy texture of a homemade no-bake cheesecake that somebody’s grandma brought to the picnic. (Also available at Aux Vivres’ Westmount location.)

Main Deli Steak House

This deli’s smoked meat might have reportedly gone down in quality, so consider dessert instead: the Main’s Montreal-style slices are coated in a thick layer of strawberry jelly atop the signature biscuit crumbs. It’s less sweet than your average cheesecake, and has a delightfully homemade quality.

Yoko Cheesecake

It’s not often that you find drool-worthy desserts in the culinary wilderness that is the Underground City, but the Japanese-style cakes at Yoko, located steps from Peel metro station, are worth a pause in one’s morning commute. Japanese-style cheesecake is fluffier and milder in flavour than its North American cousins, and has developed a strong fanbase in Canada in recent years. Yoko opened in 2017 to much less fanfare than Toronto fave Uncle Tetsu (which opened in Montreal last summer), but still does a bang-up job.

Reuben's Deli

Reuben’s is the kind of place that tourists flock to and locals generally avoid, but whatever you think of the clientele, you can’t knock its creamy Montreal-style cheesecake (there are other styles, too). If you’re not keen on the smoked meat and steak, it’s worth visiting for the cheesecake alone: their mile-high slices are a meal unto themselves.

Uncle Tetsu

Japanese chain Uncle Tetsu already had a huge following in Toronto before opening in Montreal last summer, and the fervour for their fluffy, jiggly cakes has been just as strong here (as evidenced by the long lines snaking outside its lone downtown shop). Their cakes, available in regular and matcha flavours, are indeed tasty — light, delicate and subtly sweet — but maybe head down to Yoko if you don’t love lining up.

Chenoy's

Another purveyor of Montreal-style cheesecake, this rambunctious, rough-around-the-edges 24-hour deli and West Island landmark does Montreal-style cheesecake exceptionally well. The cakes are somehow simultaneously fluffy and heavy — so make sure to grab an extra fork or a doggie bag as one slice could keep you going for days.

Le Cheesecake Bar

The name says it all at this Laval dessert cafe: one of few places in town to put an emphasis solely on cheesecake, both full-sized options and mini “cheesecake bites” are available in a range of flavours. Those cakes are not for the faint of heart, though, with options like fudge brownie and caramel and Ferrero Rocher.