Breakfast may not be alive and well at some of the city's most notable restaurants, but at old school diners, casse-croûtes, neighbourhood cafés, and greasy spoons, the first service of the day is the bedrock. A few of these landmarks — Beautys, Bagel Etc, Cosmos — serve some of the best weekday breakfasts in Montreal, period. What all of these places have in common, however, is a sense of folksy continuity, and a dedication to daily, no-frills breakfasts.
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The Best Diner Breakfasts in Montreal
No-nonsense classic casse-croûtes
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Maam Bolduc
Plateau standby Maam Bolduc, diner par excellence for over four decades, has a great selection of poutines, hotdogs, omelettes, all in a homey space that feels more like a neighbourhood hang-out than a greasy diner.
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Mont-Royal Hot Dog
Flat top griddle breakfasts, poutines, burgers, and, toasté hot dogs for over half a century. Current boss Nickolaos Psaradellis is the son of Mont-Royal's original co-owner, Constantinos Psaradellis.
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La Binerie
So historic it has a Wikipedia page, La Binerie is the city's quintessential Québécois breakfast and lunch counter. Breakfast is served as of 6 a.m. Wednesday to Friday, and as of 7:30 a.m. on weekends.
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Beautys Luncheonette
The one, the only. The iconic home of the Special and the Mish-Mash (which is even trademarked) has been in the breakfast game since 1942. Step inside Beautys here.
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Bagel Etc.
Bagel Etc co-owner Howard Leitner really loves his customers. “I think it’s getting close to being an institution. They’re not customers, they’re all friends. We get to know each other, get to know our personal lives, things that are going on. That’s really the bottom line of the success of the Bagel. We’re like a big family here.”
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Patati Patata
Good, cheap, fast breakfasts don't get much better than the ones dished up at this enduring Plateau snack bar, eminently capable of much more than the burgers for which it's known. Breakfast poutines, eggs any style, French toasts, omelettes, even vegan scrambles — Patati Patata is on it, every day at 8 a.m.
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Greenspot
Greenspot has served Saint-Henri breakfast for more than 70 years. A true neighbourhood staple.
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Cosmos
Nobody handles breakfast quite like the legendary Cosmos, where margarine and flat top management reign supreme. Subject of Ezra Soiferman's 2000 documentary Man of Grease.
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Chez Claudette
Steamés, pâté chinois, and more poutines than you can shake a pogo at underline this thirty-five-year-old diner's menu. Hangover breakfasts are also served at Chez Claudette around the clock from Thursday to Saturday, and from 7 a.m. the rest of the week.
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Casse-Croûte Chez Pagi
Any good Hochelaga-Maisonneuve breakfast crawl starts at Chez Pagi, where greasy spoon breakfasts are served all day, every day.
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Lester's Deli
Whether for steak and eggs, or bagels, lox, and cream cheese, the six-decade-old Lester's knows breakfast. The smoked meat emporium serves it Monday to Saturday as of 9 a.m.
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Le Vieux Saint-Laurent
Almost hidden next to the century-old Segal's grocery store, Le Vieux serves affordable, ample breakfast plates daily as of 6:30 a.m. (7:30 a.m. on Sundays). A quiet staple on the Main for decades.
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Casse-Croûte Normand
Verdun's got diner breakfast game too, thanks to Normand. The casse-croûte has stood the test of time since 1964.
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Snowdon Deli
Ian Morantz, son and nephew of Snowdon Deli's founders, on breakfast's evolving role at the venerable, 70-year-old diner: “We’ve broadened the menu over the years considerably. It used to be much more restrictive. But people’s tastes change. Breakfast is a big item now. We have the full breakfast all day long. And we make it a nice plate.” Open daily as of 6 a.m.
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Nouveau Système
The delightfull retro orange interior is a draw to this Beaubien Street diner with no-nonsense greasy breakfast plates that'll cure any hangover.
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Mister Steer
One of the sole reliable cheap breakfasts in the downtown area, Mister Steer is known for its burgers, but it also has diner classics, including the option for Steerburger and eggs.
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Restaurant A.A.
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Paulo & Suzanne
Cartierville's favourite 24-hour diner is a poutine destination in and of itself, but breakfasts both sucré and salé, from French toast and waffles to omelettes, are just as satisfactory.
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