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Parc Lafontaine on the Plateau
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16 Picnic-Friendly Places in Montreal

Because 2021 is undoubtedly the summer of the picnic

by Dahlia Snaiderman and Ashley Joseph Updated
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Parc Lafontaine on the Plateau
| Shutterstock
by Dahlia Snaiderman and Ashley Joseph Updated

Montrealers have always been proponents of the park hang, and more so this year than ever before. Now that the we’re safely in warm weather territory, everyone is ready to roll out their best blanket, procure some great snacks and flock to the city’s prettiest green spaces.

There’s no shortage of park-adjacent spots where you can pull together a superior outdoor meal – and every place listed here is either directly next to or a short walk from its suggested park pairing. Save the hummus and chips for another time, and support these picnic-ready restaurants instead.

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Dinette Triple Crown (Parc de la Petite Italie)

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Dinette Triple Crown is best-known for its picnic baskets. Order what you like, and they’ll put all your food into a little carry-away basket for you to enjoy in Park de la Petite Italie. It’s a pretty ideal way to spend a long lunch on a weekend. It’s a pretty ideal way to spend a long lunch on a weekend. Their meat-and-threes deal is a go-to: pick a meat (brisket, fried chicken, or pulled pork), and three sides, like hush puppies, mac and cheese, cornbread, or pinto beans.

6704 rue Clark, Montreal, QC
(514) 272-2617
(514) 272-2617

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Restaurant Chez Claudette (Parc Laurier)

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Just a stone’s throw from beautiful Parc Laurier sits one of Montreal’s best-loved poutineries. At Chez Claudette, poutines can be topped with everything from veggies to smoked meat and pogos. Alternatively, try the hot chicken sandwich, with rotisserie chicken, peas, and bread drowned in gravy and served with fries. Just make sure you leave time to follow up your picnic with a nap in the grass.

351 Avenue Laurier E, Montréal, QC H2T 1G7, Canada
(514) 279-5173
(514) 279-5173

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Ma Poule Mouillée (Parc Lafontaine)

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Portuguese chicken and poutine aren’t hard to find in the Plateau, but if you’re on your way to Park Lafontaine, your best bet for a decadent combination of both is at Ma Poule Mouillee, right across the street. The poutine here is piled high with roasted chicken and Portuguese chorizo, in case the fries, cheese curds, and gravy weren’t hearty enough for you.

969 Rachel, Montreal, QC
(514) 522-5175
(514) 522-5175
Ma Poule Mouillée/Facebook

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Lester's Deli (Parc St-Viateur)

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Lester’s has been slicing up some of the city’s best smoked meat for 65 years, and also does Jewish deli classics like chopped liver, or bagels with cream cheese and lox. Grab a sandwich, some fries and a pickle and travel the half-block to Parc St-Viateur for a picnic by the pond.

1057 Avenue Bernard, Outremont, QC H2V 1V1, Canada
(514) 213-1313
(514) 213-1313

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Aux Vivres (Parc Lahaie)

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A few blocks from this charming park complete with historic church and fountain is one of the city’s best known vegan restaurants. Aux Vivres’s takeout counter makes picnicking an easy (and health-conscious) affair, with signature items like the dragon bowl and vegepaté sandwich (on house-made chapati) in grab-and-go formats.

4631 Boul St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2T 1R2, Canada
(514) 842-3479
(514) 842-3479
Aux Vivres/Official

Patati Patata (Parc des Amériques)

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This quaint little park may not be Montreal’s greenest, but it’s the perfect place to enjoy a burger and poutine Patati Patata. If you’re looking for a tad more space, Parc Jeanne-Mance is just a few minutes away by foot.

4177, boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC
(514) 844-0216
(514) 844-0216

Boucherie Slovenia (Square St-Louis)

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Eastern-European butcher shops are the place to go for delicious and affordable sandwiches. Pick from many different types of cured meats, top with your choice of mustard, and grab a chocolate bar or a Cherry Coke for something sweet to bring along to the positively beautiful Square St-Louis.

3653 boul Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC
(514) 842-3558
(514) 842-3558
Boucherie Slovenia/Facebook

Pizza Mia (Parc du Canal-de-Lachine)

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If by-the-slice pizza, calzones, panzerottis, or paninis sounds good to go with your afternoon of lazing on the grass by the Lachine Canal, Pizza Mia inside the Atwater Market is the place to go. In fact, you can hardly go wrong with the food options at the market, which range from barbecue to Singaporean noodles.

Marche Atwater, Montreal, QC
(514) 935-0333
(514) 935-0333
Pizza Mia (Atwater)/Facebook

La Foumagerie (Parc Westmount)

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This Victoria Village institution has all the makings of a perfect picnic: Cheeses, preserves, crackers and caviar (if that’s the vibe you’re going for.) For a less DIY option, they also make some of the best sandwiches and salads in the area. Try the Mexican or the Turkey Blues.

4906 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Westmount, QC H3Z 1H3, Canada
(514) 482-4100
(514) 482-4100

Patisserie de Nancy (Parc Girouard)

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Nancy may look like any other bakery from the outside, but in the back, you can order sandwiches made fresh on the baguettes they’re best known for. The underdog of the sandwich list—the Vegetarian—has avocado, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, cheese, mustard, mayo, and little else, but it’s much more than the sum of its parts.

5655 monkland, Montreal, QC
(514) 482-3030
(514) 482-3030

Mr Patty (Parc Loyola)

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This family-owned Jamaican bakery and restaurant has been loved by NDG-ers since they first opened in 2004 — and Jamaican patties happen to make for a great park snack. Choose from beef, chicken, or vegetable, or get a jerk chicken or curry goat combo platter to go. It’s cash-only, so come prepared, and bring your blanket to eat on at nearby Loyola Park.

5312 patricia, Montreal, QC
(514) 483-2323
(514) 483-2323
Mr Patty/Facebook

La Ruelle Épicerie et Café (Parc Jarry)

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If it’s arepas you crave, this Villeray Colombian restaurant has your picnic covered. Alternately, go for the brisket sandwich, served on a brioche bun with Oaxaca cheese and chili-spiked coleslaw. Located just in front of Jarry Park, you should have no trouble finding a shady spot to sprawl out. 

7807 Blvd. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2R 1X1, Canada
(438) 476-7449
(438) 476-7449
La Ruelle / Facebook

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Resto-Bar Le Pick-Up (Parc Lalancette)

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The second location from this Mile-Ex favourite is located just a few blocks distance from Parc Lalancette — or a bit of a longer trek over to sprawling Parc Maisonneuve if you’re willing to go the distance. Whatever setting, there’s a lot of good stuff to choose from at Le Pickup, including top-notch sandwiches (the vegan pulled “pork” is a beloved standby), burgers, and fried chicken (or cauliflower) picnic boxes.

3739 Rue Ontario E, Montréal, QC H1W 1S3, Canada
(514) 526-3739
(514) 526-3739
Bar Le Pick-up / Facebook

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Les Street Monkeys (Parc Arthur-Therrien)

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There are few better picnic spots than this waterfront park in Verdun, and it happens to be located just five minutes walking distance from some of the city’s best Cambodian food. Grab some salads, skewers and snacks from Les Street Monkeys and make an afternoon of it. 

3625 Rue Wellington, Verdun, QC H4G 1T9, Canada
(514) 768-1818
(514) 768-1818

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Arthurs Nosh Bar (Sir George-Étienne Cartier Square)

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Missing weekend brunches most? Head here for all the favourites: cottage cheese pancakes, salami and eggs, lox and bagels, salads, and excellent sandwiches. Call ahead to order, and don’t skip the highly addictive sprinkle and icing cookies, lest you risk deeply disappointing your fellow picnickers. 

4621 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, QC H4C 1S5, Canada
(514) 757-5190
(514) 757-5190
Arthurs Nosh Bar / Facebook

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Falafel St. Jacques (Promenade Père-Marquette)

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The second location from much-loved Falafel St. Jacques is located just a couple blocks up from one of the city’s most picturesque waterfront green spaces. Pick up a a pita sandwich, or some mock shawarma (made from shitake mushrooms) and head across the Lachine Canal Foot Bridge for a picnic overlooking Lac Saint-Louis.

345 Rue Saint-Jacques, Lachine, QC H8R 1E6, Canada
(514) 595-7482
(514) 595-7482

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Dinette Triple Crown (Parc de la Petite Italie)

6704 rue Clark, Montreal, QC

Dinette Triple Crown is best-known for its picnic baskets. Order what you like, and they’ll put all your food into a little carry-away basket for you to enjoy in Park de la Petite Italie. It’s a pretty ideal way to spend a long lunch on a weekend. It’s a pretty ideal way to spend a long lunch on a weekend. Their meat-and-threes deal is a go-to: pick a meat (brisket, fried chicken, or pulled pork), and three sides, like hush puppies, mac and cheese, cornbread, or pinto beans.

6704 rue Clark, Montreal, QC
(514) 272-2617
(514) 272-2617

Restaurant Chez Claudette (Parc Laurier)

351 Avenue Laurier E, Montréal, QC H2T 1G7, Canada

Just a stone’s throw from beautiful Parc Laurier sits one of Montreal’s best-loved poutineries. At Chez Claudette, poutines can be topped with everything from veggies to smoked meat and pogos. Alternatively, try the hot chicken sandwich, with rotisserie chicken, peas, and bread drowned in gravy and served with fries. Just make sure you leave time to follow up your picnic with a nap in the grass.

351 Avenue Laurier E, Montréal, QC H2T 1G7, Canada
(514) 279-5173
(514) 279-5173

Ma Poule Mouillée (Parc Lafontaine)

969 Rachel, Montreal, QC

Portuguese chicken and poutine aren’t hard to find in the Plateau, but if you’re on your way to Park Lafontaine, your best bet for a decadent combination of both is at Ma Poule Mouillee, right across the street. The poutine here is piled high with roasted chicken and Portuguese chorizo, in case the fries, cheese curds, and gravy weren’t hearty enough for you.

969 Rachel, Montreal, QC
(514) 522-5175
(514) 522-5175
Ma Poule Mouillée/Facebook

Lester's Deli (Parc St-Viateur)

1057 Avenue Bernard, Outremont, QC H2V 1V1, Canada

Lester’s has been slicing up some of the city’s best smoked meat for 65 years, and also does Jewish deli classics like chopped liver, or bagels with cream cheese and lox. Grab a sandwich, some fries and a pickle and travel the half-block to Parc St-Viateur for a picnic by the pond.

1057 Avenue Bernard, Outremont, QC H2V 1V1, Canada
(514) 213-1313
(514) 213-1313

Aux Vivres (Parc Lahaie)

4631 Boul St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2T 1R2, Canada

A few blocks from this charming park complete with historic church and fountain is one of the city’s best known vegan restaurants. Aux Vivres’s takeout counter makes picnicking an easy (and health-conscious) affair, with signature items like the dragon bowl and vegepaté sandwich (on house-made chapati) in grab-and-go formats.

4631 Boul St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2T 1R2, Canada
(514) 842-3479
(514) 842-3479
Aux Vivres/Official

Patati Patata (Parc des Amériques)

4177, boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC

This quaint little park may not be Montreal’s greenest, but it’s the perfect place to enjoy a burger and poutine Patati Patata. If you’re looking for a tad more space, Parc Jeanne-Mance is just a few minutes away by foot.

4177, boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC
(514) 844-0216
(514) 844-0216

Boucherie Slovenia (Square St-Louis)

3653 boul Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC

Eastern-European butcher shops are the place to go for delicious and affordable sandwiches. Pick from many different types of cured meats, top with your choice of mustard, and grab a chocolate bar or a Cherry Coke for something sweet to bring along to the positively beautiful Square St-Louis.

3653 boul Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC
(514) 842-3558
(514) 842-3558
Boucherie Slovenia/Facebook

Pizza Mia (Parc du Canal-de-Lachine)

Marche Atwater, Montreal, QC

If by-the-slice pizza, calzones, panzerottis, or paninis sounds good to go with your afternoon of lazing on the grass by the Lachine Canal, Pizza Mia inside the Atwater Market is the place to go. In fact, you can hardly go wrong with the food options at the market, which range from barbecue to Singaporean noodles.

Marche Atwater, Montreal, QC
(514) 935-0333
(514) 935-0333
Pizza Mia (Atwater)/Facebook

La Foumagerie (Parc Westmount)

4906 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Westmount, QC H3Z 1H3, Canada

This Victoria Village institution has all the makings of a perfect picnic: Cheeses, preserves, crackers and caviar (if that’s the vibe you’re going for.) For a less DIY option, they also make some of the best sandwiches and salads in the area. Try the Mexican or the Turkey Blues.

4906 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Westmount, QC H3Z 1H3, Canada
(514) 482-4100
(514) 482-4100

Patisserie de Nancy (Parc Girouard)

5655 monkland, Montreal, QC

Nancy may look like any other bakery from the outside, but in the back, you can order sandwiches made fresh on the baguettes they’re best known for. The underdog of the sandwich list—the Vegetarian—has avocado, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, cheese, mustard, mayo, and little else, but it’s much more than the sum of its parts.

5655 monkland, Montreal, QC
(514) 482-3030
(514) 482-3030

Mr Patty (Parc Loyola)

5312 patricia, Montreal, QC

This family-owned Jamaican bakery and restaurant has been loved by NDG-ers since they first opened in 2004 — and Jamaican patties happen to make for a great park snack. Choose from beef, chicken, or vegetable, or get a jerk chicken or curry goat combo platter to go. It’s cash-only, so come prepared, and bring your blanket to eat on at nearby Loyola Park.

5312 patricia, Montreal, QC
(514) 483-2323
(514) 483-2323
Mr Patty/Facebook

La Ruelle Épicerie et Café (Parc Jarry)

7807 Blvd. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2R 1X1, Canada

If it’s arepas you crave, this Villeray Colombian restaurant has your picnic covered. Alternately, go for the brisket sandwich, served on a brioche bun with Oaxaca cheese and chili-spiked coleslaw. Located just in front of Jarry Park, you should have no trouble finding a shady spot to sprawl out. 

7807 Blvd. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2R 1X1, Canada
(438) 476-7449
(438) 476-7449
La Ruelle / Facebook

Resto-Bar Le Pick-Up (Parc Lalancette)

3739 Rue Ontario E, Montréal, QC H1W 1S3, Canada

The second location from this Mile-Ex favourite is located just a few blocks distance from Parc Lalancette — or a bit of a longer trek over to sprawling Parc Maisonneuve if you’re willing to go the distance. Whatever setting, there’s a lot of good stuff to choose from at Le Pickup, including top-notch sandwiches (the vegan pulled “pork” is a beloved standby), burgers, and fried chicken (or cauliflower) picnic boxes.

3739 Rue Ontario E, Montréal, QC H1W 1S3, Canada
(514) 526-3739
(514) 526-3739
Bar Le Pick-up / Facebook

Les Street Monkeys (Parc Arthur-Therrien)

3625 Rue Wellington, Verdun, QC H4G 1T9, Canada

There are few better picnic spots than this waterfront park in Verdun, and it happens to be located just five minutes walking distance from some of the city’s best Cambodian food. Grab some salads, skewers and snacks from Les Street Monkeys and make an afternoon of it. 

3625 Rue Wellington, Verdun, QC H4G 1T9, Canada
(514) 768-1818
(514) 768-1818

Arthurs Nosh Bar (Sir George-Étienne Cartier Square)

4621 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, QC H4C 1S5, Canada

Missing weekend brunches most? Head here for all the favourites: cottage cheese pancakes, salami and eggs, lox and bagels, salads, and excellent sandwiches. Call ahead to order, and don’t skip the highly addictive sprinkle and icing cookies, lest you risk deeply disappointing your fellow picnickers. 

4621 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, QC H4C 1S5, Canada
(514) 757-5190
(514) 757-5190
Arthurs Nosh Bar / Facebook

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Falafel St. Jacques (Promenade Père-Marquette)

345 Rue Saint-Jacques, Lachine, QC H8R 1E6, Canada

The second location from much-loved Falafel St. Jacques is located just a couple blocks up from one of the city’s most picturesque waterfront green spaces. Pick up a a pita sandwich, or some mock shawarma (made from shitake mushrooms) and head across the Lachine Canal Foot Bridge for a picnic overlooking Lac Saint-Louis.

345 Rue Saint-Jacques, Lachine, QC H8R 1E6, Canada
(514) 595-7482
(514) 595-7482

Related Maps