Just as with restaurants and bars, the coronavirus crisis has hit Montreal’s coffee scene fairly hard, with many of the city’s top caffeine purveyors closed temporarily.
But a number of reputable spots are still open. While there has been some (perhaps justified) debate about whether coffee shops are essential businesses that should open during the coronavirus crisis, they are legally allowed to do so as food service providers.
As with restaurants, cafés can only serve take-out food and drinks — depending on the size of the establishment, you may have to wait outside in order to respect social distancing rules. Some will also let you order ahead in order to minimize waits and potential contact between workers and other customers — we’ve tried to note which businesses are offering this in the descriptions below. If your favourite isn’t listed here, it’s worth looking them up — many local cafés are still selling bulk beans, including for delivery.
Lastly, please note that the situation is changing rapidly — while Eater Montreal has done its best to verify that the cafés listed here are open at the time of writing, some may change their hours, their service, or close their doors, so it’s recommended to check coffee shops’ social media platforms for the latest information.
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