Le Dépanneur Café II

Although it's taken me some time to write about all of these adventures, the 2017 edition of the Indie Coffee Passport officially comes to a close with this blog post. Le Dépanneur Café is an awesome café in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood and doubles up as a music venue in the evenings.  During the day you might get lucky and hear some live music on the piano too!

I love this café because they support local artists and musicians and source local produce for their food items. Their coffee is great as well! So if you find yourself in the Mile End, make sure to find the iconic street with the bird cages, and drop by Le Dépanneur Café to support some local artists and musicians while sipping on some great coffee!

Le Baobab II

Le Baobab is a cozy little coffee shop in Montreal's Verdun neighbourhood on Wellington. I first visited this café a few years ago (see post here) and this time I got to visit in the summer. Instead of ordering a coffee I decided to get a fruity iced tea to beat the heat! Their coffee and tea selection is great, as well as their food menu. You will often find students cooped up with their laptops and headphones studying away. This is a great spot to hunker down for a few hours and get stuff done! I definitely had a productive afternoon here thanks to the Indie Coffee Passport!

LaRue et Fils Castelnau II

Café LaRue et Fils has two locations - both of which I love! The Castelnau location is so pretty with lots of plants inside and a ton of natural light. I visited a few years ago as well but in the winter (see post here). I love sitting by the window because I love the view of the church across the street! In the summer there is some patio seating outside. The coffee here is great. Grab a seat for a little while and sip your coffee while enjoying a good book!

Travel Tip: Visit the fruit and vegetable stalls at the Jean Talon market!

 

Café Vito II

Café Vito is the quintessential neighbourhood café in Villeray. My first visit was in the winter (see original post here) and I have to say - the vibe is so different in the summer! The doors and windows were all open, and people were ordering their coffee through a little window outside! Families were walking by and greeting the owner and staff at the café! I loved watching the interaction and it made me feel so at home!

The café is named after the owner - Vito Azzue. I noticed that he made it a point to get to know his customers (including me!). I ordered a cappuccino and biscotti to go with it. Both were so good - I could've easily gone back for seconds!

Vito serves coffee, sandwiches, breakfast items and cannolis.  They also sell merchandise in their store along with beans to brew at home. If you're looking to cater an event or business meeting they offer these services as well!

Travel Tip: Get your coffee, snack and/or gelato to go, and spend an afternoon at Parc Jarry which is a short walk away!

Café Sfouf II

Hi friends! Forgive me as I'm still catching up on my  2017 Indie Coffee Passport posts! There have been a lot of changes on my end, but I'll save that for another post.

Café Sfouf is one of my favourite cafés in the Village. I remember visiting it back in 2015 on a frigid day and I got such a warm and fuzzy feeling when I stepped inside. Every drink is served with a Sfouf - a small traditional Lebanese cake!

This time, we were lucky enough to stop in after work on a hot day! Instead of ordering a coffee, my friend C and I decided to get some fresh berry lemonade which was so refreshing! The café has gorgeous garage style doors, and these were open. We got prime seats right by the window and soaked up all the sun while enjoying the perfect breeze. I also love the large communal table in the middle which is perfect for group work!

I love the casual atmosphere here with all of the plants and natural light! This spot is such a neighbourhood favourite where families and students can flock to. I'll be sure to come back!

Le Lapin Pressé II

Le Lapin Pressé is a delicious café and grilled cheeserie in the Plateau on Laurier! My first time trying this café was back in 2015 thanks to the Indie Coffee Passport, and I loved it! The space is small which makes it really cozy and intimate! There is a small counter to order from and a few seats in the back. They have really maximized the wall space by installing a mirror which borders along the wall, making the café feel brighter and bigger.

I loved my cappuccino which was just as good as I remembered! I wasn't hungry enough for a grilled cheese but I'll definitely come by another time for a weekend brunch! Until next time!!

Café M II

Café M is a cozy café located in the Plateau on the corner of Saint Dominique and the famous Saint Laurent. I first discovered this spot thanks to the 2015/2016 edition of the Indie Coffee Passport. Check out my original post here.

I was equally pleased with my second visit here and loved my cappuccino. The vibe in the summer is so different compared to the winter. I found it a bit busier but it was just as cozy and inviting as I remembered! The brick wall and large mirror inside make the space feel so big. I could've easily spent hours here but ended up having to meet a friend. Their coffee menu is extensive and they serve breakfast as well. My travel tip would be to head over here for a coffee after trying a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz' down the street!

Le Berri Café

I'm catching up on my ICP blog posts, and Le Berri Café was one of my favourites this past summer! They are the quintessential neighbourhood café / restaurant in the Villerey neighbourhood. They have a gorgeous terrace and there is plenty of seating inside! It seems like they are more popular from brunch but nobody bothered me when I ordered my coffee and read my book. My cappuccino was delicious - perfectly balanced and not too milky or bitter! Their food looked delicious as well so I'll have to come back to try it with some friends! Don't miss out if you're in the neighbourhood!

Update: Google has told me that unfortunately this café is permanently closed.

Café de la Troisième

Café de la Troisième is a a coffee shop inside a bookstore called Librarie de Verdun! I have recently been exploring the Verdun area a bit more thanks to the Indie Coffee Passport, and it's really cute! The streets and signs are all themed blue and white in the summer and I love all the little shops on Wellington! In my opinion coffee and books go together like peanut butter and jelly! While there are a few bar stools, I'd recommend getting your coffee to go so you can browse the book selection and check out the house ware boutique by Réunion!

Note: This is a late post, and as I write this I am craving the summer weather again!

Café Bloom II

Café Bloom is a gorgeous spot with great brunch! The flower tiles are iconic and I love their simple yet delicious menu. This was my second time coming to Bloom (both times for brunch!) thanks to the Indie Coffee Passport. Check out my first brunch visit here.

I had a cappuccino and got the croque-épinard which was basically toasted rye bread with spinach, feta, olives, cheese and a sunny side up egg with a maple sesame dressing. It was so delicious and the portion was really big!

I would definitely recommend this spot for brunch. The food is amazing, but try to go a bit earlier on the weekend so you don't have to wait in line!

Café Bassi

Café Bassi is a bicycle shop and cafe all in one in the Plateau, right by the famous 24/7 poutine spot La Banquise. I enjoyed a nice cold iced coffee (brewed with Dispatch beans) with a cranberry - pumpkin seed loaf. There is no seating inside - this really is primarily a bicycle shop, but I sat outside on the beach and enjoyed the fresh air while waiting to meet up with a friend. The coffee was good, but unless you're coming to rent a bike or to get your bike repaired I wouldn't go out of the way to try their coffee.

Update: The café has unfortunately closed down to make more room for the bicycle shop!

Allo Velo

Allo Velo is your one stop shop for everything bicycle rated in Montreal and inside the store there is a cute little coffee corner. This was my second time here thanks to the Indie Coffee Passport, but last time they were located in a different location in St Henri.

The new space is located in Griffintown right on Rue Shannan. It's spacious enough to house a number of bicycles and gear and it also has an awesome nook to hang out in and enjoy coffee. The coffee was delicious as always! I loved my cappuccino and my friend C also really liked her americano. Hope to stop by again sometime!