Thing to do
Old Port of Montreal
More than two kilometres of quays along the St Lawrence below Old Montreal, with the Clock Tower, the Science Centre, an urban beach and winter skating.
Atwater Market
Art Deco public market from 1933 beside the Lachine Canal in Saint-Henri, with butchers, cheesemongers, bakers and seasonal farmers' stalls.
At a glance
- Type
- Public food market
- Area
- Saint-Henri, Montreal, Canada
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- marchespublics-mtl.com
Good to know
- Art Deco hall
- Canal-side terrace
- Parking
- Bike parking
Why we recommend it
Atwater Market stands at the corner of Notre-Dame Street and Atwater Avenue in Saint-Henri, in the south-west of the city. The Art Deco hall was designed by Ludger Lemieux with his son Paul and has been in use since 1933. It takes its name from Atwater Avenue, itself named after Edwin Atwater, a nineteenth-century businessman and city councillor. The market's operators describe it as one of Montreal's most beautiful buildings. Since the Lachine Canal reopened to boats in 2002, the streets around it have changed considerably, with new condominiums rising along the water.
The market has a more compact, neighbourhood feel than Jean-Talon, with about 27 merchants. Inside the hall you will find bakers and pastry cooks, including a branch of the Quebec bakery Première Moisson, alongside butchers and charcuterie counters, cheesemongers, fishmongers and specialist food shops. Outside, fruit and vegetable growers and florists set up stalls, and in spring horticultural producers arrive for the planting season. In summer the Pôle des Saveurs adds fast food.
It trades all year. Around the first frost, temporary walls go up so shopping can continue indoors, and in warmer months they come down again and the market becomes open-air.
The location is a big part of the appeal. The Lachine Canal runs just behind the market, and a summer terrace by the water has picnic tables for anyone eating a meal bought from the stalls. A pedestrian and cycle bridge crosses the canal to Pointe-Saint-Charles, and the towpath leads east towards the Old Port, so a popular plan is to shop for a picnic and then walk or cycle along the canal.
The market is open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 5pm at weekends. Lionel-Groulx metro station is the nearest, and buses 35, 36 and 108 also serve the area. There are about 440 outdoor parking spaces, the first 15 minutes free, and 200 lockable bike spaces.
It suits food lovers, families and cyclists, and is easy to combine with a ride along the Lachine Canal or a walk through Saint-Henri. Allow an hour to browse, longer if you stop to eat by the water.
Atwater Market FAQs
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
Where is it?
At 155 Greene Avenue, at the corner of Notre-Dame Street and Atwater Avenue in Saint-Henri.
How do you get there?
Lionel-Groulx is the nearest metro station, and buses 35, 36 and 108 stop nearby.
Is it open in winter?
Yes. Temporary walls go up around the first frost so shopping continues indoors.
Is there parking?
Yes. About 440 outdoor spaces, with the first 15 minutes free.
Can you eat by the canal?
Yes. A summer terrace by the Lachine Canal has picnic tables.
How old is the building?
The Art Deco market has been in use since 1933.
How many merchants are there?
About 27, including butchers, bakers, cheesemongers, fishmongers and growers.