Café
St-Viateur Bagel
Mile End bakery founded in 1957, where bagels are still hand-rolled, boiled in honey water and baked in a wood-burning oven, open from 6am to midnight.
Olive et Gourmando
Old Montreal bakery-café opened in 1998 by two former Toqué! colleagues, serving seasonal breakfast, lunch and baking made in-house on rue Saint-Paul.
At a glance
- Type
- Bakery-café
- Area
- Old Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- oliveetgourmando.com
Good to know
- In-house bakery
- Breakfast and lunch
- Boutique next door
- No reservations
Why we recommend it
Olive et Gourmando opened in June 1998 at the corner of rue Saint-Paul and rue Saint-Pierre in Old Montreal. Its founders, the pastry chef Dyan Solomon and a baker colleague, met while working at Toqué!, and they were drawn to the space by its huge windows and the cobblestone streets outside. They set out to serve exceptional daytime food, starting with a bakery and then adding homely sweets and lunch dishes. Toqué!, where the two met, is now on Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, so the café is part of a line of Montreal cooking that runs back to one of the city's most influential kitchens.
More than 25 years later, everything is still made in-house, and the menu follows the seasons. The founders describe themselves as purists about ingredients and preparation, and the bakery remains at the heart of the business, so pastries and breads are a natural starting point.
The Old Montreal restaurant is open seven days a week, from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. It does not take reservations, so arrive early or late in the service, especially at weekends. A separate boutique next door at 355 rue Saint-Paul Ouest is open daily from 10am to 5pm for take-away products. The company has also opened a second restaurant at Royalmount in the town of Mount Royal, which does take bookings and group reservations, and it can host private breakfasts, lunches, brunches and early-evening gatherings. Groups can write to [email protected], and the boutique can be reached on 438 375-9313.
It suits couples, friends and solo travellers looking for a relaxed breakfast or lunch during a day in the old town. Because it is a daytime-only address, it fits best into a morning of sightseeing, followed by an afternoon at the museums nearby. Allow about an hour for a sit-down meal.
The café is on rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, close to Pointe-à-Callière, Notre-Dame Basilica and the Old Port, so it is easy to fit between sights. Crew Collective & Café, in the former Royal Bank building on rue Saint-Jacques, is another Old Montreal option if you want coffee later in the day. For questions, call 514 350-1083 or email [email protected].
Olive et Gourmando FAQs
When is it open?
Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm.
Can you book?
No. The Old Montreal location does not take reservations.
When did it open?
In June 1998.
Who founded it?
Pastry chef Dyan Solomon and a baker colleague who met while working at Toqué!.
Is there a shop?
Yes. A boutique next door at 355 rue Saint-Paul Ouest is open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Is there another location?
Yes. A restaurant at Royalmount takes reservations.
Is the food made in-house?
Yes. The company has made its food in-house since 1998.
How do you contact it?
Call 514 350-1083 or email [email protected].