Around the world in cafes

This is surely a sign of maturity in the industry. Microroaster beans, sourced from responsible practices, are no longer just the business of “classic” specialty coffees. They are now used in the composition of Mexican café de olla, Vietnamese lattes, Japanese-inspired black sesame creations… Overview of our caffeinated discoveries, all over Montreal.

Café Rì Yuè

Specialties: Dalgona coffee, einspänner (Viennese coffee very popular in Korea), osmanthus latte and other seasonal offerings

The owner of this bright den of cuteness-seeking Instagrammers, Daisy Yuen, is originally from Taiwan. But it is more inspired by the coffees and pastries of South Korea. Dalgona, for example, is a whipped, sweetened cold coffee that became a TikTok sensation during the pandemic before spreading to cafes across Asia and America. It was named so because its taste is similar to that of Korean taffy (popularized by the TV show Squid Game), aptly named dalgona.

Einspänner is a rich dessert drink made with espresso and whipped cream. To Rì Yuè, milk and ice are added. For a less decadent hot drink, the osmanthus latte is a lovely option, slightly sweet and floral. All these coffees are prepared with perfectly roasted beans from Myriade.

It will be difficult not to be tempted by Daisy’s aesthetic pastries. If the cat-shaped panna cotta is undoubtedly the cutest sweet, it is not necessarily the tastiest. The tiramisu is particularly successful, and the Japanese shortcake with strawberries and matcha is (almost) as good as it is beautiful.

Also to discover

Korean “dessert café” Momo, on avenue de Monkland, in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce district

333, avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montreal

Visit the Café Rì Yuè website

By love

Specialties: ginger latte and red bean latte

Here, the dilemmas are great. Which rolled cake to choose between the tiramisu one, the chestnut one, the pear and jasmine one, the chocolate-banana one and the apple red velvet one? Or maybe you prefer airy cheesecake, black sesame layers, savory or sweet scones, biscuits, madeleines? Phew!

Two of the owners, Yingying Zhao and Min Cai, are of Chinese origin. The newest partner, Sujin Song, is Korean. The latter (whom customers call Sue) and Yingying (whom customers call Vicky) studied pastry making together in Montreal. They combine their respective cultures with their Western learning.

In addition to the usual caffeinated drinks, Par amour is inspired by Asian flavors with, for example, a very gingery ginger latte. Lovers of this rhizome will be delighted. The adventurous may want to try the other milky coffee, this time poured over a sweet red bean paste, the same one that is used in many desserts in China, Korea and Japan. It’s undoubtedly a developing taste!

Open for less than a year, on the very contrasting Monk Boulevard, in Ville-Émard, Par Amour seems to have been quickly adopted by the people of the neighborhood. During my visit of about an hour, I saw several neighbors bringing back plates and cups taken home.

Also to discover

Osmo, White Heron, Komma Rosta and We are coffee cafes

5781 Monk Boulevard, Montreal

Café Cose

Specialty: Vietnamese coffees

Egg yolk coffee is said to be a specialty of Hanoi, where it is called cà phê trứng. This is the most popular order at Cosé, a pretty bar in Pointe-Saint-Charles run by Joseph-Tuc Minh Nguyen. The vegan version is made with coconut cream. Both are snacks in themselves. But you can also accompany the drink of your choice with light meals, pastries, etc.

Also to discover

The crowd of Vietnamese cafes at Bêden Caphé, avenue Laurier Est, and Le Supernat, in Hochelaga, which also serves an iced Vietnamese coffee, but also an original Ube latté (made with this purple tuber often used in the Philippines) and an affogato matcha coffee .

1883, rue du Center, Montreal

Visit the Café Cosé website

Carlotta

Specialties: café de olla and horchata latte

There is no space in this very popular and productive Mexican bakery to consume on site. The Carlota team, however, does not prevent itself from having a nice menu of things to drink, which you can take with its concha or its exceptional guava puff pastry roll.

Because it is made with quality beans and very powerful Mexican cinnamon, Carlota’s café de olla is the best I have tasted, despite a good dozen stays in Mexico. It is prepared in a French press, sweetened with piloncillo. If you like it, you can buy a bag ready to infuse at home.

The house’s other caffeinated specialty is “dirty horchata”. The drink made with rice, milk, cinnamon and sometimes almonds and vanilla gets a shot of espresso. The marriage is perfect!

4804, rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal

Café Chez Téta

Specialties: Lebanese coffee and signature lattes

Coffee goes well with the flavors of Lebanese cuisine. Cardamom is even said to help reduce the jitters that caffeine can cause. There is some (or not) in the Lebanese coffee served at Chez Téta, a boiled drink with an explosive effect! There may also be this spice in one of the signature lattes. Or maybe you prefer halva latte? Sesame-based confectionery is added to heated milk. Around Valentine’s Day, the Chez Téta menu also offered a pretty rose latte with the appropriate color. In short, there is no shortage of choices here to change the cortado. And what’s more, if you want to hang on, you can stay to eat a full meal of manouches, salads and homemade cakes.

227, rue Rachel Est, Montreal

Visit the Café Chez Téta website