There are well-kept secrets, obligatory stops and those worth the detour. There are above all essentials of all kinds that are good to share. For the pleasure of your palates, Le Devoir has therefore imagined an appointment in the form of a gourmet notebook, one theme at a time. It is impossible to do this review without mentioning the sandwich. Classic of classics, it comes in a thousand and one flavors according to the imagination and the seasons. What’s more, it is as accommodating as it is gourmet! For you, 10 places for a delicious meal on the go. By Sophie Grenier-Heroux.
MONTREAL
May 22
Simplicity and comfort. These are the words that come to mind when we talk about Rosalie Bergeron’s den—literally. The baker, installed in a small room a few steps from Jarry Park, offers unpretentious and entirely homemade cuisine. Every morning, all the ingredients, including the ciabatta bread, are baked and prepared for dinner service. The menu is brief to guarantee freshness; quantities are limited to avoid losses. How beautiful! We go there, of course, for the sandwiches made to order. Three varieties are offered, including the veggie pâté, a signature element. You can also get some vacuum-packed to take away, just like granolas and some sweets. On Thursday, tomato pizzas are added to the menu. Life project of a mother – born on May 22, to be honest! — four children, the address is open on weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
194 Jarry Street East
Bossa
The place is well known to people from Verdun, who have been queuing there since 2018. And now a second Bossa has set up shop on Promenade Masson. There too, the craze does not lie, and its hearty Italian sandwiches find many palates to satisfy! The hot (including the tasty porchetta and rapini) and cold sandwiches are made in a very soft ciabatta. The generosity of the house is matched only by its marriages of flavors, each more successful than the next. Take the time to look at the desserts, such as cannoli with ricotta, for a finish that goes well! Rather want to stock up on groceries? Bossa offers a true take-out tour of Italian cuisine.
4354 Wellington Street
3136 Masson Street
Olive + Gourmet
We drop off at Olive + Gourmando at any time of the day, but good for us if we arrive for lunch, because then we discover a multitude of tasty, joyful and generous options. And, of course, several sandwiches. From the outset, we think of the Cuban – which has long been stealing the show – with pancetta, roast pork, Gruyère cheese and a mayonnaise rich in umami. Or the delicious Cajun chicken sandwich, depending on the season. Or at grilled cheese, which also has its own fan club. And then, we couldn’t talk about the O + G without mentioning the plate of homemade ricotta, in a savory version, always embellished with seasonal ingredients and delicious toasted bread. Good arguments for picking up lunch or a picnic in the Old Port.
351 St. Paul Street West
Falafel Yoni
This is a less and less well-kept secret… Good luck! Yoni Amir and Daniel Maislin’s restaurant offers some of the best falafel in town, if not the best. Crispy on the outside, but very soft and melting in the mouth, they certainly have no equal. In pita version, it’s simply magnificent, generous, aromatic and fresh! To taste it for the first time is to fall into the trap of constantly having to find a reason to come back. And for a little over $10, it’s a very sweet price for a great gourmet pleasure.
54 Saint-Viateur Street West
Kahwa Cafe
Another great destination for food and drink is Kahwa Café, on the Plateau Mont-Royal. They press good grains and concoct delicious sandwiches made with homemade bread and inspired by Tunisian specialties. We particularly enjoy the one with panko chicken or the one with lablabi, garnished with chickpeas and tuna. With a straight cortado, we tell ourselves that life is truly beautiful! Mention to pizzas al taglio and at the Chakchouka prepared according to the family recipe.
331 Mount Royal Avenue East
The Panzeria
La Panzeria is a tribute to Puglia. In this somewhat hidden treasure on rue Saint-Denis, the brothers and chefs Pierpaolo and Davide Sansone want to promote the flavors of their native land, the motherland of burrata, focaccia and olives, among other things! Nice little wink to taste there orecchiette (the region’s pasta) prepared “with love” by the mom Francesca. In terms of sandwiches, the one that catches the eye is also the most typical of Puglia: the panino poignano, with marinated then fried octopus, rapini, burrata and lime mayonnaise. Also in love with the panino campagnolo, where capicollo, figs, spiced honey, burrata or homemade ricotta with peppers come together. Highlight: the homemade breads. The Sansone brothers, coming from a family of bakers, learned this art from an early age.
4084 St. Denis Street
QUEBEC
Glass Pickl’
By taking over the neighboring premises, the Verre Pickl’ has split into a pretty, unpretentious sandwich shop (other than offering very good snacks). Like Olive + Gourmando, we stop there at any time for a snack or an aperitif. As for sandwiches, the choice is there: banh miMexican-style grilled chicken, burrata or even the classic Lobster BLT will satisfy you. A choice of small dishes or sides can easily stretch dinner time; the beautiful drinking menu too.
1320 Maguire Ave.
franky johnny
Project of two friends, the baker François Borderon and the self-taught cook Jonathan Marcoux, Franky Johnny has been promising “completely flipped sandwiches” for nearly four years. And it succeeds! Housed in the same premises which brings together the Cantook micro-roaster and the Borderon le fils bakery, the sandwich shop offers something as well-crafted as its roommates. Here, freshness is a given: the sandwiches are made to order — on baguette or focaccia bread — quantities are limited, and the ingredients are seasonal. If you see the one with pork belly from the Turlo farm, don’t hesitate. It has been on the menu since the beginning, that says it all! Otherwise, trust your instincts, as we did recently with the banh mi vegan. We’re still salivating!
208 Saint-Vallier Street West
European grocery store
An institution of the capital for many reasons, the European Grocery has not aged a bit despite its 63 years of existence. And his sandwiches are still considered must-haves. Assembled in a baguette bread from the Borderon et fils bakery, the ingredients go together perfectly. Our favourites: the Lyonnais (with duck rillettes, Dijon mustard and gherkins) or even the caprice (with speck, grilled peppers, artichokes, goat cheese and dried tomatoes). The little extra? The paper towel that comes with the sandwich. It’s the experience that speaks!
560 St. John Street
ESTRIE
Traveler bread
For 15 years, Julie Grenier and Stéphane Ouellette carried their rolling bread oven from festival to festival, seducing the stomachs of the province with their delicious proposals. Talk to the people of Sherbrooke (East!), who have been enjoying the daily batches of Pain voyageur for seven years, now a café-bakery firmly rooted in the ground. The essential? The cheese twist. This tasty bread is available in several flavors, with the addition of bacon, jalapeño pepper, white wine, olives or even tomatoes and basil. But still ? This bread becomes a sandwich canvas – or “torsanwich”! — which makes the meal even more delicious. The other star of the place: the homemade veggie pâté, fresh and creamy thanks to the addition of dill and vegetables. And since Stéphane Ouellette is passionate about street food and travel, creations are frequent. Moreover, his version of Philly cheesesteak is not pricked with worms!
369 King Street East, Sherbrooke