There are the well-kept secrets, the obligatory stops and those that are worth the detour. There are above all essentials of all kinds that are good to share. For the pleasure of your palates, The duty therefore imagined an appointment in the form of a gourmet notebook, one theme at a time. Dessert popularized around 1950 in northern Italy, Tiramisu means “lift me up” or, more literally, “cheer me up”. Many times declined, the original version has no equal and skilfully combines smoothness and lightness. For aficionados, here are ten places where you will feel in the clouds!
MONTREAL
Mano Cornuto
It was at a table in this restaurant in the Griffintown district that the idea for this list came to us. We were in front of one of the best tiramisus recently tasted. With a tight base of cookies layered with mascarpone — a tad too sweet for our palate — the dessert is topped with a very airy preparation made of cheese whipped with whipped egg whites. Everything is perfectly silky, and we are delighted with the very good flavor of coffee that emerges. To share, like all the delicious dishes on the menu.
988 Ottawa Street
The Panzeria
We had already talked about the succulent sandwiches at La Panzeria, this little treasure on rue Saint-Denis, but the sweets are also worth the stop. The Sansone brothers’ tiramisu is just like the menu: authentic and generous. Inspired by a traditional recipe and made with biscuits imported from Italy, it contains only the essentials: mascarpone, sugar, eggs and espresso coffee. And because we are in the heart of Puglia in the heart of Montreal, do not hesitate to taste the local specialties, including the pasticciotto leccese — a pastry cream tartlet.
4084 St. Denis Street
Alati-Caserta
Impossible to talk about tiramisu without mentioning the Alati-Caserta pastry shop, a benchmark in Little Italy for 55 years. Its authentic version, in the form of a pretty ingot or in a large format to share, is prepared with homemade biscuits soaked in frank coffee and a creamy mascarpone. A few days before Saint Joseph’s Day, note that Alati-Caserta also makes excellent zeppole — you don’t want to miss this!
277 Dante Street
Tiramisu
Tiramisu tiramisu? And how ! In this unique half-Japanese, half-Italian haunt, we play with everyone’s inspirations and classic ingredients. Whether it’s mixing fresh pasta with yuzu or preparing arancini with sushi rice. The tiramisu is offered in two versions: a rather traditional one, with ladyfingers soaked in coffee flavored with Japanese whiskey: another, which plays with notes of yuzu and basil. Charming !
989 St. Laurent Blvd.
The Cornetteria
This is a place where making a choice is always a challenge! Between the dozens of flavors of cannoli, the famous cronuts or the cornetti – element and food trigger of this company –, the best Italian pastries are gathered there. Surprisingly, through it all, the tiramisu holds its own. The amalgam of mascarpone and biscuits rivals the other proposals on the counter by presenting pistachio, salted caramel or Nutella toppings. The classic version is also offered individually or for gourmet groups of 4 to 10 people.
6528 St. Laurent Blvd.
The Conca d’Oro
In 2012, the Italian community of Montreal awarded Conca d’Oro the title of best tiramisu maker, which is far from a small detail! The family business established in the Saint-Michel district offers it in individual verrines, where the light mascarpone is topped with a shaving of chocolate. What adds to the pleasure of going there is the always cordial service that accompanies each visit. Note: if you are looking for a place to have a birthday cake prepared, this is the place to be.
2550 Jean-Talon Street East
Caffe Un Po’Di Piu
This friendly bistro in Old Montreal offers a menu focused on the simplicity and freshness of Italian cuisine. It is notably one of the best places to taste fresh pasta. And with a name that means “a little more”, we have no choice but to go to dessert, especially since its tiramisu represents exactly what we like so much in this dish: a blend of flavors and textures with finesse. Here, ladyfingers are enhanced with Kahlua coffee liqueur, and the final layer of orange-scented mascarpone is dusted with cocoa powder and chunks. A real taste memory, really!
3, rue de la Commune East
QUEBEC
Battuto
A few weeks away from finally opening the door to their establishment, the co-owners of Battuto had thought of everything… or almost! They needed a tiramisu on the menu, al più presto ! Without waiting, Paul Croteau, who officiates as a pastry chef, then pulled out an Italian cookbook that a friend had given him. He replicated the outline of the iconic dessert, mixing the mascarpone with the egg yolks, folding it all together with tightly whipped egg whites before adding a few Marsala tears to the espresso coffee. The result, enhanced with extra strength Barry cocoa, is still a menu star nearly seven years later.
527 Langelier Boulevard
Nina Neapolitan Pizza
Another delicious Italian stopover in the capital: Nina Pizza Napolitaine offers a tiramisu as memorable as its pizzas. The scent of Lucano Cordial Caffe first tickles our nostrils, then we are enthusiastic about the homemade ladyfingers biscuits and the very delicate mixture of eggs and mascarpone. Neither too sweet nor too caffeinated, this tiramisu has a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that leaves us speechless.
410 St. Anselme Street
764 St. John Street
Botanists
With its sober base and simple techniques, all variations of tiramisu are possible, and this is undoubtedly one of the reasons for its rapid consecration. The Botanistes version illustrates it well: coffee mascarpone, ladyfingers, salted butter caramel, frosted pecans, coffee tuile and mocha mousse. Chef Emeline Péro and her team have totally embraced adaptability by playing with textures and flavors around coffee. The result is delightful — just like the restaurant. Also to be put in the notebook: their Bordeaux canelé.
2010, avenue Jules Verne