The Best Spots for Munchies
We understand munchies as a state of insatiable hunger. A never-ending hunger, a bottomless pit in the stomach that wants nothing better than to be filled with comfort food. We are not going to play innocent, munchies are strongly linked to the hunger felt after smoking a few puffs of a joint. But they are also commonly felt after a night of partying, when you’re hungover.
How did we come up with this list?
We don’t all have the same tastes and cravings, so we talked to our community of experts in the field and some categories were unanimous. We ruled that this list would be incomplete without a good place for Portuguese and fried chicken, ramen and pho soups, dumplings, greasy pizza, burger, poutine, fries and hot dogs, bagels, griot, classic breakfasts, and of course donuts and ice cream.
Why does cannabis give you the munchies?
If you’re wondering why you get so hungry after a few puffs, we’ll share our knowledge with you. Without going into a scientific exposé, munchies are a completely natural phenomenon. The feeling of hunger and the uncontrollable desire for comfort food (ideally fatty, very salty or very sweet) are caused by the interaction between cannabinoids, including THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), and the receptors responsible for appetite. So when we inhale or swallow cannabis, these receptors are as intoxicated as our minds, making food even more desirable than it already is.
For more suggestions, we suggest you check out our list of Montreal’s best late night eats!
Montreal Pool Room
Open since 1912, the Montreal Pool Room is a legendary place that seems to have been around forever. As one of the most famous snack bars in the city, the establishment had to leave its original address in 2010 to move across the street to a new location, where it has managed to preserve its original decor. People come here to devour their famous casse-croûte classics, like their famous steamed hot dogs that have forged their reputation over the years! Open late, it is a popular meeting spot after the bars close.
Montréal
Patati Patata Friterie de Luxe
At Patati Patata, the magic word is potato. This restaurant prepares one of the best poutines in Montreal. In the small and cozy place, you can also enjoy classic breakfasts, hamburgers, and other sandwiches, all while watching the hubbub of the Main. Something for everyone in a charming environment. Plus, they opened a second address on Jean-Talon, which backs onto the market.
Montréal
Sammi & Soupe Dumpling - (Ste-Catherine St. O)
Located on Sainte-Catherine Street, Sammi & Soupe Dumpling serves some of the city’s best dumplings, and is on our list of the best dumplings in Montreal. You can watch the creation of these little delicacies in the kitchen through a glass window. The dumplings are of the “xiaolongbao” type, and are steamed. These dumplings are served by the dozen, cooked just right and can be eaten almost without hunger: perfect for munchies.
Montréal
Bombay Mahal Indian Food Restaurant
Bombay Mahal invites you to travel through the flavours of their regional specialties. There are delicious dishes for all: vegetarian, chicken (their butter chicken is excellent), lamb, seafood, tandoori, thalis and biryanis. Plus, mouthwatering fried appetizers like bhajis and pakoras. The decor is minimalist, but the food is delicious. In the heart of Parc-Ex, this BYOB address is a staple and well worth a visit. The restaurant has a very loyal clientele of regulars, and you may just become one as well!
Montréal
Pho Bang New York
Pho Bang New York is a reliable address for quality Vietnamese food. Their Pho is one of the best in town and the super relaxed atmosphere is perfect for those days when you don’t want to get out of your sweatpants.
Montréal
Ma Poule Mouillée
Ma Poule Mouillée opened in 2013 on the corner of Rachel and Boyer Street, and it has since become a Portuguese classic in the Plateau Mont-Royal. This isn’t a place you come to sit at for hours, but it’s one of the best if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or take-out! On the menu, you will find chicken, pork and chorizo sandwiches, their famous and excellent poutine with São Jorge cheese, chicken and grilled chorizo, as well as grilled chicken, squid, octopus, sardine and cod. Note that their poutine is one of the best in town!
Montreal
Chez Tousignant
Chez Tousignant is the Quebec snack bar of Stefano Faita, Michele Forgione and Yann Turcotte. The burgers at this address are among the best in town. The goal of the establishment was to compete with the popular fast food chains by offering an improved version of their diner classics. Walking into Chez Tousignant is like walking into a diner from the 60s. Expect to enjoy a classic burger for $6, or some of the city’s best poutine, fries, hot dogs and ice cream!
Montréal
Pollo Gustoso
We can’t forget fried chicken! Theirs is close to perfection: crispy, oily and slightly spicy. You will also find a variety of products in their multi-ethnic grocery store as well as biryani rice, poutine, fish and chips, and much more.
Montréal
Yokato Yokabai Ramen
A good ramen to satisfy the muchies is hard to beat! Nestled at the corner of Rachel and Drolet, Yokato Yokabai offers a “Tonkotsu” style soup. The broth simmers for 12 hours and the noodles are homemade. It’s hands down one of the most satisfying soups in town!
Montréal
La Banquise
This list could not be published without including La Banquise. This institution in the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, has been offering more than thirty different kinds of poutine since the 1980s. Although some may debate whether it is really one of the best in town, the place remains legendary. The address is bustling all day (and night) long. To tempt you, the T-Rex, for example, is topped with ground steak, pepperoni, bacon and hot dog.
Montréal
Gibeau Orange Julep
This iconic and enormous orange ball — seen from Highway 15 — is a favourite of kids and adults alike. Their famous orange juice is a big talking point for Montrealers, but the recipe remains a secret. However, it seems that powdered milk and vanilla flavouring is added. This is one of the best snack bars in town and offers, among its most popular dishes, a Michigan hot dog worthy of being on our list of the best Michigan hot dogs (no small feat!).
Montréal
Meli-Melo Market
This Caribbean snack bar in the heart of Villeray offers one of the best griots in town. The majority of the space is filled with a variety of products from Africa, South America, the West Indies and the Caribbean. You can do your grocery shopping there! However, be sure to pick up some food at the counter, they take comfort food seriously: everything is delicious and the portions are generous!
Montréal
Bernie Beigne
While we’ve been talking a lot about salty food in this list, we certainly haven’t forgetten about donuts! Bernie Beigne on Bernard Street is a nostalgic place where a doughnut and a coffee only costs a few dollars — delighting the local student and working class clientele alike. In a past interveiw with us, one of the owners shared “A good donut is the best feel-good guilty pleasure”. We couldn’t say it better ourselves.
Montréal
ICONOGLACE
For some people, munchies mean xerostomia (dry mouth/cotton mouth). That’s when ice cream, with all its freshness, becomes our best ally. Iconoglace is a dairy bar of unbeatable decadence. The portions are generous, the recipes are funky, the choice of toppings is almost endless, the staff is efficient and friendly and there are even vegan alternatives for almost all their recipes. They are only open in summer, so don’t miss out! Whether you swear by soft serve or go crazy for creative sundaes, Iconoglace has you covered.
Montréal
St-Viateur Bagel
A bit like poutine, the bagel is to Montreal what pasta is to Italy! We eat them for anything and everything, at any time of the day, often just because we stroll down St-Viateur street and smell them. The bagel definitely deserves its place in our list of munchies. And the St-Viateur Bagel is a necessity!
Montréal
Restaurant Miami Déli
For several decades, the mythical restaurant on Sherbrooke Street has offered a comforting menu for all tastes and appetites. Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, dinner or late night munchies, you will always be welcomed with open arms and a smile by the team of this emblematic Montreal institution.
Montréal
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