Perfect cafés for working in Montréal: a few suggestions
For several years now, we’ve been witnessing a major shift in how work is organized, with a growing number of self-employed workers entering the market. In response to this expanding reality, many cafés have opened their doors to meet the increasing demand from this new audience: cafés that are both places to enjoy a great cup of coffee or a bite to eat, and workspaces that are comfortable, functional, and inspiring. Others have adapted their layouts to offer environments that foster creativity and productivity. Let’s be honest—since the pandemic, remote work has become more popular than ever, whether we like it or not. As a result, we’re all on the lookout for the perfect cafés to work from, if only to change up the scenery.
Montréal is overflowing with independent cafés that are ideal for freelancers and students alike, perfect for powering through brainstorming-heavy workdays. A (very good) excuse to avoid procrastination and dive into your work—while treating yourself to delicious snacks and coffee breaks that will get you back on track!
Because working from home isn’t always easy—or enjoyable. Because it’s all too tempting to give in to Netflix, or to start a FaceTime call with that friend who lives on the other side of the world… and so on (excellent excuses that keep us from getting things done). That’s why we’re sharing our favourite cafés in Montréal that are perfect for working or studying. You’ll find everything from classic to more original spots, places where you can eat very well, or cafés that offer hourly work packages. And for some of you, one of these might just become your new go-to address for working, studying, or simply grabbing a coffee with friends.
We also invite you to check out our list of the most beautiful cafés in Montréal, if you’re simply looking to take a break from work or studying 😉
Crew Collective & Cafe
Crew Collective & Café is simply stunning and rightly earns its place on our list of the most beautiful cafés in Montréal. The café also offers a coworking space with a monthly membership. Members have access to a private area behind the counter, private rooms, conference rooms, a kitchen, and private balconies. For non-members, it’s still possible to reserve a private room (hourly rates are available on their website). The café also features 100 seats, and each workspace is equipped with an electrical outlet as well as a secure locker for valuables. When it comes to food, the menu is designed to keep workers well fed and focused on their projects. Photo: Jeff Frenette Photography
Montréal
Café des Habitudes
Located at the corner of Christophe-Colomb and Saint-Zotique, Café des Habitudes is the kind of place where you feel at ease the moment you walk in. Here, eco-responsibility is at the heart of the project, approached with simplicity and genuine warmth. People come to work for a few hours, study quietly, jot notes in a notebook, or spend time with their children. As soon as the weather warms up, the terrace becomes a must—perfect for soaking up the sun and slowing things down a little. A soothing neighbourhood café, ideal for unplugging.
Montreal
café léo
Located just steps from the pavilions of Université du Québec à Montréal, Léo is a reliable choice for studying or getting work done. Large windows flood the space with natural light, making long hours spent with books far more pleasant. The décor—minimalist with a subtle industrial edge—is softened by artwork on the walls, creating a balanced and inspiring atmosphere. A simple, bright, and efficient café where it’s easy to stay focused.
Montréal
Café In Gamba Laurier
With this third location, In Gamba continues to do what it does best: excellent coffee, a lively atmosphere, and attentive service. Opened in the summer of 2024, the Laurier Street café quickly established itself as a local gathering spot for neighbourhood regulars, coffee lovers, and digital nomads alike. It’s not the quietest place to focus, but if you enjoy working in a buzzing environment, this is exactly the place for you. We especially recommend it if you need to take a few calls without feeling like you’re bothering others. And design-wise, it’s hard to beat—this is clearly one of the most beautiful cafés in the city.
Montréal
Le Saint Louis café
Le Saint Louis Café is a charming spot tucked away at the corner of Villeneuve and De Bullion in the Mile End. The space is both warm and thoughtfully designed, perfect for stopping in for a great coffee paired with a pastry—whether you’re staying in or grabbing it to go. Many people also settle in to work remotely, drawn by the friendly, relaxed atmosphere (clearly far more pleasant than an office cubicle!).
Montréal
La Brume Dans Mes Lunettes
Located on Saint-Zotique East in the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie neighbourhood, La brume dans mes lunettes skillfully blends a tea room with a welcoming café. Part of the place’s charm lies in its beautiful wooden tables, paired with plenty of chairs and armchairs that invite you to settle in for hours. At the counter, each seat is equipped with a lamp and an electrical outlet—ideal for those planning to work for long stretches. The space is bright, comfortable, and inviting. La brume dans mes lunettes also offers an afternoon tea menu and lunch options, along with a selection of homemade pastries displayed at the counter.
Montréal
Le Café Bloom
Located in the heart of Pointe-Saint-Charles, Café Bloom is a little gem that has quickly become a favourite gathering spot for local artists and neighbourhood regulars. This charming café is ideal for working for a few hours: guests enjoy plenty of natural light thanks to the large front window, and there are several spacious communal tables. Written on the large chalkboard menu, the café offers a variety of seasonal tartines, sandwiches, salads, waffles, pancakes, and grilled cheese. For those with a sweet tooth, the house also prepares delicious pastries. If you’re in the area—or even if you’re not—we highly recommend stopping by this lovely Pointe-Saint-Charles café. Please note that laptops are welcome on weekdays only; on weekends, the café invites you to relax and enjoy brunch, screen-free.
Montréal
Café Myriade - Le Plateau
There are several Café Myriade locations across Montréal. The Saint-Denis outpost opened in the space formerly occupied by Café Couteau. At the corner of Bienville and Saint-Denis, this ultra-minimalist café is one of those perfect spots for getting work done. Power outlets are tucked beneath the large communal tables, and the natural light is beautiful throughout the day. On top of that, the café serves excellent coffee from 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters and pastries from Hof Kelsten. For working in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, Café Myriade is a great choice.
Montréal
Café Replika
Set in a spacious room filled with remarkable natural light, Café Réplika will likely charm you just as much as it charms us with every visit. It earns its place on our list of perfect cafés for working thanks to its mix of large communal tables, small tables for two, and a few round tables, along with some armchairs for those who prefer a more comfortable seat. The café’s large windows allow sunlight to flood the roughly 50-seat space, even on greyer days. Réplika also offers Turkish specialties, including traditional Turkish coffee—served regular or with mastic. The short menu features a selection of baked goods. We especially love this spot for its truly unique café atmosphere.
Montréal
Café Sfouf
Café Sfouf is a lovely little café that opened in 2014 on Ontario East. Warm and welcoming, it’s an ideal spot for getting work done. Thanks to its large garage doors, the space is filled with natural light throughout the day, and the café also offers spacious communal tables for guests. The décor is simple and colourful—so much so that it also makes our list of the most beautiful cafés in Montréal. On the menu: great coffee, hot drinks, homemade cakes, and both sweet and savoury tartines.
Montréal
Café SAT
A wonderful addition to the Quartier des spectacles, this address stands out for its offering of excellent coffee alongside simple, delicious dishes. We come to this bright, urban space to enjoy a great cup of coffee and eat very well in a beautiful setting. Café SAT is highly accessible, welcoming students, artists, and the many office workers from the surrounding area. The concept behind Café SAT is to merge the culinary work of the Pavillon with the café format, resulting in a short menu focused on freshness and the quality of the ingredients available.
Montréal
Café Parvis
Café Parvis is one of our favourite spots in downtown Montréal. Just steps from the Place des Festivals, the café welcomes guests from early morning until nightfall—and you always leave feeling happy.
Montréal
Saison des pluies
It was at the corner of Guizot East Street and Henri-Julien Avenue that Saison des pluies opened its doors— the very first café by Erika Lafleur and Antoine Lacroix-Vézina. After just a few weeks, the duo is already delighted to know many of the café’s regulars by their first names.
Montréal
OSMO X MARUSAN Café-Terrasse
By day, Osmo X Marusan is a specialty café offering simple, highly effective Japanese cuisine. Ebi curry, Japanese sandos (egg salad and ramen egg sandwiches, pork cutlet sandwich)… the creations of chef Kohko Hasegawa (of Bistro Otto) are perfect for lunch or a short work session in Osmo’s beautifully understated setting.
Montréal
Le Bar Darling
Founded by the Holder brothers (behind Restaurant Holder, Bar Majestique, Brasserie Bernard, and Bar Waverly), Le Darling opened its doors in March 2017 at the corner of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Marie-Anne Street. We’re especially fond of the bar’s enchanting, one-of-a-kind décor and appreciate that the space doubles as a beautiful café. It’s a great place to work during the day, then ease into the evening with a few drinks and excellent small plates among friends.
Montréal
Dispatch Coffee
Café Dispatch opened its largest location on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, at the corner of Duluth Street. It brings high-quality coffee to this lively neighbourhood in a modern, elegant space. We especially appreciate the beautiful décor, Dispatch’s philosophy, the kindness of Chrissy and her team—and, of course, their excellent coffee.
Montréal
Café Pista
The first bike-powered specialty coffee service opened its first café on Beaubien East, and the result is stunning. The concept behind Café Pista was to offer coffee ground entirely by human-powered energy. After a few years of making appearances at Montréal events, owner Maxime Richard finally found his dream location.
Montréal
Baristello Outremont
Located in the heart of the MIL Campus at Université de Montréal, the impressive, modern space of Baristello Outremont is sure to turn heads.
Montréal
Le Falco
Le Falco is a well-kept Mile End gem where it’s a pleasure to enjoy Japanese dishes alongside a delicious, one-of-a-kind coffee you won’t find anywhere else in the city. It’s also, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful cafés in Montréal!
Montréal
Junco – Buvette italienne & café de quartier | Rue Ontario Est
Along the railway tracks that separate the Sainte-Marie and Hochelaga neighbourhoods lives the slate-colored junco, a small sparrow-sized bird. This winged local resident inspired the name Junco, an Italian-leaning café-wine bar located just steps from Frontenac metro station, on the ground floor of the Mellem Ville-Marie rental condo project.
Montréal
Café Olimpico - Mile End
Café Olimpico has been around since 1970. This Saint-Viateur Street institution is known by just about everyone—but it offers much more than coffee alone. Its success comes from many factors, and it undoubtedly ranks among the best Italian cafés in Montréal.
Montréal
Savsav
Hidden at the end of a maze of corridors in the Édifice Brewster in Saint-Henri, Savsav is an insider’s secret—one that’s becoming less and less secret. From as early as 8 a.m., the space fills with stylish young crowds, some hunched over their laptops, others simply soaking in the bright, airy décor.
Montreal
Nonnina
Nonnina is a charming Italian café in Lachine that delights visitors with delicious sandwiches, pastries, and viennoiseries. Since opening, this spot has been constantly buzzing, drawing in food lovers from the neighbourhood.
Montréal
Pastel Rita
Set in a bright, spacious hybrid space, Pastel Rita can seat around twenty guests. Through its menu, the Pastel Rita team collaborates with local businesses and developed it in partnership with their restaurateur friends from Moccione and Mousso. We highly recommend the ham, anchovy, and gribiche sauce sandwich—a simple yet perfectly executed delight.
Montréal
Chez Greenberg
Chez Greenberg opened its doors in January 2025 on Avenue du Parc, in the former space of the late Lustucru. Run by Jake Greenberg (the man behind Zaidie’s smoked salmon) and Daniel Feinglos (of Agriculture du Coin), this very early-stage project marks the beginning of what promises to be a great adventure.
Montréal
