Shopping in Montreal: Top 3 Souvenirs to Buy for Travelers!

As the cultural center of the Quebec province, Montreal is many travelers' go-to destination for delicious food, exciting festivals, unique experiences, and, most importantly, fantastic shopping. 

From trendy vintage shops to charming bookstores, the variety of unique shopping locations in Montreal may leave you needing help with deciding where to go and what to shop for. 

I'm here to give you the lowdown on what you should be taking home from your trip to The City of Saints. Some must-have items from Montreal include a bottle of classic Canadian maple syrup, trendy vintage threads, and local art prints. Plus, I'll cover the best streets and neighborhoods to satisfy your various shopping needs. 

Browse through these Montreal shopping ideas before you plan your trip!

Guide to What to Buy in Montreal

3. Tasty Montreal Treats

Maple Products

Since Quebec is Canada's largest maple syrup producer, you'll want to bring home a few maple goodies. It's a classic Canadian souvenir available in many stores and markets throughout the city.

The staple of all maple products is maple syrup, followed by maple candies and cookies. They make perfect, tasty souvenirs for friends and family back home.

Some of the best places to grab high-quality, Quebec-made maple products include:

• Le Marché des Saveurs du Québéc located in the Jean Talon Market (280 Pl. du Marché-du-Nord, Montréal, QC H2S 1A1)
• Délices Érable & Cie (84 Rue Saint-Paul E, Montréal, QC H2Y 1G6)
• Autour de l’érable - Around Maple (350 Rue Saint-Paul E, Montréal, QC H2Y 1H2)

Local Cheeses

Quebec takes its cheeses seriously, making this item an excellent souvenir for your cheese-lovers back home. Don't believe me? The provincial government runs an annual award to recognize the best cheese in the province! 

One of Quebec's specialties is the squeaky cheese curd, one of the main ingredients in the famous Quebecois dish: poutine. 

Oka cheese is another excellent local variety, a semi-soft-washed rind cheese from the small village of Oka just northwest of Montreal.

Here are the best spots for local Quebec cheeses:

• La Fromagerie Hamel in Jean-Talon Market (220 Rue Jean-Talon E, Montréal, QC H2R 1S7) 
• La Fromagerie Atwater in Atwater Market (134 Av. Atwater, Montréal, QC H3J 2J4)
• Bleu & Persillé (1475 Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal, Quebec H1Y 1Z1)

Bagels

Freshly baked Montreal-style bagels are one of the most iconic food items of the city and a must-have snack to bring on a plane and to share with friends back home. 

While they're best enjoyed fresh and hot from the oven, I always buy at least a dozen to take home, even if they get squished in my luggage!

The best bagel shops in Montreal include:

• St–Viateur Bagels - 263 Rue Saint-Viateur O, Montréal, QC H2V 1Y1
• Fairmount Bagel - 74 Av. Fairmount O, Montréal, QC H2T 2M2
• Bagel St-Lo Verdun - 5411 Rue de Verdun, Verdun, QC H4H 1K6

Ice Wine

Quebec is one of the few regions in the world that produces ice wine, a sweet dessert wine made from grapes left on the vine to freeze. 

Look out for brands such as La Face Cachée de la Pomme and Domaine Pinnacle for unique and delicious ice wines that can be brought back in your check-in luggage.

You'll find many ice wine varieties at SAQ, Quebec's official liquor store.

2. Boutique and Vintage Clothing

Vintage Shops

Montreal is a vintage clothing lover's paradise, with many independent, sustainable thrift stores and curated vintage shops where you can find unique and affordable clothing. 

If you're looking for some genuinely unique Montreal threads, take the time to sift through the racks of a local thrift shop during your trip.

Some of the best Montreal vintage clothing shops include:

• Kapara Vintage (3901 Saint Denis St, Montreal, Quebec H2W 2M4)
• Annex Village (5364 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H2T 1S1)
• Floh Market (4301 Saint Denis St, Montreal, Quebec H2J 2K9)

High-End Canadian Brands

Looking to add some Montreal flair to your wardrobe? There's a wide variety of established and up-and-coming local Montreal brands worth checking out during your trip. 

From basic-wear staples like Frank and Oak to smaller leatherwear shops like M0851, keep your eye out for some high-quality, local Canadian brands to take home.

Some of my favorite Montreal brands are:

• Rudsak (Multiple locations, including 705 Saint-Catherine St W, Montreal, Quebec H3B 4G5)
• M0851 (Multiple locations, including 3526 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H2X 2V1)
• Frank and Oak (Multiple locations, including 1432 Stanley St, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1P7)

1. Unique Souvenirs

Classic and Rare French Books

Montreal is a book lover's dream, with an endless variety of beautiful, independent bookstores selling English and French titles across the city.

Montreal bookstores offer some of the best French-language titles outside of France! 

For those who know how to read French, this is a great chance to add to your collection. You can even pick up a few French language books if you simply enjoy collecting your favorite books in different languages! 

From indie titles to rare books, wander around some of Montreal's most charming bookstores for a unique shopping experience.

Best bookstores include:

• Librairie St-Henri Books (516 Rue Thérien, Montréal, QC H4C 3A4)
• Librairie Le Port de tête (Three locations on Mont-Royal Avenue Est: 222 – Arts, comics and children's literature, 262 – Used books, events and exhibitions, 269 – Literature, poetry, theater and science)
• Librairie Drawn & Quarterly (211 Rue Bernard O, Montréal, QC H2T 2K5)

Art Prints

Montreal's vibrant, multicultural art scene is a true mosaic of different styles, genres, and cultures. The city is home to artists from all over the world. This diversity is reflected in the art produced and exhibited here.

I suggest checking out prints, stationary or other gifts from local Montreal artists for a memorable souvenir. You can find affordable prints and posters at local galleries, gift shops, and markets. 

Here are a few of my favorite places to get prints: 

• Paperole (3915 Saint Denis St, Montreal, Quebec H2W 2M4)
• Galerie LeRoyer (60 Saint-Paul St W, Montreal, Quebec H2Y 1Y8)
• Station 16 Editions (377 Rue Saint-Paul O, Montréal, QC H2Y 2A7)

Best Areas for Montreal Shopping

Rue Sainte-Catherine

Rue Sainte–Catherine, or Sainte-Catherine Street, is the prime Montreal downtown shopping street. The area boasts almost every brand you can name, from Apple to Adidas to Zara!

It's a lively street close to multiple universities plus the city's business district. You'll want to check out the main section of Sainte-Catherine, which is between St. Alexander and Guy St. near the Concordia University campus. 

Plus, if you get hungry, there are many great bars and restaurants to stop at along the street!

Plateau Mont-Royal

If you ask any local Montrealer what the trendiest neighborhood in the city is, they'll probably say the Plateau. With the gorgeous Mount Royal as its backdrop, it's one of the hippest areas with a mix of vintage and modern shops, art galleries, and cafes. 

The Plateau is primarily known for its artistic community—you'll want to take your time wandering through the many galleries, studios, and boutiques showcasing the work of local artists. Maybe you'll even pick up a couple of prints and posters to take home!

Eaton Centre

If you're looking for Montreal's best shopping mall, look no further. Eaton Centre has all your mall shopping needs covered, with all your favorite stores and brands from Artizia to Lululemon and everything in between.

Centrally located in the downtown area of Montreal, Eaton Centre is a convenient spot to hit up on your trip if you want to do indoor, air-conditioned mall shopping.

Ready to Go on a Shopping Spree in Montreal?

From the unique vintage boutiques in the Plateau Mont-Royal area to delicious ice wine to the bustling downtown shopping atmosphere of Rue Sainte–Catherine, I guarantee you there's something for every shopper in Montreal. 

So, pack your bags, grab your wallet, and head to Montreal to start your shopping spree!

Need help with vacation planning? Sounds like you could use Pilot to plan your trip!