Where to Get Your Grub On

Special IssueThe Link — Published September 2, 2014

Food Joints

Wok-Café (1845 Ste. Catherine St. W.)
Voted fourth-best Chinese restaurant by The Mirror’s reader’s poll of 2009, this place is guaranteed to satisfy your fourth-best taste buds. If you are looking for service where the waiter bends over to make sure you have a good time, this is not it, but if you are looking for fresh, excellent Chinese cuisine, look no more. Remember, cash only! If you don’t remember, the ATM machine will most definitely make you pay for your mistake.

P. M. (1809 Ste. Catherine St. W.)
Just a few minutes away from Concordia awaits the best pineapple chicken you will ever taste. Good news for vegetarians: this place knows how to create delicious tofu dishes that even omnivores enjoy.

Mr. Steer (1198 Ste. Catherine St. W.)
For those of you who are not afraid to venture further from the ship, this little burger place will definitely impress you. The burgers are juicy and delicious and the curly fries… let’s just say, you can’t have one without the other.

La Panthère Verte (2153 Mackay St.)
Crudessence (2157 Mackay St.)
Café Verdure (2155 Mackay St.)
Vegan, vegetarian, organic, gluten-free and sugar-free—between these three, it’s impossible not to find something to satisfy even the hungriest vegetarian or vegan.

Al-Taib (2002 Mackay St.)
Halal pizza, buffet and salads, mercifully close to Concordia’s downtown campus.

Nilufar (1923 Ste. Catherine St. W.)
The freshest (and cheapest) falafel you’ll find is a short walk down Ste. Catherine St. at Nilufar. With soups, shawarma and your typical burger fare, it’s sure to become one of your downtown staples.

Thali (1409 St. Marc St.)
If you’re starving, go for the $9 thali plates, or get a wrap to go. Yes, they wrap curry in a piece of naan bread and call it a meal. It’s genius.

Burritoville (2055 Bishop St.)
Right across from the Hall Building, this is a great place to grab a burrito and a beer after class. With three floors (one of which is filled with books, and another functioning as a sometimes-music venue), you’ll likely run into lots of other Concordia types.

Kazu (1862 Ste. Catherine St. W.)
If you’re lucky enough to get a table at this tiny Japanese izakaya, reward yourself with a salmon and tuna bowl. This is a great place to eat if you love cheap food and can handle bizarre meal times. We recommend 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. to secure yourself a spot.

Qing Hua (1676 Lincoln Ave. & 1019 St. Laurent Blvd.)
Crispy on the outside and soupy on the inside, Qing Hua offers dumplings that are sure to fill you up. Get them fried, share a plate, and live your life.

Boustan (2020 Crescent St.)
Boustan’s cheap late-night snacks have made the restaurant a cultural landmark in Montreal. Serving Lebanese cuisine until 4 a.m. seven days a week, Boustan is perfect for all-nighters spending time in the library or for lunch on the go.

Picks (1407 St. Marc St.)
Nothing cures midterm depression like a larger-than-your-head Korean hamburger. Picks allows you to choose the toppings of your burger—with everything from kimchi to Japanese mayonnaise. If you’re feeling daring, you can also try their “Kogo,” which is basically a corndog deep-fried in hash browns. Nom nom.

Joe’s Panini (1404 Drummond St.)
Whether you need to fuel your panini craving before that grueling three-hour class downtown or after your night out, Joe’s Panini has got you covered. A short walk from the downtown campus, this panini spot runs for 24 hours and has a wide assortment of paninis to devour, including spicy turkey, roast beef, BBQ rib and more.

Moe’s Diner (1455 Lambert-Closse St.)
Late-night breakfast. Get a Grand Slam. ’Nuff said.

Chez Victoire (1453 Mont-Royal Ave. E.)
While this place can be tough on the wallet of the average student, if you’re in the mood for a meal after 10 p.m., when their late-night menu kicks in, Chez Victoire is worth going to. Reservations are typically required, but for $25 you can snag either an entree and a main or a main and a dessert. With a menu that includes lobster bisque and a house-smoked meat burger, you’ll leave stuffed to the gills and satisfied.

Baie des Fromages (1715 Jean-Talon St. W.)
It might seem out of the way, but it’s worth making the trek up north to Baie des Fromages for their tasty, painfully cheap sandwiches. Heaps of garlicky rapini, stewed eggplants, roasted red peppers or your pick of deli meats are just a few of the sandwich fillings they have to offer, all wrapped up in a crispy, toasted bun.

Patati Patata (4177 St. Laurent Blvd.)
Patati Patata is the stuff legends are made of. Dirt cheap and wonderful, this tiny spot serves up great fries, great BLTs, great fish burgers—come to think of it, everything they serve is pretty great. An average menu item will only set you back a few dollars, so feel free to order everything that tickles your fancy.

St-Viateur Bagel (263 St. Viateur St. W.)
Sometimes all you really feel like eating is a mound of chewy, salty dough. St-Viateur is there for you. One of two major bagel spots in Montreal, St-Viateur is open 24 hours a day to serve your bagel needs. Some people will try and convince you that Fairmount Bagel, the city’s other main bagel provider, is better, but those people are wrong and silly, and should probably be avoided at all costs.

Fairmount Bagel (74 Fairmount Ave. W.)
The mad alchemist to St-Viateur’s stern purist, those with weak imaginations criticize this Mile End joint’s variations on the hallowed dough ring, while hungry regulars know better. Of course, the usual poppy-seed fare, warm and lovely as ever, is on offer 24 hours a day. Don’t bother talking to those who prefer St-Viateur.

Coffee Joints

Café X (EV 7.750 and VA 229)
Café X is great for people-watching. Run by the Fine Arts Student Alliance and frequented by arts studenst, your eyes can feast on the eclectic outfits of your fellow patrons while your tastebuds feast on danishes.

Java U (1455 Guy St.)
Conveniently located next to the Engineering and Visual Arts complex on Guy Street, this is a perfect spot when you’re running late for class and need a quick fix. Any format of their regular coffee is $1.50, so it won’t break your bank. Their iced cappuccino or “j’ice” is a delicious sweet-tooth treat with ice cream and flavour of choice.

Café Myriade (1432 Mackay St.)
This trendy café has been receiving a lot of attention from true coffee lovers and it is well deserved. If you want to indulge in an expertly pulled espresso or a rich creamy latte on an outdoor patio, then Myriade is the place to go. There is a catch to their peaceful atmosphere: no Wi-Fi. You have been warned.

Thé Kiosque (1428 Mackay St.)
If you’re not a coffee person, don’t worry. Thé Kiosque, located right outside of Concordia’s EV building, has your back. They have a large variety of teas and are known for their signature organic “teamonade” and iced tea lattes. They also offer free Wi-Fi and a friendly atmosphere to study or chat in.