The Mile End neighbourhood’s name seems to have come from a 19th century racing track that roughly covered the zone delineated by St-Joseph Boulevard, Mentana Street, Mont-Royal Avenue and Berri Street. Indeed, a 1 mile distance separated the racing track from the former limits of Montréal. Thus, Mile End.
Although the neighbourhood is officially part of the Plateau Mont-Royal district, Montrealers differentiate the two, as Mile End is situated in one of the most bilingual and multiethnic sectors of the city, in the western extremity of the mainly French speaking Plateau. It had long been the heart of Montréal’s Jewish community and Hassidic Jews are still very much present, though many have migrated slightly to the west, spilling into Outremont. Both the Fairmount and St-Viateur bagel factories, true Montréal institutions that have popularized bagels in the city, are emblematic of the neighbourhood. The Greek community is also very much present, especially on Avenue du Parc.
Since the 1980s, Mile End is known as a neighbourhood of largely artistic inclinations, and many artists, musicians, writers and filmmakers have elected residence here. The streets are peppered with many art galleries, designer workshops, specialized boutiques and cafés. Mile End’s transformation was reinforced by the establishment of big-time multimedia enterprises in former factories. Take a stroll along St-Laurent Boulevard, Parc Avenue, Fairmount, St-Viateur and Bernard streets and discover the eclectic diversity of this neighbourhood.
The bohemian nature of the new Mile End opened a space where gays, lesbians and the queer folk could flourish. Today, Mile End is considered Montréal’s second most dynamic area for LGBT culture and the preferred neighbourhood of the queer community in particular. Mile End has also appealed to the lesbian community, a portion of which has migrated to the north out of Plateau Mont-Royal, where it had previously maintained a strong presence for decades.
In the last few years, Mile End has emerged as the centre of the Montréal independent music scene, with internationally renowned band Arcade Fire electing residence there, among others. Other celebrated Mile End dwellers, such as filmmaker Xavier Dolan and singer/songwriter Ariane Moffatt, can often be spotted here. In fact, it is the main filming location of Dolan’s film Les Amours Imaginaires (Heartbeats).
Posts tagged “Mile End”
You can’t talk about Mile End gastronomy without talking about Montréal’s Jewish and Eastern European heritage. It is the centre of the emblematic institutions of this legacy in the city, where immigrant Jews, most of them from Eastern Europe, brought us the bagel, the smoked meat sandwich and cured sausages in the early 20th century. In Mile End you’ll find the two temples of bagels that are Fairmount Bagel and Saint-Viateur Bagel. The story goes that the Montréal bagel is sweeter and more delicate than its New York cousin, a probable result of adapting to local taste. Try out a sausage sandwich at Wilensky’s on Fairmount Street. Smoked meat fans will definitely want to wait in line to try Montréal’s famous smoked meat sandwiches at the restaurant Schwartz on St-Laurent, just south of the Mile End.
The specialties of bagels and sandwiches associated with the Mile End neighbourhood are most probably linked to its being a favoured brunching destination. This tradition has been well established by the restaurant Beauty’s on Mont-Royal Avenue, where bagels are a specialty. Restaurants such as B & M or Fabergé, located on St-Viateur and Fairmount respectively, offer their own updated version of the Mile End brunch. The Syrian restaurant Kazamaza on Parc Avenue even proposes a Middle Eastern version of it.
The multiethnic character of the neighbourhood is, of course, also reflected in the more refined eateries of the area, with some fine cuisine from all sides of the Mediterranean basin. In the intimate décor of bistro Barcola on Parc Avenue, you will discover authentic Northern Italian cuisine. At the limits of Outremont on the corner of Van Horne and Hutchison, the Caffé Della Pace prepares a variety of Italian coffees and offers healthy, homemade vegetarian dishes composed of fresh ingredients. The prices are very reasonable and the atmosphere is friendly, with a piano in one corner and sofas in another. Both families with children and queers rub shoulders here. The fancy bistro Chez Lévêque on Laurier West has remained a very popular spot for the past 45 years. There is a humorous, slightly irreverent tone here, and a religious theme is displayed in reference to the patronymic of chef and co-owner Pierre Lévêque (L’évêque meaning Bishop). This chic Parisian brasserie with a distinctive Montréal touch has never deviated from the concept that made its success: good food and wine, in a trendy but casual ambiance. Their “faim de soirée” menu becomes available after 9pm, with more affordable prices attracting a younger clientele.
Of course, this neighbourhood’s culinary spectrum is much larger than what we can possibly cram into this page, and Local Montréal Tours can design customized gourmet tours that allow for rich and diverse Mile End discoveries.