Montreal
Outremont, Montreal: neighborhood guide
Stay in Outremont only if you want a quiet residential base with strong cafés and bakeries on avenue Bernard and rue Laurier Ouest, and you accept few hotels and a metro ride to the sights. Choose it for a 2–3 night food-led stay; pick Plateau or Old Montreal instead if you want to walk to the main attractions.
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Key facts
- Best for
- Quiet residential streets, cafés, bakeries and French bistros
- Not for
- First-time sightseeing on foot; hotel choice is thin
- Metro
- Outremont station, Blue Line (Line 5)
- Main streets
- Avenue Bernard Ouest, rue Laurier Ouest, avenue Van Horne
- Walk to downtown
- About 40–50 minutes over or around Mount Royal (check)
- Typical stay
- 2–3 nights
- Booking pressure
- Low; few rooms, so book early in summer (check)
What Outremont is like
Outremont sits on the far side of Mount Royal from downtown Montreal. It was a separate town until it was merged into the city in 2002, and it still feels like one: low-rise apartment blocks, stone staircases, tree-lined streets and almost no through traffic.
It is a residential district first. Well-known Québec artists and writers live here, and it is also home to Montreal's Hasidic Jewish community, centred on avenue Bernard and avenue Van Horne. Expect quiet evenings, families, dog walkers and a lot of strollers.
The commercial life is concentrated on three streets: avenue Bernard Ouest, rue Laurier Ouest and, more scattered, avenue Van Horne. This is where the bakeries, ice-cream shops, bistros and small independent stores are. Outremont is not a sightseeing district; it is a place to eat well, sleep quietly and use as a base.
Should you stay in Outremont
Yes, if your trip is food-led and you value calm over convenience. The bakeries and neighbourhood restaurants of avenue Bernard Ouest and rue Laurier Ouest are a short walk from most of the district, and you sleep away from the festival noise of the Plateau and the crowds of Old Montreal.
No, if this is your first visit and you plan to walk to the main sights. Outremont has very few hotels and guesthouses, and the metro ride to downtown is short but real. Travellers who want to step out of the door into Old Montreal, the Plateau or the Quartier Latin should stay there instead.
It also suits longer stays and repeat visitors: a 2–3 night block works well, and it pairs easily with a Plateau or Mile End day.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Quiet, residential streets | Few hotels and guesthouses |
| Bakeries, cafés and bistros on Bernard and Laurier | Not walkable to Old Montreal or downtown sights |
| Blue Line metro at Outremont station | Evening options are limited compared with the Plateau |
| Close to Mount Royal and Université de Montréal | Some shops close early; Sunday hours vary (check) |
Where to eat and drink
Avenue Bernard Ouest is the spine. Le Glacier Bilboquet at 1311 rue Bernard Ouest is the summer institution: ice cream and sorbets, with queues on warm evenings. Café Souvenir at 1261 avenue Bernard is the all-day option, open late and around the clock on summer weekends (check hours).
On avenue Van Horne, Mamie Clafoutis at 1291 is a bakery known for baguettes and pastries. For a sit-down French meal, Bruno Bistro at 108 Laurier Ouest serves lunch and dinner in a small neighbourhood room; reserve in the evening (check).
Rue Laurier Ouest adds more bistros and food shops toward the Plateau end. Prices are Montreal mid-range (2026 estimate; check current menus). Tipping of 15–20% is expected.
Getting there and around
The Outremont metro station is on the Blue Line (Line 5), one stop from Côte-des-Neiges and a few stops from Jean-Talon and the Orange Line interchange. Routes and journey times from downtown vary by line and change; check the STM planner before you travel (check).
Buses cover the district well: the 80 du Parc runs through the Plateau up to Bernard or Van Horne, the 161 Van Horne links the Rosemont metro on the Orange Line, and the 129 Côte-Sainte-Catherine crosses Outremont from south to west past Université de Montréal. Fares are the standard Montreal transit fare (2026 estimate; check current price and pass options).
On foot, avenue Bernard and rue Laurier Ouest are the two walking axes, and both are pleasant. Walking downtown means going over or around Mount Royal, roughly 40–50 minutes (check). Driving and parking are tight on residential streets; the metro is easier.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Outremont a good area to stay in?
Yes for a quiet, food-focused stay of 2–3 nights, with cafés and bakeries on avenue Bernard and rue Laurier Ouest. No if you want to walk to Old Montreal and downtown sights, or need a wide choice of hotels — the Plateau or Old Montreal fit better.
What is there to do in Outremont?
Eat and walk: Bernard and Laurier Ouest for bakeries, ice cream and bistros, Van Horne for baguettes, plus parks such as Outremont Park, Saint-Viateur Park and Beaubien Park. The Outremont Theatre on avenue Bernard Ouest is a historic venue — check whether it has a current programme.
How do I get to Outremont?
Take the Blue Line metro to Outremont station, or bus 80 du Parc, 161 Van Horne or 129 Côte-Sainte-Catherine. Journey times from downtown vary by route and change; check the STM planner before you travel (check).
Deep dive
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