The Main

Montreal's Cultural Directory

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The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office

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    Magazine
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    • Arts & Culture

      Creativity, heritage, and expression.

    • Beyond Montreal

      Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

    • Design

      The best of Montreal design.

    • Food & Drink

      La bonne bouffe.

    • History

      Stories, lessons, and context.

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      Our weekly newsletter.

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    Explore Montreal
    Popular Guides
    • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
    • Best new Restaurants
    • Best Cafés
    • Unique Boutiques
    • Romantic Restaurants
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    Neighbourhood
    • Downtown
    • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
    • Mile End
    • Mile-Ex
    • Saint-Henri
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    Business Type
    • Restaurant
    • Café
    • Boutique / Store
    • Bar
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    Near the Metro
    • Peel
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    • Place-Saint-Henri
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    How We Build Our Directory

    The Main's Directory: How It Works

    Our directory isn't an advertising product. No one pays to be here. Every place you see made it in because we believe it belongs in Montreal's cultural fabric.

    Editorial Integrity First

    The directory exists to help you discover places that matter—not to sell visibility. It's that simple.

    How We Choose What Goes In

    First-Hand Experience
    Most of what you see comes from our own time in the city. Our editors and contributors eat at these restaurants, shop at these stores, attend these venues. We experience them first, then recommend them.

    Editorial Curation
    Some places earn their spot through careful judgment. They've shown consistency, cultural relevance, or made a real impact on their neighborhood.

    Trusted Local Voices
    We talk regularly with chefs, artists, designers, organizers, and Montrealers who've been here forever. They help us find places that are respected locally—often before anyone else is paying attention.

    What We Don't Do

    • Accept payment for inclusion
    • Sell rankings or prominent placement
    • Guarantee coverage
    • Add or remove listings in exchange for money

    Advertising and sponsorships have zero influence on what appears here.

    Always Evolving

    Montreal changes, and our directory changes with it. Listings get added, updated, or removed as neighborhoods shift, businesses close, or our standards evolve. That's intentional—it's how we stay relevant.

    Why This Matters

    Trust is everything. When you use this directory, you can be confident that every place earned its spot. Nothing's here because someone paid for it.

    If you're listed, it's because you belong.