Beigne Habitude: High-end pastry technique meets donut Americana in Little Italy

After selling donuts out of their Plateau apartment's ruelle verte and conducting roadtrip studies of donut shops throughout the United States, Rachel Berriman and Michael Lottner’s new shop in Montreal’s Little Italy Beigne Habitude has arrived.

If the recent uptick in notable shops popping up across the city form one side of a spectrum that feeds on nostalgia—using toppings like breakfast cereal, cookies or candy for example—the couple’s application of pastry and baking experience carves out space on the other end.

Set in a space with branding and interior design by Davi Sloman (@davi_studio_), Beigne Habitude is something that’s genuinely artisanal (as much as the term gets bandied around the industry). Its menu provides an alternative taste of donuts with options and experiments like bay leaf glazes, strawberry and almond fritters, and pairings like lime and tamarind or mango with a chili crunch.