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The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

    partnerships@themain.com

    Content

    • Articles
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts & Culture
    • History Lesson
    • Bulletin
    • Events

    Guides

    • All Guides
    • Best Restaurants
    • Best Cafés
    • Best Bars
    • Best Brunch
    • Best Bakeries

    Explore Montreal

    • Browse Directory
    • Restaurants
    • Bars
    • Cafés
    • Bookstores

    About

    • About us
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Advertise
    • Pitch us
    • RSS Feed

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    Follow us
    InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
      --°C|Monday, March 23, 2026|
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      --°C|Monday, March 23, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.ROYALMOUNT Wants to Be Your Dining Destination for a Whole MonthGet 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Categories
      • 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.

      • Newsletter

        Our weekly newsletter.

      • See all original stories
      Explore Montreal
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
      • Saint-Henri
      • See All
      Business Type
      • Restaurant
      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
      • Bakery
      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
      • Place-Saint-Henri
      • Place-d'Armes
      • Jarry
      • View all
      Shop
      Subscribe
      Subscribe
      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      The shamrock has been on Montreal's coat of arms since 1832, and the pub culture that followed has been here just as long.

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?

      Jazz legends, burlesque queens, and organized crime made it one of the most alive corners in North America. Then Montreal decided it had a reputation to protect.

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built
      History Lesson
      The Main

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built

      The story of La Maison d'Haïti: Its welcome and advocacy for Montreal's growing Haitian community since 1972.

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano

      In so many ways, Montreal jazz exists because Daisy Peterson Sweeney both masters and generations of kids in Little Burgundy.

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club

      The story of Rufus Rockhead, the Jamaican-born railway porter who built Montreal's most legendary jazz club—and spent decades defending it.

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics left behind, 50 years later
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics Left Behind, 50 Years Later

      Were the Summer Games a triumph, a total failure, or somewhere in between?

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      The shamrock has been on Montreal's coat of arms since 1832, and the pub culture that followed has been here just as long.

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?

      Jazz legends, burlesque queens, and organized crime made it one of the most alive corners in North America. Then Montreal decided it had a reputation to protect.

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built
      History Lesson
      The Main

      The House That Haitian Montreal Built

      The story of La Maison d'Haïti: Its welcome and advocacy for Montreal's growing Haitian community since 1972.

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Woman Who Taught a City How to Play the Piano

      In so many ways, Montreal jazz exists because Daisy Peterson Sweeney both masters and generations of kids in Little Burgundy.

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How a Railway Porter Built Montreal's Most Storied Jazz Club

      The story of Rufus Rockhead, the Jamaican-born railway porter who built Montreal's most legendary jazz club—and spent decades defending it.

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics left behind, 50 years later
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Montreal's 1976 Olympics Left Behind, 50 Years Later

      Were the Summer Games a triumph, a total failure, or somewhere in between?

      More History Lesson

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      If this factory closes, a century of Montreal's Chinatown history goes with it
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      If This Factory Closes, a Century of Montreal's Chinatown History Goes with it

      For over a century, Wing Noodles has fed Montreal with handmade noodles, fortune cookies, and quiet defiance—one of the last family-run factories still standing in Chinatown.

      Operation Fish: When Montreal hid Britain's fortune during WWII
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Operation Fish: When Montreal Hid Britain's Fortune During WWII

      Billions in gold and securities sat three storeys beneath Sun Life while 5,000 employees worked overhead, completely oblivious.

      The century-long smoked meat legacy of Schwartz's Deli
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Century-long Smoked Meat Legacy of Schwartz's Deli

      How a Romanian immigrant's recipe and stubborn refusal to change built Montreal's most iconic sandwich.

      The dining theatrics and dark history of Montreal's infamous restaurant Au Lutin qui Bouffe
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Dining Theatrics and Dark History of Montreal's Infamous Restaurant Au Lutin Qui Bouffe

      Fine French cuisine, tableside photo sessions with piglets, and a botched robbery that marked the beginning of an end.

      Before the world knew his name, Montreal heard him first
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Before the World Knew His Name, Montreal Heard Him First

      The Harlem of the North, Little Burgundy, raised a legend. It took 100 years to say it as loudly as possible from the city's rooftops.

      The rise and fall of Le Palais des Nains, the palace where tourists became giants
      History Lesson
      The Main

      The Rise and Fall of Le Palais des Nains, the Palace Where Tourists Became Giants

      For over 60 years, the fully functional home of two circus veterans became a Montreal tourist attraction where everything was scaled down to their three-foot-tall size.

      History Lesson

      The Main's Picks for the Biggest Headlines from Montreal in 2024

      From record-breaking weather events to protests and cultural milestones, here’s a look back on some of the biggest stories of 2024.

      By J.P. Karwacki

      January 2, 2025 · 17 min read

      The Main's picks for the biggest headlines from Montreal in 2024
      Photograph: Kajetan Sumila / Unsplash

      More History Lesson

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      If this factory closes, a century of Montreal's Chinatown history goes with it
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      If This Factory Closes, a Century of Montreal's Chinatown History Goes with it

      For over a century, Wing Noodles has fed Montreal with handmade noodles, fortune cookies, and quiet defiance—one of the last family-run factories still standing in Chinatown.

      Operation Fish: When Montreal hid Britain's fortune during WWII
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Operation Fish: When Montreal Hid Britain's Fortune During WWII

      Billions in gold and securities sat three storeys beneath Sun Life while 5,000 employees worked overhead, completely oblivious.

      The century-long smoked meat legacy of Schwartz's Deli
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Century-long Smoked Meat Legacy of Schwartz's Deli

      How a Romanian immigrant's recipe and stubborn refusal to change built Montreal's most iconic sandwich.

      The dining theatrics and dark history of Montreal's infamous restaurant Au Lutin qui Bouffe
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Dining Theatrics and Dark History of Montreal's Infamous Restaurant Au Lutin Qui Bouffe

      Fine French cuisine, tableside photo sessions with piglets, and a botched robbery that marked the beginning of an end.

      Before the world knew his name, Montreal heard him first
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Before the World Knew His Name, Montreal Heard Him First

      The Harlem of the North, Little Burgundy, raised a legend. It took 100 years to say it as loudly as possible from the city's rooftops.

      The rise and fall of Le Palais des Nains, the palace where tourists became giants
      History Lesson
      The Main

      The Rise and Fall of Le Palais des Nains, the Palace Where Tourists Became Giants

      For over 60 years, the fully functional home of two circus veterans became a Montreal tourist attraction where everything was scaled down to their three-foot-tall size.

      History Lesson

      The Main's Picks for the Biggest Headlines from Montreal in 2024

      From record-breaking weather events to protests and cultural milestones, here’s a look back on some of the biggest stories of 2024.

      By J.P. Karwacki

      January 2, 2025 · 17 min read

      The Main's picks for the biggest headlines from Montreal in 2024
      Photograph: Kajetan Sumila / Unsplash

      While we're all about looking forward to a new year with the arrival of 2025, we also like to take a moment to remember everything that happened in the past year.

      As the flow of information fries our brains to the point of not remembering what happened just last week, digging through an entire year's worth of stories means taking a moment to recall and reflect—you'd be surprised what you might've forgotten about.

      From a year that began with debates over Montreal’s tramway plans and a bold revival of Quartier Latin to torrential rainfalls and the closure of beloved institutions, 2024 proved to be anything but predictable. Major headlines tackled everything from housing affordability and climate resilience to linguistic battles and cultural preservation, with some issues igniting fierce debates and others quietly simmering in the background. If it felt like a whirlwind, you’re not alone—it’s been a lot to keep up with.

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      Latest from The Main

      Montreal, Inc.Welcome Back From the Dead, Frank And OakNewsletterThe Bulletin: The 201st St. Patrick's Day Parade, Doom-Scrolling Performance Art, and Live Jazz in a Skyscraper [Issue #173]Arts & CultureGore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth MakingArts & CultureWhat to do this weekend (03.19–03.22)Arts & CultureRequiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
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      While we're all about looking forward to a new year with the arrival of 2025, we also like to take a moment to remember everything that happened in the past year.

      As the flow of information fries our brains to the point of not remembering what happened just last week, digging through an entire year's worth of stories means taking a moment to recall and reflect—you'd be surprised what you might've forgotten about.

      From a year that began with debates over Montreal’s tramway plans and a bold revival of Quartier Latin to torrential rainfalls and the closure of beloved institutions, 2024 proved to be anything but predictable. Major headlines tackled everything from housing affordability and climate resilience to linguistic battles and cultural preservation, with some issues igniting fierce debates and others quietly simmering in the background. If it felt like a whirlwind, you’re not alone—it’s been a lot to keep up with.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Latest from The Main

      Montreal, Inc.Welcome Back From the Dead, Frank And OakNewsletterThe Bulletin: The 201st St. Patrick's Day Parade, Doom-Scrolling Performance Art, and Live Jazz in a Skyscraper [Issue #173]Arts & CultureGore Verbinski's Gloriously Unhinged AI Movie Is a Mess Worth MakingArts & CultureWhat to do this weekend (03.19–03.22)Arts & CultureRequiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
      Follow on Google
      Poulet portugais et poutine à leur apogée dans cette churrascaria montréalaise

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      Poulet Portugais et Poutine À Leur Apogée dans Cette Churrascaria Montréalaise

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      Your Local Design Re-education Starts with These Montreal Creatives & Artists

      Your local design re-education starts with these Montreal creatives & artists
      Poulet portugais et poutine à leur apogée dans cette churrascaria montréalaise

      Previous

      Poulet Portugais et Poutine À Leur Apogée dans Cette Churrascaria Montréalaise

      Next

      Your Local Design Re-education Starts with These Montreal Creatives & Artists

      Your local design re-education starts with these Montreal creatives & artists