What is it?

Bagels are ubiquitous in grocery stores and delis across North America.  The word “bagel” is derived from the Yiddish word beugel, which roughly translates as ring or bracelet.  Bagels originated in Poland and came to Canada with Jewish immigration in the early 1900s.  

Montréal bagels are different from other bagels in that they are thinner, denser in consistency, chewier, sweeter, and without the characteristic saltiness of a “New York Style” bagel.  Both styles contain malt and are boiled before baking but the Montréal bagel is poached in honey water before being baked in a wood-fire oven.  “New York Style” bagels are baked on burlap-clad planks and made with smaller holes in them.  

For most people the word “bagel” connotes a specific shape of a toroid; in other words, round with a hole in it.  This matters greatly to some people, who insist that a bagel can’t BE a bagel unless it has a hole.  Otherwise, it’s just a bun.  

In January 2024 the Philadelphia cream cheese brand introduced a bagel without a hole to allow more space for the enjoyment of their product.  Called "Philadelphia Bagel Wholes", St. Viateur Bakery is the only Canadian producer to make these and retail them in Canada.  These were on the market until February 12, 2024, as a marketing campaign.  Responses were mixed but the market responded well to these hole-less bagels, selling them out every day they were offered.

Fun fact; the Montréal bagel has been to outer space! Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff (Montreal native and nephew to the current owner of Fairmount Bagels) couldn’t think of leaving Earth for six months without his favorite bagel, so he made sure to bring three bags with him to the International Space Station.

Where is it?

• Fairmount Bagel Bakery (74 Fairmount Avenue West). Open 24h. The bagels are smaller and more chewy, with a tighter skin. If they’re available - try the pretzels (they’re just bigger bagels with big salt crystals). Fairmount has a wide variety of flavors available and restocks often.
• St-Viateur Bagels (263, rue St-Viateur O.). Open 24h. The bagels are larger (they have smaller holes) and less chewy with a more delicate crust. Worth noting are the bagel “crackers” available beside the cash. St-Viateur has fewer flavors than Fairmount.  
• Others. There are other bagel bakeries in the city. Most do a decent job of making Montreal bagels, and since both Fairmount and St-Viateur are within a block of each other – the rest of the city “makes do” with their local favorites. 

You should try them all and make your own decision, of course.