Brunch at La Bête à Pain in Ahuntsic, Montreal

montreal brunch la bete a pain © Will Travel for Food

Some very addictive potato chips, pork belly and ham, poached egg, black beans, spicy tomato sauce, pico de gallo

I have been going to La Bête à Pain for some time now. The (once small) bakery from the same owners as one of Montreal’s best restaurants, Le St-Urbain with chef Marc-André Royal at the helm, makes outstanding breads and pastries. Their cannelés are definitely some of my favourites in Montreal and their daily pizzas are just so delicious, with seasonal creative toppings and a perfect thick crust. It is one of my go-to spots when I’m in the area but I have also gone there with the sole purpose of biting into one of those pizzas there after seeing their daily specials go by on via their Twitter feed.

La Bête à Pain

La Bête à Pain has recently gone through somewhat of a facelift. The small bakery is now adjacent to a large dining room where one can sit and linger for a while, whether you’re there for a sweet snack, lunch or brunch, one of the most recent additions to the establishment’s roster. The room is airy with large, comfortable banquettes. The bread and pastry purchasing is still located in the old space while the new space boasts a large open kitchen separated from the dining room by an open counter on top of which the pizzas are displayed. A chalkboard above lists the daily specials and a refrigerator below holds a few specialty items for sale, including some ready-to-eat meals and imported cheeses like mozzarella di buffala and burrata as well as an incredibly tasty buffala milk yogurt, Run de lait by Société Orignal.

montreal best brunch © Will Travel for Food

Brunch items: bleuberry & honey pancakes, poached egg, black beans, spicy tomato sauce, pico de gallo, chocolate cinnamon beighets, sweetbreads (compliments of the chef), smoked sturgeon with watermelon

A couple of weeks ago, on a beautiful sunny Sunday, I headed up to Ahuntsic to give the Bête à Pain’s brunch a try. The brunch set menu includes many dishes and costs $22. You order at the counter and you take a seat at one of the many tables to enjoy the avalanche of great plates (6 in total) from savoury to sweet. Delicate smoked sturgeon, a hearty pork belly and ham casserole, a spicy baked egg dish, the best potato chips with cilantro and garlic persillade, the fluffiest blueberry pancakes drizzled with local honey and a sweet finale of chocolate-filled beignets. You can complement your meal with juice, coffee or some of La Bête à Pain’s delicious baked goods.

Bon appétit and don’t forget to pick up some cheese and bread on your way out…