Montréal has its own distinct way of approaching liquid hospitality. Less cocktail-driven than New York and certainly less self-conscious than some European capitals — even if many still describe it as the most European of Canadian cities — it has built its bar scene on a compelling mix of technical rigour, multicultural influences and genuine warmth.
Old Montréal, Little Italy, grand hotels and tiny speakeasies coexist in an ecosystem where personality matters as much as precision. These days, though, the preferred gathering place at aperitivo hour is the wine bar. As the last rays of sunlight catch glasses filled with natural wine, conversations begin to swell and neighbourhoods fill with thirsty drinkers in search of niche bottles. To really understand the city’s most significant venues, where mixology still sets the rhythm of the evening, it helps to follow Kevin Demers, one of the figures most responsible for shaping Montréal’s contemporary nightlife through addresses such as The Coldroom, Bar Bello, Bisou Bisou and El Pequeño.
A Taste of Italy in Montreal at Bar Bello
With Bar Bello, for instance, Demers looks explicitly to Italy. In Little Italy, the venue builds around the aperitivo ritual, offering a relaxed, convivial experience where the Negroni takes centre stage — to the point that it can even be ordered from a dedicated vending machine stocked with canned variations. Alongside the drinks come “toned” created with Pan American Pizza, arancini with mozzarella and spinach, and meatballs that embrace Italian comfort culture without too much rigidity. The aesthetic nods to Italian pop imagery from the 1960s through the 1980s, filtered through a contemporary lens, while hospitality remains one of the venue’s strongest assets, thanks to Bar Manager Arnaud Savard.
A French Aperitif in Old Montréal with Bisou Bisou
If Bar Bello is rooted in Italian conviviality, Bisou Bisou adopts the grammar of the French and Mediterranean aperitif. Opened in 2023 on Rue Saint-Vincent in Old Montréal, it has built its identity around vermouth, sherry, fortified wines, amari and low-ABV cocktails, categories often overlooked elsewhere and given proper attention here. The venue is all about cultural accessibility: introducing guests to less familiar categories without intimidation, while at the large bar, relaxed atmosphere and food menu of conservas, olives, bread, cheeses and charcuterie create an experience entirely aligned with the aperitif ritual. A venue that has also become a platform for Montréal’s hospitality community through round tables and culinary collaborations.
The Coldroom, Montréal’s Speakeasy
Just steps away is The Coldroom, one of the venues that helped define Montréal’s contemporary cocktail culture. Hidden below street level, behind an anonymous door with a brass bell, it has turned the act of arrival into part of the ritual itself. But the speakeasy aesthetic is never the real story: service is. Led by Bar Manager Sally Groves, the venue requires every bartender to know at least 110 classic cocktails, including their recipes, histories and variations. That depth of knowledge allows the team to create drinks that genuinely feel accessible to everyone, balanced by a rotating signature list.
El Pequeño, Canada’s Smallest Cocktail Bar
At the opposite end of the spectrum, at least in physical scale, sits El Pequeño, the smallest cocktail bar in Canada: thirteen square metres, nine seats, unmistakably Cuban inspiration and a sharply defined identity. Here, 1920s Havana becomes something tangible through Daiquiris, Hotel Nacional serves, rum-forward classics and frozen cocktails designed for lighter, more playful drinking. The latest menu, built as a series of collectible baseball-inspired cards, weaves together Cuban culture and Montréal sporting nostalgia, proving that even the smallest spaces can build compelling narratives.
Luxury Mixology in Montréal at Marcus Night Bar
Finally, the luxury chapter begins with Marcus Night Bar, inside the Four Seasons Hotel Montréal. Opened in 2019 and now led by Jay Lawson, a former chemist with an intensely technical approach, it represents the city’s most structured and premium expression of cocktail culture. The current menu works through contemporary twists on classics, fermentation and sustainability-led practices. Cocktails such as the Golden Square Mile Highball, built with Glenfiddich, sesame oil, sake and coconut water, reflect a highly precise approach to mixology. The Night Bar tasting, available on weekends, offers a guided progression through cocktails and zero-proof serves treated with the same technical seriousness. In a city that often favours intimacy, Marcus Night Bar offers something broader and more international, without losing touch with its local context.
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
