ACM FAccT Conference

Local tips for FAccT 2026 attendees

Guide to Montreal

Montréal is a wonderful city and we are very excited to welcome the FAccT community! Here are some general tips and tricks to navigate the city and have a good time.


Map of Montréal's downtown, sourced from Montréal's tourism bureau.

Map of Montréal's downtown, sourced from Montréal's tourism bureau (official maps, download link for this map), showing the locations of the metro lines and major downtown locations.

Annotation key:
🔵Centre Sheraton - conference venue
⭕️Guy-Concordia area - a good place to look for food

Note that the map (and many you will encounter) is oriented according to Montréal's "city-north", which is really something like northwest. You can see true north in the top-right corner of this map.

Table of Contents

Official Resources

Montréal's office of tourism has a range of excellent resources available about the city. Their Guide to Montréal includes information on getting around; guides for individual neighborhoods; and proposals for a day, a weekend, or a week in Montréal.

Acknowledgments

This guide is heavily inspired by Marius, Benno, and Michael's guide to Montréal, prepared for COLM in 2025. Take a look at their list for even more recommendations! , prepared for COLM in 2025. Take a look at their list for even more recommendations! Many thanks also to Maroussia Lévesque for sharing her guide.

Language

Probably the most unique and wonderful thing about Montréal is its linguistic landscape. You will notice that most signage is in French, but most people do in fact speak English (and even other languages)!

Bonjour-hi: Reply "bonjour" or "hi", not both!

"Bonjour-Hi!" is the standard greeting in service settings in Montréal. This functions as both a greeting and a request for information: it's the shorthand for "Hi! What language would you like to speak today?"

This means you should answer with the greeting corresponding to the language you'd like to speak: say "bonjour" for French or "hi/hello" for English. Responding with "bonjour-hi" right back will just result in some confusion.

Navigation

See our Guide to Montréal Transit for more information!

Although we can expect good weather in June, downtown Montreal has an extensive network of underground tunnels and malls, which allow you to walk places without going outside. They are shown on the map in orange. Generally, these are open as long as the metro is open. The closest entrance to the underground network is the metro entrance at the end of rue Stanley.

Because some restaurants or coffee shops are actually underground, map navigation apps may not quite bring you to your final destination. We have tried to note additional instructions below when necessary.

Where to stay

Beyond the conference hotel and the student residences (Grey Nuns, UdeM summer hostel), where the conference has secured rates, we recommend looking for places to stay depending on their proximity to metro stations, which are visible on Google Maps. Once on the metro, you will be approximately 30 minutes' commute to the conference venue at maximum, and the metro is quite reliable.

Note that it may be more affordable to stay outside downtown, especially during Montréal's summer festivals, and many neighborhoods of Montréal have a lot of local character. Most of Montréal is quite safe for a major city, even at night, but we recommend prioritizing close (~5-10 minute walk) proximity to a metro line for the most convenient access to the conference.

Things to eat

Montréal is a fantastic food city. Here are some of our top recommendations, though this list could easily be significantly longer. See also, the list of bars and restaurants our colleagues on the Social team prepared: Montreal Conference Social Activity Guide

Etiquette

Tipping is less expected in Canada than in the States -- 15% is the norm at a sit-down restaurant, and other places are more at your discretion, though tips are requested and appreciated at almost all food establishments.

In Canada, it is very easy to split bills and checks (even in irregular ways); your server will either instruct you to pay at a checkout counter/cash register or bring a terminal to your table if you are paying by card. Bills can usually be split evenly, by item, or by a combination of the two (e.g., each person pays for their item plus half of a shared dish), though simpler splits are always appreciated. Do not let anyone take your card somewhere else for payment processing.

Food recommendations near(ish) the conference

  • Kettlemans Bagels make bagel sandwiches around the corner from the conference, by the Bell Centre.
  • Just a few streets away, the Guy-Concordia area surrounding Concordia University has a lot of good, affordable food options. We have circled the general area in red on the map, but if you go to Sainte-Catherine Street and down a few blocks, you will doubtless find good food options there!
    • Restaurant Japotehas some of the most affordable meals around. They have two locations—one on Sainte-Catherine and one in the underground food court of the Centre Mont-Royal (across Sherbrooke from McGill University).
    • Sammi & Soupe Dumpling is a good place to get dumplings downtown.
    • Marché Korea is a Korean grocery store selling prepared food, such as onigiri and kimbap, for very affordable prices.
    • Chai Paratha, true to its name, has delicious chai and paratha.
    • Café Aunja and its sister restaurant Maison Inja are great places to get Persian tea, desserts, and lunch, though service is not always quick, especially on weekends.
    • Omnivore is a local chain selling Lebanese sandwiches, and has a nearby location on Mackay.
    • Boustan is a local Lebanese food chain, mostly specializing in sandwiches and bowls. Their legendary original location is nearby!
  • In the other direction from the conference, Time Out Market on the 2nd floor of Eaton Centre has lots of good food options from beloved local restaurants.

Coffee recommendations near(ish) the conference

  • Melk Café on Stanley Stright next door to the conference venue, is a local roastery serving excellent coffee and tea. Very highly recommended! They also have a second location about a block away in the SunLife building (open only on weekdays).
  • Café Myriade on Mackay has good espresso drinks and pastries.
  • Café Saint-Henri has a location nearby, inside the Aon Hewitt building.
  • Tunnel Espresso, inside the Gare Centrale/Central Train Station and another location in Time Out Market.
  • Pigeon Café, across the street from the venue.
  • Café Olimpico, Robert-Bourassa St, nearby location of a Montréal institution.
  • My Little Cup, inside McGill metro station, has some of the best espresso in the area.
  • Leaves House, in the Place Montréal-Trust mall near Peel metro, has good plant-based options for coffee, tea, and matcha, and a lot of seating.
  • Humble Lion Café on McGill College has good coffee and tea. They also have another location on Sherbrooke.

Tea near the conference

Most of the cafés listed above also have tea options, but here are some dedicated tea options.

  • Café Aunja has lots of tea varieties, with customizable mixes.
  • Machi Machi is a great spot for bubble tea.
  • Tsujiri specializes in matcha.
  • Coco Fresh Tea is a more affordable bubble tea place with daily $5 specials.

Markets and Food Courts

  • Montreal is famous for its food markets. We especially recommend Jean Talon Market, the largest with the most variety, and Atwater Market, which is closer to the conference venue and has a nice outdoor food court in the summers!
  • Time Out Market is a food hall close to the conference venue with lots of good food options from beloved local restaurants.

Poutine

Poutine is a Montréal staple and we recommend trying it while you are here!

  • Patati Patata is a small hole-in-the-wall dive with excellent vegetarian poutine! This is my favorite and most-recommended spot. They have a second location in Jean Talon Market.
  • La Banquise is an institution with bright colors and many customizable options, open 24 hours.
  • Ma Poule Mouillée makes an incredible Portuguese-inspired poutine with chorizo and chicken. It is across the street from La Banquise and also has other delicious Portuguese specialties.
  • Poutineville (multiple locations, the closest on Bishop Street) is the closest poutine option to the conference.

Ice cream

In the summer, Montréal has a number of great ice cream options!

  • Kem Coba: Among the most innovative ice cream spots in the city, it is owned by a pair of patisserie chefs and serves Vietnamese-inspired flavors, plus a rotating soft-serve twist.
  • Dalla Rose: Delicious gelato in the St-Henri neighborhood of Montréal.
  • Bilboquet (multiple locations): Great scoops!
  • Les Givrés (multiple locations): Scoops and a rotating ice cream twist!
  • Iconoglace (Mile-End and Rosemont): Known mostly for its rotating soft-serve twists, but has great scoops as well.
  • Ripples has good ice cream scoops!

Drinks

There are a lot of nice places to get a drink in Montréal! Here are a few recommendations downtown and nearby.

Things to do

Festivals and Shows

Montréal loves festivals, and FAccT this year co-occurs with a few of them!

  • Montréal Jazz Festival is within walking distance of the conference! There will be free outdoor public concerts nightly and pedestrian street closures around Place des Arts. Very highly recommended!
  • Suoni Per Il Popolo is a multi-venue, multi-genre music festival. Shows are ticketed and mostly in venues in the Mile End neighborhood of Montréal.
  • Cirque du Soleil is based in Montréal, and they are in residence under the big top in Montréal's Old Port during the conference, a short walk away. Shows are not cheap, but Montréal is a circus city and it's worth looking out for circus shows while here.
  • Les Guinguettes du Sud-Ouest is an annual outdoor festival by the banks of the Saint Lawrence river in the Sud-Ouest neighborhood of Montréal with music, dance, food stalls, and local vendors. The festival includes programming specifically for families as well.
  • Jardins Gamelin have free outdoor music and cultural programming almost nightly, a short walk from the conference.

Neighborhoods and Walking Activities

The best thing to do in Montréal in the summer is walk around! Here are some of our favorite neighborhoods.

  • The old port is Montréal’s “old town,” with lots of cobblestones and character. We recommend just walking around and seeing the neighborhood, including Montréal’s Notre-Dame Basilica.
  • Plateau Mont-Royal is a neighborhood “east” of the mountain in Montréal terms. It has a lot of interesting shops and cafés and is nice to walk around.
    • The Plateau (and the city in general) has many streets which are pedestrianized for the summer. We recommend walking down Ave. Mont-Royal if you get the chance!
      • Kouing Amann Bakery is highly recommended for their eponymous pastry.
      • St-Viateur Bagel Café is the only local bagel shop in the city where you can get a sandwich. There is usually a long line, but it’s worth the wait!
      • Flers Café serves great coffee.
      • India Rosa does a tasty Indian fusion brunch.
      • For Francophones, Librairie Le Port de tête has a wonderful selection of books across all genres.
      • If you are in need of any niche kitchen equipment or just like browsing, La Soupière is a wonderful place to shop for everything from the tiniest spoons you’ve ever seen to gigantic cast-iron skillets.
    • St. Laurent Boulevard will have a new set of murals for the summer—the mural painting festival is in early June, but we recommend walking down the boulevard to take a look at the new public art! Other things on St. Laurent:
      • Ripples has good ice cream scoops!
      • Sophie Sucrée is a great place to get vegan croissants and other pastries.
      • Schwartz’s Deli is packed at all hours of the day, and is an iconic Montréal landmark serving the city’s signature smoked meat sandwiches.
      • Osmo x Marusan serves Japanese curries and sandos, plus excellent coffee, matcha, and hojicha.
      • A bit further city-south on St. Laurent, Eva B. and Eva D. are two iconic Montréal vintage stores. They also serve some of the cheapest coffee in the city.
      • Dispatch Coffee is a wonderful local roastery and café.
      • Breizh Café serves very good Breton buckwheat galettes (savory crèpes).
      • Aux Merveilleux de Fred serves airy French pastries.
    • Duluth is one of Montréal’s most picturesque streets, also pedestrianized for the summer.
      • De Stiil Bookstore is a beautiful and well-curated mostly-anglophone bookstore.
      • Bar Suzanne is a nice place to go for cocktails!
      • Café Santropol is a local institution serving sandwiches on a beautiful terrasse. It is right next to Parc Jeanne-Mance!
    • Rue Rachel has a number of good local eats and cafés.
  • Mile End is a neighborhood just past the Plateau. Some highlights include:
    • Drogheria Fine, $5 gnocchi served hot with red sauce (and cheese if you want it—otherwise it’s vegan!) from a window counter.
    • Kem CoBa, a Vietnamese-inspired ice cream counter with great rotating scoops and soft-serve flavors.
    • Joie de Livres, a bookstore/coffee shop/bar focused on genre fiction.
    • Café Olimpico, a long-standing Italian café in the neighborhood.
    • Le Plongeoir is a wine bar with a billiards table.
    • La Buvette Chez Simone has a great wine list and good food.
    • Dieu du Ciel! is a bustling pub/brewery.
    • Montréal’s best-known bagel shops! Note that you cannot get a bagel sandwich at the Mile End locations of these shops, but you can get fresh bagels and spreads to prepare yourself.
    • Drawn and Quarterly, an independent anglophone publisher of comics and a bookstore wonderland for all ages.
    • Bernie Beigne, a classic donut shop.
    • Lester’s Deli is another smoked-meat institution, more geared to locals than Schwartz.
    • Cheskies bakery, a kosher bakery known for babka and rugelach, but we also recommend their chocolate sugar-dusted cookies.
  • Little Italy
    • Jean Talon Market, Montréal’s biggest public food market for produce and prepared food. There are some wonderful shops for cheese, spices, bread and baked goods, coffee, and more, plus a summer food court. You can’t go wrong!
    • Pasticceria Alati-Caserta, some of the best cannoli in Montréal!
    • Louise Boulangerie, very good pastries.
    • Beigne Habitude, a wonderful specialty donut shop with innovative flavors!
    • État de Choc’, very good locally-made chocolate.
    • Bar Ciccheti is a nice wine bar in the area.
    • Vices & Versa has a huge selection of craft beer, cider, and hard kombucha, in addition to shareable snacks.

Parks

Montreal has a great parks culture in the summer. Sitting and soaking in the sun for as long as possible is a time-honored summer tradition for a city with very long winters. Picnics are allowed almost everywhere, and drinking beer or wine is also allowed, as long as the gathering includes food! Some of Montréal's largest and most beloved parks include:

  • Mont-Royal Park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, is a short walk from the Centre Sheraton. We recommend hiking to the Kodiaronk Belvedere to see downtown from above, or to Beaver Lake for a picnic.
  • Parc Jeanne-Mance, not too far from the conference, is a great place for a picnic, a hangout, or some summer games like beach volleyball.
  • Parc La Fontaine is one of Montréal's largest parks, and has a small man-made lake.

Museums & Culture