Breaking bread: a history of Montréal’s bagels

The Montréal-style bagel (or simply the Montréal bagel) is distinct among the extensive bagel family. Unlike its infamous New York-style cousin, the Montréal variant is an entirely different but equally delicious eat. But where did it come from and where can you go for the very best bagel? We’ve looked into this iconic baked treat and its history, and have gone in search of Montréal’s winning combinations.

A brief history

The bagel has become synonymous with Montréal, but its rise to iconic status is a hazy tale. Brought over to North America by Jewish immigrants in the early 1900s, the Montréal bagel was distinct from other variations, though there’s little consensus as to where it originally came from – some stories claim Latvia, others Kiev in Ukraine. And as for who brought the distinctive recipe across the Atlantic, this is yet another hotly contested issue in Montréal’s bagel saga. A man named Chaim Seligman is alleged to have been the first baker, having trundled through the Mile End neighbourhood with a pushcart (later a horse and wagon, then a taxi) attempting to sell off his innovative edibles. Others credit Isadore Shlafman, who baked and sold his bagels in a tiny shop just off the bustling Saint-Laurent Boulevard. History is muddled, with some sources claiming that Seligman worked for Shlafman’s bakery and – as fate would have it – the two would later form a partnership alongside fellow baker, Myer Lewkowicz. However, this soon fell apart and so began the long-standing rivalry that La Métropole’s bagel scene is known for. Shlafman moved his shop to Fairmount Avenue in 1954 and opened Fairmount Bagel. While in 1957, Seligman and Lewkowicz established St-Viateur Bagel. To this day, these two bakeries still compete for the title of the city’s best bagel.

The bake

As for the bagel itself, Montréal’s signature snack is unique in texture (chewy and dense), shape and baking method. It is smaller, slightly thinner and recognisable for its wider-than-average hole. It contains malt and egg, and is made without salt. It is hand-rolled in front of bread-loving patrons, before being boiled in honey-sweetened water and then baked in a wood-fired oven, which gives it the crusty exterior Montréal bagels are known for. You’ll find two major types of bagels here – poppy seed and sesame, and expect generous lashings of cream cheese with any of them.

Where to find it: St Viateur Bagel Shop

One of the two major players in Montréal’s bagel scene, St Viateur bakes legendary bagels. With flavours from plain and seedless, to sesame, poppy and ‘all dressed’ (onion, garlic, sesame & poppy seeds), their choice is abundant. More impressive is the detail that goes into the making of each bagel – it’s alleged that each sesame bagel has over 1000 seeds on top. There are multiple outposts across the city but the flagship shop on Rue Saint Viateur is the essential stop. It is housed in an unassuming brick building and moments after entering, you’ll be greeted with a stockpile of warm, crispy bagels and the heady scent of freshly-baked bread. It’s popular with both locals and visitors, is immortalised within the city’s fabric, and is open 24/7, too. Venture down for a late-night bite, and wander back to The Chic Laurier for the night.

Fairmount Bagel

Fairmount Bagel is Montréal’s other major bagel institution, home to the city’s most enduring recipes. The brainchild of iconic Montréal baker, Isadore Shlafman, all the bagels here are hand-rolled and baked in wood-fire ovens, giving them a distinct and wonderfully burnt crackle. Shelves upon shelves of bagels line the walls, towering over early morning risers and bagel-enthusiasts, who arrive ready to snag a fresh batch and – often – eat them on the spot. Classic poppy and sesame seeds are done very well here, made better when thickly lathered with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Come early in the morning and stroll down a usually quiet Avenue Fairmount, bagels in hand, and you’ll be transported back to the Montréal of old – just for a moment. Staying at the modern, TheFabFour, will quickly bring you back to the present.

Beauty’s

Beauty’s dishes up excellent bagels, alongside classic and indulgent diner fare. Having been around since the mid-1900s, Beauty’s has charmed its way into the hearts of locals, treading the fine line between comfort and class. While not an artisan bakery like Fairmount and St Viateur, its bagels are nonetheless worthy of attention; the towering smoked salmon and cream cheese sesame bagel, stacked with tomato, capers and red onion is the kind of knockout eat you go looking for when dining out. Allegedly, it was also the favourite dish of the late, celebrated chef, Anthony Bourdain. If you can still move after your meal, it’s a mercifully short walk back to this luxury apartment.

One reason to try it

Fairmount Bagel can lay claim to the idea that their bagels taste out of this world; when astronaut Gregory Chamitoff was asked what food he wanted to bring aboard a 14-day flight into space, he requested a selection of Fairmount bagels to be sent up with him.