More coffee in Montreal (2 of 2)…read more
I have driven or walked past this place each and every time I've been to Montreal, which is quite a lot, and have vowed to go in. I finally made it to Caffe' Italia! Like many other neighborhoods in Montreal, their fabric is changing and that of Little Italy is no exception. In fact, as is the case in the GTA, the "real" Little Italy in Montreal is in Saint-Leonard while the real one in the Toronto area is way out at Woodbridge in Vaughan! Those areas have Italian populations of 40% and 44%, respectively, per some tallies I saw from surfing the web. These things are important to me because I want to go into a place that will make me laugh, even if it's laughter of the "cat ate the canary" variety.
As the name implies, most people are here to have some rendition of coffee - from the high octane small cups to the more complicated bigger ones. I didn't see much standing up at the counter while having an espresso activity yet, at Versailles Cuban in Miami, there is the stand-up crowd. The locals at Caffe' Italia are doing it while seated and socializing.
People are also having things to eat. I had one of the popular stuffed panini, which was my lunch. It was very good. That's what I came in for. The menu is on display up above the bar.
The service is expedient and to the point. They will not be holding your hand.
The people watching will deliver. Many of the customers are probably here regularly and have deep Italian(-Canadian) roots. It will be different than a cafe' in Italy where, even while doing the coffee thing, there is a modicum of a poseur affect. Here, the affect is crusty. These folks are not worried about fashionable apparel or being discreet as they follow the news or sports on the televisions inside. Though not planned, I happened to be here during the FIFA World Cup event, so the timing was perfect.
I had two Italian cafes' on my list - this one and Caffe' San Simeon. I had parked by nearby Caffe' San Simeon and it looked too new and too hip for the experience I was looking for. I was glad that I came here to Caffe' Italia where the "Gino alert" sounds off the minute you walk into the cafe,' meaning it's the real deal.