Introduction
Located in the borough of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, Little Italy’s main artery is St. Laurent Boulevard. Bordered by Jean-Talon Street to the north, St. Zotique Street to the south, Clark Street to the west and St. Denis Street to the east. Between Jean-Talon Market, casual and fine restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops, there is no doubt that food is the central focus in Little Italy.
Lifestyle
In Little Italy residents make the most of living in the city. It’s a neighbourhood where people are walking around the leafy streets, but also sitting on benches and picnicking in the parks. Eating is central to life here – that means eating out of course, but also going to the Market as often as possible to get whatever is in season to cook at home.
Dollars & Sense
Little Italy provides a nice mix of affordable and more costly options. It can be a showy place – it’s not uncommon to see a Ferrari roar by on St. Laurent Boulevard – but it really has both, from $1.50 espressos and bring-your-own-wine pizza places to some of the best restaurants on the island.
The Good, the Bad & the Rest
If you love living right in the city, Little Italy is undeniably one of Montreal’s best, most vibrant neighbourhoods. That said, it is also very busy. It attracts a lot of people who don’t live in the area and St. Laurent Boulevard, which bisects the island, is a busy, loud street often blocked with traffic.
2.4 km
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
In your car St. Laurent Boulevard will take you up to Highway 40. Public transportation-wise the 55 bus runs up St. Laurent and down adjacent Clark Street fairly frequently. Nearby metro stations are De Castelneau on the Blue Line and Beaubien on the Orange Line. While St. Laurent Boulevard can be a scary street to bike, there are bike paths on several of the smaller streets in the neighbourhood.
In the Area
Although it feels very urban, Little Italy is also a lush – and family-friendly – part of town. Its parks include Little Italy park at the southern entrance of the neighbourhood, with a gazebo and picnic tables, and Dante park on Dante Street. French elementary school École La Petite-Patrie is divided into two buildings, one on Henri-Julien Street and the other on St. Zotique.
Meet the Neighbours
Little Italy is a mixed neighbourhood, the kind of place that’s urban enough to welcome just about anyone. It’s home to young professionals and families who’ve moved into the area more recently, as well as to an older Italian generation, students and retirees.
The Vibe
Whether on St. Laurent Boulevard or one of the smaller side streets like Dante or Bélanger, people are out and about walking the streets in Little Italy. You’ll see couples grocery shopping for supper at Jean-Talon Market, families enjoying gelato, and old men drinking coffee. While it’s definitely a destination for eating out, there are plenty of amenities that support the homebody.
Gallery
Neighbourhood Hotspots
Milano
At Milano you’ll find not only all the grocery-store basics, but a wide array of imported Italian goods and fresh pizza dough and pasta.
more infoPasticceria Alati-Caserta
This wonderful pastry shop offers cannoli, tiramisu, birthday and wedding cakes, and delicious, chewy lemon, almond and pistachio cookies. Don’t miss its refreshing lemon granita in the hotter months.
more infoJean-Talon Market
The best place in the city to get fresh fruit and vegetables, the Market also has butchers, fish mongers, ice-cream vendors and a slew of stalls that provide all kinds of pre-prepared meals.
more infoImpasto
Open in 2013, Impasto has been popular with the city’s food critics and dining public alike. Offering expertly executed traditional Italian food and affordable wines in an unpretentious yet hip atmosphere, it’s not hard to see why.
more infoCaffè Italia
One of the city’s beloved cafés, Caffè Italia has been open since 1956. It serves a crowd of regulars – mostly older Italian men – but it’s popular enough to get patrons from across the city lining up for a cappuccino.
more info