JEWISH MONTREAL KOSHER FOOD TOUR
Jewish Montreal Kosher Food Tour
You’ll try everything from karnatzel to kichel while learning about the culinary history of Jewish Montreal. Starting with kosher third-wave coffee from Café Navire, take a guided journey through the Mile End and Outremont neighbourhoods, home to some of the city’s most vibrant Jewish communities. Along the way, you’ll explore iconic kosher bakeries and delis, and discover how generations of Jewish immigrants helped shape Montreal’s unique food culture.
- Savour five tastings from beloved kosher spots, including Montreal icons Cheskie’s bakery and Deli 365.
- Explore the Jewish history of Outremont and Mile End, two of Montreal’s oldest and most vibrant Jewish neighbourhoods.
- Learn about how Matzah got its shape, and how the Steinberg’s supermarket chain helped shape the city.
- Enjoy a small-group, family-friendly experience where all tastings are under kosher supervision (see Additional Information on the tour booking page, or the next tab, for more information about kashrut certifications)
- If you do not keep kosher, don’t worry! This tour is still for you! The Jewish Montreal Kosher Food Tour lets visitors of all backgrounds taste various delicious foods that showcase our city’s unique Jewish cuisine and that also happen to be kosher.
Here is information about Kashrut / Kosher Certification for the Jewish Montreal Kosher Food Tour:
All food destinations are under kosher supervision. Food comes directly from these locations.
For the most updated kashrut status of each stop on our tour (in order of visitation), please see the following websites:
- Cafe Navire – MK (Pareve, Dairy) – pareve with option to have dairy
- Mehudar / Mehadrin – MK (Fish, Meat) – fish and pareve on an early stop on the tour
- Cheskies – MK (Pareve, Dairy) – only pareve items served from here
- District Bagel – MK (Pareve, Fish, Dairy) – only pareve and fish served items here
- Mehudar / Mehadrin – MK (Fish, Meat) – meat served at a later stop on the tour
- Deli 365 – MK (Meat) – meat served at the final stop of the tour
- In addition, pickles from Putters – MK (Pareve) are served on our tour. We use a new bottle each time and serve with paper plates and plastic utensils.
The Museum will regularly check and update the kashrut status of each location on the tour, but guests are invited to also inquire with each business in advance of the tours in case you have specific questions. See links above.
If you have further questions about kashrut and the items we are serving, please email tours@imjm.ca. Response time can sometimes take 2-3 business days, especially when emails are sent over the weekend.
Some of the foods will be purchased early in the tour and then served later at a different location with paper plates and plastic utensils. If the food has been pre-bought at any location, it will be served to guests from sealed and marked containers. If guests would like to look at any of the containers of food that we’re serving, please feel free to ask the tour guide.
For the first half of the tour we will be serving mostly pareve foods. Guests will be served meat dishes closer to the end of the tour.
Handwashing stations will be available at the two locations where we have bread.
Tour guides have a list of the appropriate brachot (blessings) for each food item, upon request from guests.
Our tour guides do not always know about every custom or observance you may have so please feel free to tell them if you need to mention it. Please be aware in advance that not all guides have the same personal observance or background as each guest. Feel free to contact us at tours@imjm.ca with any questions.
Photo copyright Liliane Aberman, courtesy of the Jewish Public Library Archives, Matzah Bakery Collection, 1279_039