Tip #1: The North African food is the real thing.
Montreal's Moroccan and Algerian communities have filled the streets around Jean-Talon with halal butchers, couscous restaurants, and bakeries. The tagines and pastilla here are not adaptations. They are the genuine article, cooked by people who grew up eating them. Most meals cost $12 to $18 CAD.
Tip #2: Montreal bagels are halal and extraordinary.
Smaller, denser, and sweeter than New York bagels, baked in wood-fired ovens. Fairmount Bagel (open 24 hours) and St-Viateur Bagel (open very late) are four blocks apart in Mile End. Go to both. Buy a dozen from each. Eat them warm out of the bag. About $1 each, which might be the best value in North American food.
Tip #3: Shop and eat at Adonis.
Adonis is the halal traveller's supermarket. A Middle Eastern grocery chain with halal butcher counters and in-store food bars where you can get fresh shawarma and kebabs sliced to order. Eating at Adonis is a legitimate meal option: fast, halal-certified, and good quality.
Tip #4: Pray near your neighbourhood.
Montreal has over 90 mosques and musallas. The Islamic Centre of Quebec (ICQ) is the oldest mosque in the province, established in 1958. Al-Madinah Mosque on Rue MacKay is convenient for visitors staying downtown near Concordia University. The Moroccan, Algerian, and Pakistani communities each maintain their own smaller mosques.
Tip #5: Say "Bonjour" first.
French is the primary language. Most Montrealers switch between French and English fluently, and English service is available everywhere. Starting with "Bonjour" is polite and appreciated, even if the conversation continues in English. Arabic is common in Muslim communities.
Tip #6: Try halal poutine and smoked meat.
Poutine (fries, gravy, cheese curds) with halal chicken or beef shawarma on top is unsubtle and satisfying. Snatch Restaurant does halal poutine, French tacos, and burgers. A few halal delis have also adapted Montreal's famous smoked meat recipe with halal beef brisket.
Tip #7: Walk the Plateau with no plan.
Colourful exterior staircases, murals on every other wall, small parks, and cafes on every corner. The Plateau Mont-Royal is the neighbourhood that defines Montreal's visual identity. The best way to experience it is on foot with no destination in mind.
Tip #8: Parc-Extension has the cheapest food.
Montreal's most diverse neighbourhood has Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi restaurants and shops. Biryani, halal karahi, and chaat at the lowest prices in the city. Bombay Mahal has been a favourite for years. Direct metro access.
Tip #9: Come in summer or early autumn.
June through September is when Montreal transforms. Outdoor terraces, Jazz Festival in late June, Just for Laughs in July, and 20 to 30 degree weather. October brings autumn foliage on Mount Royal. Winter (December through March) drops to minus 10 to minus 25 Celsius and requires serious preparation.
Tip #10: Know about Bill 21 but do not worry about it.
Quebec's Bill 21 (2019) prohibits certain public sector employees from wearing religious symbols at work. The law does not affect tourists or private citizens in any way. You will not be asked to remove hijab anywhere. On the street, Montreal's Muslim community is large and visible, and you will experience no friction.
Montreal is the closest thing to Europe in North America, with a halal food scene that the Moroccan community alone makes worth the flight. Come in summer, eat Moroccan food, walk the Plateau, and try both bagel shops.