11 bars in and around Villeray for beer, cocktails, and wine

Vinyl bars are coming into fashion in Montreal (we tend to be late on trends in this city, sue us), and this one is leading the pack with its combination of spinning 2,500 records from the 1940s onward to the drinks that get our heads spinning, from a collection of cocktail recipes to their pride 'n' joy collections of scotch and bourbon. Grab some of their "famous" popcorn, maybe end a boozy sesh with some curated mircobrews or a taste of their small but mighty wine list, and enjoy lounging in some gorgeous modernist furniture. By the way: If they're making punch? Order it.

Located just a block beyond the southernmost border of Villeray, this place was built by a quartet composed of ex-Au Pied de Cochon chefs and bar veterans. It’s stunningly beautiful space with drinks both skilled and straightforward: The cocktail program receives just as much attention as the wine list, while its beer selection includes as many basic ales as there are moustache-twirl-worthy IPAs. By the way, if the owners' background in hospitality wasn't clue enough? You’ll have wasted your time here if you don’t dip into the food in the slightest.

Named after the sneakily-titled play by French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, Huis Clos endeavours to keep things about as lively as possible for the entire neighbourhood. Growing in noteriety since it opened in 2013, this bar pays close attention to its menus, whether it's food by chef Pier-Luc Ouellette or the drinks that include cocktails, beer, and a seriously substantial wine list. This place is just as good for rowdy rock nights pumping AC/DC as it is for 5 à 7 oyster deals—just remember that from Wednesday to Saturday, there's 20% discount on the entire menu starting at 10pm.

A svelte take on the classic tavern, Harricana combines soothing pastel vibes with big round wooden tables and leather upholstry, with frothy pints of ale in between. Effortlessly stylish, it's such a prominent player on the Montreal beer scene that we'd be remiss to not include it here—even if it is just to the southwest of Villeray's borders. Named for owner Marie-Pier Veilleux's small town family brewery that operated from 1975 to 2013, beer is the name of the game here, but the food is absolutely fantastic as well. First come is first served here, and warning: This place is popular, so head over early.

Combining the bar know-how of Pénéloppe Tancrède and coffee savvy of Gabriel Lavallé, this 'café-cocktail' makes a point of making a name for itself through sheer strength of service and ambiance. Spoiler: It's immediately apparentwhen you walk in. From the delicious signature creations they come up with to their considerate inclusion of a mocktail menu, this fresh face in Montreal is surefire bet for drink in Villeray. Be sure to check out their website too, as the staff has generously put together a cocktail database for you to either find out what you're in the mood to drink at the bar, or just drink at home—how nice of them!

If the huge neon sign outside this bar wasn't clue enough of how much a standard this bar is, then maybe knowing that it's been around to sling cocktails and good times since 1960 will. It remains an awesome place to knock back shots and pitchers with friends over the weekend, but Miss Villeray doubles down as a great spot to simply snack on dishes of tartare or shrimp rolls while enjoying some wine or a cocktail. A solid all-rounder of a neighbourhood bar for Villeray, and an indelible stop on anyone's bar crawl plans.

EtOH takes its name from the scientific shorthand for the “ethyl” and “hydroxyl” properties of grain alcohol. With 20 beers on tap, this brewery sets itself apart from the pack both in the city and across the province by organizing its selection by optimal service temperature, and what's more, they're offering flights that allow you to taste their beers exactly as they were meant to be served. If you really liked something you tried, just ask for a growler on your way out.

Just outside the boundaries of Villeray to the south on Jean-Talon, Le Pourvoyeur has joined the selection of Montreal bars in town that puts gin selections first and foremost. We're not joking: Their signature cocktail menu is made up of gin, their classic cocktail offerings include gin, their sharing cocktails are made with gin, and they've eben got shooter selections that work with gin. They mean business, as their bar is made up of over 100 gins that have been sourced from Quebec, the United States, Italy, South Africa, the Czech Republic, and of course, the United Kingdom (and that's just scratching the surface).

New on the Montreal beer scene at the time of this writing, Mellön is a St-André Street microbrewery (just outside of Villeray, so it's an honorary member of the group here) that's garnered a lot of positive momentum thanks to its selections of lagers, saisons, bitters, kellerbier, sours, IPAs and more available at its 80-seat taproom. The project from master brewer Alexandre Pontbriand and partner David Goudreau opts to forego serving food, but like any awesome brewery owners, they'll let you grab whatever food you want and bring it in—maybe go grab something from one of the best Villeray restaurants?

A classic Quebec tavern through and through, 8004 is where locals and bohemians gather to knock back blue collar pilseners, watch hockey games, hit the slots, and play a couple rounds of pool. If you need to duck off the street for a couple rounds, enjoy some anonymity, and strike up a conversation with someone who's been living in Villeray for decades this would be the place to go.

Mike Sicuso and Richard Jannelle's Villeray bar is just the thing you need when you're looking for an intimate bar to either pack into on nights when the Habs are playing, or to bring in your whole department when you're looking to claim a place for a office party. More so the former than the latter, though: The best time to go, however, is when their back terrasse opens up in June, a custom projection screen is set up, and everyone enjoys whatever match-up is playing. Order some boilermakers, and enjoy.