I’d seen Marché La Pantry on social media and new I wanted to visit. For some reason I thought it was only an ice cream place (probably because it’s outdoor ice cream service area is so instagrammable) but it definitely is so much more.
The place is I suppose old school meets new school. It reminded me of the grocery store in the small farming community my mother grew up in, even though I was so young the memories are pretty much only in my subconscious. The wood floor, the wood shelves, the 7-Up door handle.
What really impressed me was that although they were definitely bringing in modern sensibilities (a lot of local products, a garden out back), they seemed to very much want to be your local corner grocer. There was garlic, apples and essential canned goods. And it was all very reasonable priced. So although it may look perhaps superficially like some fancy schmancy place, dig a little deeper and you’ll see that it is indeed somewhere you can go back to again, and again, and again. For example, I ordered two doughnuts, a small ice cream and a mini and it came to $7. I made her check to make sure it was right.
They serve breakfast sandwiches, make their own bread and grow vegetables out back. It’s wonderful hip and modern but they do it in a way that’s completely low key. There’s a couple colourful picnic benches and inside there’s around 4 2-person tables.
They definitely want to be part of the neighbourhood and serve the neighbourhood. It’s really a beautiful idea and I commend them for being hip and an attractive business without all that over the top-ness that sometimes comes along with all that.
Marché La Pantry, 4207 Notre-Dame Ouest
Details: This place is super tiny, so I wouldn’t say come here for a family brunch expecting high chairs and seating for eight (if they actually do have high chairs let me know!) It’s just a few small tables inside. If it’s a wonderful day, you could sit outside on the picnic benches though. I’d come here for lunch with a friend, maybe a quick lunch with an older child, to stock up on some of their more unique products or for ice cream. If I lived closer, I’d come here as often as I could for everything.
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Michelle Little
Writer & Photographer
