Skating and snacking in Montréal: our top picks

Esplanade Tranquille skating rink – Quartier des spectacles

This free refrigerated skating rink will quickly become your favourite place this winter. Located in downtown Montréal, this outdoor marvel measures some 1,500 m2 of ice surface to comfortably welcome up to 400 skaters. What’s more, the ice is cleaned every 1.5 hours, making it one of the best outdoor ice surfaces in town!  What’s more, the regional skating association, Patinage Montréal, offers weekly learn-to-skate classes should you want to perfect your technique, learn some new moves, or simply figure out how to stand up, glide or stop.  Need equipment? The counter operated by Patin Patin at the Repaire in the pavilion offers rental services for skates, helmets, support frames and padlocks, and skate sharpening. 

As for good places to eat, here are some of our favourites, just minutes from the rink. 

• Café Tranquille,  in the Grand Salon in the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion at the end of the rink, 1442 Clark Street
• Café SAT, 6 Place du Marché
• Café Pista, 1587 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
• Café Constance signé BAZIN, 1430 Balmoral Street

Patinoire de la place du Village – Le Village

This winter, the place du Village square is buzzing with a 100+ metre ice rink at the corner of Atateken and Sainte-Catherine East. Enjoy weekend projections, art workshops and dance events through early March. A few skate rentals are available free with ID. With its warm glow, versatile stage, and elevated walkway, this rink brings extra sparkle to this historic, inclusive LGBTQ+ neighbourhood. Once your cheeks are rosy from skating, treat yourself at these nearby spots for a well-deserved snack:

• La graine brûlée, 921 Sainte-Catherine Street East
• Pourquoi Pas espresso bar, 1447 Atateken Street
• Farine & Cacao, 1315 Ontario Street East
• Boulangerie Pain à Tartine, 127 Ontario Street East
• Café Sfouf, 1250 Ontario Street East 

Parc La Fontaine ice skating rink – Plateau Mont-Royal

Parc La Fontaine’s pond offers you an incredible fairy-tale setting of sparkling lights and soft music to enjoy absolutely free of charge. Not only this, but your festive and frosty outing includes skate rentals and sharpening services if you need it. There are tons of great spots in this lively corner of the Plateau Mont-Royal to grab a snack of olive or cheese ciabatta, honey raisin bread, viennoiseries, vanilla, pistachio or Nutella bombolini, vegan brownies and more.

Here are our recommendations for your sweet stop-off:

• Robin Des Bois (in the Parc La Fontaine chalet), 3933 Parc-La Fontaine Avenue
• Parc Sans Gluten (perfect for the gluten intolerant), 4050 Parc-La Fontaine Avenue
• Boulangerie les Co’Pains d’abord, 418 Rachel Street East

Parc Maisonneuve ice skating rink – Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie

Montréal’s east end is home to the city’s biggest free outdoor skating rink. Bring your blades and get ready to carve on this great oval surface, far away from the urban hustle and bustle. There’s even a designated area to help beginners build their courage, or kids to practice their twirls. If you’re feeling hungry after your skate, make your way down to Hochelaga to these handpicked eateries, where you can warm up with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate and a delicious pastry.

• Boulangerie Arhoma, 15 Place Simon-Valois
• Hélico Café, 4255 Ontario Street East
• Aube Boulangerie, 4715 Sainte-Catherine Street East
• Supernat, 4316 Sainte-Catherine Street East 

Parc Jarry ice skating rink – Villeray

Parc Jarry, adjacent to the Villeray and Parc-Extension neighbourhoods, has two outdoor rinks to satisfy all your sporting or recreational skating desires. It also offers cross-country ski trails and a toboggan hill for hours of sliding fun. for snacks, head to these delicious spots to warm up with a good sweet or savoury snack.

• Café Saint-Henri, (Mile-Ex - Quartier Général), 7335 Mile End Street
• Brasserie Harricana, 95 Jean-Talon Street West
• Boulangerie Le Pain dans les Voiles, 357de Castelnau Street East
• Café Vito, 151 Villeray Street

Skating in Mount Royal Park (Beaver Lake)

Head up the mountain to Mount Royal Park (Beaver Lake) and skate to your heart’s content for free on a 2,500 m² smooth, refrigerated ice surface that’s ideal for all skaters, from beginners to seasoned twirlers. Skate rentals and sharpening are also available.

Worked up an appetite from all that exercise? You can pick up some nibblies at Café des Amis in the Beaver Lake pavilion, right next to the rink. 

Royalmount Skating Rink

Experience the magic of winter at the urban skating rink at Royalmount, an innovative concept focused on creating a unique shopping, dining and entertainment experience. Access to the rink is free of charge, with on-site skate rental available. Glide, spin, jump and twirl to your heart’s content, then check out the wide array of restaurants in a unique European-style gourmet hall that pays tribute to Montréal’s culinary scene.

• Le Fou Fou, Royalmount, 5050 chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse

Indoor ice skating

Recently restored and transformed, the Verdun Auditorium is a historic and iconic building in the same neighbourhood as the Scotty Bowman and Denis Savard rinks. Book your time and enjoy free skating and hockey in an incredible, award-winning space. Located a stone's throw from the trendy Promenade Wellington, there are plenty of delicious places to enjoy a good snack. 

• Janine Café, 3900 Wellington Street
• Sweet Lee’s Boulangerie Rustique, 4150 Wellington Street
• Café Jardin , 4437 Wellington Street
• Saint-Henri Micro-Torréfacteur, 4327 Wellington Street

Located at the heart of downtown, the Atrium Le 1000 indoor skating rink is open all year round, inviting visitors to skate to a variety of music. Situated on the first floor of Montréal's tallest building, the rink boasts a massive glass dome ceiling that allows the sun's rays to shine through. It's an architectural and sporty experience that you can end with a sweet treat and a hot drink once you're done skating.

• Le 1000 food court, first floor of Le 1000, 1000, rue De La Gauchetière
• Melk Bar à café Stanley, 1206 Stanley Street
• Marché Artisans, 900, boulevard René Lévesque Ouest
• La Fabrique de Bagel (Atrium), 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West

Original article in French by Laure Juilliard, adapted into English by Dawn Bessey-Gans.