<strong>St-Viateur vs. Fairmount:</strong> Montreal bagels have become part of the city's culinary heritage, but locals are divided by their love of two bakeries in the city's Mile End neighborhood.
St-Viateur vs. Fairmount: Montreal bagels have become part of the city's culinary heritage, but locals are divided by their love of two bakeries in the city's Mile End neighborhood.
Courtesy David De Stefano
<strong>Fairmount Bagel:</strong> The hugely popular Fairmount Bagel, Montreal's first bagel shop, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2019.
Fairmount Bagel: The hugely popular Fairmount Bagel, Montreal's first bagel shop, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2019.
Courtesy Fairmount Bagel
<strong>St-Viateur:</strong> But it's been facing stiff competition from St-Viateur, located just around the corner, since 1957.<br />
St-Viateur: But it's been facing stiff competition from St-Viateur, located just around the corner, since 1957.
Courtesy Anthony J
<strong>Top of their game:</strong> "Fairmount has been around for longer and I find it admirable that they're still at the top of their game after so long," says Gianni Pezzulo, a local business owner.
Top of their game: "Fairmount has been around for longer and I find it admirable that they're still at the top of their game after so long," says Gianni Pezzulo, a local business owner.
Courtesy Fairmount Bagel
<strong>Sweet and hot:</strong> "St-Viateur's [bagels] are less chewy and not as dense," says food writer Marcella De Vincenzo. "They're also a tiny bit sweeter and you can always get warm ones."
Sweet and hot: "St-Viateur's [bagels] are less chewy and not as dense," says food writer Marcella De Vincenzo. "They're also a tiny bit sweeter and you can always get warm ones."
Courtesy David De Stefano
<strong>St-Viateur vs. Fairmount:</strong> The owners of both establishments says they have a good relationship and have even donated ingredients to each other in the past.
St-Viateur vs. Fairmount: The owners of both establishments says they have a good relationship and have even donated ingredients to each other in the past.
Courtesy Fairmount Bagel
<strong>St-Viateur vs. Fairmount:</strong> "Whomever you were introduced to first as a child, is where your loyalty lies," says Robert Morena, one of St. Viateur bakery's owners.
St-Viateur vs. Fairmount: "Whomever you were introduced to first as a child, is where your loyalty lies," says Robert Morena, one of St. Viateur bakery's owners.
Courtesy David De Stefano
<strong>St-Viateur vs. Fairmount:</strong> But only one of the two bakeries can lay claim to producing the first bagel to go into space. Montreal-born astronaut Greg Chamitoff brought a batch of Fairmount bagels into orbit.
St-Viateur vs. Fairmount: But only one of the two bakeries can lay claim to producing the first bagel to go into space. Montreal-born astronaut Greg Chamitoff brought a batch of Fairmount bagels into orbit.
Courtesy Tourisme Montréal