Last Sunday, we went to Régine Café to have a girls’ brunch. Picking Régine Café was my sister’s idea because she had heard many positive reviews of the place and she wanted to try it. Quite honestly, it wasn’t a disappointing experience. In fact, it was a pleasant and savouring experience to say the least.

First thing first, as in many popular brunch places in Montréal, you have to expect a long line before getting inside the restaurant, especially on a weekend. We waited outside in line about an hour or maybe less, because when you are with a group of people waiting doesn’t feel like an eternity I guess. The good thing about Régine Café was that while we were waiting outside, a waiter (I think his name was Julien, I’m not so sure) was sent with a tray of cinnamon brioche pieces to distribute to people who were in line. I personally appreciated that gesture and I think it pretty much set a good feeling about the place and the experience in general.

Here is the banner!

A sweet message from the restaurant team to the clients, “On vous aime” or “We love you”.

The front entrance, finally!

Inside, the atmosphere was welcoming with displays of pastries on the bar and very eclectic chic-like furniture. We were literally under the spell of the interior décor because it was definitely the kind of ambiance we like. From the dining area, patrons can see what is going on in the kitchen through a serving hatch. As soon as we were seated at our table, our waitress offered us carrot-tangerine shooters and I loved drinking it. Too bad it was just one tiny glass for each person. But I will definitely try to make that drink at home (Note to myself LOL).

A quick glance at the dinning room.

the serving hatch opened to the dining room.

Luscious pastries waiting for patrons.

Then we ordered our hot beverages. I went for the Spicy hot chocolate. The way their hot chocolate is served is very fun and original. Each component (concentrated dark chocolate and milk) comes in separate container on a small platter. And it’s for the client to assembly and mix everything together. Of course, a small whisk is provided. The Spicy hot chocolate tasted good with a strong flavor of cardamom. A cinnamon stick also came along with the order but since I’m not a huge fan of this particular spice, I didn’t bother add it to my hot chocolate cup. But my friend who stirred her spicy of hot chocolate with the cinnamon stick seemed to like it.

Spicy hot chocolate with cinnamon.

Coffee with condensed milk on the bottom topped with whipped cream.

As for the brunch menu, I thought it was a diverse menu with a lot of choices to please almost anyone. At first I was tempted to order, their Gros Jambon which consisted of eggs, ham, bacon, baked beans, potatoes, fruits and baguette slices. At the end, I was convinced by our waitress to try their Mish Mash with duck confit. And I wasn’t disappointed because it was yummy and tasted so good. It’s basically a dish of scrambled omelet with zucchini (or any other seasonal vegetables), sausage slices, cheese topped with shredded duck confit.

A quick glance at the Menu.

From left to right: Gaufré (Corn waffle, trout gravlax, cream with chives and tomato salsa), Mish Mash (Scramble eggs, zucchini, cheese topped with duck confit) and Chic Croissant (French croissant with scrambled eggs, pulled ham, old cheddar, baked beans and spinach sauce).

Mish Mash (Scramble eggs, zucchini, cheese topped, sausage with duck confit).

Everything just blended perfectly together and it was seasoned well. However, the omelet was a too generous portion for my appetite so I wasn’t able to finish it. And because we couldn’t resist, half way through our meal, my friend ordered churros with a homemade chocolate sauce. And it was heavenly delicious.

Churros with homemade chocolate sauce.

Overall, the food was good so was the ambiance inside the restaurant. In conclusion, if you live in Montréal or if you are visiting Montréal, you should definitely make a stop at Régine Café because you won’t be disappointed the food and the service of its staff. As a bonus, it’s an affordable brunch place.

Out of 5, I gave 4 stars to Régine Café.

Notes:

Because it’s a popular place, the waiting line can be long on weekends so be ready to grin and bear it.

It’s also possible to buy any kind of souvenirs, from cups to homemade jams.