Cafe Culture
Tucked away on the quiet end of Main Street, Cafe Montmartre is a long, narrow hideaway that harkens back to the days when neighbourhood radicals philosophized over glasses of red wine while nodding along to jazz standards performed by whiskey-soaked divas. Those days may have never existed in Vancouver but that doesn't stop Cafe Montmartre from creating a credible romantic nostalgia vibe.

Food & Culture
The cafe's walls are lined with photos and vintage French print ads, the drink list includes Pernod and well-chosen budget reds and a small stage at the front is used nightly for live music, book readings and poetry. The clientele here is arty and the scene is definitely literary. Best of all, this cafe obviously takes its food seriously. Though mainly French, the fare here does not adhere to the sauce-laden small-portion school of French cooking. The food covers all the unpretentious basics; chunks of brie served with warm baguette, potatoes cut in generous chunks and baked in olive oil, with garlic and herbs.

Follow Up With Some Dessert
On the dessert list, grown-up sundaes (featuring liquers rather than syrup) you can get crepes drenched in dark chocolate, nuts, brandy, and spiked with orange zest - the kind of dessert that works miracles when you're searching for an upscale sugar rush.