At the end of last week, Hubby and I fled the country for a few days and were able to check off 1/5 of my 30 Before 30 #2 goal: Visit 5 places I've never been. Since Montreal is only about a 5 hour drive away, we thought it was the perfect location for a quick getaway. One of the highlights of the trip for me was the Griffintown Cafe. The design-nerd in me had found home.
It definitely had a vintage European- meets hipster vibe to it (without trying to hard or being snooty) and I dug it.
Not only was the food awesome (Hubby got a gruyere grilled cheese sandwich, and I got a salad with grilled veggies and goat cheese), but they mixed antiques and modern elements in the decor expertly.
The environment was very casual with chalkboard menus, exposed brick, and vintage-inspired "whiskey" water bottles.
The exposed kitchen sported a punched tin clad vent-hood (which I regrettably wasn't able to get a decent picture of) and mason jars filled with spices. One of my favorite things probably was the mix of cabinetry. The kitchen side had light lower cabinets with dark stained doorless cabinets above while the adjacent bar was a mid-tone wood with open shelving. If it hasn't been obvious with my recent kitchen renovation, mixing tones like that makes me weak in the knees.
My affinity for this cafe certainly wasn't hurt by the fact that it's in a neighborhood with several fascinating antique stores.
The Griffintown Cafe will definitely be a must-stop if we ever take another trip to Montreal!