The city is nirvana for the orally obsessed, with an embarrassment of riches—from pungent raw-milk cheeses and gravy-soaked poutine to dainty artisanal chocolates and rare whiskeys. Here, three days and three approaches—hip, decadent, and classic—to this epicurean city

The New Wave

Morning
Join hipsters in dark glasses for a cup of coffee at Café Olimpico (124 rue St-Viateur Ouest; 495-0746*), then snag a warm, honey-sweetened bagel from nearby Fairmount Bagels (74 ave. Fairmount Ouest; 272-0667).

For something more substantial, trek over to Iranian restaurant Byblos for a rose-petal and cardamom omelet (1499 ave. Laurier Est; 523-9396; entrées, $6–$12).

Or brave the brunch crowds jockeying for a terrace table at Leméac (1045 ave. Laurier; 270-0999; entrées, $12–$32).

Noon
In bustling St-Denis, La Montée du Lait's prix-fixe menu has folks raving, and there's a spectacular show of Quebec and foreign fromages, perfectly served at room temperature alongside fantastic wines (371 rue Villeneuve Est; 289-9921; four courses, $35).

Take a field trip to the tiny, classy M sur Masson, in seldom-frequented Rosemont. The soufflélike omelets and luxurious risottos are all the more remarkable for coming out of a closet-sized kitchen (2876 rue Masson; 678-2999; two courses, $12–$16).

Afternoon
The best of the city's lovely tea shops is Camellia Sinensis, whose four owners traverse the globe to buy directly from producers. Enjoy a pot of smoky Pu-erh in the blissed-out tearoom (351 rue Émery; 286-4002).

For something stronger, stop by Cluny ArtBar, a cathedral of rubbed concrete and raw brick that somehow ends up looking polished—perhaps it's all the pretty people inside, snacking at tables made of wood recycled from bowling alley lanes (257 rue Prince; 866-1213; entrées, $14–$15).

Start the evening in a civilized way at Bu, in the Mile End area, where you can pick a geographical-, varietal-, or producer-themed wine flight and nibble antipasti (5245 boul. St-Laurent; 276-0249; antipasti, $6–$46).

If something swankier is in order, sample one of the 50 wines by the glass at the elegant hot spot Aszú, in Vieux-Montréal (212 rue Notre-Dame Ouest; 845-5436; entrées, $13–$19).

Evening
Recently opened in a pared-down subterranean space, Les Trois Petits Bouchons has come up with a winning formula that combines unusual wines, artful modern bistro fare, and passionate, pleasant service (4699 rue St-Denis; 285-4444; entrées, $13–$19).

The organic-chic L'Atelier, which adorns its walls with portraits of suppliers, serves innovative, succulent takes on local rabbit, deer, and bison (5308 boul. St-Laurent; 273-7442; entrées, $8–$24).

Le Club Chasse et Pêche has one of the city's slickest takes on Quebecois cuisine and an intimate, cavernlike atmosphere (423 rue St-Claude; 861-1112; entrées, $21–$27).