L’escalier to Heaven: Berri’s Bohemian Café Lounge

Looking to escape off campus for a while for some food, live music, beer, tea, chess, and possibly a nap? There’s only one place in Montreal that can fulfill this impossible combination, and that’s L’escalier.

So named for its characteristic hidden staircase smack in the middle of the Presse International on the corner of Berri and St. Catherine’s, L’escalier can be easy to miss. Those who manage to find its seemingly mythical entrance will be transported into an equally magical cultural corner of Montreal.

The stage in the cafe section of this magical cultural corner
(photo by Maddie Hajek)

Inside is a sprawl of different rooms: to the right is a café area where eclectic tables and chairs are set under dim, low-hanging lights in front of a stage that is rarely empty during the day. Their website has a schedule of the musicians (or slam poets!) who will be performing over the month.

To the left is a shamble of well-loved couches and a long dining table (good for large group meetings), and beyond that is a room with secondhand games, books (on a take-one-leave-one basis), hanging ivy, and high backed chairs. By far the best room, although also the most difficult to snag, would be dead center at the far back, which is strewn with pillows and wherein shoes are optional.

Orders are made at the bar, which is conveniently at the entrance, and the always-smiling staff will bring your food or drinks to wherever you settle. It’s cash only though and there’s no ATM, so take out some green beforehand.

Everything’s vegetarian, but don’t worry, carnivores! After speaking to an omnivorous customer, it was clear that L’escalier doesn’t need meat to satisfy. “I’m always worried that I’ll end up hungry after I go to a veggie restaurant,” she says. “But it’s very filling.”

Prices are very fair for what you get.  The sandwich + soup/salad combo is highly recommended, which comes to just under $9, $8 if you show your student card. There are inventive varieties that range from pesto-feta to veggie pâté, but the best are arguably the goat cheese and apple cheddar. Each has an excellent balance between sweet and salty, and the freshness of cucumber, tomato and alfalfa accompanies the stronger tastes of the cheeses. It is served on multigrain bread with a tuft of alfalfa, some slices of vegetables drizzled with sticky balsamic vinegar, and a choice of soup or salad.

Goat cheese sandwich with red pepper and beetroot soup

(photo by Andrea Sun)

For those looking for a snack, there are plenty of options like nachos, salads, samosas, hummus, and even some gourmet pizzas (pesto, Greek, goat cheese) for the more hungry. These range between $2.50-$9, which makes them perfect to share between a couple of friends.

In terms of drinks, there is coffee, tea, cocktails, beer, wine, and occasionally an interesting homemade juice blend, all ranging between $1.75-$23.50.

What makes this place special though is the atmosphere itself. There are always travelers and interesting characters waiting to be encountered.