As the Canadian days get shorter and the nights get colder, there is perhaps no better pastime than cooking an elaborate meal for oneself or friends. For those who reside in downtown Montreal, scouring the grocery store aisles for hard-to-find ingredients or fresh produce can be tedious in these late Fall months. Luckily, there is the Atwater Market, which is located on rue Atwater and Greene, just a few blocks from the Lionel-Groulx metro station. Whether shopping for a special event or just doing weekly groceries the Atwater Market has a lot to offer, even for those who don’t cook.

Fresh flowers, both cut and potted, welcome shoppers. And in a neighboring stall, there is an array of homemade preserves and traditional Canadian maple syrup and candies.

Their liquor store houses a large selection of Canadian wines, especially those produced here in Quebec. In particular there are a variety of infamous Canadian ice wines to choose from.
For sweets, there are number of options. Première Moisson, a bakery chain here in Quebec, has a large store in the heart of the market, while the Quebec-based chocolatier Geneviève Grandbois has a small stand stocked with a wide array of beautifully crafted chocolates. Their interesting and offbeat flavors, such as “Pimen,” a mild ganache spiced with a blend of Espelette, cayenne and serrano peppers, or “Fève de cacao,” a spicy caramel, topped with crunchy cocoa nibs are pure delight and make excellent gifts.

For those that prefer to prepare their own meals, the market has over four butchers, cheese shops, a fishmonger, and several local farmers have produce stands. The William J. Walter Sausage shop boasts intriguing and exotic takes on the traditional Italian sausage, like their goat cheese and mango sausage or a delicate blend of veal and cranberries.