Go native in Plateau Mont-Royal, where bespoke shopping, hip eateries, and wacky paint jobs attract locals and transplants alike, making it one of the city's most diverse and distinctly authentic experiences. A creative hub, Montreal's artistic elite pack the cafes along Rue Saint-Denis, where young painters and fashion designers draw inspiration from the playful murals and stately Victorian homes that dot the Plateau's side streets. Not a major sightseeing destination, a visit to Plateau Mont-Royal allows you to enjoy a local perspective, soaking in indie films, latte art, contemporary galleries, and the city's best bagels. A center of polyglot culture, Québécois accents mingle with shades of Portuguese, Greek, and Hebrew in the area's iconic Mile End district, where restaurants straddle chic designer boutiques, serving up chorizo and caldo verde. Friendliest to those on foot, it's a jungle of colorful awnings and sidewalk umbrellas, pedestrian walks and luxury shopping.