JEAN-TALON ST. EAST

Montreal in 19 neighbourhoods: A series

While Montreal’s “official” Little Italy is in Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, St-Léonard is affectionately referred to as Città Italiana due to the considerable number of Italians — and their cafés and bakeries — that make up this neighbourhood. St-Léonard’s first major population boom occurred between 1950 and 1970, when the number of residents went from 1,000 to more than 78,000, largely because of the construction and housing boom in the area at the time. These days, the borough is as well known for its beautiful parks and green spaces as for its delicious cannoli. Thanks to its more than 270 merchants, Jean-Talon St. East also stands out as one of its hot spots. 1. Centre Jean-Talon

A shopping centre with four main anchors (Maxi, Winners, Bouclair and Rubino), the Centre Jean-Talon opened in 1963 and underwent renovations in 1996. It’s owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge, which was founded in Quebec in 1953 and has interests in nearly 800 buildings worldwide.

2. Boulangerie Pâtisserie Italia

With homemade bread baked fresh every day, and what many Montrealers refer to as “the best cannoli in town,” this bakery also has a cosy area for dining in — all the better to enjoy its wide range of delicatessen items, cakes, pastries, and, of course, coffee. La dolce vita indeed!

3. Café Milano

Matteo Paranzino first opened Café Milano on July 18, 1971, and even after 40 years, people are still talking about how good its coffee is. Conveniently open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the family-run business also serves sandwiches made with capicollo, mozzarella, pulled pork, steak, sausage, and more.

4. Leonardo da Vinci Centre

Run by the Italian-Canadian Community Foundation of Quebec, the Leonardo da Vinci Centre offers a variety of community, artistic, cultural and sporting activities and programs for people of all ages. Ornate enough to make Leonardo da Vinci proud, the centre also houses the Mirella and Lino Saputo Theatre, as well as an art gallery.

5. Wilfrid-Bastien Park

A neighbourhood park with a mission — it presents shows put on by the Théâtre de la Roulotte — Wilfrid-Bastien Park also has a playground for children, tennis courts, and a skate park.

6. Lacordaire Boulevard

Named after the French preacher Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire (who re-established a group of priests commonly referred to as the Dominican Order), Lacordaire Boulevard is a busy and business-packed north-south thoroughfare that traces its roots all the way back to 1911. The boulevard expanded in 1960, when the area’s population started growing.