6:30 p.m. | Animal friendly

Invitation V celebrates a wholly vegan environment, from its rich shiitake “sausages” and roasted cauliflower “fish” tacos to its faux-leather decor and wines processed without animal products. Be sure to save room for dessert, especially the velvety “cheesecake” — it’s so good you’ll have a hard time believing it’s made with almonds. invitationv.com

9 p.m. | Behind the curtain

End your night sipping cocktails crafted from an impressive collection of 500 spirits at The Cloakroom Bar, an intimate speakeasy hidden behind a velvet curtain at the back of a luxury menswear tailors in the Golden Square Mile neighbourhood. cloakroombar.co

Day 2

8 a.m. | Market fresh

Skip breakfast and make for Little Italy’s Marché Jean-Talon, North America’s largest open-air market, where you’ll find fresh-from-the-oven baguettes and pastries, seasonal fruits and vegetables, an oyster-shucking stand and charcuterie plates brimming with creamy goat cheeses and salty prosciutto. marchespublics-mtl.com/marches/jean-talon

1: 30 p.m. | Brew master

Originally opened in the 1970s in Amos, Que., Brasserie Harricana became the first female-owned microbrewery in Montreal when owner Marie-Pier Veilleux moved her family business south in 2014. Order a sour blackcurrent and cherry 9-Berliner Weisse, one of 41 signature beers on tap. brasserieharricana.com

7 p.m. | No fish? No problem.

Sushi Momo works miracles to create delectable Japanese dishes sans fish and seafood. Try the mushroom tartare with truffle-miso emulsion, pan-fried spicy jackfruit rolls and avocado maki topped with sweet potato and coriander-jalapeno aioli. sushimomo.ca

Day 3

10: 30 a.m. | The real deal

Book a tour with Spade & Palacio, the brainchild of Danny Pavlopoulos and Anne-Marie Pellerin, whose unscripted excursions offer an on-the-fly glimpse of authentic Montreal. Options include a journey from Old Montreal to the Plateau, a culinary walk and an exploration of the city’s murals. spadeandpalacio.com

2 p.m. | Daring delights  

Indulge your adventurous side at the Mi Corazón food truck, where Rafael Martinez creates Mexican fusion food with a creepy-crawler twist. Specialties include cricket falafels, mealworm tacos, black-ant lemonade and chocolate-dipped ice cream with a sprinkling of termites. micorazonfoodtruck.com

8 p.m. | Sky high

No trip to Montreal is complete without a ride on La Grande Roue de Montreal, which at 60 metres tall is Canada’s highest observation wheel. Located in Old Montreal on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, the wheel offers a 360-degree view of the city, year-round, rain or shine. lagranderouedemontreal.com

Where to stay in Montral: Le Mount Stephen Hotel 

With a red carpet leading guests past sculpted limestone columns into an entryway dripping in 22-karat gold details, Le Mount Stephen is an immediate jaw-dropper. Although it was built in 1883 and designated a national historic site in 1971, the hotel offers modern luxuries such as an on-site spa and chromatherapy showers in every room. Don’t skip Bar George, the hotel’s British-inspired restaurant where ornately carved floor-to-ceiling wood panels will have you feeling like you’re on the set of Downton Abbey.