The 20+ best sugar shacks Montreal has to explore and enjoy
From old-school, old-fashioned soda fountains to trendy juice bars, Montreal’s sugar shacks are an excellent way to get to know the city, while enjoying some delicious treats along the way.
Montreal is a great city with tons of fun and exciting things to see and do. It’s also home to several delicious sweets shops and bakeries.
The best ones have been compiled for you in this list. So, grab your picnic basket and enjoy a nice walk through our 20 best sugar shops in Montreal. We guarantee you’ll come back for more!
Where to find the best sugar shacks in and around Montreal
1. Sucrerie de la Montagne
Sucrerie de la Montagne is based at Rigaud, on the island’s west coast, beside the Ottawa River. Sucrerie de la Montagne’s famed maple products are made using old-fashioned methods and technology, giving the business a distinct air of authenticity.
Everything at this bakery is created in-house and of exceedingly high quality, but the old-fashioned bakery and the bread it produces—especially when generously covered with maple butter—generates the most enthusiasm year after year.
Travel time: 1 hour
2. Cabane à Sucre au Pied de Cochon
As if you haven’t heard of it before, it’s probable that you have. Celebrity chef Matin Picard runs the Cabane à Sucre au Pied de Cochon, a mythological shrine of gourmet excess, as an outpost of his renowned Plateau restaurant Au Pied de Cochon.
The Cabane à Sucre au Pied de Cochon may not have sleigh rides or petting zoos, but it is all about the cuisine.
The Cabane à Sucre au Pied de Cochon is a cutting-edge culinary laboratory and a forerunner of exciting new trends in Quebecois cuisine.
Travel time: 45 minutes
3. La Cabane d’à coté
Martin Picard and his former sous-chef Vincent Dion-Lavallée established this tiny 38-seat wood fire-heated venue only meters from the Cabane à Sucre au Pied de Cochon, next to a picturesque orchard of apple, plum, and pear trees.
As a more typical sugar shack eating experience than its sister establishment, the emphasis remains on quality and proximity with many foods originating the property’s garden, farms, or the forests surrounding…
Travel time: 45 minutes
4. L’Hermine Cabane à Sucre
Located near Montérégie on the South Shore, this family-run sugar shack serves up the typical sleep-inducing supper and boasts an on-site store stocked with a bevy of sugar-sweetened goodies.
Due to its marriage hall for hire, this sugar hut is most popular among couples with a sweet appetite who want to tie the wedding in real pastoral magnificence.
Travel time: 1 hour
5. Famille Constantin
It’s the ideal solution for families with restless youngsters who’ve built up a winter’s worth of pent-up energy in their bodies.
While there are many activities for the little ones, older youngsters will enjoy the ATV track and the after-dinner dance party, as well as the bouncy castles and puppet performances.
Even if all of those activities don’t put the youngsters to sleep, a big lunch is sure to accomplish the job. There is no better way to go back to town than to take a trip.
Travel time: 40 minutes
6. Le Chalet des Érables
In addition to miniature train rides, carnival games, petting zoos, and typical maple-taffy tastings, this sugar shack has also—also!—carved a specific place for itself in the wild world of weddings by conducting personalized key-in-hand ceremonies for brides to be.
Les Érables, with their in-house caterers and diverse settings ranging from white chapels to secret glades in the woods and seating sizes varying from a cozy 50 to a grand 1000, provide the perfect setting for lovely boreal destination weddings without having to go far.
Travel time: 40 minutes
7. Érablière Charbonneau
In the Charbonneau sugar shack, the all-you-can-eat model is perilous. Maple House classics such as pea soup, pig sausages, traditional tourtière, beans, creton, and their distinctive, greatly coveted, oven cooked omelettes flow from the kitchen at any given time.
Arrive hungry if you plan on making the trek.
Travel time: 35 minutes
8. Érablière Sous-Bois
There is a petting zoo, caricature artists, balloon painters and sugar toffee tastes at this bustling sap house, which is another kid favorite.
Adults may take advantage of the grounds’ meandering hiking trails, comprehensive demonstrations of maple syrup and maple butter manufacturing, in-house cider tastings, and, of course, the main dish itself at the restaurant.
The grand-père au sirop d’érable, a delicate dumpling cooked in maple syrup, is one of those practically forgotten old-fashioned masterpieces.
Travel time: 45 minutes
9. La Cabane à Tuque
Sugar shack tradition is getting a fresh start with La Cabane à Tuque, which takes an innovative, environmentally friendly, and entirely vegetarian approach.
The harvest is done in the old-fashioned way, with buckets and a lot of hard work, while the guesthouse itself is insulated with hempcrete and has radiant-heated adobe floors and walls built completely of recycled bottles.
Many of the iconic sugar shack flavors are achieved using only vegetarian and frequently vegan ingredients such tempeh, millet, buckwheat, and chaga fungus. The menu is both familiar and novel.
Travel time: 1.5 hours
10. Érablière au Palais Sucré
In addition to the usual Montérégie sugar shack activities, L’Érablière au Palais Sucré features a small zoo with hens, goats and ponies as well as fresh snow maple taffy samples.
The most crucial aspect of the dinner, however, is that it is not suitable for vegetarians: Lactose and gluten sensitive diners will be pleased to learn that there are thoughtful options on the menu.
Travel time: 45 minutes
In an effort to limit some of the more extreme rustic realities of the traditional sugar shack experience.
Sucrerie Bonaventure has recently undergone major construction, including the replacement of their previously muddy yard with a paved parking lot, the opening of a brand new dining room, an exterior foyer heated with a magnificent fireplace and even a DJ to replace the fiddle bands of yore.
Everything you’d expect to find in a hotel room, including a delicious supper, is here. If you’re looking for a sugar shack without the dirt on your boots, this is the place.
Travel time: 40 minutes
12. Auberge Handfield
For breakfast, lunch, and supper, you may choose from an enormous, completely personalized menu at the Auberge Handfield, a longstanding landmark in the town of Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu.
The grounds of the Auberge include wedding-specific event venues as well as facilities specifically intended for corporate gatherings and conventions.
There is also an on-site spa, where guests may enjoy whirlpool baths as well as chocolate body wraps and massages, all while taking in the beauty of the Richelieu River.
Travel time: 40 minutes
13. Domaine Labranche
Eight generations of the Desgroseilliers family have been running a sugar shack in the Saint-Isidore-de-Laprairie area of Montreal.
Aside from its maple syrup, the Domaine Labranche is also home to a winery and an apple orchard, which produce a wide range of great goods.
The family has certainly diversified since those early days. This family farm is a great place to learn about other Quebecois agricultural industries that aren’t directly related to maple syrup.
Travel time: 30 minutes
14. Cabane à Sucre Lalande
Cabane à Sucre Lalande, situated in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, recently celebrated its 105th anniversary in the maple business.
With its horse rides, fresh taffy, traditional dishes, iconic Mother’s Day brunch and vibrant live entertainment, this event has established itself as a popular seasonal pilgrimage for both residents and Montrealers alike.
Travel time: 40 minutes
15. Cabane aux Délices des Sucres
The Cabane aux Délices des Sucres, tucked away in a dense stand of maple trees in the Laurentides, serves up authentic interpretations of Quebecois classics in a cozy, family-run setting only steps away from the brewery’s production and pumping plants.
There are just 70 seats available in the dining room, so making a reservation is a good idea. This sugar shack is also a BYOB eatery, so don’t forget to stock up on a bottle of wine before you arrive for the complete experience.
Travel time: 45 minutes
16. Érablière Meunier
With over 6000 maple trees, the Érablière Meunier sits right on the Richelieu River and offers a wide range of family-friendly activities, from hiking and off-road biking trails to sleigh rides and inflatable bounce houses.
There are also DJ-hosted dance parties and the opportunity to sample fresh donuts and taffy as well as face painting and other fun activities.
Even if you’re unable to see them in person, they provide a catering service that will bring the sugar shack to you. Their menu is simple yet full of mouthwatering classics.
Travel time: 30 minutes
17. La Ferme les Fardoches
At first appearance, La Ferme les Fardoches in Mirabel, near Montreal’s northwest suburbs, appears to be your standard sugar shack, serving up sticky treats fit for a king.
While it’s true that La Ferme les Fardoches’ meals are superb, the farm is also at the forefront of a shifting food culture that prioritizes the cultivation of organically certified goods and the provision of vegetarian and gluten-free options for the farm’s hungry, maple-loving guests.
Travel time: 45 minutes
18. Cabane Panache et Bois Rond
It’s not always possible to go on a maple-tasting trip outside of town, no matter how enticing it may be.
There’s a “lumberjack party” held every year in Verdun, a southwest Montreal area, which includes square dancing, maple syrup snacks, woodcutting competitions and more.
The event takes place in late March and is a great opportunity to dress up in your Sunday best and enjoy the abundance of the sugar shack season in the heart of the city.
Travel time: Accessible by metro
19. Un Chef à l’Érable (Pop-up La Scena, Old Montreal)
From the middle of April to the middle of March, Un Chef à l’Érable presents a temporary pop-up restaurant modeled after a sugar shack right in the heart of Old Montreal for people who, for whatever reason, cannot travel out of town to enjoy a genuine sugar shack in the countryside.
For the eighth year running, Scena, the event venue, has been transformed into an eatery by a guest chef who strives to create a balance between traditional and trailblazing maple-based concoctions, all while incorporating exciting international flavors and unusual techniques into the culinary experience.
Travel time: Accessible by metro
20. Cabane à Sucre La Famille Constantin
Restaurant, Contemporary, North American, $
Families and groups of friends traveling outside of Montreal frequently stop at the Constantin sugar shack for its wonderful and indulgent menu of classic foods including pea soup, house marinades and omelettes covered in syrup.
There is also a petting zoo/mini farm on site for additional entertainment. It’s been in business since 1941 and sells a range of maple products, including syrup and butter.
21. Cabane à Sucre Handfield
Restaurant, Contemporary, North American, $
Vegetarians should steer clear of sugar shacks, which are notorious for serving up hearty, meat-heavy fare that won’t appeal to even the most health-conscious diners.
Veggie, vegan, and gluten-free alternatives are available at Cabane à Sucre Handfield in addition to the usual fare and maple syrup. If your friends and family have dietary restrictions, here is the place to go.
22. Cabane à Sucre Bouvrette
Zoo, Music Venue
The Cabane à Sucre Bouvrette is located about 35 minutes north of Montreal and has been producing maple syrup for more than 60 years. Families go to the park, and school groups frequently visit as well.
The train trip through the forest may be the major attraction for children. On top of all of that, there’s a zoo and frequent concerts.
Sweet Sugar Shack Experience Near Montreal
1. La Tablée des Pionniers
Address: 1006 QC-117, Saint-Faustin-Lac-Carré, QC J0T 1J2, Canada
Phone: (819) 688-2101
Website: Visit Website
If you’ve heard of a “gourmet” sugar shack, you probably associate it with seasonal pranks perpetrated by top-tier Montreal chefs.
The Laurentides’ La Tablée des Pionniers, which is located near the Mont Blanc ski resort in the Laurentides.
Also offers kale and bacon-infused split pea soup; a pulled pig and mushroom puff pastry; and platters of foie gras, smoked duck, and breaded fig croutons. Bookings cost $59 per person for the all-you-can-eat option.
2. Cabane à Sucre Constantin Grégoire
Address: 184 Rang des Continuations, Saint-Esprit, QC J0K 2L0, Canada
Phone: (450) 839-2305
Website: Visit Website
Back in 1941, there was just enough space for 20 people to gather in a sugar hut, but now there’s a whole candy factory and a microbrewery.
Located just north of Montreal, Constantin is one of the most prominent sugar shacks around the area. All-you-can-eat menus of smoked pig jowls, pouding chômeur, sausages, and maple-syrup-cooked eggs are available till April 24.
They also provide lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, and vegan alternatives. The prices vary from $26 to $33.
3. Domaine de l’Ange-Gardien
Address: 1031 Chem. Pierre-Laporte, L’Ange-Gardien, QC J8L 0E9, Canada
Phone: (819) 281-0299
Website: Visit Website
Sliding and sugar shacking on one of Outaouais’ most popular areas. How can you dislike this? Some Montrealers might be put off by the distance, but the entertainment and food make the journey worthwhile.
Traditional holiday fare, such as pea soup, oreilles de crisis, and pieces of sugar pie, is served in a family-style setting, along with horse-drawn sleigh rides and a full bar. The hot chocolate is also a favorite of many.
4. Labonté de la Pomme Verger & Miellerie
Address: 405 Rang de l’Annonciation, Oka, QC J0N 1E0, Canada
Phone: (450) 479-1111
Website: Visit Website
While the Labonté and Dufresne families’ 135-acre orchard in Oka is renowned for its apple-picking seasons, their sugar shack experience should not be overlooked.
The “étagé campagnard,” a sandwich made of applewood smoked ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, and Oka cheese between two waffles with applesauce, is one of the cabane à pommes’ gourmet ($55 per person) menu selections, while the conventional ($42.50 per person) menu provides all the usual suspects.
This establishment allows guests to bring their own alcohol, and guests are encouraged to make online reservations.
5. Erablière Au Bec Sucré
Address: 5677 Chem. de l’Aéroport, Valcourt, QC J0E 2L0, Canada
Phone: (450) 532-3771
Website: Visit Website
For those searching for a sugar shack with as little frills as possible, this one in the Eastern Townships near Valcourt is just what they’re looking for.
This historic building, with its weathered wood walls and corrugated tin roof, is a popular destination for visitors looking for a reminder of a bygone era.
At this buffet-style restaurant with a BYOB option, you’ll find a wide variety of dishes, including grilled wood-fired bread. Adults pay $30, while children between the ages of 10 and 15 pay between $10 and $15.
6. Érablière Hilltop
Address: 4329 Chem. Symington, Dunham, QC J0E 1M0, Canada
Phone: (450) 295-2270
Website: Visit Website
From March 5 to May 1, this Eastern Townships restaurant attracts diners for both the food and the scenery (hence the name).
The all-you-can-eat menu at this restaurant includes more than a dozen different meals, all of which are served with a BYOB option.
Maple syrup is utilized to manufacture taffy, candies, flavored sugars, and even pie in the cabane’s own store. An adult ticket costs $35.66 ($30.44 on Fridays), while a child’s ticket costs anything from $11.31 to $21.74.
7. Le Vignoble du Ruisseau
Address: 4500 Chem. Strobl, Dunham, QC J0E 1M0, Canada
Phone: (450) 538-3782
Website: Visit Website
From now until May 1, visitors to a Brome-Missisquoi winery and distillery will be able to enjoy one of the most refined sugar shack experiences in the Montreal area.
A “maple nugget waffle” with smoked beets, sea buckthorn, and whipped cream is just one of the unusual dishes on the menu at this restaurant.
Adult tickets cost between $35 and $56 depending on the day and time of week, while children’s tickets cost between $22 and $30.
Conclusion
If you’re going to spend all day in a coffee shop, you might as well spend it drinking iced coffee. If you’re looking for a better alternative, take a look at the 20+ best sugar shacks Montreal has to explore and enjoy.
Some of these places offer amazing views, delicious treats, and great people watching. So, whether you want to work in your pajamas or meet up with friends after a long day, Montreal has something for you.
