Here at Montreal’s Most Caffeinated City Guide, coffee is a life-sustaining sacrament all year ‘round, so imagine how blessed we felt to hear about Aux Deux Marie, where the brown elixir of life is a specialty, lovingly brewed in a long process that yields a full-bodied, and potent way for us to start (or continue, or end) our day.

The other thing we enjoy about Aux Deux Marie – named after Marie-Andree and Marie-Josee – located on Saint-Denis, is the freshly renovated ambiance with light streaming through the windows, art all around, and a pleasant upper level to hide out in while we knock down some spiked coffee drinks and Dutch cocoa and wish our office was closer.

What makes Aux Deux Marie stand out in a city stuffed with neighbourhood cafés is attention to detail. The menu is rich in every imaginable kind of blend with poetic names such as Loulou, Giotto, Balzac or Voltaire. Lunch is served on the second floor, where a variety of sandwiches, pizzas and burgers can be ordered. Check out the boulevard and watch the good-looking pedestrian traffic, while slurping up the last drops of the flavour of the day. - S.W.