I’ve been to Montreal twice. However, in spite of being a fairly observant, I missed some of these Montreal-isms. Thanks or merci fellow travel writer, Olivia Taddio, for helping us navigate through Montreal slang. Boy oh boy, I owe you one! Next time I’ll see you at the Dep before a BYOW dinner!
Voila! Montreal’s slang uncovered by Olivia.
Montreal is a beautiful city known for its vibrant culture, wonderful foodie scene, culture, and so much more. As one of the biggest cities in Canada, visitors come from all around to explore and see Montreal at its finest. Though Montreal is officially a bilingual city, tourists and visitors are oftentimes lost in translation when the two languages blend together. FlightHub Review has put together our full-proof translation guide to conquering Montreal like a local.
Guichet
“Hey friend, can you direct me to the closest Guichet?”
Otherwise known as an ATM, the guichet is a staple in the weird, cross-over bilingualism of Montreal. But don’t panic! FlightHub has you covered; Guichets –or ATMs—are found all over the city, ready and willing to charge you exorbitant fees for taking out your own money, but alas, what’s a drunk night out without an emergency pit stop to one of these at your local Dep.
On that note…
Dep/ Depanneur
Roughly translated from the French verb “to troubleshoot”, the English version of a Dep is your “convenience store”. But unlike regular convenience stores, these non-state stores were one of the firsts to provide their patrons with the bare necessities: bread, milk and beer. These gems are found on almost every corner on Montreal’s older neighborhoods and make up Montreal’s charm and character. Cheap dep wine is synonymous with your night out at a wonderful BYOW resto.
Wait, what’s a…
BYOW: Bring your own wine
These exist plentifully in Montreal, and range from so-so quality, to uber chic and bougie restaurants. Bring whatever (and however many) bottles you want and enjoy your time sipping your wine and dining real fine in these establishments. There aren’t any fees to pay when bringing these bad boys with you, or strange ‘uncorking’ fees. So FlightHub wishes you bon appetite, and an enthusiastic Saluti, while you dine your night away on the terrace.
Wait, wait, you want me to eat on the what?
Terrace
In FlightHub’s opinion, terrace season comes too late and leaves too soon in Montreal! We are a city that loves our outdoor eating and drinking spaces. In most other places, a terrace is referred to as a patio. But being of the French persuasion, Montrealers have stubbornly refused to call it by its anglo name. So, whether it’s raining with heat lamps, or scorching under the summer sun, get your booty to a terrace and enjoy Montreal in its prime, especially when it’s a 5 à 7.
5 à 7
Because Quebec liquor laws prohibit the use of “Happy Hour” as a promotional way to support alcohol consumption, the clever (?) folks of Montreal renamed this Anglo after-work-song-and-dance to the designated times when this generally took place, therefore between the hours of 5 to 7. During this period of time, patrons take advantage of reduced prices on alcohol beverages or specials. These times are also pretty relaxed, and more of a suggestion in most cases. There are some restaurants that begin 5 a 7 from 3 to 8, and those are the places you want to be at anyway.
**Guest post provided by Olivia Taddio, travel writer, food lover, coffee monster, and adventurer based in Montreal, Canada. Yeezy taught me.