Is Café Saint-Henri the best chain of coffee shops in the city? That would be a tall claim to make, so here’s another way to evaluate their namesake shop in the Saint-Henri neighborhood on Notre-Dame O:
Bohemianity: 
Old World: 
Hipsterosity:
Starbuckishness:
3rd Wave
[what is this scale?]
Although not as many brewing methods are offered as compared with some 3rd wave coffee houses in places like Seattle (in the States), Café Saint-Henri offers a jim-dandy 3rd wave experience for the Montreal bean enthusiast. A current list of the beans they roast is on their website.
The seating inside Café Saint-Henri has changed configuration many times over the years, especially during the pandemic. The one table that was able to host a group of 4 is now gone.
What you want to know about Café Saint-Henri
Coffee ☕ Two beans to choose from for drinks made with the cafe’s espresso machine: “godshot” is the default bean if you don’t specify. While you are waiting in line to order from the barista, you can examine bags of beans on the shelf next to you. If you want to take one home, the barista can grind the beans for you. Whichever you pick, it will be tasty and responsibly sourced.
Shots ☕ The default for espresso-based drinks is two shots.
Milks ☕ Cow, soy, coconut, oat, macadamia.
Baristas ☕ Maybe the coffee is snobby, but the baristas don’t seem to be. Don’t be shy about asking the barista here to help you figure out which bean is for you.
Ambiance ☕ Ceiling-high windows at the storefront are a boon most of the year, but you’ll roast like a coffee bean if you seat yourself at the window during summer.
Seating ☕ If you come in a party of 3 or more, you’ll likely be out of luck for seating when the cafe is busy. A couple of repurposed church pews make for a novel espresso experience, but beware, they are not bolted down. Sadly, no sidewalk terrace is put up during the summer (probably because the shop is on a corner).
Connection ☕ The wifi doesn’t have a track record of being reliable for all customers, but you’ll always see folks on their laptop here regardless. If you absolutely can’t afford to work offline, take into consideration a chance of connectivity issues at Café Saint-Henri, especially when it’s busy.
Outlets ☕ Depends where you sit: look for the power strips on the floor.
Music ☕ A couple years ago you would hear a spectrum of jazz, reggae, eclectic electronic, the Grateful Dead… these days it seems more likely to be rock and hip hop, but it’s still a grab bag. The volume is usually reasonable for those trying to get some thinking done.
Location ☕ A couple minutes walk from the Lionel-Groulx Metro station. Within a couple blocks of Café Saint-Henri are:
- The well-regarded Satay Brothers and Sumac restaurants
- Probably the most unique vape shop in the city, Robot Vapes
- A natural foods paradise featuring an amazing selection of spices, Marché Branche d’Olivier