Marché Atwater is the more intimate of Montreal's two major public markets — smaller than Jean-Talon but equally rewarding and easier to reach from downtown. The 1933 Art Deco building on the edge of the Lachine Canal has a distinctive tower visible from the water. Inside and around it: a covered market hall with butchers, cheese vendors (the selection of Québécois cheeses is outstanding), charcuterie, and bakers, plus outdoor produce stalls that run from spring through autumn.
The location by the Canal de Lachine makes Atwater an excellent stop on a cycling route along the canal path — one of the best urban cycling routes in Montreal, running from the Old Port to the lakeside town of Lachine. Come in the morning, buy cheese and bread and whatever else catches your eye, and eat by the canal.