Mintar is a cozy, chic little café on avenue du Parc, in the heart of downtown Montreal. It's the work of two brothers — Rajai, who trained as a chef, and Tareq, who came up through retail — who opened Mintar to express their shared love of coffee and food, and to put their Middle Eastern roots on the plate. The result is a warm, welcoming neighbourhood address with seating over two airy levels: the kind of place that works equally well for a quick, excellent egg sandwich, a coffee over a spot of work or study, or an easy catch-up with friends. The offer is simple and well made — a lineup of hearty subs, a full coffee menu, smoothies, and a tempting choice of pastries and desserts — and you can order ahead online for pickup at the café.
The subs are the heart of it, and the Middle Eastern accent runs quietly through them — labneh standing in for the usual spreads, halloumi taking a starring role. There's l'Omelette with caramelized onions, peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella and spicy mayo ($12); l'Œuf & jambon with havarti and labneh, and an Œuf halloumi with avocado and spicy mayo (both $13.20); le Classique stacked with ham, turkey, havarti and labneh; a loaded chicken sub with avocado ($15.60); a proper steak sub with havarti and house sauce ($18); and a generous veggie ($12). Alongside them, the coffee program covers all the essentials — espresso, macchiato, cortado, cappuccino, latté, mochaccino — plus chai and matcha lattés, teas, and iced options, with prices that stay refreshingly gentle (espresso $3.30, cappuccino and latté $4.50). To round things out there are fruit smoothies — tropical, healthy green, strawberry-banana, mango-banana ($6.50–$7.50) — and, much loved by regulars, colourful smoothie bowls topped with fresh fruit and granola.
Friendly, spotless, and made with real heart, Mintar is one of those unassuming spots that quickly becomes a regular haunt — a cozy corner of avenue du Parc where quality coffee, fresh-made subs, and a warm welcome from the brothers behind it come together beautifully in downtown Montreal.