What to see in 3 days in Montreal in October?

Essential in Montreal: Vieux-Montreal, Mont-Royal to get the city view, Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Olympic Stadium, Jardin Botanique (those two are close), Saint-Laurent, St Denis St and Mont Royal Blvd (lots of restaurants, bars and stores).
Two smaller hidden streets which have great restaurants: Rue Prince Arthur and Rue Duluth. 
Other options: Casino de Montréal, Chinatown, Place des arts, Underground City (which is basically stores). 
Not bad for three days. :)

Hi Amelie!

Montreal is a very special place to me, as I just spent 4 incredible years living in the city! One of the biggest charms about Montreal is the City's food and drink scene. Montreal has some of the best food spots I've been to in North America, as well as some of the coolest bars and cafes. There are literally endless amounts of amazing/unique spots to check out, however I'll suggest some of my favorites:

Food

If I was in Montreal for three days, I would prioritize brunch as a meal. Montreal has a big brunch culture and there are so many spots that do brunch justice. Of all the brunch restaurants though, these are my top three:

Restaurant L'Avenue If I had to pick a favourite Montreal restaurant, it would be L'avenue! L'avenue is arguably the best brunch restaurant in Montreal, with brunch being served everyday all the way till 4pm! Brunch culture is big in Montreal, and L'avenue is definitely at the center of it all. The food is amazing, fun, and just hits the spot every time. I would recommend ordering anyone of the complete breakfast options or any of the eggs benedict options! Also the decor/vibe of the restaurant is quite energetic and cool! Another great thing about L'avenue is that it's located on Mont-Royal street, which is considered the heart of "the plateau" district, which is known for being a lively, cultural, artistic, and cool neighbourhood.  On the weekends, be prepared to wait in line (but it's totally worth it)!(I wasn't too hungry when I went to L'avenue on this day, so i ordered the smallest meal I could, but still had trouble finishing it. And yes, that is a mini-bowl of nutella!)

Fabergé Restaurant Faberge adds it's own spin to brunch, usually serving creative takes on classic brunch fare. Like, L'avenue, the restaurant has a cool vibe and will definitely put a smile on your face. Brunch here is always a treat and is available everyday!

The Sparrow If you happen to be in Montreal during the weekend, brunch at the sparrow is quite the experience. 

Dinner/Lunch Options

La Banquise Resto has the best Poutine in the city by far. No trip to Montreal is complete without trying Poutine!

Kazu this Japanese restaurant always has a long-line outside its doors as it is one of the city's most popular ethnic restaurants. And SO delicious!!! I recommend getting there either just as the restaurant opens or half an hour before it closes to avoid waiting in line for too long. 

Depending on what you're in the mood for, you can find a lot of great restaurants from different cuisines. A few more suggestions are: Dolcetto&Co., Restaurant au Pied de Cochon, and Garde Manger. 

Bars

Montreal has some of the coolest bars I've ever been to. Here are a list of ones I recommend:

Big in Japan Bar This is by far my favourite bar in the entire world. It's also one of those secret spots and is discovered usually via word of mouth, which adds to it's charm. I don't want to elaborate too much because once you enter, the bar just speaks for itself. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. 

Baldwin Barmacie, SUWU,  La Distillerie, Apt. 200, Philemon Bar, Mme Lee, St Sulpice St, Dominion Square Tavern are all bars that i would also recommend. 

Cafes

Kitsuné, Arts Café, Cafe Aunja, Café Neve, Café Parvis, Pikolo Espresso Bar, Olive et Gourmando are all great coffee/pastry places that you can tuck into if you need a break from the cold weather!