Cosmo’s: A Staple

If you live in Montreal then you know of Cosmo, and if you’re a cool kid you call it Cosmo’s. (Other people call it Cosmo’s, right? I’m not just imagining this… right?)  If you don’t know about it, then hopefully after reading this I will have piqued your interest and you will give these wonderful people your business. Cosmo’s is an epic breakfast diner in NDG. It’s Montreal’s perfect, classic hole in the wall. If you frequent this place then you’ll understand what I mean when I say that the ambiance is something else. There’s only ten counter seats and on the other side is the service area, leaving no room to hide away or keep to yourself. It’s a really small place but it makes it that much more personal. You WILL engage in conversation and you WILL enjoy it. Founded in 1967, I’m sure they haven’t renovated since then. Untouched by time, it adds to the charm. I usually go on Saturdays when the team is Nikki, Tina and Angie, all lovely, lovely ladies who play a big role in making Cosmo’s a positive experience. They are sweet characters with big personalities and they work hard! Cosmo’s is a down-to-Earth place with awesome staff who put on no charades.

I have never considered myself a “regular” until I started going to Cosmo’s. It doesn’t help that I live right down the street, it’s affordable and I have at least one hangover a week. Of course the food and overall experience definitely keep me coming back. It’s intimate in the sense that you’ll probably be shoulder to shoulder with a complete stranger, everyone is chatting with each other and we’re all united by Cosmo’s. This is definitely my favourite place to be on a Saturday afternoon. It’s no surprise that they’ll be celebrating their 50th anniversary this Summer (word on the street is that they’re going to be throwing a party at Girouard Park) because they know how to do business. Simple, fast, affordable and friendly.

Most of the time when I walk in I still like to look at a menu even though 99.99% of the time, I will order a Creation (8$) sandwich, but I like to keep my options open just in case. I get my Creation on challah bread and I switch the salami for sausage because I’d never been a huge fan of it. It’s dressed with mayo, a fried egg, tomato, lettuce, American cheese, bacon and sausage. It’s simple but a great example of “don’t fix something that ain’t broke”. The Creation comes with breakfast potatoes and coffee, which I did not get a picture of. The potatoes are like no other that you’ve eaten. They’re mashed but not entirely, with some small, soft chunks. They’re cooked directly on the flat top so they develop a nice surface crunch which adds necessary mouthfeel. These are the best breakfast potatoes ever. Another detail that I appreciate is that they carry multiple hot sauces: Sriracha, habanero, Tabasco, my favourite, Grace’s, & more. They also have a huge selection of bread, from your basic white and whole wheat to funkier things like Black Russian or onion kimmel. You could order anything on the menu and end up satisfied, for sure, but I recommend the breakfast menu which is available all day, 7AM-5PM. The food is nothing fancy at all, it’s very simple, straight-up, greasy and extremely basic, so I can’t explain to you why it’s so damn good but it is, and it hits all the right spots. Cosmo’s is an awesome place to go and the Creation is a great thing to eat if you had a late night out and/or have a hangover. Disclaimer: This is not the place for you if you are a health freak (but seriously, you deserve a cheat day I bet), super bougie or judge a book by a cover.

Angie & Nikki

I was a bit nervous asking to take some pictures and I know I should’ve taken more than one, but I was shy. So this might not be the greatest picture, but the subjects are wonderful.

It’s really no surprise how successful Cosmo’s is, to be a regular is like being part of a club. I walk in and I talk to the staff and I feel welcomed and appreciated, in return, I appreciate them, of course. This is truly a special place and I’m happy that I stumbled upon it. This is the type of diner that becomes a tradition. I think it has something to do with the fact that it’s family run so you know that it’s important to those who work there, therefore it becomes important to you. It’s so lovely, I’ve never felt this sort of appreciation for a restaurant before and a big part of it is because of the interaction with the people that work here. You become connected to Cosmo’s and you feel wanted there, therefore you keep coming back. This is a place that you need to check out and experience. Maybe it’ll become a tradition for you too.

xoxo lil foodie princess

 

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