Café Castel is a place for students to study or relax, all while admiring their latte art
Who would have thought that one of Montreal’s biggest hotels in the downtown area also housed a quaint and student-friendly café with dynamite latte art and tasty sandwiches?
Café Castel is a gem attached to the Best Western on Sherbrooke West. The café has a calm ambience and the overall style mirrors that of a Parisian café.
The café is shaped like an L with windows everywhere like a solarium. I was fortunate enough to go on a beautiful day, so the sun was shining through the windows, making the experience very enjoyable. There are brick walls and wood panels, creating a rustic look. There is even a fake balcony over the cash register.
There were many people already seated and sipping coffee when I walked in. It turns out many people had the same idea as me—to come for a coffee in the afternoon and get some school-work done. The overall crowd was mostly university students, either meeting with friends for coffee or sitting peacefully by themselves catching up on homework.
I went for a simple latte and chicken pesto sandwich. Having already heard of Café Castel’s amazing latte art, I was eager to see the design I would be presented with. I was met with a large and beautifully detailed heart—the barista did not skimp on my design and as I watched him work, I could see that he put a fair amount of detail and time into every latte design he created. As for the flavour, it was great. The latte was very smooth and the balance of coffee and milk was perfect.
Café Castel has a variety of sandwiches, vegetarian wraps and side dishes as well. Their pastry selection was awesome—there are Nanaimo bars, brownies, fruits and every kind of bread you can imagine. They even serve breakfast.
Coffee drinks range from about $2 to $5, depending on the size and the type of drink.
Sandwich prices range from $5 to $11, and there are deals if you buy a sandwich with a salad on the side. Yay for combos!
I would recommend checking out Café Castel if you’re looking for something a bit different or if you’re looking for a new study spot around campus to enjoy some great coffee and tasty food.
Café Castel is located at 1015 Sherbrooke St. West.
