The Montreal food scene is as varied as a rainbow, with so many colours shining brightly, ready for eating. The newest to enter our wonderful foodie family is a small Polish café, Café Baba Yaga. Odd name? Perhaps, but less so when you find out its significance. According to Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga is a devious witch who will either help or hinder those she encounters. She is known to be a trickster and a multifaceted figure, but is nonetheless a loved and very memorable character in folklore.
Café Baba Yaga‘s logo is Baba Yaga’s house, which stands on four chicken-like legs, as depicted in the folklore. The owner of this lovely café grew up hearing Baba Yaga’s stories and had to incorporate the devilish witch into her new foodie venture.
This café is a great spot for lunch or an early dinner, as they close fairly early. Make sure you go with a friend (or return numerous times), because you’ll want to try everything!
First up: the soups. Now that it’s cold, you’ll want to dive right into a warm Zurek soup, made by fermenting rye flour. It’s also known as sour dough soup, and it’s served with thin slices of sausage, and it’s warm, hearty, and delicious.
Next up: the pierogis. You can’t go to a Polish restaurant without trying their pierogis. What’s wonderful about Café Baba Yaga is that they have different pierogi flavours, with daily specials so you can be sure to try something new every time. We tried the braised beef and mushroom pierogis and the potatoes and cheese pierogis. Both are absolutely wonderful, full of flavour and definitely hit the spot. Served with sour cream and green onions, you definitely can’t go wrong.
If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, you won’t be disappointed. The Polish sandwich with Kielbasa (Polish sausage), sauerkraut, and Polish mustard is definitely what you’re craving. Another winner is the Turkey Schnitzel sandwich with beet horseradish sauce and mustard is filling and absolutely tasty. Move over chicken schnitzel, turkey schnitzel is where it’s at.
For dessert, try their bread pudding or fruit doughnuts. You have a choice between plum or apricot, plum being the more traditional flavour. Both options are the perfect end to your meal. Not too sweet, with that perfect fruity jelly inside, you’ll be patting your belly in pure joy.
For an amazing lunch or early dinner for an equally amazing price, check out Café Baba Yaga ASAP.
3279 St Jacques St, Montreal, QC H4C 1G8
(514) 504-3279
Photos by Dahlia Merlo (@dahllii), André Guité (@dredog09), and Café Baba Yaga.
