Café Maman's boho charm caught Netflix's eye for LA scene
This Griffintown coffee spot doubled as an LA café in a holiday rom-com and it shows — shabby chic design, pastries, and all.
If you want a slice of LA without leaving Montreal, head to Café Maman on Notre-Dame in Griffintown. The café's shabby-chic interior — all distressed wood beams, semi-exposed brick, and woven baskets of trailing vines — caught the eye of Netflix scouts enough to double it as an LA café in the holiday rom-com Single All The Way, starring Jennifer Coolidge.
In the film, the main character, Peter, makes a video call from inside the café's charming boho interior, nibbling on a pastry. And that's exactly the draw: Maman is a pastry and coffee destination where the space itself is the experience.
The counter runs thick with patisserie — cheese croissants, pistachio chocolate bread, Martha Stewart's triple citrus bundt cake, Oprah's favourite cookie. There's vegan and gluten-free options too. The interior design does the heavy lifting: floral-print tea canisters, mismatched wood across tables and shelves, dried flowers on display, and a quirky white teacup holder hanging from the wall like a sculptural lamp.
Breakfast runs from designed-your-way options to structured plates. The Maman Breakfast Sandwich layers bourbon bacon jam, avocado, and roasted tomatoes under a fried egg on cornmeal focaccia. The avocado tartine comes with tomatoes, cilantro, onion, and lime on country bread. Pain Perdu (lost bread) features espresso, mascarpone, brown butter, and honey-roasted pecans. The country-style granola parfait stacks Greek yogurt with almond butter granola and fruit compote. There's also a build-your-own ratatouille with squash, eggplant, zucchini, and roasted tomatoes over potatoes — choose two eggs and feta or go without.
Lunch leans into decadent sandwiches. The Truffle Croque Maman is sourdough with Parisian ham, comté cheese, and truffle Béchamel. The Panini Caprese Daniella comes on seeded sourdough with romesco sauce, roasted cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, and basil aioli. The Wilde salad combines smoked salmon, avocado, crispy smashed potatoes, cucumber, greens, and a soft-boiled egg.
Drinks include a Martha Stewart collaboration with morello cherry purée, lime juice, elderflower syrup, muddled lime, soda water, and fresh mint, plus an almond croissant latte that actually tastes like almond.
The whole thing reads as intentional — not forced indie — which is why Netflix believed it was Los Angeles. That's the whole appeal.