Bourassa S (St-Sauveur) Ltee

For years, i’ve been coming to the SAQ almost every summer — without even thinking about what stores lie behind. And then one lucky winter, at the recommendaiton of a chef, i headed to the market behind the McDonalds to find — heaven.
This store is essentially foodporn. Aisles upon aisles of restaurant supply. Quality you scour the city trying to find. As a resident Torontonian, i’m used to some of the products here, but at double if not tripple the prices.
The meat and cheese section is something you need to brace yourself for. You need to breathe and calm yourself. Everything looks amazing — but you constantly have to ask yourself «do i really need that».
I’m pleased to discover that the success of this store has resulted in the creation of a chain in North Montréal. I just wish they find their way to Toronto one day.

Location: Right smack in the middle of all the outlets. Bring your patience with you when you go.
Stuff: They have a really good selection of produce, canned/​dried goods, cheeses, breads etc. They typically sell larger-​sized packages of fruits and veggies but at more affordable prices than the city. That being said, sometimes, some of the produce really doesn’t last very long so I have questioned their quality. You can find organic cereal, fresh bagels (I believe they’re from St. Viateur), fresh cheddar (white AND orange, and marble too!), chocolate, and tea — it’s almost a one-​stop shop. If you head to their refrigerated section (they even provide coats so you won’t freeze your ass off), you will be in a cheese-​lovers’ delight — they have a TON of different cheeses that are very reasonaly priced. In general, I’ve actually found some items that I normally get at my health food store, at Bourassa, for less.
Prices: Very reasonable, and often less expensive than the city.
My suggestion would be to go during the week if you can, or a Friday night, otherwise you will find yourself surrounded by hordes of people and battling it out for a parking space. Despite its size, Bourassa has narrow aisles which makes it a little tedious and sometimes annoying, to navigate especially when it’s packed.

The place to shop in Saint-​Sauveur for fresh vegetables (can you say «kale»?), amazing assortments of cheeses and deli meats, fresh breads, and overall affordable products.
Their store in Ste-​Agathe is even bigger and better.