Casa del Popolo is the very best venue for new music, and a lovely place to have a beer and some veggie food in the afternoon. (Try the back garden.)
And Dante Hardware, on Rue Dante near Jean Talon Market, is something you'll only find in North America: a store that is half fine cookware, half hunting rifles! Not to be missed.
Casa del Popolo: 4873 Boulevard St-Laurent; tel: (514) 284 0122;
www.casadelpopolo.com;
Dante Hardware: 6851 St Dominique (on the corner of Rue Dante); tel: (514) 271 2057
Updates
Is this your business?
Look on the Casa del Popolo site and you'll find another, larger venue (La Salla Rossa) and a revamped Spanish association restaurant/bar, La Sala Rosa, which has plenty of nice noshes for vegetarians, carnivores and anything in-between.
La Quincaillerie Dante was featured in the Montreal special issue of Gourmet, with owner Elena's cooking classes and recipes.