Old Montreal’s architectural marvels do not include an anonymous, scruffy, black metal door set into a brick wall.

But ring the doorbell and you’ll be escorted into a dark underworld of stone walls, wooden beams, and plush furniture. At The Coldroom, the air smells faintly of freshly burnt cinnamon; there’s a rule against sta ever using artificial air fresheners. In fact, there are many rules down in the Coldroom, posted on its website: be polite, be respectful, be patient and, above all, “The bartender is the boss.” Play nice and you’re in for a wild ride of creative, surprising cocktails (peanut butter and jelly?) made with in-house bitters, infused simple syrups and shrubs. And, in a refreshing break from cocktail culture cliché, you can enjoy your drink to a classic rock soundtrack—because some rules are meant to be broken.

WHAT TO ORDER: A cocktail “creation” made to your specifications

The Coldroom Montréal

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