Locals will proudly inform you (in addition to boldly asserting that Harvard is America’s McGill) that Montreal is Canada’s worthy answer to New York. While the general sentiment is somewhat bucolic, Montreal does hold a few gems that would fit snugly on the ground floor of a refurbished textile factory in Williamsburg. In the realm of coffee shops, few exude the redolence of hipster grunge quite as pungently as Le Cagibi.

A vegetarian eatery, music venue, and café rolled into one, Le Cagibi occupies prime real estate in the Mecca of nonchalance commonly known as the Mile End. Decorated with a hodgepodge of old furniture, ramshackle chairs, and tables placed ad-hoc on the wooden floors, Le Cagibi consists of two homey, dimly illuminated rooms.  On occasional evenings, small acts remove the table from a low-lying stage and set up musical shop. If you’re fortunate, you’ll catch a low-key performance on a winter evening while drinking a big bowl of coffee ($4). Otherwise, if your habits tend towards the matinal, start a day of study with the Morning Rumble.

 —Le Cagibi sits on the corner of Saint Viateur and Saint Laurent. If you’re in the mood to catch a show, check out the calendar at www.lecagibi.ca