Vegan-friendly
American
Organic
Raw
Western
Juice bar
Take-out
Raw food restaurant with multiple outlets; this one est. 2009. Offers raw food, sandwiches, fresh juices, and smoothies. Vegan except for bee products. Reported closed, Sep 2017.
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Last update on 23 Sep 2017 by Guest
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18 Reviews
First Review by philjdomm
Babette
Points +2101
Excellent place - Edit
I've liked Crudessence since their beginning and I like how they keep changing the menu, adding new dishes, some not raw dishes too, etc.
Read moreThe Rachel location is small and conveniently located near Mont-Royal Park and the Plateau, but if you choose a location for the atmosphere, you should go on Mackay, which is much nicer.
Pros: Excellent food, Healthy, Fresh
Guest
LindseyElizabeth
Points +657
Terrific raw and healthy options - Edit
I met friends here a few times while visiting Montréal. It was a great place to eat healthy and tasty food to keep me energized on my travels. It's pricy, but very good quality :) I enjoyed a raw lasagna while I was there.
Read moreGuest
Fdmv
Points +16
Réservez, petit, entres amies... - Edit
Nous avons bien aimé en général :)
Read moreGuest
mcsnv
Points +3484
Essayez le concept de "cuisine vivante" - Edit
Peu importe vos choix et préférences alimentaires, Crudessence est à essayer. Je suis toujours fasciné par la qualité et l'originalité des plats. Les portions sont toutefois assez petites pour le prix. Essayez la lasagne ou un des bols. Plusieurs produits d'épicerie sont également en vente. La sélection est assez vaste et on peut mettre la main sur plusieurs produits biologiques qui peuvent être difficiles à trouver ailleurs.
Read moreGuest
Fruit
Points +99
Gastronomic treat - Edit
Going for Crudessence, you know you are in for the big ride. It is quite expensive, but you can eat everything with confidence, no animal product anywhere inside that place, (maybe the occasional local honey in smoothies), no gluten foods, and whatever you eat is healthy, as tasty as it gets. The sad thing is that they close early (9 o'clock, and that the kitchen closes before, it would be nice if they mentioned the kitchen closing time on the website as we were turned away 45 minutes before closing time.
Read moreLong ago i tried inviting my family there, but they were not at all into raw food and were rather off rocker there, so maybe not for first timers.
Pros: Food is incredible, Everything is healthy, They are allergy sensitive
Cons: closes early, fairly expensive
Guest
Kglangley
Points +47
amazing raw food - Edit
I loved this food! We ordered five dishes and they were all amazing however one of them was a bit too salty. They sell their own line of recipe books in both French and English. I bought the book and I can't wait to make all the amazing salads, dressings, smoothies, mains and desserts! They also have some pre-packaged take away items such as wraps.
Read moreGuest
JonJon
Points +20283
Great vegan raw food - Edit
I was not used with raw food until I discovered Crudessence. My first try was surprising, I took a burger that was too healthy for me ;-) : sprouts and vegetables with a raw pastry. Then I learn to discover other dishes, such as their crêpe (amazing even if cashew cheese has a too strong taste for me), their tiramisu (magical!), their banana split, their lasagna, their raw hummus... Finally, their food is really varied, with infinite and fresh savors. They also have really good juices. I'm still not really fond of such food but I learned to enjoy it thanks to Crudessence. So if you like raw food: you have to go there.
Read moreThis place is nice, smaller than the one in MacKay but I finally preferred this more calm and cozy place. The staff is also friendly. Just one negative comment: I believe it remains quite expensive for the quantity you'll have.
Pros: raw vegan, amazing desserts, friendly staff, nice atmosphere
Cons: quite expensive
Guest
Sistermoon
Points +28
great satisfying food - Edit
Lovely food and nice, attentive staff. A lot smaller and more essential than its big sister on Mackay St but the standards are just as high. Will return ever and ever again.
Read moreGuest
mari_posa
Points +53
A taste of Raw - Edit
I never ate at CRUDESSENCE before, and this week I realized I missed on something! I remember going there to leave my C.V on one of the restaurant downtown. I wanted to work there, but found the server to be a total snob ...! Ah the beauty of vegan snobbism! You might guess that is why I never went back, but the truth is I don't know many people who enjoy organic, raw, vegan food and I don't bother going by myself! Ironically, I went with a friend that is not even a vegetarian but enjoys Crudessence food.
Read moreWe went to Rachel's Street CRUDESSENCE, it is very small and has a coffee shop atmosphere. The unique tiny bathroom was just beside the counter, which is kind of awkward...
Ok, yea the food! Damn delicious!!! My taste buds went crazy! I'm not kidding, once I started eating totally forgot that I meant to write a blog entry about it and didn't take picture of any kind!!
I ordered the a Pizza 'la luna':
La Luna
"Served on a thin, crunchy sprouted
buckwheat and vegetable crust/
Caper aeoli, eggplant bacon, tomato,
mushroom, spinach, and creme fraiche"
My friend ordered lasagna:
Lasagna
Layers of sliced zucchini, fresh basil,
sundried tomato sauce and
macadamia nut "rawcotta" garnished
with Crumesan
Served with Caesar salad
What I remember the most is the thin crust, I never tasted something like it before. The food, if you don't know is cooked by dehydration at low temperatures , where it is believed that the aliments preserved their whole nutritional value. I kind of had a hard time cutting the crust, the texture is dry. But, I was surprised to notice that, mixed with the rest of the ingredients, it melted in my mouth! I don't know how they make "la creme fraiche", but it is one of the small details that make a dish stand out.
As I said, it is a very small restaurant, therefore the service was quick and efficient. I came there with preconceived idea that only people with small appetites could be satisfied by those raw meals. I was totally wrong; I was really satisfied. I have to come back and taste their desert; I heard one is made with avocado! I will for sure, be taking many many pictures.
Pros: delicious , good service, satisfying portions
Cons: small place
Guest
Chizetta
Points +28
Excellent and true - Edit
The best in Montreal! Food is truly raw, delicious and fulfilling. Excellent indeed! Great service, great location, fair price! Recommend 100%!
Read morePros: great food, easy access, fairly priced
Guest
TRaeCH
Points +384
Quebec's First Raw Food Restaurant - Edit
Located in a nice part of Montreal, basically skirting Parc Mont-Royal and a pleasant, leisurely 15 minute walk from the Mont-Royal metro stop, Crudessence is Montreal's healthiest vegan restaurant - and quite possibly its best.
Read moreHaving eaten at some of the United States' most renowned raw food establishments, I can say that Crudessence holds up pretty well against its international brethren.
It offers a small, cozy space - something like a French breakfast nook - with windows overlooking a stretch of Rachel Street West that gets a lot of foot traffic. The menu is sufficiently extensive and everything sounds wonderful. The OM Burger and smoothies are popular choices. When I last went the creatively healthful lasagna is what I ordered while my dear friend had an eye-catching, robust salad. We were both immensely satisfied with our meals as well as our smoothies. This is food which will appease your appetite without leaving you feeling stuffed. As a small dessert we shared a trio of their energy balls which were delicious and, like just about everything else on the menu, serve for a quick influx of energy.
Service can be a bit spotty but the wait staff is always extremely friendly and helpful. While meals are somewhat costly (nothing excessive) it has to be understood that a lot goes into preparation and that the food is mostly organic and of the highest standard of freshness.
For locals, or visitors staying in hotels/hostels there is a delivery service by bicycle which they offer - a pamphlet is available at the restaurant for more information.
There is nothing quite like raw food - if in Montreal, do take the time to try either this Crudessence or the one on Mackay, right by Guy-Concordia metro; both you and your overall well-being will be better off for it.
Pros: Top quality raw food, Good selection in menu, Great smoothies
Cons: Pricey
Guest
Begonia
Points +61
Not completely vegan - Edit
Expensive, but very good fresh, organic vegan fare for the most part. Quite an extensive menu. I greatly enjoyed the miso soup followed by the Om Burger. The vegan "ice cream" (from nutmilk and agave nectar) was to die for. I thank them for listing the ingredients on the menu but not everything on the menu is vegan: the Bee Buzz Smoothie contains pollen and honey and among the superfoods offered on the side are honey and pollen. This contributes to people falsely associating these items with veganism.
Read morePros: Fresh, organic ingredients, Great vegan variety, Friendly service
Cons: Honey & pollen (not vegan), Expensive (but good quality)
Guest
Kind Cindy
Points +78
First raw experience ... - Edit
I took a friend from out of town because we had both seen their website and wanted to taste what eating raw would be like. It was so tasty and wonderful! I would have the lasagne next time myself. I had the Om Burger and I will admit the "bread" did not blow my doors off but the meal was still really great. We loved the hummus and we ordered some macadamia nut ricotta to try as a side dish. I was inspired to get a raw cook book to try some of their dishes at home.
Read moreGuest
Bean_A_Broad
Points +151
Get check from the counter once you've finished - Edit
Last week my husband & I tried Crudessence while visiting Montreal. It was a good 1st raw foods experience. Our meals had a surprising amount of flavor, especially considering how healthy raw foods are.
Read moreThe restaurant is fairly small inside, but they have a cute outdoor area for pleasant weather, as well as a couple of tables on either side of the entrance, which is where we sat. The neighborhood had a decent amount of foot traffic, so we enjoyed people & dog watching.
The servers were very friendly, & fast to begin with. Our orders were quickly taken & the food brought to our table in good time, but once we had our main courses the server was nowhere to be found. Apparently at this restaurant you are expected to go up to the counter once you have finished eating. Of the 5 or so places we ate in Montreal, this was the only one that settles up this way. My husband was going to have desert, but after we sat for about 25-30 min. following our meal we just felt like leaving. We weren't in a particular hurry, but it would have been nice if they had told us how to properly obtain our check. It didn't ruin our time overall, just want to save other patrons any unnecessary delay :)
Also, sorry if this is too forward, but make sure you have private restroom time the next morning. You don't want to be stuck out & about when the time comes. This food is very healthy & "cleansing" I'll say.
A good meal experience overall. Not something we would eat too often if we lived there, but a welcome change in vegan/vegetarian dining.
Pros: Creative meals, Pretty & flavorful food
Cons: Server didn't check back with us , We were hungry 2 about hours later
Guest
jedzen
Points +108
Nice to have a raw place in Montreal! - Edit
I've been to Crudessence a couple of times. Each times i was with my boyfriend and we got to taste a lot of items, and were pleased with what we got. We tried their pizza, pasta, and lasagna, which are all basically made with vegetables, zucchinis, marinara sauce and cashew cheese. If you're not used to raw food, do not expect those to taste like the real thing. I found that the flavors were nicely put together. We also tried to 'Om' Burger and we enjoyed it as well. All the main courses comes with sprouts, greens and dressings, and the portions are big enough to fill you up. I fell in love with their smoothies and will have to go back to try some more. The mix of kale, mint, almond milk and cayenne pepper totally made it for me. Another hit was the miso soup with goji berries in it. Lovely idea! The desserts are always good ( especially the avocado lime pie ) and they have intersting breakfast crepes, too. It is a really small place, be warned about that. There is about 4 tables to sit, but you can order food to take out. The service is quick and the place is quiet, we felt confortable sitting there. They sell books and raw products too, like those amazing raw truffles. It can be expensive to eat there : but you pay for real, unprocessed food, rich in vitamins and enzymes. Also, portions are satisfying, plates are big and food is filling. I'll be back when i can!
Read moreGuest
cookiemonster
Points +1135
Cool, pricey, and healthy - Edit
I am not a raw-foodist, just a vegan that eats raw from time to time. I love this restaurant for the little "balls" they have - delicious raw vegan treats. They are so so good. They also make nice smoothies here.
Read moreI have eaten a full meal here once or twice. It is always a neat experience (raw-vegan lasagna? who'd have thunk it) and I always feel healthy afterwards. I have to say I notice the dent in my wallet and I find the food a bit bland.
They have just expanded and I have yet to check out the new layout and, possibly, new menu but look forward to doing so.
Too pricey to be a regular stop for me but I am thankful it is in the neighbourhood and thankful for their delicious healthy treats!
Pros: Healthy, Vegan treats, Smoothies
Cons: Pricey, bland
Guest
lbatesfr
Points +33
Vegan Raw Food Heaven - Edit
Nice clean, bright location in a funky part of town. We had an appy of endive lettuce with tasty salsa. For the entrees, I had "La Pura Vida Lazagna" - Zucchini slices layered with a sun-dried tomato sauce, basil and sprouted sunflower seed cheese and sprinkled with Crumesan (Brazil nut cheese), and my hubby had the Om burger (flax bun). Both were very tasty. We also tried their maple Kombucha (bubbly fermented tea), which was pretty good. Different, but good. All in all, we highly recommend Crudessence.
Read morePros: Healthy cuisine, Excellent food
Guest
philjdomm
Points +945
Holy Organic Raw! - Edit
perfect stop over where bike and rollerblade route sits.
Read moreexpensive but worth it!
Guest
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