First on our list was the classic lemonade at La Petite Cuillère on St Denis, across from Square St. Louis. A quiet, eclectic cafe, they offered three different kinds of lemonade, along with tempting cakes and snacks. Deciding that there was only one fair way to compare, we all ordered the classic lemonade and grabbed a spot on the terrasse. Served in frosty mason jars, our drinks were tart, lemony and topped with frothy slush. While everyone appreciated the distinct lemon flavor, most of the group started looking around for sugar after their first sips.
Next was D'Liche, winner of last year's "In Search of the Best Cupcakes" event. This also turned out to be a snack stop for most of us, since we had to try their version of the cronut and some had to verify that D'Liche still had the best cupcakes. We almost forgot that we were there to try the lemonade! The lemonade was slightly less lemony than the first one, but everyone appreciated that it was just the right sweetness. It was a nice balance to the rich cronut and paired nicely with a lime mini cupcake.
Stuffed with our delicious treats and two glasses of lemonade, we were happy to walk over to St. Laurent for the final place on our list. Laïka is part cafe, part bar, part hangout. When we sat down, we were surprised that lemonade was not on their menu. We showed the server a printout of the Nightlife.ca article. She verified that it was all true... and recommended we try the house iced tea as well. Half the group ordered lemonade and half ordered iced tea. While the lemonade was fresh, it was the least lemony of the three. Since we could barely taste the lemon, sweetness was not an issue. The iced tea was the better pick. Made with properly steeped tea, we could taste a hint of lemon and mint and it was sweetened just enough.
In the end, we decided D'Liche had the best classic lemonade of the three places we tried. If you like your lemonade really tart or want to customize the sweetness, I would also recommend La Petite Cuillère. Order the iced tea at Laïka.
There may be another contender in the near future. While walking along Duluth, one member of our group stopped in at Blüming Gateaux and discovered that they also have interesting house-made lemonades. We may have to repeat the event before the summer is over.
