Which city is more "bohemian," Montreal or Vancouver?

[Acajack]

Can’t say which one is more bohemian, but Vancouver’s bohemian vibe is as others have said related mostly to geographic location and climate. Montreal’s is more related to its status as a sort of black sheep among large North American cities, its European influences and, until recently, a comparatively low cost of living.
Quebec’s food culture is all over the map. You have greasy snack bars all over the province known as “casse-croûte” that sell hot dogs, hamburgers and the Quebec junk food specialty poutine.
And then you have lots of fine dining featuring both fine French-style haute cuisine and also high-end Quebec specialties as well.
My general take is that it is much easier to find a really good meal even in Nowheresville, Quebec than anywhere else in North America.
For more info on this, see this thread:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/canada/826955-what-do-quebecois-think-france.html

[Antoyne_42]

Originally Posted by omar543

What do bohemian and dining scene have anything to do with each other? Sounds more bourgeois to me.

You are right, the dining scene isn't typically a bohemian way of life but since people have to eat (even bohemian ones) you have to include the eating habits of the people in order to get a complete picture of the city's bohemian vibe.

Let's forget about the upscale, trendy, international or family dining scene and let's focus on alternative, affordable and corner snack bar. In that way, Montreal has a variety of ''products'' that ranges from québécois fast food (poutine, hot dogs), jewish (bagels, smoked meat), middle eastern/north african (Falafel, shawarma), italian (Pizza, pasta), greek (gyro's), polish (pierogi's), haitians, caribeans and other ethnics dishes. These ethnic dish often helps bringing the price of food down which ''helps'' maintaing a relatively ''comfortable'' lifestyle without getting away from the bohemian mentality.

Let's not forget the numerous asian restaurants. I am always in Vietnamese restaurants because it is very affordable, healthy and they can be found all over the city.

Open air market, gathering in city parks where people share food as well as friendly meetings in houses (in the winter) are also very common way's to eat ''cheap''. All these accessible way's of eating definitively plays a role in a city that claims to have a bohemian vibe but it shouldn't be based only on that, not at all. It is much more than that. Food is necessary therefor can't be ignored and has to be dealt with.