From playoff fever to summer showdowns, it’s the season of coming together. This series dives into the bars across Canada where sports aren’t just watched – they’re felt, shared and celebrated with full hearts. In these unforgettable spaces, the screens glow, the drinks flow and every seat has a story.
Clare McQuenn didn’t expect to find a slice of England in the heart of Montreal – until she stepped into Pub Burgundy Lion. Since moving to the city in 2013, the Liverpool fan has made the pub her home turf. “It just reminds me of being at home,” she says. “It’s somewhere to have a beer, meet your friends and watch a game.”
Since opening in 2008, Pub Burgundy Lion has become one of the city’s go-to fan zones. Co-owner
Paul Desbaillets says that pubs represent a “connecting force” within a community, just like sports does.
The space boasts dark-wood walls and ceilings, and cozy booths that echo Britain’s traditional pubs. Burgundy Lion offers traditional British pub fare, and will tweak the menu depending on the game – a full English breakfast for Premier League soccer matches, nachos and wings during the Super Bowl, and tea sandwiches or strawberries and cream during Wimbledon.
Soccer is king here. The walls include portraits of legendary players George Best and Diego Maradona, painted by Spanish artist Ricardo Cavolo, who has also created works for FC Barcelona. Desbaillets also hosts a popular soccer podcast-turned-radio show called The 1st Half.
“He’s trying to make it a place where you can just show up. There’s always a good sense of community, and everyone is always friendly,” says Linus Yang, a local tattoo artist and pub regular.
Yang, a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, is at Burgundy Lion around three times per week, watching soccer games with his friends every Sunday. Because Burgundy Lion only shows English soccer, Yang will sometimes go to other pubs to watch Italian or Spanish leagues. He says those other spots miss Burgundy Lion’s human touch.
“Once the final whistle is done, everyone leaves, and that’s that,” Yang says. “At Burgundy Lion, people stay to talk. Even if you’re playing opposing teams, people are there to share moments together.”
Desbaillets is always looking to enhance those moments. For the finals of Euro 2024 last summer, he donned a Knights Templar suit. “I was sweating in that suit, but the crowd’s energy was infectious,” he says.
After pandemic restrictions curtailed normal gatherings, Desbaillets built a large tent in the pub’s beer garden. He recalls projecting a 2021 Italy vs. England game on the pub wall, and tearing up watching not the match but the crowd. “It wasn’t about the game – it was about the fact that we were all coming back together after such a tough time.”
Desbaillets runs the GOAL Initiatives Foundation, which supports youth soccer development, and programs for children from marginalized and underprivileged communities. Yang has pitched in with fundraising events, running a tattooing booth. “For me, it’s important to give back. It’s nice to see that we’re able to help people less fortunate,” says Yang.
That spirit of togetherness is at the heart of Pub Burgundy Lion, says Desbaillets. “The people that have supported us throughout everything are the only reason we’re still here. We’ve had such an amazing community connection.”
McQuenn, who recently celebrated a milestone birthday at Burgundy Lion, agrees: “Everyone there is your friend. That, to me, is the biggest draw the pub has.”
