Schwartz's

When in Montréal, Schwartz is still a must-go destination for smoked meat sandwiches. It has been around for nearly a century. We came by on a rainy weekday morning and were able to walk straight in to our pleasant surprise. Inside the diner, not much changed since our last visit other than prices. Famous people dotted the walls including Celine Dion who also turns out to now be a co-owner! While we ordered our sandwiches, our waiter confirmed his younger self stood beside Chris Rock. But don’t count on much of a personal touch with the fast pace of service driving diner flow. The sandwich platters ($13.25) arrived with heaping portions of smoked meat. We happily consumed these with Coke while other tables added pickle on the side. The smoked meat was well-seasoned, moist and particularly flavourful in the fattier slices. Magic with some rye bread & mustard, that’s all you need! Old school vibe was everywhere in this small yet bustling deli shop. Ceilings were as poorly maintained as ever. Cash was paid at the front. Staff did well to manage the lineups that soon built up not long after our meal.

This is a mandatory culinary experience when you're in Montreal. The meat is marinated for 10 days before being smoked for 12 hours and steamed for 4 hours. The result is the juiciest smoked meat sandwich. I highly recommend the rye bread and pickle to go with it. This restaurant specifically is the North Star of smoked meat. It doesn't look like much when you walk in, but when you eat the sandwich you can taste the tradition and history. The staff are really friendly and funny. Please stop by here if you have time in Montreal.

I have been coming to this place every year for five years. I visit Montreal for work and this place is a must! This is not just a beef sandwich shop, this is THE salted beef/pastrami sandwich shop. You cannot come to Montreal without a visit. I recommend the half lean half fatty combo, the fatty cut is cooked so slowly it melts in your mouth. I am someone who hates fatty meats, but this really adds to the flavour and is not chewy. Top this absolute titan of a sandwich off with a side of fries, a pickle and a cherry soda and you've got a complete night. The staff are friendly and there is a reason you normally have to wait for a table. Popularity means queues and queues mean good food.

I arrived after 9pm and there were only a couple of people in line. Service was really quick once I was seated. The smoked meat sandwich was excellent! It wasn't dry and the flavor was really good. I really liked the diner feel as well. In a city full of fancy restaurants it felt good to just pull up at the bar of a diner and have great food.