Schwartz Deli is a world famous deli and it has been a staple in Montreal since 1928. When you go to Montreal, you are told you must go to Schwartz and try the Montreal smoked meat. Is Schwartz that good? Is it a must go?
There’s no question that there is a lot of history behind Schwartz and it is a landmark in Montreal. Schwartz is in the “le plateau” neighborhood, so when you go there, take the metro, stroll through the charming streets and then finally arrive at Schwartz. When you arrive, the iconic orange, white and black stands out, as does the massive line down the street. When you finally make it inside, the smell of smoked meat, the atmosphere, the original interior design and old pictures stand out as well. The biggest draw for me is the atmosphere and original décor.
The smoked meat is juicy and succulent and has a good flavor. The fries are good too. But keep in mind, you are essentially eating a larger, but better, corned beef sandwich with thicker slices of meat. The bread is fresh but it's just basic rye bread. The pickles are pretty good, but if you have a good recipe and the ingredients you can make a dill pickle that holds up to the standards of Schwartz.
Overall, the food is good… but definitely not spectacular and both times i've been I have left underwhelmed. But the atmosphere is the main draw to Schwartz. Plus, if you’re in Montreal you’ll probably want to explore “le plateau” so while doing so, make some time to stand in line for a while and try the Schwartz Montreal smoked meat sandwich. And if you think you can try it elsewhere, think again, there have been numerous attempts to franchise Schwartz, but to no avail. The owners have refused. And even if you’re low on time and want to avoid the crowds, they offer takeout next door.
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