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***Please note that Main Deli sadly closed its doors permanently in 2023. I’ll leave this post up to memorialize my experience until I can get back to Montreal to try some new smoked meat shops!***
Smoked meat in Montreal is a big deal! There are many delis throughout the city that boast about their famous Montreal-style smoked meat. This post, however, focuses on the battle of Schwartz’s vs. Main Deli, which are right across the street from each other on St-Laurent Boulevard.
When we made plans to visit Montreal, my husband really only had one thing on his Montreal bucket list – to eat a really good smoked meat sandwich. Our original plan was just to seek out one really good place and after reading a ton of reviews, we settled on Main Deli.
Arriving at Main Deli, we had just come from three hours of straight beer drinking from Saint-Houblon in Little Italy and were ready for some salty beef! Unfortunately for him, I devoured a whole half of his sandwich which left the big guy a little wanting. So, we popped back out onto the street and saw the line at Schwartz was actually not too long. From there, this battle was born!
What is Montreal Smoked Meat?
If you’re wondering what Montreal smoked meat is all about, they say it’s not exactly pastrami or corned beef but more of a hybrid of the two and I concur (although I’m a novice meat eater at best).
To better describe it, it’s a kosher-style beef brisket, cured by either brine for xxx days, or dry cured with a spice rub (seems to be the preferred method), and then finished off with smoke and steam.
The meat is then sliced and served on a sandwich of light rye with mustard. That’s it – and that’s all you need. Well, except a pickle on the side of course!
Main Deli
3864 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1Y2, Canada
http://www.maindelisteakhouse.com/
I’ll start with Main Deli since that was our first stop on this mini quest for smoked meat greatness.
Atmosphere: Relaxed and comfortable. The restaurant itself was roomy and not crowded at all, which concerned us a bit at first but we certainly were not disappointed with our meal!
Service: Attentive, fast, and friendly. I think it was one of the owners who served us and he kindly tried to nudge us towards buying two sandwiches (they are pretty small in comparison to our giant American sandwiches), but we weren’t looking to get too full.
The Sandwich: The meat was salty and delicious (and also not too fatty) with just the right amount of mustard. Biting down into the meat was such an interesting experience. The meat just falls apart – no tearing or gnawing involved. And do not miss the pickle on the side! It’s an important part of the meal.
Price: $9.50 CAD at the time we visited (pickles are extra – or you can pay a few dollars more for the smoked meat platter and get coleslaw, a pickle, and fries for a full meal).
Schwartz’s Deli
3895 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1X9, Canada
https://schwartzsdeli.com/
As mentioned above, we decided to pop over to Schwartz’s Deli for a smoked meat comparison mostly because we saw the line was not its usual crazy length. We queued up and got in the door in less than 10 minutes (on a Saturday, no less)!
These guys are organized and methodical about how they let people in due to their popularity. They have to manage the flow!
Atmosphere: Bustling, cramped and crowded! Unlike Main Deli where the restaurant feels more open, Schwartz’s is a small diner-like establishment where people are either lined up eating at the counter (where we ended up) or cramped at small tables next to perfect strangers, quickly scarfing down their smoked meat to make room for the next patrons.
Service: Service is friendly and fast but since the atmosphere is high energy, you don’t get a lot of personal attention.
The Sandwich: The sandwich was really good. In fact, so good that after his first bite, my husband declared Schwartz the winner! However, as we delved a little more into the sandwich we found that the flavor was not quite as developed as Main Deli’s meat, and the slices we got were a little more fatty (we all have our own preference on fat content I’m sure). That being said, it was a damn good sandwich!
Price: We paid $10.45 CAD at the time we visited (pickles are also extra but worth it).
The Verdict: Who Made it Best?
Drumroll……..our vote goes to Main Deli! We thought that the overall experience was better with the more casual and relaxed atmosphere. And of course the shining star, the smoked meat, had a better flavor (more salt and seasoning) and had less fat (some people like that – I do not).
We would definitely be interested in trying out other delis in Montreal should we ever return to the city. One thing is for certain – Main Deli would definitely be on our list of places to return to!
Have you ever eaten Montreal-style smoked meat? Do you have a favorite deli in the city or an opinion on Schwartz’s vs. Main Deli? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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I went tonight and mains is closed. It appears to be permanent. So I went to Schwartzes. It was pretty good!
Ohhh no! Thank you for letting me know Jodi. That is a bummer. I’ll be sure to update my post to reflect that. Guess I’ll need to take another trip to Montreal to compare more smoked meat shops!
I live in Toronto and THANK GOD for http://www.imissmontrealfood.com i have ordered both Schwartz’s deli and Main deli from montreal to my home! I also love Lester’s Deli, St. Viateur bagels all from montreal (i also ordered their food from that website).
Oh you are so lucky to live nearby! I’ll have to add Lester’s onto my wish list. I really liked the bagels at St. Viateur as well. The Montreal style bagel is unique!
Hi Folks. Montreal skeptic weighing in here. You got the tourist treatment. Schwartz’s and The Main are both on Blvd St-Laurent, so tourist central. Schwartz”s has the rep, The MAIN is the tourist PLAN B option, but honestly, you would have had MUCH better at Lester’s in Outremont, Snowdon Deli in NDG or Reuben’s on St Catherines St. That said, I am thrilled that you loved your visit to Montreal.
@montrealskeptic (on TikTok)
Haha, thanks Lawrence! Definitely ultra tourist status right there. I appreciate the recommendations for future visits as we’d love to return and try many more smoked meat sandwiches.
So happy that you liked the Main’s Smoked meat. Years ago I made a short film – BIRTH OF THE SMOKED MEAT, with a friend, which is set in the Main Deli, you can find it on Youtube – it was made before Peter Vavaro, the great, kind and philanthropic owner died. And, the reason I made it, my buddy, Stan Lewis, who was the great Montreal Sculptor, insisted the Main was better and wanted the film to offer to his buddy Peter. Thank you for an interesting article.
Thanks Jeanne! This was my first foray in smoked meat. I’ll have to look up your video! We would definitely go back to The Main when we visit Montreal.
So happy that you liked the Main’s Smoked meat. Years ago I made a short film – Birth of the Smoked Meat, with a friend, which is set in the Main Deli, you can find it on Youtube – it was made before Peter Vavaro, the great, kind and philanthropic owner died. And, the reason I made it, my buddy, Stan Lewis, who was the great Montreal Sculptor, insisted the Main was better and wanted the film to offer to his buddy Peter
Born and raised in Montreal. Schwartz was always my favorite despite the crowded atmosphere but I usually just take it to go. If you’re not a big fan of the fat you’ve gotta ask for the extra lean which makes a huge difference in taste.
Thanks for the tip Jon! My husband actually prefers a little fat, but I’m opposite. I do always say you’ve got to try a place at least twice to make a proper judgment, and we would for sure return to both of we visit Montreal again!