Schwartz's / Jewish Quarter, Montreal

Schwartz's / Jewish Quarter, Montreal (must see)

Along with bagels, smoked meat has been popular in Montreal since the 19th century and is identified as emblematic of the city's cuisine. Many have laid claims to its introduction into the city; regardless, all of these stories indicate the creators are of the Jewish Diaspora from Romania or Eastern Europe. Although the preparation method may be similar to New York pastrami, the meat is cured in seasoning with more cracked peppercorns and savory flavorings, such as coriander, garlic, and mustard seeds, and significantly less sugar.

Soft and succulent with a flavor of its own, the meat served at Schwartz's tastes all the better layered on bread with coleslaw, pickles and a dash of mustard. Opened in 1928, the deli's long popularity has led to it being considered a cultural institution of Montreal. The place remains largely unchanged, right down to its place-mat menus, banquette seating, fast service, fluorescent lighting, and location in the Jewish Quarter.

You can order the old-fashioned sandwich or, if you are going for the first time, try the combination platter which has both smoked meat and rib eye steak with in-house spices. Not only does the platter have a good serving size of meat but you also get to sample two of the restaurant's signature meats and decide what to order if you need more.

Tip:
If you are going for dinner, try to arrive early (around 6pm) for minimal wait times.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Montreal. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Schwartz's / Jewish Quarter on Map

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30 m
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Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors
Sight Name: Schwartz's / Jewish Quarter
Sight Location: Montreal, Canada (See walking tours in Montreal)
Sight Type: Food/Drink

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