Schwartz's

Schwartz's, also known as the Schwartz's Deli and the Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, is a Jewish delicatessen restaurant and take-out, located on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was established in 1928, by Reuben Schwartz, a Jewish immigrant from Romania.[1][2] Its long popularity and reputation has led to it being considered a cultural institution and landmark in Montreal.

Schwartz's
Schwartz's storefront
Schwartz's is located in Montreal
Schwartz's
Location within Montreal
Restaurant information
EstablishedDecember 31, 1928
Food typeKosher style Jewish delicatessen
Dress codeCasual
Street address3895 Saint Laurent Boulevard
CityMontreal
Postal/ZIP CodeH2W 1X9
CountryCanada
Coordinates45°30′58.5″N 73°34′39.73″W
Other informationCAD$9.2 million (2014 revenue)
Websiteschwartzsdeli.com

Offerings
Schwartz's smoked meat
Main article: Montreal-style smoked meat

Schwartz's signature dish is a smoked meat sandwich served on rye bread with yellow mustard. The meat is served by the fat content: lean, medium, medium-fat or fat. Medium and medium-fat are the most popular.[3][4] According to journalist Bill Brownstein, the classic Schwartz's meal includes a medium-fat sandwich, fries, half-sour pickle, coleslaw, red pepper, and a black cherry soda.[3]

The staff of Schwartz's credits the unique flavour of their smoked meat to their mandatory 10-day meat curing time, the high turnover of their meat, and their brick smoke-house covered with over 90 years' worth of buildup.[3] Schwartz's has used an electric smoker for over 50 years since the city has banned wood smoking in restaurants.[5] Montreal writer Mordecai Richler, in his novel Barney's Version, sardonically described the spices used in the smoked meat at Schwartz's deli as a "maddening aphrodisiac" to be bottled and copyrighted as "Nectar of Judea".[6]

Main article: Montreal steak seasoning

Schwartz's is also credited with creating Montreal steak seasoning or Montreal steak spice when Morris "The Shadow" Sherman, a broilerman working at Schwartz's in the 1940s and '50s, began adding the deli-smoked meat pickling spices to his own rib and liver steaks. It was so popular that it was copied by other Montreal delis and steakhouses.[3]

History
People lined up out the door

Schwartz's is one of the few original delicatessen restaurants in Montreal still remaining, the others being Lester's Deli, Dunn's Famous Deli and Snowdon Deli. Other notable long-time Montreal smoked meat delicatessens, which competed with Schwartz's but have since closed include Bens De Luxe Delicatessen & Restaurant (1908–2006), The Brown Derby (1955–2000),[7] Main Deli Steak House (1974–2023) and Quebec Smoked Meat (1950–2023). Schwartz's still prepares its smoked meat and other offerings mostly in-house, while Bens and Main Deli abandoned that in favor of ordering pre-cooked smoked meat from another company, in 1992 and 2013, respectively, a cost-saving measure that led to the decline of their food quality and likely resulted in their eventual closures.[8][9]

Smoked meat fans debated whether Schwartz's or Bens had the best smoked meat sandwich. Bens thin sliced meat was piled high between rye bread, while Schwartz's offers plates of thickly cut smoked meat.[10][11]

The famed Main Deli Steak House opened right across the street in 1974 and operated until 2023, becoming Schwartz's main business rival. The two restaurants were often compared against each other in their patronage and the flavours of their Montreal-style smoked meat.[4] While both establishments continued to be rated highly in recent years, Schwartz's frequently won ‘Best Montreal Sandwich Award’ which Main never managed. Furthermore, Schwartz's was always much more popular among tourists who lined up there for hours while ignoring the Main Deli, attributed to Schwartz's "worldwide fame that makes it a must-enjoy attraction for tourists after 95 years in existence".[12] Perhaps because of this, a frequent customer of Main Deli said “From what I heard, many Montrealers preferred it to Schwartz’s. It felt like it had more of the real traditional feel, while Schwartz’s can feel kind of touristy.” [13]

When the controversial Charter of the French Language (Bill 101) became law in 1977, Schwartz's sign outside was forcibly changed from "Hebrew delicatessen" to "Charcuterie Hébraïque de Montréal".[14] The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) took action against Schwartz's and other stores retailing imported kosher goods that did not meet its labelling requirements, an action perceived in the Jewish community as an unfair targeting and antisemitism. This coincided with a high-profile case brought by the OQLF against Schwartz's due to the apostrophe in the establishment's sign, which remains.[15] Schwartz's, along with other well-known delicatessen establishments, also fought a ruling to change the name of "Smoked Meat" to "Boeuf Mariné" in order to conform to Quebec Language Law.[16] They won the ruling by appeal by proving that if they didn't advertise "Smoked Meat" they would confuse and anger customers.[17] A good example of this was Parti Québécois MNA Gérald Godin who himself ordered the sandwich by its English name.[18] Under the new ruling, enacted in 1987, Smoked meat became a word in both Official languages of Canada.[19]

Ownership

The deli has passed through several owners since its foundation:

  1. Reuben Schwartz (1928–1971): Founded the "Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen" in 1928. Reuben Schwartz was described by many as a bad businessman and a supposedly nasty character (boozer, gambler, womanizer) whose family could not stand him.[3][4][20]
  2. Maurice Zbriger (1971–1981): A violinist and composer, Zbriger was eventually made a partner, and eventually, sole owner of Schwartz's, until his death in 1981. He took Reuben Schwartz into his home and created him 'manager for life.'[20] Zbriger made Schwartz's a great success, and with the profits from the business, Zbriger spent many thousands of dollars organizing free concerts of his music. His story was documented in the National Film Board of Canada production The Concert Man.[21][22]
  3. Armande Toupin Chartrand (1981–1999): She began as a professional organizer and caretaker to Maurice Zbriger and through her service to him she was willed the delicatessen.[3][22]
  4. Hy Diamond (1999–2012): The only owner who has had a business background; for many years he was its accountant.[3][22][20]
  5. The Nakis and Angélil-Dion family (2012–present): A partnership consisting of Paul Nakis (involved in the Baton Rouge Restaurant chain among others); his granddaughter Anastasia; the late René Angélil with his then-wife Celine Dion; and Eric and Martin Sara (sons of Paul Sara, former owner, along with Angélil, of Nickels restaurant chain).[23] Prior to the purchase, Dion and Angélil used to favor the Main Deli Steak House over Schwartz's.[24]

Potential expansion
Interior view

While the small size of Schwartz's restaurant has led to long lineups, the owners have preferred to remain since their historic establishment has proved an attraction to longtime customers and tourists, similar to Bens and Main who also refused to move, while Dunn's relocation proved controversial among its customer base since the new restaurant lacked the nostalgia of the original spot despite being larger. In the fall of 2008, Schwartz's opened a take-out location next door.[25]

Several restaurateurs have offered to build Schwartz's as franchise operations in cities across North America, to which the owners have always refused. The idea of franchising Schwartz's just in Montreal has also been rejected due to customer opposition. One of its rivals, Dunn's, had expanded via franchising with mixed success as detractors felt that this diluted the latter's once-storied brand, since smoked meat was shipped frozen from Montreal to these franchises rather than being prepared in-house.[3] On 5 March 2012, the Nakis and Angelil-Dion families purchased Schwartz's, reportedly for $10 million. The new owners were again approached to franchise Schwartz's; however, they stated they have no intention of doing so.

On 28 February 2013, Schwartz's began using their trademark name on vacuum sealed pouches of smoked meat sold at IGA supermarkets in Quebec.[26] This mass-produced (factory made) smoked meat product has since become available in other supermarkets across Canada.

In media

In 2006, Montreal Gazette columnist Bill Brownstein wrote the book Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story, published by Véhicule Press.[27] Schwartz's has also been the subject of numerous articles in Canadian and international publications. It has also been the inspiration for a theatre production about the deli: Schwartz's: The Musical.[28] The restaurant has been the subject of two documentary films: The Concert Man by Tony Ianzelo[29] and Chez Schwartz by Garry Beitel.[30]

In 2020, Schwartz's is featured in an episode of the Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil.[31]

See also

References
  1. Jamie O'Meara (29 June 2006). "Babylon, P.Q.: The meat of the matter". Hour Community. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  2. "Menschlich Montreal". North American Travel Journalists Association. 28 June 2005. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  3. Browstein, Bill (2006), Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story, Vehicule Press, ISBN 978-1-55065-212-3
  4. Sax, David (1 October 2010), Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen, Mariner Books, ISBN 978-0-547-38644-7
  5. "What's the Difference Between Pastrami and Montreal Smoked Meat?". Serious Eats. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  6. Richler, Mordecai (1 March 1999), Barney's Version, Washington Square Press, ISBN 978-0-671-02846-6 "You know if you had really, really been intent on entrapping me on my wedding night, you wicked woman, you would not have dabbed yourself with Joy, but in Essence of Smoked Meat. A maddening aphrodisiac, made from spices available in Schwartz's delicatessen. I'd call it Nectar of Judea and copyright the name".
  7. "Montreal Gazette - Wednesday 18 October 2000 - Time passes Brown Derby by". Archived from the original on 2 December 2000.
  8. "Museum of Jewish Montreal". imjm.ca. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  9. "The Main, famed Montreal smoked meat institution beloved by Trudeau and Cohen, closes down". CBC. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  10. Note: "Old Man Kravitz, a shameless self-promoter ... Throughout the years Ben claimed that he introduced the smoked meat sandwich to Montreal. But it is a well-known fact that the British-American Delicatessen Store had been dispensing quality smoked meat sandwiches for a period of four years prior to the establishment of Fanny's Fruit and Candy Store. Old Man Kravitz also implied that he introduced smoked meat to Montreal, but we know that is a pile of baloney". Eiran Harris, Montreal-Style Smoked Meat: An interview with Eiran Harris conducted by Lara Rabinovitch, with the cooperation of the Jewish Public Library Archives of Montreal, Cuizine: The Journal of Canadian Food Cultures: Volume 1, numéro 2, 2009.
  11. "Montreal, Quebec – Deli Lesters VS Schwartz's Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen | Follow Me Foodie".
  12. "Josh Freed: The Main Deli's closing heartbreaking for Smoke Meat Pete | Montreal Gazette".
  13. Bruemmer, René; Lalonde, Michelle (9 May 2023). "Main Deli's closing a sign of troubled times for Montreal restaurant scene". Montreal Gazette.
  14. Kurlansky, Mark (2003). Salt: A World History. Penguin Books. p. 404. ISBN 0-14-200161-9.
  15. B'nai B'rith. 1996 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents Archived December 25, 2004, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 26, 2004.
  16. "The Montreal Gazette – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  17. "Ottawa Citizen – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  18. Macdonell. "The Montreal Gazette – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  19. "Ottawa Citizen – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  20. Joe O'Connor (7 May 2012). "Schwartz's for sale: Iconic Montreal deli could be sold to group that includes Celine Dion and husband Rene Angelil". National Post. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  21. Ianzelo, Tony. "The Concert Man". Documentary film. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  22. Nestruck, J. Kelly (28 September 2006). "May the Schwartz be with you". National Post. Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  23. "It's official... Schwartz's Deli sold to Montreal business families". CNW Group. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  24. WYATT, NELSON (11 March 2012), "Celine Dion: Montreal's Schwartz's will go on", The Chronicle Herald
  25. "Schwartz's famed deli serves up takeout counter". CBC News. 6 November 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  26. "Schwartz's smoked meat now sold in supermarkets". CTV Montreal News. 28 February 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  27. "Search Results: Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story". Véhicule Press. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  28. Latimer, Joanne (4 November 2010), "Phantom of the Deli? Smoke-lahoma?:A newspaper column about Schwartz's deli in Montreal has inspired a musical", Maclean's
  29. "The Concern Man". Documentary film. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  30. "CHEZ SCHWARTZ – HOME". www.chezschwartzfilm.com. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  31. "Here's Every Restaurant in the Montreal Episode of Somebody Feed Phil". 4 June 2020.

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