With a world-class restaurant scene and plenty of culinary diversity, Montreal has a lot to be proud of when it comes to food. So, it should come as no shock that the city’s most iconic sandwich just got some well-deserved international recognition.
CNN recently published a list of 25 of the world’s best sandwiches, putting together a global tour of everything from Vietnam’s bánh mì to Argentina’s choripán. Sitting comfortably among them is the Montreal smoked meat sandwich, the city’s beloved deli staple that has been feeding locals and drawing visitors for generations.
Travel writer Terry Ward described it accurately in the piece. “Carnivores say oui to this seriously stacked sandwich from Quebec made with smoked beef brisket layered between slices of light rye bread and drizzled with tangy yellow mustard,” she wrote.
Ward also highlighted what separates a true Montreal smoked meat sandwich, which can be found at establishments like Schwartz’s and Dunn’s, from everything else. The best briskets, she noted, “soak for up to two weeks in brine and savoury aromatics such as coriander, peppercorn and garlic before being smoked and hand-sliced to go down in eternal sandwich glory.”
For anyone who has ever lined up for one of these bad boys on a street corner or pulled up a stool at a classic Montreal deli, none of that will come as a surprise.
The smoked meat sandwich has long been considered one of the defining dishes of the city, on par with bagels and poutine as the kind of thing Montrealers feel genuinely possessive about.
The rest of the CNN list is worth a scroll if you’re in the mood for some food envy. Highlights include the muffaletta from New Orleans, Japan’s katsu sando, the croque monsieur from France and Uruguay’s chivito.
So, the next time you find yourself on Saint-Laurent Boulevard paying twenty-something bucks for a smoked meat, just remember you’re about to chow down on the world’s best.
