Schwartz's facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schwartz's |
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Schwartz's storefront
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | December 31, 1928 |
| Food type | Kosher style Jewish delicatessen |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 3895 Saint Laurent Boulevard |
| City | Montreal, Quebec |
| Postal/ZIP code | H2W 1X9 |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 45°30′58.5″N 73°34′39.73″W / 45.516250°N 73.5777028°W |
| Other information | CAD$9.2 million (2014 revenue) |
| Website | schwartzsdeli.com |
Schwartz's (also known as Chez Schwartz in French) is a very famous Jewish delicatessen restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It's located at 3895 Saint Laurent Boulevard. The restaurant was started on December 31, 1928, by Reuben Schwartz, who was an immigrant from Romania.
Schwartz's is known for its unique and delicious smoked meat. Many people think it's a special part of Montreal's culture because it has been popular for so long. The staff at Schwartz's say their meat tastes so good because they cure it for 10 days. They also sell a lot of meat, so it's always fresh. Plus, they use an old brick smoke-house that has been giving the meat its special flavor for over 80 years!
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What Schwartz's Serves
Schwartz's is famous for its tasty food, especially its smoked meat.
Smoked Meat Sandwiches
The most popular dish at Schwartz's is a smoked meat sandwich. It's served on rye bread with yellow mustard. You can choose how much fat you want in your meat: lean (less fat), medium, medium-fat, or fat. Most people choose medium or medium-fat because they are the most popular.
A classic meal at Schwartz's often includes a medium-fat smoked meat sandwich, french fries, a half-sour pickle, coleslaw, a red pepper, and a black cherry soda. Another restaurant in Montreal, Bens, used to claim they invented smoked meat. However, people who study history have found that this claim was not true.
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Schwartz's is also known for helping create something called Montreal steak seasoning. In the 1940s and 1950s, a cook named Morris "The Shadow" Sherman worked at Schwartz's. He started adding the same spices used to pickle the deli's smoked meat to his own steaks. People loved it so much that other restaurants in Montreal started using it too!
History of Schwartz's
Schwartz's has had a few different owners since it first opened. Each owner helped the deli become what it is today.
- Reuben Schwartz (1928–1971): He started the "Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen" in 1928.
- Maurice Zbriger (1971–1981): Maurice was a musician and composer. He became a partner and then the only owner of Schwartz's. He helped make the deli very successful. With the money he earned, he often put on free concerts of his music. His story was even told in a movie called The Concert Man.
- Armande Toupin Chartrand (1981–1999): She used to help Maurice Zbriger. When he passed away, he left the deli to her.
- Hy Diamond (1999–2012): Hy had a background in business and was the deli's accountant for many years before he became the owner.
- The Nakis and Angélil-Dion families (2012–present): These families are the current owners of Schwartz's. This group includes Paul Nakis, his granddaughter Anastasia, and the late René Angélil with his wife, the famous singer Celine Dion.
Schwartz's is one of the six original famous delicatessen restaurants in Montreal. Other well-known delis include Main Deli Steak House and Snowdon Deli. In 1977, a law called the Charter of the French Language was passed. Because of this, the sign outside Schwartz's changed from "Hebrew delicatessen" to "charcuterie Hébraïque" (which means Hebrew delicatessen in French).
Growing the Business
Many restaurant owners have wanted to open Schwartz's restaurants in other cities across North America. However, the owners have always said no. They have also said no to opening more Schwartz's locations just in Montreal because customers didn't want them to.
In 2008, Schwartz's opened a separate take-out spot right next door to the main restaurant. This made it easier for people to grab their food to go.
In 2012, the Nakis and Angelil-Dion families bought Schwartz's. Even though they could open more locations, they said they don't plan to.
In 2013, Schwartz's started selling their famous smoked meat in supermarkets like IGA in Quebec. Now, you can find this factory-made smoked meat product in other supermarkets across Canada too!
Schwartz's in Media
Schwartz's has been featured in many books, articles, and films.
- In 2006, a writer named Bill Brownstein wrote a book about the deli called Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story.
- The deli has also been written about in many Canadian and international newspapers and magazines.
- It even inspired a theatre show called Schwartz's: The Musical.
- Two documentary films have been made about the restaurant: The Concert Man by Tony Ianzelo and Chez Schwartz by Garry Beitel.
- In 2020, Schwartz's was shown in an episode of the Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil.
