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Watch: This Is Montreal’s Best Smoked Meat Sandwich

Snowdon Deli serves the best version of the city’s essential dish

There are few things that scream Montreal more than smoked meat. Not quite corned beef, and not as heavily spiced as pastrami, the deli staple — layered and piled high onto fresh rye bread with a swab of mustard — has been a favorite of Montrealers for decades, particularly in the Jewish community. Today I’m very excited to be heading to Snowdon Deli in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood, which has been humbly serving deli favorites for over 70 years.

Unlike some of the splashier, more tourist-centered delis like Schwartz’s, Snowdon is truly a neighborhood place, and the smoked meat is second-to-none. The kosher, smoked meat is tender and juicy; prepared by first curing and then smoking and steaming until it’s fall-apart tender. The infusion of various spices is what gives it that deep smoky flavor. Snowdon has a wonderful atmosphere, completely lacking pretension, and definitely serves the best smoked meat I’ve ever tried.

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