Readers Vote: Schwartz's Still Reigns for Smoked Meat

Schwartz's Deli has held its crown. In Cult MTL's 2026 Best of MTL readers poll—a survey of thousands of Montrealers—the legendary St-Laurent Boulevard institution reclaimed the title of best smoked meat in the city, a position it's defended for decades against newcomers and rivals.

The poll is one of the city's most reliable temperature checks on food culture. It's not about Michelin stars or critic buzz; it's about where actual Montrealers are eating, what they crave, and which spots have become unmissable institutions.

Schwartz's makes sense as a choice. The sandwich is consistent: brisket hand-cut, spiced, and smoked in-house, piled high on rye bread with mustard. The atmosphere is chaotic and unpretentious—tourists and locals crammed at the same counter, the smell of smoke and meat in the air, servers moving fast. It's a recipe that hasn't changed much in 90 years, and Montrealers have voted that tradition matters more than innovation.

The full list of winners spans categories from burgers to bagels, pizza to poutine. But smoked meat is Montreal's most contested food category—the one where every corner of the city claims the real deal is hidden on their street. Schwartz's victory suggests the consensus still favours the original.