Lesters Deli s'impose comme une institution incontournable du smoked meat montréalais, proposant un bœuf fumé et mariné avec précision, coupé à la main pour garantir une tendreté optimale. Chaque sandwich présente de généreuses portions de poitrine épicée, empilées sur du pain de seigle et rehaussées de moutarde jaune traditionnelle. Le menu se concentre sur les classiques de la charcuterie, offrant des frites croustillantes et des cornichons acidulés pour compléter la profondeur savoureuse de la viande. Les clients découvrent un environnement dynamique caractérisé par un décor fonctionnel et une efficacité marquée, reflétant l'atmosphère authentique des charcuteries historiques. Cet établissement priorise la qualité de son processus de fumage, assurant un profil gustatif constant qui maintient sa renommée locale. Chaque sélection témoigne d'une maîtrise des techniques de préparation qui définissent cette spécialité culinaire emblématique depuis plusieurs générations.
Lester's Deli est largement reconnu comme une destination emblématique de Montréal, offrant une atmosphère de restaurant classique et nostalgique sans les attentes interminables souvent observées ailleurs. De nombreux clients louent la viande fumée pour sa tendreté, sa jutosité et son assaisonnement équilibré, la classant fréquemment parmi les meilleures de la ville avec des portions généreuses. En plus des sandwichs signatures, la poutine, les hot-dogs et les accompagnements faits maison, comme la salade de chou et les cornichons, sont salués pour leur qualité. Le service est constamment décrit comme chaleureux, accueillant et efficace, favorisant une hospitalité authentique qui permet aux visiteurs de se sentir comme des habitués. Bien que certains suggèrent que l'établissement bénéficierait de petites rénovations pour préserver son charme historique, le consensus général souligne un joyau local apprécié qui propose une expérience culinaire authentique et mémorable.
I came here for the smoke meat sandwich & was not disappointed!!! That's all I had but the menu had a lot of additional options. The workers here were very friendly & talked with us about the restaurant & the neighborhood.
This was exactly the kind of place I enjoy. The atmosphere was great, with a charming old-school decor & very friendly staff.
I came mainly for the smoked meat, & it was very good. We also ordered the roast beef, & it was excellent too.
I'll definitely be coming back the next time I'm in Montreal. Highly recommended!
As a child growing up in Montreal in the fifties & sixties I would go to Lester's with my family as my grandparents lived around the corner on Querbes. I left Montreal after university .
Fast forward 50 years to today.
My wife & I are currently in Montreal visiting family & as I craved smoked meat, we decided for nostalgic reasons to go to Lester's for take out. Great decision.
We were greeted by the Alaina who is an absolute delight! So friendly & helpful. It was truly a pleasure telling her our story & listening to hers.
The story just keeps getting better, The giant smoked meat may have been the best I've ever had; certainly the biggest. The meat was perfect.
The karnatzel & the poutine were also as good as it gets.
We are going to buy a whole vacuum sealed brisket before leaving Montreal take it with us to Ontario.
Thank you Alaina! You are terrific!
We went to Lester's Deli, a historic Montreal restaurant located in Outremont that has been serving traditional smoked meat sandwiches since 1951, & they are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year. It is considered one of the top smoked meat spots in the city. We ordered the Smoked Meat Special & Smoked Meat Sandwich. The signature classic Montreal-style smoked meats were served with bread, yellow mustard, accompanied by a side of fries & whole dill pickles. It was a casual deli experience but the food tasted delicious & appetizing!
Visiting Montreal from Thunder Bay with my wife for the second time. I was looking forward to trying the smoked meats around the city. I hunt & prepare my own meats, so I like to see what locals eat when it comes to meats. I made a point to stop by Lester's because I only managed to hit Schwartz last time & I heard the consensus is split between which is better.
As a meat lover, I found the smoked meat here to be slightly better than Schwartz (I even made a trip back to Schwartz to compare because I needed another taste after 2 years). The moisture of the meat is well balanced, flavorful & not overly chewy or stringy. It has that classic smoked flavor that you only get in the high-quality product.
Experience with the three staff members was memorable & more personal than Schwartz. It was clearly a close-knit family dynamic with the staff which made the atmosphere very welcoming.
The young American lady at the counter greeted us & answered my questions about the menu as well as some friendly small talk with my wife. She was knowledgeable about the shop's history & showed great positive attention to my wife who likes to talk a lot (fortunately the store was empty so she didnt keep anyone from their job). The American woman recommended a hotdogs for my wife, which she loved & ordered a second. The young lady recommended a carrot cake. I dont usually eat desserts for my health, but I tried a bite of my wife's & had to take a few more. The cake was excellent as was the hotdog according to my wife.
Meanwhile, I chatted with the gentleman who prepared the meat, Louie, who told me a bit about the process. I could see he is a master of the craft.
Overall, the atmosphere, service, & flavor exceeded Schwartz, & I believe it was largely due to the care & attention paid by the workers. As a small business owner, seeing these types of people who are knowledgeable & passionate show that the business isn't hiring just anybody to do the most important work, preparing the high-quality smoked meat which Lesters is known for.
Updated review: Used to be 5 stars for my taste. Unfortunately, what I've experienced a few years back is nothing like it now. Last visit report: Fries still really good, pickles far from crunchy even a little hard to cut with knife. Now about the meat… I don't know what happened but this is not up to standards, i can replicate this at home. Made me feel a little sad. Not awful but certainly not a landmark anymore except for the decor. On the positive side service is still good.
(Traduction par Google) Un des emblèmes de Montréal. Sandwich délicieux. Le foie haché est incroyable. À voir absolument.
(Version d'origine)
One of Montreal landmarks. Delicious sandwich. Chopped liver is incredible. Well worth a visit.
Honestly, this might be the best smoked meat I've had in Montréal. It blows the competition out of the water. This is exactly what a real smoked meat sandwich should taste like - tender, juicy & full of flavour.
The staff were great too. Super friendly, energetic, & you can tell they actually enjoy what they do. I'll definitely be going back.
