Snowdon Deli emerges in reviews as a Montreal institution with an old school, welcoming deli vibe where the smoked meat sandwich is consistently praised for tenderness and rich flavor, the brisket earns praise for melt in your mouth texture, and the bagels, matzo ball soup, latkes, knishes, and pickles round out a hearty experience. Many describe the service as friendly and efficient, with a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that draws locals and visitors alike, though it can get slow when crowds are large. Takeout and dine in both work well, and portions are often generous, though a few visits note prices are high for the amount of food or that particular items were not up to par on that day, including some disappointing fries or dry meat. Still, the overall sentiment centers on Snowdon Deli as a top spot for authentic Montreal smoked meat and classic Jewish deli fare, a must visit for those seeking a traditional, comforting, and dependable deli experience.
2026 January 3★
An old school deli serving smoked brisket & other deli & non deli options.
SMOKE MEAT sandwich $15.95
The smoked meat was ok. Typical rye bread with mustard.
HOT BRISKET sandwich $15.95
The brisket with the gravy itself isn't bad. Soft. Very tender & easy to eat.
DAILY SOUP (pea soup) $7.00
Noodles in. Was ok.
Overall. Portions are a bit smaller & considering the price. Understand that beef prices have gone up, but seems a bit expensive for the portions given no other sides are included.
Paid Street parking at $3/hr.
Le brisket du Snowdon Deli est tout simplement incroyable ! Tendre, juteux & plein de saveur, c'est le meilleur que j'aie mangé à Montréal. Portion généreuse, service rapide & ambiance classique qui donne envie de revenir. Un vrai incontournable !
Whilst most tourists opt for the Montreal Smoked Meat at the iconic' Schwartz'. We decided to follow the recommendations of a few local chefs & head over to another Montreal institution,' Snowdon Deli' instead. In our opinion, in addition to equally if not better tasting Smoked meat, Corn Beef & Brisket, Snowdon also offers a bigger & more varied menu.
The result? A most enjoyable casual lunch with stand-out sandwiches, Jewish deli fare & a mindbogglingly good Chicken soup with dumplings( kreplach)!
Heard so much about this place , finally grabbed a smoked meat sandwich to go. Looked small , but packed with meat, just the right combination of fat & flavour. I had a busy day in the city & it is July now, next time I will grab some brisket by the pound
This is a must-stop for us, becoming a tradition to eat brunch here before heading back to Ontario. Fatty brisket sandwich is my favourite. I took home bagel, cream cheese & lox. While I was waiting for my dine-in food, I asked the counter to prepare take-home food to feed my family. They had a package waiting for me at exit. Inside, it looks like time has stood still - love the diner feel, & it's popular with the locals.
Jul 5, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Cool spot, a bit pricey for what they serve, & it can get very busy. Still, the brisket sandwich is great, as is there poutine, smoked meat, & salmon dishes.
Great spot! My favourite spots are now Katz (NYC), Schwartz & now on 3rd Snowdon Deli! Standing with the greats 💪 our favourite was the Smoked meat sandwich medium. The table next to us ordered sausage appetizers & club roll sandwich! We def getting that. The hot brisket was different & delicious! Try it. Corned beef was not our favourite, but everything else was great!we coming again soon.
This place is 5 stars everytime. Whenever I go to Montreal I make sure to try & stop here. My go to meal is the Brisket in onion gravy. I don't eat onions but I love the flavour of this. Smoked meat is also really good here. The fries are awesome & the house salad dressing is really good. Just a great overall place.
When in Montreal, you have to stop for some smoked meat!
Our large group of 10 selected Snowdon as we anticipated it to be much less busy than Schwartz's Deli & we didn't want to wait or stand to eat. We were seated right away & our server was very nice.
What we got:
- Hot brisket sandwich
- Meatballs
- Smoked meat platter (with fries, pickle, & rye)
- Coleslaw
- Sauerkraut
Final Thoughts:
All our sandwiches & platters were delicious! Soft & tender meat on the sandwich & platters, the meatballs were good but a tad sweet. I found the pickles a little too sour, but I really enjoyed the coleslaw. Would recommend checking out this spot next time you're in Montreal & craving a smoked meat sandwich.
Feb 13, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
On Luke Martin's (Chopsticks Travel channel) recommendation, I decided to give this place a try with my family & wowwwww... it was as good as advertised!!!! Very juicy smoked meat & brisket sandwiches.... the old lady that served us was really friendly too, giving us the background story of the English-speaking Jewish community. The sandwiches were reasonably priced too at $14.50 for sooooooo much meat!! Will definitely go back next time in Montreal!!!
Vraiment excellent, comme je me l'imaginais!!! Le smoked meat est tellement juteux & fondant. Ma copine a prix le sandwich au brisket avec sauce , juste génial. La salade de choux & les cornichons sont aussi très bon. Seul petit bémol serait peut être le prix un peux élevé, 60$ pour deux . Mais au final sa valait le coup.
All I can say is it was overrated. The service was good & I love the old school feel of the place but the smoked meat was bland, the latkes were okay, & the hot brisket was like lunch meat quality & flavorless. Katz in New York is about 100x better than this place & that was disappointing given the reputation.
Great hot brisket platter. Brisket was juicy & gravy was good. Order first then find a seat. Portions were good size & price is decent. Will definitely be back again.
Sep 27, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Authentic Jewish deli that makes me want to ripen to old age & be a regular here! As recommended by various blogs & reviews, I had the full fat smoked meat plate. Delicious & decadent. The smoked meat was not too salty & melt in your mouth! The brisket was also recommended & it was very good but pales in comparison to the smoked meat. The coleslaw is also refreshing & not mayo based. I would pass on the potato pancake next time, it was heavy & denser than I expected. I would definitely recommend & will be back again. P.S. we did compare this to Schwartz's but not clear cut. I preferred Snowden but husband preferred Schwartz either way, both excellent!
Some say the smoked meat is better than Schwartz's Deli but I would say it's equal. Make sure to ask fatty when ordering the smoke meat sandwich. Pickle is extra $ 3,50 which should come with the sandwich IMO. I really enjoyed the brisket sandwich, it has lots of flavors but the only drawback is that I wish there was more meat.
Loved this place, our first stop in Montreal. Kind service & a traditional deli slash diner atmosphere. Food is amazing. Had both the smoked meat & the brisket. Both absolutely killer sandwiches. Fries crispy & fresh too
