Tucked away in the neighborhood of Boerum Hill, not too far from the busy hub of Flatbush on Hoyt Street, Mile End Deli brings a very unique food experience to Brooklyn: Montreal-style deli. French Canadian meets Jewish deli. You won’t find too many French-style options, but you will find comfort food staples that could give the world-famous Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side a run for their money. But what exactly is Montreal-style deli?
Montreal is a city famous for many things: ice hockey, frigid weather, Cirque du Soleil, the birthplace of William Shatner, and a way to experience the ambiance of France without having to fly across the Atlantic. It is also famous for two particular types of foods: Montreal-style bagels and smoked meats, all of which came from Montreal’s Mile End neighborhood. The Mile End is home to a Jewish demographic, similar to New York’s Lower East Side or the Five Towns in Long Island. This is where the iconic Montreal-style bagel originated; a distinctive variety of handmade and wood-fired baked bagel. In contrast to the New York-style bagel, or the East Coast Style Bagel which also contains sourdough, the Montreal bagel is smaller, thinner, sweeter and denser, with a larger hole, and is always baked in a wood-fired oven. It contains malt, egg, and no salt, and is boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked. They were brought to North America by Jewish immigrants from Poland and other Eastern European countries; the differences in texture and taste reflect the style of the particular area in Poland in which the immigrant bakers learned their trade. Montreal smoked meat is a type of kosher-style deli meat product made by salting and curing beef brisket with spices. The brisket is allowed to absorb the flavors over a week, is then hot smoked to cook through, and finally is steamed. This is a variation on corned beef and is similar to pastrami.
For starters, definitely order up their matzo ball soup. It has a nice dill finish a matzo ball that is both flavorful and fork-tender. Save room for their smoked meat sandwich; a mouth-watering creation that will please any meat-eater or lover of sandwiches. The “smoked” part is nothing like, say, a smoked sausage/kielbasa or barbecue. It is all from the cooking process. It does yield, however, a flavorful brisket that has a juiciness like pastrami but with a texture that evokes corned beef. Either way, it is a can’t miss. The most Canadian item on their menu, however, is none other than their poutine. This dish is as much a part of Canada as furry tuques, Tim Hortons and Wayne Gretzky. A platter of fries, smothered in gravy and cheese curds. If it sounds messy, it is. But that is just one more reason to order it. It is so filling, you might wanna order it just by itself or share with a friend. Once a year, the Mile End Deli has a week that serves up several “designer” poutine options like corn dog topped, cheesesteak topped, or bratwurst and beer cheese.
The establishment is small and seating is limited so be sure to get their early. Speaking of early, Mile End Deli also does breakfast so you should definitely get in early for a feast of omelettes and bagels. With food this good, you will definitely wanna come back again to this Montreal delight. Tre Bien, you hosers!
97 Hoyt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Open seven days a week from 8 am to 9 pm
(718) 852-7510
Public Transportation: 2/3 trains to Hoyt Street OR A/C/G trains to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Street.
