Schwartz's famed deli serves up takeout counter

Montreal's famous Schwartz's deli has opened a new takeout counter next to its restaurant.

Owners hope the service will reduce long lineups outside the Saint-Laurent Boulevard landmark, where it is common to see people lining up around the block to wait for a table.

Canada's oldest delicatessen was founded in 1928 by Reuben Schwartz, a Jewish immigrant from Romania.

Schwartz was never overly concerned about people waiting outside his restaurant, according to Bill Brownstein, author of Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story, a book about the deli.

"He was never really that concerned about the business itself. I mean people would tell him to clean it  up, you know, make it fancy, enlarge it and all the rest, and he refused.

"Consequently, there was always huge lineups, and it got a certain cachet and it became a success," said Brownstein, who also writes a column for the Montreal Gazette.

"I don't think he ever envisioned that [takeout counter]; it was more a question that he didn't want to invest in anything."

Schwartz's signature spiced smoked meat has attracted international celebrities and dignitaries to the narrow deli on the Main.

Pierre Trudeau, the late Canadian prime minister, performer Jerry Lewis, American actor Angelina Jolie and the Rolling Stones have all sampled Schwartz's tasty sandwiches.