Montreal's The Main Smoked Meat Deli Is Completely Changing

And maybe for the worse.

St. Laurent street's best smoked meat shop is getting a major overhaul. No, I'm not talking about Schwartz's (y'all know how I feel about that overrated eatery), I am referring to the Main Deli Steakhouse, whose new owners are planning to change up what the restaurant has been doing since the 80's, and that may not be a good thing.

Louis Rastelli of CultMTL got the inside scoop on the planned-for revamp of the Main after speaking to deli's new owner Orlando Cardemil. Regulars at the restaurant may have already noted certain changes in the Main's operations, like how they stopped smoking their own meat and salmon, and more changes are on the way.

Hoping to create a framework for a franchise, Cardemil will be getting the new Main to go organic, with solely farm-raised meat with no added chemicals to be served. Thankfully, the resto will be smoking its own meat in the new year, with new smokers to be installed in 2015.

To go along with the Main's new organic/healthy route, the Main's classic rye bread will be substituted for a gluten-free variety, and a variety of salads will be added to the menu. Rastelli notes how the fate of some of the Main's traditional Hebrew dishes, which are incredibly popular among patrons, such as the resto's latkes and coleslaw, is as-of-now in limbo. The revamp could see those fan-favourites tossed to the wayside in favour of the franchise-friendly approach.

Going corporate is never a good idea, especially when you're messing with a Montreal food institution, and I'm wary about these changes. Organic smoked meat may seem good on papar, and having gluten-free bread is a great way to appease any celiac sufferers, but it sounds like the core personality of the Main is being warped into a commercialized restaurant that hopes to please everyone's tastes, rather than just being a traditional deli, a model the city already loves. To be fair, time will tell, though my hopes aren't exactly high.

Be sure to read the full piece on the Main's planned changes here.

Are you looking for more? Click here for 5 All-New Montreal Restaurants Opening In 2015 >

For more on all things Montreal, follow Michael on Twitter @MDAlimonte and on Facebook