Dunn's
A Montreal restaurant brand known for Jewish deli food, Montreal-style smoked meat, pastrami and cheesecake.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Dunn's is a Canadian restaurant brand rooted in Montreal's Jewish delicatessen tradition. Its signature identity is associated with Montreal-style smoked meat, along with pastrami, cheesecake and other classic deli and steakhouse dishes. The business was founded by Myer Dunn, who immigrated to Canada in 1911 and opened his first restaurant in Montreal in 1927 on Avenue Papineau near Avenue du Mont-Royal. The brand adopted the name Dunn's Famous Delicatessen in 1948, when Myer Dunn opened a restaurant at the intersection of Avenue du Parc and Avenue du Mont-Royal. In 1955, he established a flagship location at 892 Saint Catherine Street West in downtown Montreal. That restaurant became a recognizable part of the city's food culture. Its street-facing windows were known for large jars of hot banana peppers stacked from floor to ceiling, and the location operated around the clock, an unusual format for a downtown restaurant at the time. From the 1970s onward, Dunn's increasingly concentrated its public identity on Montreal-style smoked meat. The chain eventually stopped promoting pastrami as a principal feature, although pastrami remained part of the wider deli tradition associated with the brand. Dunn's therefore came to occupy a position alongside other iconic Montreal smoked-meat institutions, including Schwartz's and Main Deli, while maintaining a broader menu that included deli meals, steakhouse-style items and desserts. The original Saint Catherine Street restaurant closed in 1998. Dunn's grandson reopened the business in 2000 in a larger location on nearby Metcalfe Street. The relocation generated controversy among longtime customers, some of whom preferred the atmosphere and nostalgia of the old premises and considered the new site less authentic despite its greater capacity. The proposed expansion of the brand through relocation and franchising also encountered resistance from established competitors concerned that wider franchising could dilute the identity of Montreal's iconic deli brands. Dunn's later pursued franchising beyond Quebec. Ina Devine, identified in the historical account as the daughter of Aideh Dunn, developed franchises in Ontario and British Columbia, but those locations are no longer open. At those outlets, smoked meat was shipped frozen from Montreal rather than prepared entirely on site. The brand currently has five locations in and around Montreal, operated through franchises associated with Elliot Kligman. Dunn's-branded products are also offered to retail sellers. The company was involved in a prominent Quebec language dispute after the Charter of the French Language, commonly known as Bill 101, came into force in 1977. The Office québécois de la langue française challenged the use of the apostrophe in the restaurant's sign and objected to English-language signage, including the words "Smoked Meat." Dunn's and other delicatessens contested an effort to require the French expression "Boeuf Mariné," arguing that removing the established English term would confuse customers. The appeal succeeded, and a 1987 ruling recognized "smoked meat" as a term usable in both official languages of Canada. This episode reinforced Dunn's visibility as both a restaurant institution and a participant in debates over Quebec's language policy.
History
Myer Dunn immigrated to Canada in 1911 and entered Montreal's restaurant trade. In 1927, he opened his first restaurant on Avenue Papineau near Avenue du Mont-Royal. The business later developed into a named delicatessen operation, with the first location described as Dunn's Famous Delicatessen opening in 1948 at the corner of Avenue du Parc and Avenue du Mont-Royal. Dunn's expanded its presence in central Montreal in 1955 with a flagship restaurant at 892 Saint Catherine Street West. The site became one of the brand's most recognizable locations. Its windows displayed large jars of hot banana peppers, while its 24-hour schedule made it a distinctive downtown destination. The restaurant's identity combined Jewish deli traditions with the busy, informal character of a city-center restaurant. During the 1970s, Dunn's increasingly emphasized Montreal-style smoked meat. This specialization became central to the brand's public image, while the chain eventually ceased promoting pastrami as a main feature. Dunn's remained broader than a single-product restaurant, continuing to be associated with deli fare, steakhouse dishes and cheesecake. The Saint Catherine Street flagship closed in 1998. In 2000, Dunn's grandson reopened the establishment in a larger space on Metcalfe Street. Although the new site offered more room, the relocation divided opinion among longtime patrons. Some viewed the original restaurant as an irreplaceable part of Montreal's culinary memory and objected to the loss of its crowded, historic setting. The episode illustrates the difficulty of modernizing a heritage restaurant brand whose value is closely tied to place and nostalgia. Dunn's also explored growth through franchising. Ina Devine, described as the daughter of Aideh Dunn, franchised the brand outside Quebec, including locations in Ontario and British Columbia. None of those out-of-province locations remain open. The historical account notes that the smoked meat served at those franchises was shipped frozen from Montreal and reheated rather than prepared fully at each restaurant. The brand's current footprint is concentrated in and around Montreal, where five locations are associated with franchises operated by Elliot Kligman. Dunn's products are also made available through retail sellers. A major episode in Dunn's history involved Quebec's language legislation. After the Charter of the French Language became law in 1977, the Office québécois de la langue française pursued action against Dunn's and other businesses selling imported kosher products over labelling requirements. The dispute also focused on the apostrophe in Dunn's sign and the English expression "Smoked Meat." Dunn's joined other well-known delicatessens in resisting an effort to require the French expression "Boeuf Mariné." The businesses argued that abandoning the familiar term would confuse customers and damage the meaning of their established offerings. The appeal was successful, and a 1987 ruling allowed "smoked meat" to function as a term in both official languages of Canada. The dispute gave Dunn's a place in Quebec's broader cultural and linguistic history beyond its role as a restaurant chain.
- 2000
Metcalfe Street reopening
[1]Dunn's grandson reopened the restaurant in a larger space on Metcalfe Street near the former flagship.
- 1998
Original flagship closes
[1]The historic Saint Catherine Street restaurant closed after operating as the brand's best-known flagship.
- 1987
Smoked meat wording accepted in both official languages
[1]An appeal involving Dunn's and other delicatessens helped secure recognition of "smoked meat" as wording usable in both official languages of Canada.
- 1977
Language-law dispute begins
[1]The introduction of Quebec's Charter of the French Language led to disputes involving Dunn's signage, product wording and labelling.
- 1970
Brand focus shifts toward smoked meat
[1]During the 1970s, Dunn's increasingly centered its identity and promotion on Montreal-style smoked meat.
- 1955
Saint Catherine Street flagship opens
[1]Dunn's opened its flagship restaurant at 892 Saint Catherine Street West in downtown Montreal.
- 1948
Dunn's Famous Delicatessen name appears
[1]Myer Dunn opened the first restaurant identified as Dunn's Famous Delicatessen at Avenue du Parc and Avenue du Mont-Royal.
- 1927
First Dunn restaurant opens in Montreal
[1]Myer Dunn opened his first restaurant on Avenue Papineau near Avenue du Mont-Royal.
- 1911
Myer Dunn immigrates to Canada
[1]Myer Dunn, who later founded the restaurant brand, immigrated to Canada.
Products and positioning
A heritage Montreal Jewish-deli brand centered on smoked meat, traditional deli service and nostalgic urban restaurant culture.
Deli meat
Montreal-style smoked meat
Montreal-style smoked meat is the core product associated with Dunn's contemporary identity. It is served primarily through deli-style meals and sandwiches and became increasingly central to the brand's positioning from the 1970s onward. At former out-of-province franchises, the product was shipped frozen from Montreal and reheated before service.
Deli meat
Pastrami
Pastrami formed part of Dunn's traditional Jewish-deli offering. The brand later stopped promoting pastrami as prominently as it had in earlier periods, as Montreal-style smoked meat became the restaurant's principal specialty.
Dessert
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is one of the signature foods associated with Dunn's broader deli and casual-restaurant menu. It complements the brand's savory smoked-meat and steakhouse offerings and contributes to its traditional Jewish-deli positioning.
Packaged food
Dunn's retail products
Dunn's-branded products are offered through retail sellers in addition to restaurant service. The available reference material confirms the retail channel but does not specify a complete product catalogue.
Controversies
1987
Appeal over the term smoked meat
Dunn's and other delicatessens opposed replacing the familiar English expression "Smoked Meat" with "Boeuf Mariné." Their appeal succeeded, and the term was accepted for use in both official languages of Canada.
1977
Quebec language and signage dispute
The Office québécois de la langue française challenged Dunn's over the apostrophe in its sign, English-language signage and labelling connected with Quebec's language requirements. The dispute was viewed by some members of Montreal's Jewish community as unfair targeting.
Brand decisions
2000
Reopen the flagship in a larger locationStrategyBackground
The original Saint Catherine Street flagship closed in 1998 after decades of operation. The replacement site was intended to provide more space near the former location.
Action taken
Dunn's grandson reopened the restaurant on Metcalfe Street in a larger premises.
Aftermath
The reopening preserved the brand's downtown presence but provoked criticism from customers who valued the original location's atmosphere and nostalgia.
- Schwartz's — Schwartz's was described as opposing relocation and franchising plans because of concerns about diluting the identity of iconic Montreal deli brands.
- Main Deli — Main Deli was likewise described as opposing relocation and franchising plans over potential brand dilution.
1970
Concentrate the brand on Montreal-style smoked meatStrategyBackground
Dunn's historically served a range of Jewish-deli foods, including smoked meat and pastrami. During the 1970s, Montreal-style smoked meat became increasingly important to its market identity.
Action taken
The brand increased its emphasis on Montreal-style smoked meat and eventually stopped promoting pastrami as a primary specialty.
Aftermath
Smoked meat became the product most strongly associated with Dunn's, reinforcing its place in Montreal's deli tradition.
- Expand through franchising and retail distributionStrategy
Background
Dunn's sought to extend its presence beyond its Montreal base through franchised restaurants and branded products sold through retailers.
Action taken
Franchises were established in Ontario and British Columbia, while current franchise activity is concentrated in Quebec and Dunn's products are supplied to retail sellers.
Aftermath
The out-of-province restaurant locations later closed; the brand continues with five locations in and around Montreal and a retail-product channel.
Recent events
Sources2 sources
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