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| - Wilensky's is Montreal nostalgia and heritage at its finest. It has been in business since 1932 and is very much a family run business. If you have ever read Mordecai Richler's "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" then you will relate to this lunch counter from a bygone era. It is a relic from the days when the Main was the area where Jewish families settled, lived and ran businesses. Most have moved on, however, Wilensky's remains.
The menu is simple and straight forward. The special is an all-beef salami/bologna sandwich with light mustard served on a bun, on top of a single napkin (no plate) price $4.70, no tipping. All specials contain mustard. They also serve cokes, cherry colas and cream sodas made from syrup, old fashioned style, mixed in front of you, at the counter. There are pickles and assorted sausages available as well. The sign says light lunch and this is precisely what it is, more or less an excellent snack, and no frills.
The ambiance is definitely unique. There are about 6-8 stools at a lunch counter. The walls are plastered with newspaper clippings and articles from decades passed. There are photos of famous people who have stopped in. My eye caught one with Anthony Bourdain from CNN. There is also a book shelf that sells second hand books and CD's for a buck. I actually found some incredible CD's here. Anytime that I am in the Plateau/Mile End district I stop by Wilensky's for a special and nostalgic blast from the past of a Montreal I remember not so long ago. Classic experience!
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