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History Lesson

The story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the man, not the restaurant)

How an eccentric tavern keeper became a working-class hero of Montreal—and one of its unlikeliest legends.

J.P. Karwacki

J.P. Karwacki

February 14, 2025- Read time: 6 min
The story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the man, not the restaurant)Photograph: McCord Stewart Museum / John Henry Walker (1831-1899)

A lot of time’s passed since Montreal’s industrial boom in the 19th century, so let’s paint a picture.

Think cobblestone streets lined with brick warehouses full of an economic expansion’s grinding gears. Shipyard tools sharply clang and echo off a harbour and a steady stream of workers haul goods along the Lachine Canal. Griffintown, then the city’s working-class heart, is full of factories that belch smoke into the air and labourers are packed into tight, damp quarters. This was a city split in two—grandeur above, grit below. 

While the affluent enjoyed sprawling parks and grand cathedrals, the working poor found their reprieve in dimly lit taverns and makeshift gathering spots. In this starkly divided urban landscape, places like Joe Beef’s Canteen offered an escape—where overlooked folks could eat, drink, and be seen, if not respected.

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