The Story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the Man, Not the Restaurant)

A lot of time’s passed since Montreal’s industrial boom in the 19^th 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.