Restaurant Review: June's Delicatessen

JUNE'S DELICATESSEN 6427 112th Avenue ~ junesdelicatessen.ca Instagram: @junesdelicatessen Co-Diners: The E.A.T Crew

For the longest time the main thing that Edmonton was truly missing in its culinary scene was a Jewish-style deli. I dreamed of this type of food often... Then I spent three and a half years living in Montreal - in Mile End no less, and was exposed to the best bagels and smoked meat that this country has to offer. The original location of the famous St-Viateur Bagel shop was quite literally on my block. Schwartz's Deli was down the street. And Wilensky's Light Lunch was a block away (this will be important later). So you know that when I returned to Edmonton and heard that June's Delicatessen had opened in 2019, I was thrilled. Located in Highlands in the beautifully historic Gibbard Block building, Edmonton was finally getting a taste of Jewish food prepared by people who seem to get it. CBC Edmonton's Best Restaurants 2019 named them Best Wild Card and I couldn't wait to sample their cuisine given my *somewhat* expertise on the subject. Highlands is a part of Edmonton that I don't often visit but every time that I do, I continuously remark on what an adorable and wonderful area it is. Tons of character with great restaurants and shops, I can think of no better location for an awesome little Jewish cafe. The brick façade of the Gibbard Block is gorgeous and you'll certainly know June's when you see it because of their signature seafoam green colour scheme. They're right on the corner and the vibe feels right. Inside you will be met by a small and simple space that features a black and white tiled floor, elegant crown moulding, and a counter at which to place your order. The menu consists of mainly bagels and sandwiches... And yeah. That sounds about right too. I ordered a selection of items and situated myself at a bright table in the corner window. The atmosphere is quite low-key and I noted their pantry area from which they sell local goods and ingredients. After a reasonable wait, our food was delivered to our table and I was brimming with excitement for each and every item. First, I had to try something that involves their homemade bagels. When I asked, the server explained that they used to make all of the bagels right on the premises but as the demand grew they had to outsource their recipe to a different baker. None the less, the bagels are made fresh daily and locally using June's specific recipe. There are several flavours offered from sesame (of course), everything, cheddar, and multigrain. No poppy, which is the most OG of them all, but I can appreciate that it likely isn't a big seller for today's crowd. They also make several types of cream cheese. No question, I had to order the Smoked Salmon Bagel ($11.00) and when asked my choice of bagel I went classic and picked sesame.

Capers, lemon dill cream cheese, onion, tomato.

It is my belief that this sandwich is a recreation of the Beautys Special from Beautys Luncheonette in Montreal, another restaurant that was just down the street from where I used to live. The bagels at June's are made in more of a New York style as opposed to Montreal style, which I have no problem with. They're different and wonderful in their own way. There is certainly no issue with the world having various forms of incredible bagels! As such, the bagels at June's are thicker, with a smaller hole in the middle, and are generally softer. I like that with this style you get more surface area and they hold up much better as a sandwich. I enjoyed their take on a soft, toasty, fresh-tasting bagel very much. The sandwich itself was very delicious and all of the necessary contents were accounted for. I loved the abundant use of capers and the creamy lemon dill cream cheese was especially nice. The vegetables were fresh and the smoked salmon itself was on point. My only criticism is that the sandwich was not piled as high as it would be in Montreal. I need to see a centimeter-thick layer of cream cheese on both ends! However, this offering was delicious. The two favourite flavours of any Jewish person are salty and fishy. This smoked salmon bagel delivered just that. Next, it had to be the Smoked Meat Sandwich ($12.00 for 1/4lb). Every iconic deli worth their weight is doing it; Schwartz's, Katz's, Canter's... And June's too.

Montreal style smoked beef brisket, mustard, on rye.

First mistake: I definitely should have ordered the larger 1/2lb size. I will return to right this wrong. I liked their marble rye bread a lot and liked that this sandwich only has mustard on it and nothing more as a condiment. The smoked meat itself was incredibly delicious. I loved the smokey cured flavour, great marbling, and rich pink colour. It wasn't exactly the same as the smoked meat in Montreal, but instead of trying to replicate, June's has created something special and all their own. This meat has a distinctly unique smokiness to it that I greatly enjoyed - I just wanted more of it! Again, at the delis in Montreal or New York these sandwiches are stacked much higher and the meat is sliced much thicker. I thought it tasted great though. And I especially loved the big, juicy pickle spear on the side!! They've got a serious pickle with a huge level of flavour! Perfection. I didn't check, but I do hope that June's is selling cherry coke because that's the correct beverage accompaniment for a smoked meat sandwich. The item that most excited me on the menu? The Wilensky ($10.00). This is the item that takes me right back to my old neighbourhood.

Beef salami, beef bologna, mustard, cheddar.

Wilensky's is a tiny neighbourhood deli that has been around since 1932. The outside of the restaurant is also painted in seafoam green. Coincidence? They pretty much serve only one thing: the Wilensky Special. It costs $4.74. And June's is making it. However, it's a little bit different. The bread isn't the same (Wilensky's uses a grilled roll) and the meat actually seems too nice at June's (Wilensky's meat slices are thick and round and seem extra processed) but otherwise, this is a pretty great tribute. I loved the toasty bread, delicious pile of cured meats, and the abundant use of mustard. This was my favourite thing at June's overall and it made me very happy. Except for the fact that they cut it in half. That is blasphemy. Lastly, we decided to grab a dessert of which they had only one available, Coconut Rice Pudding ($6.00).

Light and enjoyable, this simple dessert delivered exactly what I wanted. Sweet with a slight hint of spice, I liked the use of coconut milk. The rice was cooked to a nice tender texture and the bits of orange on top somehow gave this dessert a bit of a holiday flavour. A perfectly good rice pudding. I liked June's Delicatessen a lot and I'm just grateful that this city has something like this restaurant at all. I'd heard really good things about the matzo ball soup but unfortunately they weren't serving it on my visit. I would love to try their version of this quintessential soup in the future, as well as their reuben sandwich. They should really also get some latkes on their menu for good measure! June's doesn't need to be exactly like a Montreal deli because I think that they're doing a great job of being what they are. The food is very good and they are introducing Jewish food to a city that desperately needed the introduction. I can't wait to return!