Da Emma serves traditional Roman cuisine characterized by authentic techniques and bold, simple flavor profiles. The menu focuses on artisanal pasta preparations, wood-fired roasting methods, and the integration of fresh, seasonal Mediterranean produce. Diners encounter a rustic atmosphere defined by exposed brick masonry, wooden structural elements, and vaulted ceilings that reflect a historical architectural aesthetic. Culinary offerings highlight hearty regional staples such as salt cod, artichokes prepared in the Jewish style, and robust meat dishes cooked to precise temperatures. Each selection emphasizes the fundamental qualities of high-quality ingredients sourced to maintain genuine flavor integrity. The establishment maintains a consistent focus on the culinary heritage of central Italy by providing substantial portions prepared according to generational practices. This approach ensures a direct connection to the specific food culture found in the heart of Rome.
Does Da Emma have outdoor terrace or patio seating?
Yes, Da Emma features an outdoor terrace / patio, perfect for open-air dining in season.
Does Da Emma have a private room for group events or parties?
Yes, Da Emma offers a private room available for group dining, private parties, corporate meetings, and special celebrations. Contact the restaurant directly to discuss availability and group menus.
Da Emma is widely celebrated as an authentic Italian destination in Montreal, known for its warm, rustic atmosphere and historic cellar setting that transports diners to Europe. Many guests praise the high quality of the cuisine, highlighting standout dishes like the slow roasted lamb, suckling pig, rich pastas, and the delicious tiramisu. The service is frequently described as professional, friendly, and attentive, contributing to a memorable dining experience that feels both personal and traditional. With a robust wine selection and a charming, romantic ambiance, the restaurant is often recommended as a premier choice for special occasions and those seeking a genuine taste of Italy.
Outstanding service, very personal, friendly & effective. The food, as usual is hearty & made with love. I love the mushroom pasta & the fact that you can have a conversation with your table.
Food was below average. We had different pastas & they were very average. Tiramisu was really bad. Service was unprofessional & slow. Overall not recommend
Da Emma is absolute, reliable value, year after year. I was with a foodie for Milan last I was there & he was astonished by the quality & price. He essentially said; this is as good as the best places I know in Italy that serve classic Italian cuisine & it costs half of what I would pay in Milan.
As someone who has grown up in a Roman family I gave to agree. I would love to see more classic Roman trattoria dishes such as Stracciatella, Zuppa di pasta e fagioli, spaghetti cacio e pepe, but I'll anything served at Da Emma without hesitation or regret.
Our group hit one of the godawful tourist trap restaurants in Vieux Montréal the following evening ; it cost twice as much & it was so bad & unsatisfying, we all felt used & abused. I made a point to to leave that place a very bad review.
This experience in retrospect made us feel we had been pampered at Da Emma.
If you see a super expensive restaurant in that area that pretends to serve'rare' Italian dishes, run for cover : You're about to get robbed & you'll be treated unpolitely by staff who clearly see you as the loser their business was designed to abuse.
None of this at Da Emma. You'll be treated with genuine attention & respect. I'd go there everyday if I lived by, but wonderful places are best kept for when you deserve them.
What an amazing dinner wow. Excellent service. You're started with some bruschetta & then get bread with olive oil & balsamic. The soup of the day was delicious & I'm still thinking about it a day later. We each got a pasta & then shared a main meat dish but must say the meat dish wasn't needed. The pasta is super filling. Loved the blue cheese ravioli - such a rich yet balanced sauce. Highly recommend for a special dinner out.
Will be telling everyone who goes to MTL to try this restaurant!! First glance at the menu doesn't give enough credit to how delicious this restaurant is. The roasted lamb was so yummy, is very large easily shareable. We also got the Gorgonzola pasta which looks small but is very filling.
The soup of the day was a pastina & reminds me of home, might have been the best part of the meal. The artichokes were marinated in oil & were also very delicious
Nice outdoor setting, relax atmosphere, italian music.
Great cocktails & amazing wine list. Bruschetta was tasty, a very nice touch to start the meal.
Food was ok. Aragula salad seasoning was good, mushrooms pasta was cooked to perfection (but the portion was so small), tiramisu was delicious. No bread was offered to us, we had to ask for pepper & cheese. I had to refill my glass of wine myself, the staff was busy chatting with each other.
Service was not attentive, it could have been better. A little detail, the hostess at the entrance was dress sloppy ( baggy jeans, large hoodie & flip flop!), very odd for a refined italian restaurant. Restroom was dirty with no toilet paper, had to chase a server for it...
Maybe it was just on off night & i was not lucky but i dont think that i will be back...
The bread was exceptional. Old school loaf with hard crust. The pasta was perfect with delicious simple tomato sauce. I have definitely had better carpaccio. I was not particularly happy with either of the fish dishes. My biggest issue was definitely the service. On a Wednesday night, it was not busy. But everything was slow. It took a very long time to get sparkling water. I began looking for the waiter so we could place an order before he finally came. The food took a long time & was not really hot. By then I had stuffed myself with too much bread. That one is on me. After two bottles of sparkling water I asked to switch to just regular ice water. The waiter agreed & then never brought me any. To pay the bill, I was tempted to take a walk to see if I could find our waiter. I finally flagged him down that I wanted to pay, & it was at least another 10 minutes. The rest of my family had already left the table & I was sitting there tapping my foot until he finally finally finally showed up. The waiter was a disaster. & he was completely unsupported by the other wait staff. They seemed more interested in having a conversation with the table next to us. Maybe they are regulars? On a final note, I am removing this restaurant from my recommendations to friends & other business associates. The food was not quite up to par, but the service took it straight down the drain.
My fiance & I drove from Ottawa to visit Da Emma & we would definitely do it again!! It did not disappoint! Nestled in the basement of a heritage building, the atmosphere brought you back to Italy. The service was on point; very polite & attentive. & the food... was INCREDIBLE!! From the complimentary piece of bruschetta, to the salad, to the homemade pasta, to the desserts, everything was phenomenal! It was an authentic Italian dining experience. We would/will highly recommend this restaurant to anyone!