Restaurant Da Emma, located in what was formerly Montreal's first prison for women, won prizes for its design in 1999. Da Emma serves traditional Italian cuisine with Roman specialities. As for the food: seafood antipasto (squid, mussels, shrimp, and octopus drizzled with olive oil), fettuccine with porcini mushrooms, and suckling pig roasted with garlic and rosemary are among the highlights.
Terrace available accommodating up to 70 people.
Da Emma is described as an authentic Italian dining destination housed in a historic basement, offering a warm, intimate atmosphere and a strong wine list. Many reviews highlight simple, well executed dishes with pasta and meat dishes praised, and standout items like burrata, meatballs, lamb, and a homemade feel. Service is generally regarded as attentive and friendly, though some experiences note slow or intrusive service and occasional missteps. Several guests mention a busy or noisy dining room and, at times, a lack of attention or hot dishes, and a cash only policy that can be inconvenient. Overall, the restaurant is seen as a top Montreal Italian spot for those seeking traditional, flavorful cuisine in a heritage setting, with many guests planning returns. Complimentary bruschetta, good bread and olive oil, and a refined but comforting menu are commonly cited positives, while some feel the portions may be smaller for the price. Atmosphere and authenticity are repeatedly praised, making Da Emma a go to for romance, family gatherings, or celebrations.
J'ai testé plusieurs restaurants italiens à Montréal & Da Emma était sur ma bucket list depuis longtemps. Attiré par sa réputation & les nombreux avis positifs, je peux maintenant confirmer que c'est, de loin, le meilleur restaurant italien en ville!
Ce n'est pas qu'une question de marketing: l'excellence est totalement méritée. Situé dans un bâtiment historique du Vieux-Montréal, l'endroit dégage une ambiance de cave authentique, élégante & chaleureuse. L'expérience nous transporte à un autre niveau; on se croirait carrément en Italie.
Côté cuisine, c'est exceptionnel. On sent la qualité des ingrédients dans chaque bouchée : les pâtes & la viandes goûtent la cuisine d'une véritable nonna. La viande est d'une tendreté incroyable & les pâtes sont tout simplement délicieuse.
Le service est d'un très grand professionnalisme, attentionné & jamais envahissant. On comprend vite pourquoi la réputation de l'endroit est si solide. Ma femme & moi avons vécu une soirée mémorable du début à la fin.
Je recommande fortement ce restaurant & j'y retournerai très bientôt, c'est certain!
Food was below average. We had different pastas & they were very average. Tiramisu was really bad. Service was unprofessional & slow. Overall not recommend
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.
Fantastic experience. Food was fantastic I had the lamb & it was phenomenal, service was excellent our waiter Franco knows what he's doing, making us laugh the whole night & giving excellent service. Would recommend
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
Le service est impeccable. La nourriture est exceptionnelle. Je garde toujours de beaux souvenirs du Da Emma. Je le recommande à tous mes proches qui désirent manger dans un restaurant italien. Ça vaut le coup d'arrêter dans le vieux-port pour goûter à ces plats savoureux ! Pour vous dire, je n'ai jamais été fan de lasagne, mais leur lasagne est succulente & délicieuse, j'en rêve encore.
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!
May 25, 2025
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Took over an hour from being seated to taking our order. Got one person's meal wrong in a table of 3. High price for small portion, at least what we got was tasty. Couldn't recommend based on first experience there.
This was the first place I thought about when my guests from Toronto told me that they wanted to visit Old Montreal & they wanted Italian food. The food was delicious, from the entrees to our main dishes & finally dessert. The service was great. Our waiter was very friendly & very attentive. The place was a total vibe. Would definitely recommend & would 100% go back.
A beautiful atmosphere created by large stone adorned with timber beams this Italian restaurant serves great food by a very professional staff. My partner & I had the veal soup, rich in broth with tiny pillows of pasta. We had the Fettuccine ai fungi & Tonno alla griglia (grilled tuna). I'm not usually a fan of grilled tuna but this was cooked to perfection! We rounded out our meal with a lemon tartufo which was light & refreshing. I would recommend this to anyone looking for authentic Italian in a beautiful setting.
The best restaurant in all of the city. Amazing service from Alex, & even more so from the owner! The food is amazing & probably the most authentic Italian food you can get it Montreal, & the service is simply exceptional. I now come weekly & highly recommend this restaurant!
Yes met all expectations. 3'out of 4 of us had the roasted pig. Superb. For appetizer we had the Burrata with prosciutto. Delicious. Recommended. Check out the wall of celebrity photos who had visited this historical location. Restaurant is an old prison in the below ground cellar.
