Da Emma propose une cuisine romaine traditionnelle caractérisée par des techniques authentiques et des profils de saveurs simples et audacieux. Le menu se concentre sur les préparations de pâtes artisanales, les méthodes de cuisson au feu de bois et l'intégration de produits méditerranéens frais et saisonniers. Les convives découvrent une atmosphère rustique définie par la maçonnerie en briques apparentes, les éléments structurels en bois et les plafonds voûtés qui reflètent une esthétique architecturale historique. Les offres culinaires mettent en avant des plats régionaux copieux tels que la morue, les artichauts préparés à la juive et des plats de viande robustes cuits à des températures précises. Chaque sélection souligne les qualités fondamentales d'ingrédients de haute qualité sourcés pour maintenir une intégrité gustative authentique. L'établissement maintient un accent constant sur l'héritage culinaire de l'Italie centrale en offrant des portions généreuses préparées selon des pratiques générationnelles.
Da Emma est largement reconnu comme une destination incontournable du Vieux-Montréal, célèbre pour sa cuisine italienne authentique et son cadre unique en cave voûtée. De nombreux convives louent la grande qualité de plats comme le cochon de lait, l'agneau et les pâtes, soulignant que la nourriture rappelle souvent une cuisine familiale faite maison. Bien que le service soit fréquemment décrit comme professionnel et chaleureux, les avis sur l'expérience globale restent partagés, certains visiteurs exprimant des réserves concernant le niveau sonore, les prix, la taille des portions ou l'inconstance du service. Malgré ces perspectives variées, le restaurant conserve une solide réputation pour offrir une expérience culinaire italienne mémorable et traditionnelle.
It is rare that you go to a restaurant & literally everything is perfect in terms of accessibility, parking, ambience, food quality & service. That was our experience over the weekend. Exceptionally & professionally served by Alexandre, we very likely had one of the most pleasant dining experiences at a Montreal restaurant, & we have been to many. Bravo & till next time.
If not the best, then one of the best Italian restaurants in Montreal. Food quality, taste & ingredients as good as you can find anywhere but more expensive than elsewhere & very noisy after 8:30 or so (low ceilings). Great service & wine selection in a comfortable setting with dishes rarely found in Montreal like the very slow roasted delicious melt in your mouth suckling pig or young lamb. A place to enjoy delicious food that does not taste good just because it is loaded with salt & fat once in a while as the menu is relatively small & does not change much.
Things I enjoyed:
- Complimentary bruschetta
- Complimentary bread with good quality olive oil & vinegar
- The ambiance
- The mozzarella
Things I didn't enjoy:
- Our server was not warm or welcoming in the slightest
- The energy felt elitist
- Only providing one low end option for by-the-glass prosecco on the menu
If you're looking for good quality home style Italian food, look no further. This restaurant is a classic & the food truly takes like an Italian grandmother made it from scratch at home! Do yourself a favour & come here!
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.
The experience at Da Emma is immaculate & definitely a memorable one. Traditional, authentic Italian cuisine prepared with fresh, quality ingredients & admirable dedication. The dishes are presented elegantly in their simplicity & are exceptionally flavourful & delicious. The atmosphere is invitingly warm, the service is stellar & the cuisine is absolutely divine. Compliments to the chef ; I will certainly be back.
The setting is so mediterranean that it blows my mind everytime we come.
The servers are excellent, the atmosphere is so scenic & unique, truly a european breath of fresh air & to top it off, the food is of the highest quality.
Very noisy to have a conversation with friends. Food is good but not for the price we paid. Maybe my expectation is high , Use to much better before, came many times years ago, now I feel the quality dropped . Anyway, still very appreciated.
This use to be a go to spot whenever in Montreal. The quality of the food & level of service has gone down since I first started coming. Waited almost an hour for our food. When it finally came my husband had to send his pasta back because it was severely undercooked. The waiter seemed annoyed that we were not happy with the meal. The bread looked as if it was store bought, did not taste fresh. Overall disappointing experience! So many great restaurants in the city. This is no longer one of them.
