Looking for some Italian comfort food worthy of a nonna’s home cooking? Marcella is a charming new Italian diner in Old Montreal at the corner of Saint Francois Xavier and Saint Paul streets. Open every day for lunch and dinner, locals and tourists can enjoy Italian-style pasta, such as the classic carbonara dish, in a cozy atmosphere.
Reviews describe Dinette Marcella as a warm, intimate Old Montreal Italian spot with cozy ambiance, charming decor, and attentive staff; many praise fresh, flavorful pasta such as tortellini, gnocchi, and ravioli, along with standout bruschetta and arancini and a strong cocktail and wine list. Several diners note dishes that are creamy and well balanced, including carbonara, burrata, meatballs, and seafood pasta, while a few readers mention occasional misses where dishes were overcooked, underseasoned, or not as hot as expected. The overall experience is often described as worth the price, with consistently good service and a lively vibe, though some nights can be noisy or crowded and a few guests wish for quieter acoustics and smoother pacing between courses. In sum, Dinette Marcella stands out for authentic Italian flavors, a warm atmosphere, and reliable hospitality, inviting repeat visits for date nights, celebrations, and casual meals.
We had the pleasure of dining at Marcella's, twice, during our visit to Montreal. The interior is charming, great vibe, delicious food, & absolutely outstanding service. On our first visit, the restaurant was fully booked, but the hostess amazingly made room for us at the bar. My husband & I shared a Caesar salad, followed by Spaghettini Pomodoro & Gnocchi Di Marcella; both meals were delicious. Our servers, Melissa & Frederic were top notch. Because of them, & the delicious meals, we decided to return before returning to New Jersey.
On our second visit, we shared the eggplant parmesan appetizer, along with the cod special & the Tortellini Alla Ricotta; again, everything was delicious. The cocktails, Ladro Di Vespa & Giuseppe Garabaldi were so delicious that two were necessary. Megane was our server, & again, she was friendly & personable.
Marcella's is highly recommended; we will definitely return on our next visit to Montreal!!
Wow ! Super soirée assise au bar avec mon amoureux. Le service était excellent, merci Michael. & la nourriture, un pur délice. Meilleur restaurant italien au Québec.
Highly recommend - Go see Michael & Mégane at Marcella! Atmosphere is top notch & situated in such a lovely area of Old Montreal. From the bolognese & spaghetti pomodoro (add the meatballs!) to the pistachio cheesecake dessert, the food is excellent. Above all, the service is truly unbelievable - we realized after our second night at Marcella that the entire bar & dining floor were being serviced by Michael & Mégane. Service was seamless & still had time to chat with us about the food & local sights on a few packed house nights. Marcella - must try!
Such a cozy little spot. Ordered Negronis which were some of the best I've had. We sat at the bar because there was no more seating however I prefer that when the bartenders are as nice as ours was (Irishman). Food was lovely (the bruschetta gets an A from me) & recommendations were thoughtful. Nice ambience for a date. Would go back next time I'm in Montreal!
Thankful that the team at Marcella saved me with a bunch of hangry young women. Great food, better vibes. The place was packed on a Monday night & the service was incredible. Wine selection is solid. Bartender is so engaging. Talk about Unreasonable Hospitality from the entire staff who seem to really love their guests. Best meatballs & cannolis. I mean, isn't that the true test of a fabulous Italian restaurant? Highly recommend this little gem. We will be back.
I frequently visit this restaurant, but this time I had a very disappointing experience with the hostess. I had booked a table for two, but she insisted on seating us at the bar. She refused to check the reservation system, claiming there were no available tables, even though I showed her my confirmed reservation. Eventually, the manager realized the mistake & seated us at a nice table. However, the hostess later approached our table & informed us that we only had two hours for dining. Her behavior was very rude & disrespectful, which is unacceptable for someone in her position. Despite this unpleasant encounter, I still appreciate the nice atmosphere, food, & the other staff members.
Nov 8, 2024
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Comme nous habitons dans le Vieux-Montréal, c'est notre restaurant de prédilection. Fred (le gérant) a toujours une place pour nous. Mike le gérant du bar, fait les meilleurs cocktails! La nourriture est géniale! Lorsque vous êtes dans le coin, n'hésitez pas à les essayer!
Booked a reservation for the bar top & ended up literally right infront of the bar mat & bartender. It was a bit awkward as the bartender on duty was training & kept receiving constructive feedback regarding his drink preparation. With a Birds Eye view of our drinks being made, unfortunately I saw short pours happening. The manager was there in the background supporting & serving behind the bar (Andrew I think) & he was lovely. He made amazing cocktails so we asked him to make ours & saw he never short poured. He provided great hospitality, made amazing cocktails & knew what he was doing. The spot right in front of the bar is NOT where you want to sit. It ruined the experience due to over hearing all the chatter from the servers & bartenders. Although we were directly in front of them, our glasses remained empty for 10+ mins & were not offered another drink, so, that was a bit disappointing as we would have ordered more. The food was quick & delicious. The Caesar salad was one of the best, pastas were cooked perfectly & great portions & the tiramisu was lovely . Food 5/5 Overall great experience but would have had a different result at a table or a different spot at the bar.
Our experience did not live up to the google rating. We sat at the bar & our server kept forgetting what we ordered. Food was quite disappointing. Charcuterie was dowsed in oil & the tastes & textures were not balanced. The arancino sauce was too spicy. The pasta was mediocre at best (when we received the right one). The atmosphere was noisy & very warm.
Sep 25, 2024
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Merveilleux souper passer en famille. Les plats & l'ambiance étaient fabuleux !!! Nous étions assis au bar devant le bar tender & avons eu droit à un bon spectacle
The pasta Carbonara was so bad, definitely not Italian.... Milanesa was too crunchy & dry for that price should be amazing, salad very regular with green hard tomatoes....& we had the misfortune to have the worst server, we sit in the bar & beside us sat a man that all the servers where very eager & happy to say hi & that's fine, i suppose is a regular, but our server was so focus on that man that he gave us the beverages while talking to him, not even looking at us, gave me a spoon to eat the chicken, gave no napkins... every-time he approached us was to talk to the man besides us, he simply acted as he didn't care at all, very disappointed of everything for a "fine dinning" place 👎🏻
We were a large group who ate a few apps & had cocktails at the bar on Saturday for lunch, bartender was professional & knew her cocktails, spirits & mixers. The two of us ended up going back for dinner at the bar on Sunday & had the same great service. The food was exceptional as was the service. Definitely one of our new favorite spots when visiting Montreal!
Bustling Friday night Italian dinner... the restaurant was booked but we went in at 6:20 to inquire, & the kindest hostess was Able to accommodate us by reserving 7:30 bar seats for of three of us. Even if a table was preferable, the atmosphere, friendly bartenders, & flavourful food made the experience beautifully worth it. The lighting inside, interactions at our barstools, & tasty meals, show that Dinette Marcella is a five star experience :). Thank you to the helpful & kind workers for this wonderful night out.
Jun 29, 2024
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We enjoyed this restaurant so much that we had 2 meals here in our vacation. A late lunch on Friday, eating Carbonara & caccio e Pepe. Both Amazing! For lunch we sat at the bar & marveled at the liquor selections, especially Monkey 47gin ( almost impossible to find in a restaurant) We shared a tiramisu for dessert, VERY sweet, but very good! We returned on Saturday evening for dinner. We sat at a table in an open window ( so romantic) we enjoyed an appetizer of fried calamari... lite & fresh!! I ordered something I've NEVER ordered in a restaurant as I make "the best" I had spaghetti pompadour & a side polpetta ( meatballs) I thought I'd died & gone to spaghetti heaven! My husband, who fancies himself a pesto expert had the cavetelli all a pesto. He said delicious! In the middle of dinner we decided we needed some bread to soak up some sauce & added an order of the cheese garlic bread it was the only MINOR disappointment. Too much mozzarella, not enough garlic, & a bit softer than expected. Other than that, our server, the runners, & the overall staff were attentive & not over bearing! Wonderful experience!
Very good vibe. Amazing food & drinks. Friendly staff. Our server/bartender, Jay, even gave us some great tips for cool bars in the area. We liked it so much we went twice during our 4 day trip!
I've been here may more times than I could count & the food is absolutely divine every time. The staff is super friendly & really work above & beyond to cater to you. The ambiance is so great too. My friends & I love their seating for their gorgeous windows overlooking the streets of Vieux-Port, but the bar is where the fun is! The bartenders are super kind & engaging, & we always leave having had a wonderful time.
