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.
Dinette Marcella is described as a charming intimate Italian spot in Old Montreal with a warm cozy atmosphere and a touch of old world charm that makes it suitable for date nights or casual dinners. Reviews praise fresh, flavorful pasta, gnocchi and tortellini, bruschetta and arancini, burrata and focaccia, along with a strong wine list and craft cocktails, with many calling the food excellent and among the best Italian in the area, though a few dishes are noted as too salty, not hot enough, or lacking seasoning and some visits feel rushed or louder than desired due to crowds. The service is frequently described as attentive friendly and knowledgeable, making guests feel welcome, but pace can vary on busy nights and timing can be inconsistent. Reservations are advised because the space is compact and the ambiance can be loud, especially at peak hours, yet the overall sentiment remains highly positive with many expressing plans to return. All in all, Dinette Marcella is regarded as one of the top Italian spots in Montreal by many reviewers.
What I look for in an Italian Restaurant in Montreal is the feeling that I am sitting down in Rome to enjoy a meal & expect the food to be not necessarily sophisticated but with deep flavour & well seasoned. My truffle gnocchi came close with a creamy sauce with a distinct truffle flavour but a little shy of mushrooms & seasoning. The gnocchi were a disappointment as they were too small & too tough. Ture potato gnocchi are light & soft with an indentation to hold the sauce, At $34 for a plate, being authentic would be a bonus. Service was fabulous & the open windows & quiet atmosphere was appreciated. Cocktails & mocktails deliciuos as well. I would give them another try.
Visited it recently. Ambience is good, though we were there in July on a hot day & there was no AC so by the end of the meal we were sweating:(. Drinks/cocktails were really good. We had three apps & four pasta dishes, they were good but nothing exceptional & rather small portions size for the price. What I did not like, that for an Italian restaurant, we had to pay separately for bread! Server was enthusiastic, but overall service could be better - we did not get our drinks till we were half way through our appetizers. Overall bill was slightly on the high side including the "tourist trap" premium.
Beautiful restaurant & great atmosphere with an urban-chic Italian feel. However, we felt rushed by the manager who kept on coming over every couple of minutes for our food order, when we had just been there a couple of minutes. It was a Tuesday night, not extremely busy but we felt that he was on a mission to turn around the table, when there was no one in queue & when we left, the restaurant was half full. But will come back! Hopefully will not feel rushed again! :)
I highly recommend this Italian restaurant if you're in the old port of Montreal. The atmosphere is romantic & cozy. The food was delicious, we shared a few apps & main courses. & the service was on point, Fred made sure we had a good time. Will definitely be coming back!
It was a great place to sit & have some Italian food. Our appetizers had a bit of a delay hut the staff was very apologetic & comped us some foccacia bread for the table. The entrees were flavourful & the pear pressure cocktail was great! We'll be back!
Came by at Marcella's & they did not disappoint. The place was super relaxing, toilets were clean, & you'd really get the European/Italian vibe. The team was very kind & friendly, particularly Stephanie, awesome service from everyone, delicious dishes & good plating. Great place to go to in Montreal.
This is my all-time favorite Italian restaurant as of yesterday. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is the best carbonara I've ever had in my life. It was generous with pancetta, perfectly balanced, creamy & salty & topped with an egg yolk. Just divine. We also ordered the cacio e pepe which was also insanely good. The sauce was really good & the pasta was pillowy & stuffed with cheese. They offer a great selection of mocktails which I enjoy (I got the strawberry one, can't remember name) & my husband got a drink they light on fire. We didn't have to wait but we got there late on a weekday. The service is so fast. The restaurant is very romantic & charming, great for a date night!
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.
This place was 2 min away from where we were staying. Good Italian place. Ordered the Spaghettini with meatball on top & it was delicious. The portion wasn't too small or too big. Highly recommend.
Jun 28, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Nice little Italian restaurant, good atmosphere, great staff & location. The food is good but not great & the portions are small considering the high prices. Overall the experience was good at this restaurant. I would have given 5 stars instead of 4 if the food was a bit better & either bigger portions or lower prices. In the end we did enjoy our visit here.
Great new Italian restaurant in heart of old port. Great food & friendly staff. Much better than the typical touristy spots near St Laurent. Will def be back.
Very Italian atmosphere. Friendly service. Quiet place, allowing you to enjoy the food & Italian wines nice selection. Overall a very pleasent dinning.
This is easily one of the best Italian restaurants we've been to, & we've been to A LOT. The place's ambience & decor is lively & beautiful, with twinkling lights & hanging lanterns from the ceiling. The staff was efficient & friendly. Our reservation was for a Friday at 7 PM & we left around 8:15. having enjoyed a three-course meal. It did feel a little bit hectic, kind of like when they expect you to dine quickly so that they can free up the table. Thus, if you are planning on a long relaxing meal, this may not be the place for you. Maybe it's less busy during weekdays.
Incredible Italian food in Old Montreal. The charcuterie board was out of this world. Impeccable service. We went here two nights in a row it was that good. Also, the music/vibe is the perfect date night spot. Highly recommend!
