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.
I came here for a late dinner reservation at 9pm & we waited about 5 mins to be seated. The waitress was very enthusiastic & offered to answer questions about the menu & chef's special. We ordered the calamari, pesto, & cacio e pepe. The calamari came out first & it was delicious! The sauce went great with it & I definitely recommend. However, our mains took more than 30 mins to come out. The restaurant was busy with several large tables so it's understandable, but we had watched other people who seated after than us get their food sooner. We asked a different waitress for an update & watched her walk in & out of the kitchen, but she did not come back to give us a time estimate or anything. When the food came out, the waiter sprinkled black pepper & freshly grated cheese on our dishes which was a nice experience. The cacio e pepe was a bit bland in my opinion (even with the grated cheese), but the pesto was great! Other than the long wait times & lack of communication, the environment was cozy & the food was fresh & yummy. This is a great spot near old port if you're in need of a good vibes dinner spot.
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!
Absolutely fantastic service, our server Megane was absolutely wonderful! Myself & my family had a wonderful evening with delicious meals & drinks, I would recommend that anyone in the Montreal area or visiting come & dine here!!
Absolutely INCREDIBLE. Visited for an early lunch at 11:30. It was pretty empty at that time so we were able to get a great seat. The restaurant ended up filling up around 12:30. The Antonelli Martini is one of the best cocktails I have ever had. I am absolutely blown away by how wonderful the food was. They're gnocchi is very heavy so I recommend sharing, but it is incredible. The service was wonderful & the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous. This is perfect for a date night.
The food was excellent, the decor was very cozy & refined, & our waitress Adele made sure we felt at home throughout our meal. Highly recommend & will definitely be coming back!
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.
A favourite dining experience for us in Montreal. Wonderfully kind staff who were nice enough to accommodate our requests. Stunning historic room with large windows that open up to the streets of old Montreal for a lively view. We absolutely loved the dishes we ordered & will certainly dine here again. Ordered the aubergine appetizer (similar to an eggplant Parmigiano or lasagna), beautiful tomato sauce & lightly fried eggplant. We also ordered the carbonara pasta & tartufo gnocchi (made fresh in house!) Lovely meal, generous portions, wonderful ambience & kind staff. We wish we had room for dessert! Recommend booking a table in advance, it was a full room on a Tuesday night!
Loved everything about this place! Excellent food (the gnocchi were WOW & the burrata was so fresh) & cocktails (I recommend the Pear Pressure!). Great service & beautiful decor. Can't wait to be back!
My sister & I went to this amazing spot because its menu looked delicious & the restaurant was nicely lit & had a very fun playlist. We had limited time & let our server know. We had the sweetest server, Megan, who recommended cocktails that were spectacular. Our food came quickly & we had the bruschetta & the eggplant parmesan & both were so fresh, light & delicious. We were sad not to have eaten a full meal here....so we changed plans & returned the next night! Our server was, Malo, & he was lovely as well...knowledgeable & professional. We had the bruschetta, again(!) & split a Caesar salad that was excellent! For entrées I had the cavatelli pesto & my sister had the agnoletti caccio. Both were divine. & the cocktails! We had a coco fresa, a fresco azure & an aranchiata marguerita. We think this restaurant is exceptional because of Mégane & Malo, the food & the ambiance!
Services impeccable belle présentation des vins par le serveur Malo. Le Tortellini avec la sauce rosé & morceau de saucisse hachée était savoureuse avec une bonne texture lors de ma première bouchée. Pour finir le gâteau tiramisu était parfait. Je recommande cette endroit à mes proches & amis c'est certain
Gorgeous restaurant in old stone building in Old Montreal. The food was excellent- we shared Arrancho & Polpette apps which were so good; for mains we ordered Spaghetti Pomodoro which was very tasty & the Seafood pasta which was very tasty but did not have very much seafood in it ( two shrimps & a handful of calamari rings). The service was excellent. We would absolutely return & recommend it to others.
