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.
Such a cute restaurant! The food was amazing, & the vibe is so cozy. Our server Sandy was the absolute best! She was so attentive & helpful. Everyone is so sweet!! Definitely recommend (:
What a great spot! The staff were fantastic & very sweet. The food was excellent - highly recommend the tuna credo - it was amazing! Great small intimate restaurant with an incredible vibe!
Mar 22, 2026
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Went there alone a short birthday trip, im from Ottawa. Very cozy vibe, food was good. Servers were really nice especially the pretty woman with the eyeglasses. Will definitely recommend to my friends ☺?
Enjoyed their lunch menu on our first day in the city. The spaghettini pomodoro was incredible while my partner had the pesto pasta. Food was great, vibes were high. Will definitely visit again!
You HAVE TO eat here! The vibe & space is immaculate & the food/wine is even better!
They can also make most of there pasta dishes vegetarian if you ask!
The atmosphere was warm & inviting.
Definitely, had a nice vibe.
Service was excellent.
The food was very good. The Marcella salad & the focaccia was excellent.
Gnocchi & ravioli were also very good.
Tiramisu was very well made.
Will definitely return.
Staff were very kind & attentive, from the hostess seating us to our server to the cheese grating guy, we felt very taken care of. Ambience & vibes were all good. Music was good. Even though the place was packed we didn't feel crammed in.
Food wise, everything we ate was delicious! Calamari was the best we've had - not the crunchiest but still crunchy, best part was how well the squid itself was cooked! The red sauce dip accompanying it was steaming fresh & tasted good as well.
I was recommended the daily special of the wheel pasta with braised beef, & that hit the spot! Did not shy off with the beef & everything was super tasty. My fiancée had the carbonara & she said it was a 10/10. Canolli's for dessert was the perfect way to end the meal.
Awesome vibe & friendly service. We found this place on a whim & it was absolutely packed on a Wednesday night, & for good reason! Food was delicious, & the atmosphere was awesome. Would definitely try again.
Great vibe, music & decor! We had the gnocchi & ravioli for our entrees, & we enjoyed these. Highly recommend starting with the arancino - was the best we've ever had! My only complaint was that there was no air conditioning & we went on a super-hot night, so it wasn't a comfortable dining experience. Other than that, I would definitely recommend.
Dinette Marcella is one of my favourite Italian restaurants in Montreal! The food, the vibes, the service, everything is a 10/10. Our server Isabella especially made the experience memorable, she was very attentive & friendly. The food came out relatively quickly, fresh & very tasty.
Great spot & highly recommend to anyone.
Jul 10, 2025
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Restaurant has a nice atmosphere & a wonderful vibe.
All the food items we ordered were pretty tasty, except the steak. Ordered the steak because it was on specials, but it was very over-cooked when ordered medium: very chewy & just not a good cut of meat at all. When something is on special, we would expect a better piece & cooked as asked. But like I said, every other dish was delicious.
My main issue, however, was one of the bus boys. While our server was very friendly & she handled us well, the bus boy was spilling everything from soup to grease while collecting our plates after every dish, & it was obviously deliberate. He was aggressive as if he was disgusted to work, with no care at all & absolutely deliberate in the spills.
I don't want grease & soup spilling all over my suit. The server lady was nice & apologizing & cleaning after the bus boy's mess every time. But I don't understand how he still has a job if he cannot do the basic function he is supposed to do, when the customers are nothing but pleasant & generous.
Went for a friend's birthday dinner. & with such a good vibe, food (other than the steak), & friendly staff in general, the experience was completely messed up by one disgruntled employee.
What a fun place to have a great dinner! In addition to the yummy food & cocktails, loved the mid-70s soundtrack playing & the comfy bistro vibe. Things to note - cavatappi pesto, carbonara, meatballs, focaccia bread.
Yum!! Wonderful, if you are looking for authentic rich Italian, this is the place to stop. In a beautiful room nestled in Old Port, this place is a vibe. It would be amazing for a date night. I had the tortellini alla ricotta & a beautiful glass of Chianti. It was great!
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!!
