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.
Trendy place with youthful vibe. Very busy plus waiting line of folks without reservations. Creative menu with some classics as well. Tuna crudo app was tasty with fried capers, pistachios & candied citrus. Tortellini ricotta & sausage sauce had potential but pasta was overcooked. Spaghetti with polpetto was solid. Quite noisy so conversations were challenging.
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!
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 ☺?
Mar 3, 2026
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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.
Oct 11, 2025
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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.
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.
