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.
Music is way too loud. Some dishes are very good, som like carbonara should not be on menu at all. It wasn't a carbonara as people usually know it. Just dry pasta with egg & cheese.
Food was amazing! The arancini was very good, would recommend. I got the gluten free pasta & as a celiac I appreciated having the option of gluten free pasta, however it was a bit pricey making it $5 extra. We sat in the corner & the seat itself was comfortable & nice, but extremely hot. Made us feel very tired. Our server was phenomenal & gave us some recommendations on places to go around Montreal! Would recommend this place to a friend!
Jul 27, 2025
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Le restaurant est vraiment joli, esprit Lounge. Les cocktails étaient très bons (notamment le Negroni !) & les Carbonara délicieuses !
Merci à Frédéric pour son accueil, allez y les yeux fermés
We've ordered steak & carbonara pasta. The steak was too salty & hard, pasta was good. Please be aware that the waiter will put 18% of the tips into the cheque automatically - we love to support customer service, but that gesture changed the impression from the restaurant in a bad way. The place itself is pretty, but too noisy.
wow! My wife & I just came back from Italy & coming here was like going back over there. Food was absolutely amazing! you can teast the freshness & quality of their ingredients in every bite.
The restaurant itself it's beautiful & the service was great. Do not come here on a hurry, you need to sit & enjoy.
Tout était parfait sauf... le choix musical!!
Du gros blues, rock, un jeudi midi, ça gâchait tout. De la musique italienne? Accordéon ou folk à la limite. Ou rien du tout.
Nous étions 3 pour le lunch & aucun de nous n'a apprécié cette musique forte, limite agressante.
Dommage, c'est la seule fausse note🥺
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.
Sat at bar. Excellent food & service. Noise level a bit above what we would have preferred, but cannot complain about being surrounded by diners enjoying themselves!
Great food, great drinks, great service. Please do not second guess, make a reservation now! Marcella's was absolutely amazing in every category!
Very pleasant & welcoming hostess, lively environment, & the food... Just absolutely delicious! I saw someone else talk about how good the Caesar salad was... They did not exaggerate. It was fantastic. The rice balls were great. Different from what I'm accustomed to, but so much better. I got the seafood pasta & my husband got the tortellini. Both were delicious. The tortellini was so fresh & easy to eat. The drinks were just as exceptional.
The martini was so different but so good! Excellently crafted! We're trying our best to not go back because we want to try other restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed everything! I MUST recognize the exceptional service of Megane. One of the best servers I've ever experienced. She was on top of everything.
Food was ok, however it took very long to come out. The service was average & basic. I had made a reservation in advance & I mentioned it was our anniversary however no mention of that in any moment we were there. Would not return.
