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.
We loved dining at Marcella! Our waitress was so nice & provided excellent drink recommendations. We had to wait awhile for our focaccia due to a mix up & they offered us a complimentary drink which was amazing. We had the truffle gnocchi & the tortellini & both were great.
Absolutely fabulous restaurant. The food is to die for - best Caesar salad dressing ever - pastas were delicious. Lambrusco was great. Service from Malo was top notch, the manager was lovely as well. Cherry on top was the playlist. Very impressed & will certainly return! Thank you team!
Aug 1, 2024
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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.
Repas délicieux & service impeccable. Avons pris apéritif ,entrées à partager, plats & desserts, vin, cafés.Mégane est très professionnelle & sympathique
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.
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! :)
Jul 31, 2024
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Made a very last minute reservation & so very glad we did! What a lovely restaurant! The food was beautifully presented & equally delicious! Service was very friendly & extremely efficient. The decor is very nice! Terrific cocktail menu. The'Pear Pressure' was my cocktail of choice & it was a good one! Thoroughly enjoyed the cavatelli pesto main course!! We will be back!
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!
We enjoyed this spot twice during our 4 day visit to Montreal - once on a rainy afternoon & once during prime-time dinner service. Both times we experienced delicious food, impeccable service & wonderful ambiance.
