FR
Montreal RestaurantsValentine's Day
RestaurantsReviewsArticlesWhat's On

Logo RestoMontreal.ca

Restaurant Top Pick

Dinette Marcella

An Italian dinette in the heart of Old Montreal
Old Montreal
4.6$$$
OPEN11:30 am - 11 pm
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Valentine's Day: hours might differ
Dinette Marcella Montreal Restaurant: Menu, Reviews & Reserve (2026)
ItalianPastaResto-Bar
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.

Amenities, services & more

Suggested Articles

5★
78%
4★
12%
3★
5%
2★
5%
1★
1%

Mentioned in:View More

Dinette Marcella was featured in the article(s) below.

The 10 Best Old Montreal RestaurantsMore

Reviews for Dinette Marcella

Food
Service
on Google4.6 (1600+)
*as of 2026-02-01
5★
78%
4★
12%
3★
5%
2★
5%
1★
1%

Review Summary

Dinette Marcella is described as an intimate, warm Italian spot in Old Montreal with a charming decor and a lively, sometimes noisy, atmosphere. The food earns high marks for freshness and strong flavors, with frequent praise for handmade pastas like tortellini and gnocchi, plus standout starters such as arancini, burrata and bruschetta, and a solid focaccia. Cocktails and wine selections are loved, and the service is often called attentive and friendly, though some visits mention slow pacing between courses, variable dish success for the price, and occasional acoustic or temperature issues when crowded. The restaurant is widely recommended for romantic or casual dinners and special occasions, offering a classic Italian dining experience with a cozy vibe and a touch of elegance. While most dishes impress, a few items are noted as overly salty or not aligned with expectations at the price, and the noise level can be high; nevertheless the overall experience remains memorable. Reservations are advised, and it is frequently described as a place to return to, with many praising the consistency of quality and the welcoming staff.
Page 1 of 33 - 652 Reviews
5.0

Excellent food with awesome service in a great part of Montreal! Definitely would recommend!

Feb 10, 2026
on Google
5.0

The food, drinks & service were awesome.

Feb 9, 2026
on Google
5.0

Our best meal while in Montreal. Best bruschetta I've ever had. The whole meal & atmosphere was perfect for our last night. We will be back for sure.

Feb 9, 2026
on Google

Beautiful ambiance, friendly & knowledgeable service & yummy , yummy food !

Feb 9, 2026
on Google

Belle découverte, bel endroit intime & plein de cachet. Nourriture excellente si vous avez la chance d'essayer l'arancino 🤌🏾 Service impeccable. Je recommande!

Feb 9, 2026
on Google

I had an amazing experience here, it's definitely a solid date choice especially late at night time.

Feb 8, 2026
on Google

Première fois chez Dînette Marcela & non la dernière. Succulent, service impeccable par Mégane, atmosphere cozy. Excellent resto italien. Fortement recommandé.

Feb 8, 2026
on Google
3.0

Calmars caoutchouteux, sans goût & trop chers pour la qualité - 22$. Focaccia à l'ail ordinaire - 12$. Les rotelles au boeuf manquaient d'assaisonnement - 38$. Les tortellinis à la ricotta savoureuses & délicieuses - 28$. Cependant, belle ambiance. Le service est bon : attentionné, professionnel & rapide (Leo).

Feb 7, 2026
on Google

Excellent restaurant! Delicious food & generous portions. The service was very good, & the place is cozy & well located. We went twice during our vacation in Montreal. We loved it & highly recommend it. The only suggestion for improvement would be to offer more meat-based dishes, such as steak with pasta, for example.

Feb 3, 2026
on Google

Our server was great. My food was cold & our pasta did not taste fresh.

Feb 2, 2026
on Google

Une expérience culinaire incroyable, les propositions de la carte sont variées & donnent envie de tout découvrir . Mais quand enfin le choix est fait la dégustation est à la hauteur des espérances ! Un accueil chaleureux & une ambiance cosy bien agréable en ce jour d'hiver à Montréal ! Un restaurant qui fait partie des souvenirs gustatifs que je ramènerai en France !

Feb 1, 2026
on Google

Great atmosphere. Fantastic customer service. Food was delicious. Would definitely go back or recommend.

Feb 1, 2026
on Google

First time in Montreal & came across this Italian restaurant, they allowed us to walk-in & gave us window seats. Unfortunately we had to split our group into two. Pasta (I had the Gnocchi Bolognese) was great, saucy & a good portion size. I was stuffed. There were a variety of appetizers, we order Calamari & Tuna Crudo, both fresh & enjoyable. I would recommend this place & hopefully come again whenever I visit Montreal.

Jan 31, 2026
on Google
5.0

Food was absolutely amazing & reasonably priced.
Staff was super friendly & attentive & service from the bar & kitchen was very quick.
It was my partner & I's first time visiting & without a doubt we'll be back next time we're in the city!

Jan 26, 2026
on Google

Le restaurant offre une cuisine italienne fraîche & de qualité dans un cadre intimiste au coeur du vieux Montréal. Parfait pour une date en amoureux.

Jan 25, 2026
on Google

A great place/atmosphere with even greater food. 10/10 on everything . One of the best Italian restaurants we've ever been. Keep up the good work guys.

Jan 24, 2026
on Google
1.0

I was on a trip with my friends & we were extremely excited to spend our last night in Montreal at this restaurant. We called them at 11:50AM to get a reservation where the phone said that they had availability at 5, 5:30, & 9PM. We made a reservation at 9PM for a table of eight. After we hung up, I received a text at 11:58AM to complete the reservation & send an email with all the required information. This email was sent at 12:01PM & we had no further contact with the restaurant. At 8:50 PM, we showed up to our reservation & were turned away because a confirmation email was not received. This confirmation email was not mentioned in the phone call & we were extremely disappointed. The staff was not able to do anything although we had done everything on our part & said that we made the mistake of not getting the confirmation email. Overall, terrible service & I would not suggest coming here.

Jan 24, 2026
on Google

We shared a beautiful bottle of Chianti & bruschetta that was incredible. Sitting at the bar we had the most amazing service & experience with the bartender Michael. He is authentic as is this gorgeous, quaint little restaurant that we happened to stumble upon as a tourist in Old town. Thank you Michael for your recommendations.

Jan 24, 2026
on Google

The restaurant is nice but the food is TERRIBLE & overpriced for what you get. 1000% tourist trap. Anyone on here taking about it being as good as pasta in Italy is lying. Also the waitress was super bizarre. They also never answer their phone. Skip it. We went to Garage Beirut - HUGE DIFFERENCE. Skip this place & go there instead.

Edit response to the owner: I was being restrained in my original review. To be specific: our server ignored us for long stretches, took an unusually long time to take our order, made no effort to engage, & was unhelpful when we asked basic questions about the menu. That is not standard or acceptable service, which is why I described the experience as bizarre.

What's more concerning is the defensiveness in your response. When a customer shares a negative experience, professionalism looks like curiosity & accountability, not dismissal. Suggesting that a bad review must be dishonest simply because others enjoyed their visit says more about how feedback is handled than about the feedback itself.

I had a poor experience & shared it. Readers can draw their own conclusions.

Jan 19, 2026
on Google

I visited this local pasta restaurant as a walk-in & was seated at the bar, which was much appreciated as a solo traveler. Not needing a reservation & still being accommodated made the experience feel welcoming & relaxed.

The food was absolutely delicious, with very generous portions, I left feeling extremely satisfied. The service was attentive & friendly throughout. A great spot with excellent pasta & a comfortable atmosphere, I would definitely recommend it to groups & solo travelers alike.

Jan 18, 2026
on Google