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.
Les critiques décrivent Dinette Marcella comme un endroit italien chaleureux et intime dans le Vieux-Montréal, avec une ambiance cosy, un décor charmant et un personnel attentionné; beaucoup louent des pâtes fraîches savoureuses comme les tortellinis, les gnocchis et les raviolis, ainsi que les entrées populaires comme la bruschetta et les arancinis et une bonne sélection de cocktails et de vins. Plusieurs convives remarquent des plats bien équilibrés et savoureux, notamment la carbonara, la burrata, les polpettes et les plats de fruits de mer, tandis que certains mentionnent des déceptions occasionnelles lorsque des plats manquent de cuisson, d’assaisonnement ou ne sont pas assez chauds. L’expérience globale est souvent jugée à la hauteur du prix, avec un service constant et une ambiance animée, bien que certaines soirées soient bruyantes et que quelques clients souhaitent une acoustique plus calme et un service plus fluide entre les plats. En somme, Dinette Marcella se distingue par des saveurs italiennes authentiques, une atmosphère chaleureuse et une hospitalité fiable, invitant des visites répétées pour les dîners en tête-à-tête, les fêtes et les repas décontractés.
We ordered the eggplant Parmesan, a salad, & two pastas. The eggplant was overcooked & the sauce was flavorless. The pastas were shockingly bland & mediocre. Saltless food with no flavor - our server at no point asked us how the food was. Stay away, the place is nice with a good vibe so you get sucked in - but a 10 year old could cook me a better meal.
18 mai 2026
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Came here twice during my visit in Montreal. I was absolutely blown away. The service was on point & the food was fantastic. The meatballs were perfect & the mozzarella sticks were a great pairing. The cocktails were curated to perfection. Frederick served us our second time around & was so hospitable & was so genuine & got us in right before last call. Will be frequenting this spot on my upcoming trips. They also offer gluten free pasta which I'm excited to try. You will not be disappointed.
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.
Several months ago was a first experience at Dinette Marcela. We were three at lunch prior to attending a play. . We were warmly welcomed & treated with friendly & professional service throughout. I had a gin cocktail, recommended by the waiter, delicious. All 3 of us had the arancino appetizer & we shared an order of focaccia. The arancino is delicious & succulent, a crunchy & light exterior with the soft risotto filling. The sauce was so good we mopped up every bit of it with the focaccia. We finished with coffee. A delightful experience throughout.
Yesterday we dined for the 4th time at Dinette Marcella. We were greeted as friends. We each enjoyed our meals. One of our group had the Tuna Crudo, a second chose Beef Carpaccio, & I had the pasta special. All were excellent. The service was friendly & thoughtful. We received a gift of beignets in a delicious caramel sauce with our coffees. Highly recommended.
Food was delicious. Only disappointing meal was the tiramisu 💔, I do not reccomend it. Other than that pasta was delicious, the sauce, the foccacia, YUMMM. Super cozy & cute inside with great service.
Life long Montrealer though now live off island. On a whim made reservation & did not disappoint. Great location food was fresh & pasta was served hot (as is rarely). Definitely recommend. Service was very attentive.
18 avr. 2026
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Disappointed to say these least. I visited this place yesterday & got the sirloin steak & of course it was overcooked. Potatoes were not cooked properly either & my veggies were cold. If I ever come here again I'll try pasta. Steak is a no no. Especially after all the money I paid.
We had our Good Friday meal in this cozy restaurant as they had quite a few vegetarian options. We were so happy to find out the arancino was vegetarian & found it very delicious especially with the cream. The spaghettini pomodoro was simple but oh so satisfying! Finally the cavatelli with pesto was perfectly light & fresh. The pastas reminded me of Italy!Our server Megane was friendly & full of smiles so made our first meal in Montreal very welcoming. Merci beaucoup for a wonderful dining experience! 😊
8 avr. 2026
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This place is phenomenal I absolutely loved the ambiance & overall scenery of the restaurant on first glance. We came pretty late as they were near closing, but they were still very attentive in getting us our food & the waiter was very kind & helpful. I ordered the Cavatelli Alla Pesto & the pasta was perfectly cooked & I loved the balance of the crispy pine nuts & the tomatoes added so much flavor. I also got the focaccia which was delicious as well. I will definitely be back next time I'm in Canada!
So glad we stopped by for a quick bite while in the city. It was delicious. The staff was great! & they seemed to tolerate my daughter's unique pasta eating style.
I debated whether to leave a review, but ultimately I hope this feedback can help the restaurant improve situations like this.
Service was good from front of house to our server & the assisting staff.
The appetizers were good, but unfortunately the mains were a bit disappointing. My fiancé ordered a pasta with duck & the duck was noticeably overcooked.
Now THIS is where they lost points for me.
We were seated at the end of the bar, which I normally enjoy. However, there was a group of about 6-8 people gathered in the corner next to us who clearly appeared to be friends of management or staff. Throughout the evening, two of the men from that group were literally standing inches from where I was sitting, drinking their beers while I was trying to eat. Their beers were basically within elbow reach of my plate. It felt uncomfortable & intrusive. I mean… this isn't a pub, it's an Italian restaurant in the Old Port.
There were also two loud, obnoxious girls entertaining an older man the entire evening. Super loud & distracting. At one point I honestly thought, did I accidentally choose a bar instead of a somewhat fine-dining dinner?
Anyway, when it was time to leave, our coats had been hung in that same corner where everyone was standing. I had to squeeze through the group to retrieve them & asked politely for a bit of space. No one moved. I honestly felt like I had to force my way through while apologizing. As I was trying to make my way out with the coats, one of the girls actually put her hand on my back & pushed me along to move me out of the way, with a passive-aggressive smile when I turned around.
I was honestly shocked. If our friend visiting from another country hadn't been with us, I probably would have addressed it in the moment, but I chose to keep my composure & just leave.
For a restaurant at this price point in Old Montreal - & a $300+ bill - the atmosphere & guest experience should match the quality & cost of the food. That moment alone made the evening feel more like a crowded pub than a higher-end dining experience.
My intention in sharing this is simply to highlight how important it is that paying guests feel comfortable & prioritized, even when friends of the restaurant are present. I have friends who work in hospitality & they would never allow their group of friends to get in the way of service or the experience of paying customers.
Maybe we caught the restaurant on an off night (Friday the 13th lol), but the overall experience could easily be much stronger with better management of the bar area.
14 mars 2026
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A classy restaurant in Old Montreal. We had made a reservation 3 weeks in advance so that just tells you how much we were looking forward to it. The night dinner was great. We had 4 different dishes. 2 small & 2 main meals. I love pasta & I approve this place. We skipped dessert but we had some wine & it was nice. The atmosphere was classy & the staff was friendly.
My boyfriend & I decided to go here for our anniversary. I'm gluten free & the pasta was amazing not to mention we had the best Cesar salad we've ever had in our lives. My boyfriend had the veil & I don't think anything he ever eats again will live up to it. Fantastic place highly recommend.
Had a lovely dinner at Dinette Marcella. We enjoyed a sauvignon blanc from Italy & it was really fruity & lovely. I had the special which was a butternut squash ravioli. It was honestly unreal, the flavours were so unique. I only wish there had been a few more pieces of ravioli, the portion felt a little small. My friend had the arancino & pesto pasta & loved both. For dessert, I had the beignets with caramel & they were so delicious. The restaurant itself is beautiful with stone walls & warm cozy lighting. Our server was very friendly & helpful! Just note, it is quite small (you will want a reservation) & a bit loud but you can hear the person across from you.
Absolutely loved my experience at Dinette Marcella! The food was amazing, & the pasta noodles had the best texture I've had so far in Montreal - perfectly cooked & incredibly satisfying.
The staff were warm & attentive, which made the whole evening even more enjoyable. I was also pleasantly surprised by how many vegetarian options they offer.
