Elena is widely praised for authentic Italian cooking with wood fired dough, standout pizzas, and salads, and pastas such as mafalda al ragù and ragu are frequently noted as well executed; the vibe is described as chic, intimate, and lively with attentive service and a strong wine list, making it a popular spot for date nights, groups, and terrace seating when available. Some visits are described as exceptional with friendly staff and reliable recommendations, while others note inconsistencies such as pizzas arriving burnt or cold, portions that feel small for the price, long waits, and billing miscommunications. Reservations can be tight and seating at the bar or in busy times may be required; the atmosphere can be loud but the overall opinion is that Elena remains one of the top pizza and pasta destinations in Montreal, offering a reliable and memorable experience for many, though not without occasional misses.
2026: nice olives & bread to start, but would be nice if olive oil had a little balsamic. The suppli Al telefono were better than typical arancini. Funguy pizza was overflowing with mushrooms. The lamb pasta was delicious. Tiramisu tres leches was perfect, best of both desserts. My friend enjoyed her chocolate cannolis.
Service was friendly. Suggested wine was great. Été something. Lighting could still be better, it felt dark rather than intimate. Maybe some fake candles?
2024: The Dany pizza was delicious & creative with the sesame spinach honey combo, but I didn't like how wet it was, like all the toppings just slide off as soon as you lift it up.
The Gigi pasta was a interesting bitter mix of flavours with the fennel & arugula, but there was barely any sausage in it.
Olive oil cake was nice but pretty dry compared to other olive cakes I've had. I know the cream+olive oil is there to compensate but it's not the same.
Cannolis were delicious & well presented, available without the pistachios if you have an allergy.
The Barbossa is a smooth young red wine accompaniment
Service was very attentive & efficient. Glasses were never empty. Decor was typical modern industrial. If there was music, it wasn't memorable.
Spent an enjoyable evening at Elena on a cold & blustery winter (not officially) evening. The ambiance was lively; a lot of happy patrons enjoying their meals & conversations, & my dining companion & I were soon to join them. All staff were convivial & friendly especially our server, Cynthia. She proved Indispensable in helping us select a wine from the unfamiliar names that appeared on the wine list. Most, if not all, were private importations from boutique wineries. Ours was really spot on with Cynthia's description. We decided to have two pizzas to share, Funguy, a play on fungi (mushroom), & the Diavalo, a spicier option. Both were delicious. The spicy oil provided made them even more so. We just ordered bread with olive oil to start as we were famished, & who doesn't need more carbs on a cheat day? It was quickly devoured. Cynthia told us everything was made in house from scratch, & it certainly was evident. For dessert we had cannolis & the olive oil cake. Again, two winners. We left at closing, but weren't the last to leave. Patrons really seemed to enjoy, not only the delicious food, but the warm & friendly ambience as well. Prices were reasonable, & service attentive. We'll certainly return, & often.
Dec 10, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
My experience began with the reservation platform giving me an error message for 20 min & then we called. Called no answer but we got a call back. We didnt ask where we would be seated because we didnt know the layout of the place so we ended up being placed at the bar .... by the door ( ....so ask ). The kale ceasar salad was great with a mountain of parmesan cheese & the right amount of dressing . Now for the pizza our choices were diavolo 2.0 & the funghi ; for me the tomato sauce was too watery the meat didnt have as much flavor or kick as i wouldve expected from a diavolo so the whole thing fell through but i really enjoyed the funghi that had the flavor of the mushroom & parmesan collide in harmony, i will add that the crust was perfect in both. The pasta ( all'amatriciana) was average at best ,with so many good italian restaurants in the city unfortunately this one did not bring it home for me, the guanciale was burnt & again the sauce was watery. The dessert : Gateau au Chocolat , is a brownie texture shaped into a cake slice topped with ice cream , good but maybe heated ? The service was good & the staff was knowledgeable & at your service , simple & effective. Overall not a bad experience but will i go back ? Maybe , hopefully to have a better culinary experience that would be up to the hype. Food 3 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4
Elena is one of the best Italian restaurant in the city. Every dish that I have tried there has been wonderfully tasty, with notable personal favourites being the mushroom pizza, the suppli (fried risotto balls) & the meatball appetizer. The service is absolutely great. When we had to wait for our table despite having a reservation, they brought us an appetizer on the house which was a very appreciated gesture. They also were very accommodating for my friend with celiacs, & were able to modify some dishes like the meatballs to make them gluten free for her. The vibe & decor are also just really nice. Will be back again & again :)
I heard good things about Elena & I understand the hype now! We tried a lot of different kind of pizza & they were all very good. I generally prefer the ones with tomato sauce but I enjoyed trying different flavours. The pizza with the potatoes & the one with the mushrooms was nice to try. I didn't enjoy the 4 cheese one but that's just my preference. Their dough was the star of the show 10/10! It was delicious!
It is my fourth time coming to this restaurant. For 65$ you can feast on the best food of your life. The mushroom pizza is a must, so is the entree with the beets. The service is also incredible. I judge good service by wether or not my water ever gets empty. & it never does here. Someone will always be paying attention to your table making sure your glass is refilled. & this shows their care for your experience beyond judt water, of course. My favourite restaurant. Can't wait to come back.
Mar 16, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
We tried two pizzas while here - the Amatriciana & the mushroom pizza. Between the two, the mushroom pizza was our fave as it was a more interesting flavour profile. We also tried the Italian soda, which was orange & vanilla flavoured, I found it to just be okay. It was super busy on a Sunday evening, but it was also their special anniversary night. I felt like it was hard to have a conversation given how loud it was in the restaurant & at times hard to even hear our server. Regardless it was a good experience & the mushroom pizza would be worth coming back for.
We were a group of 7. We all got different types of pizzas. I enjoyed the funguy pizza (mushroom pizza), margarita pizza was nice too. I liked the thin, crunchiness of the crust. As an appetizer I had the Suppli al Telefono, fried risotto with mozzarella, very nice & had a good crunch to it as well. They have a good option for wine, a lot of options to choose from! Over all I had a good experience, our server was very informative & helpful!
Funguy (mushroom) pizza & ragu pasta were amazing! Perfect balance with the right amount of flavors. The pepperoni pizza had a spicy so look for another pizza if you can't handle it.
Really delicious dinner & lovely service. I thoroughly enjoyed the fungi pizza which had a generous mix of mushrooms. The crust in general was just spectacular- hot, light, & fluffy. The salads were also overflowing & the kale cesare specifically had a nice tart punch. The roasted beet dish had a nuance that was elevated by the sesame nut mix sprinkled on top. We ended the night with a beautifully dark chocolate tart. I would recommend Elena to anyone in the area.
Love this restaurant. Always a go-to for me. Delicious food & wine & good service. I highly recommend this resto to everyone. Usually gets busy fast so make sure you get a reservation. The back is very cute & intimate- good for a date. I highly recommend the kale casear & the mushroom pizza. I don't recommend the anchovies (you get four tiny slithers for $16 & no bread- huge rip off in my opinion). Other than that everything is high quality & fairly priced.
Great food, great atmosphere. Really fun restaurant with delicious food in a not-uptight kind of place. Peppers were phenomenal & the mushroom pizza is something I would want as a last meal.
I loved my first meal, I've already been back twice! First visit was with a party of four so we were able to sample a larger selection. Incredible pizza oven produces many delights; I've had Mushroom, Margharita & White pizzas = delish! The second visit we kept it down to just the one White pizza & we ordered the Nocco Fritto appetizer & shared a Pasta Verde as well. I enjoyed a glass of orange wine. There was a special dessert that evening called the Financier (named after it's popular shape resembling a gold bar!) Staff is super knowledgable & friendly. Comfortable seating; love the space & decor. Not your regular pizzeria but personally, I might be on MY way to becoming a regular!
