Elena centers its culinary focus on expertly prepared thin crust pizzas and authentic Italian pasta dishes crafted with high quality seasonal ingredients. The kitchen utilizes traditional techniques to achieve the perfect blistered crust on every pie while maintaining a commitment to regional Italian flavors. Guests encounter a spacious environment designed for casual interaction characterized by minimalist aesthetics and industrial design elements. The menu emphasizes fresh, locally sourced produce alongside imported specialty goods to ensure consistency across every plate. Beyond the classic sourdough pies, the selection includes rotating pasta offerings that showcase seasonal vegetables and artisanal grains. This establishment prioritizes a focused culinary vision, delivering a distinct experience through its precise handling of dough and carefully curated flavor profiles that define its approach to modern Italian cuisine.
Elena is widely recognized as a top-tier destination in Montreal, frequently praised for its exceptional wood-fired pizzas, fresh salads, and authentic pasta dishes. Many patrons describe the atmosphere as chic, cozy, and vibrant, making it a popular choice for both casual date nights and group celebrations. While the majority of diners highlight the attentive service and high-quality ingredients, some have noted occasional inconsistencies regarding noise levels, temperature, and specific service lapses. Despite mixed opinions on pricing and menu variety, the overall consensus points to a memorable dining experience characterized by a sophisticated, modern vibe and consistently flavorful, well-crafted Italian fare.
What an incredible dining experience from start to finish.
The service was absolutely top-notch. Everyone was warm, attentive, & knowledgeable without ever making us feel rushed. They made the entire evening feel special.
Every dish we ordered was outstanding. The kale salad was fresh & packed with flavor, the Margherita pizza reminded me of the authentic pizzas I enjoyed in Italy, & the morel mushroom pasta was simply the best pasta I've ever had. It was rich, perfectly balanced, & unforgettable.
The atmosphere was lively yet comfortable, making it the perfect place to relax & enjoy a great meal with family. Everyone at our table loved their food, which is saying a lot.
This was easily one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in Montreal, & I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for exceptional food, outstanding service, & a memorable evening.
Cute spot! Would be so easy to walk by on the street, but a little gem. We had the Dante salad to start which was yummy, although there are artichokes in it, not a lot mostly just the lettuce & radicchio but nice & refreshing.
Between 3 people we shared 2 pizzas, the M Funguy which was a white sauce style pizza, with wild mushrooms & a nice garlic butter flavour. We also had the Diavolo 2.0 pizza, which was slightly spicy, with the salami & peppers (fancy pepperoni pizza). Both pizzas were good & I'd have them again!
We had the chocolate tarte for dessert, & if you like chocolate it's very good, a rich dark chocolate flavour.
Only « negative » per say is it is a bit pricey for the pizzas, but you pay for a nice ambiance in the restaurant.
Has a cute decor, & lots of classic apéritives like amaros & grappa.
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.
Mar 15, 2026
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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.
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.
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.
