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.
This is our second time coming to Elena. We visited back in August for our anniversary. I requested Elena for my birthday dinner, my husband made a reservation & put dinning room in the comments section.
We arrived & was told they only had the bar, or one table available only for an hour. We decided to stay, & would just eat fast.
Ordered a salad, & two pizzas.
When our pizza arrived one was completely cold, & the other was room temp/ warm.
Not the hot fresh out the oven I was expecting.
I usually don't care for pizza, but had such a great time in August, that I asked to come back to celebrate my special day.
Not sure what happened tonight, but I'm extremely disappointed.
Has a great experience dining at Elena for the first time. We ordered a peach & stracciatella appetizer, the red wine pasta, & the Dany pizza & everything was incredible. Wine & service were excellent too
Elena is hands down the best restaurant in Montréal. When I moved back from Italy, I was craving real Italian food & nothing compared… until I found this place. It's the ONLY spot in the city that tastes truly authentic, just like in Italy.
Every dish is consistently delicious, the prices are super reasonable, & the staff are always so sweet & attentive. The décor feels chill & low-key, & if you pay attention you realize how beautiful it actually is. In the summer, the terrace & the park behind the restaurant make it even more special. So cozy! Even the music is always cool too.
Make sure to try the:
Suppli, bread with olive oil, meatballs, mafalda al ragu, agnolotti if you get the chance, margherita pizza & kale salad.
I've been coming here for 6 years straight & it never disappoints. Always my #1 pick in Montréal! Best restaurant ever.
Sep 7, 2025
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.
Lovely place, great food! We tried 3 different pizzas & pasta with chanterelles, all absolutely delicious 😋 One thing that can be improved: food menu is written in such tiny font, that older people in our group had hard time reading it, please make it bigger.
Will be back for sure.
Très belle expérience, l'ambiance tamisée est parfaite pour un date. La pizza Dany & la salade de kale sont vraiment délicieuses! La serveuse était très gentille & assez présente sans être envahissante, je recommande.
Aug 25, 2025
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.
L'expérience a été globalement agréable & satisfaisante. Le service est très amical & souriant. Il faut néanmoins savoir que le service est fourni par les clients eux-mêmes l'ambiance & aussi appréciable avec la terrasse ensoleillée qui vous protège du vent. Pour ce qui est de la nourriture, nous avons essayé un sandwich du jour qui était vraiment très bon Mais nous restons Malgrétout déçu par les pizzas, elles sont plutôt petites & le fond de la pâte est détrempé par la sauce.
Really lively restaurant. The food was top notch wow. I am most certainly going to crave that salad again. Even though I am full to the max I still took my leftovers as it makes me sad to part with such deliciousness.
Everything - top to bottom was approachable, the menu was beautifully simple while allowing us to really get something each of us wanted. The servers were lovely, & the central bar design is unique! I loved the food so so much. Somehow my favourite thing we ate was the cauliflower. Cocktails were also great! What can be said other than we are in debt to those who recommended us.
We tried their Margherita pizza & the daily special pizza with stracciatella & cherry tomatoes. We loved the latter, but the Margherita was somewhat disappointing-we expected much more given the restaurant's reputation & the price. We'd definitely go again, but we wouldn't order the Margherita.
