Elena concentre son expertise culinaire sur des pizzas à croûte fine et des plats de pâtes italiennes authentiques préparés avec des ingrédients de saison rigoureusement sélectionnés. La cuisine privilégie les techniques traditionnelles pour obtenir une croûte parfaitement alvéolée tout en respectant les saveurs régionales de l'Italie. Les visiteurs découvrent un espace spacieux conçu pour une interaction décontractée, marqué par une esthétique minimaliste et des éléments de design industriel. Le menu met en avant des produits frais et locaux ainsi que des spécialités importées garantissant une constance remarquable à chaque plat. Au-delà des pizzas au levain, la sélection inclut des recettes de pâtes changeantes mettant en valeur les légumes de saison et les grains artisanaux. L'établissement privilégie une vision culinaire précise, offrant une expérience singulière par le traitement rigoureux des pâtes et la maîtrise des saveurs.
Elena est largement reconnue comme une destination incontournable à Montréal, appréciée pour sa cuisine italienne authentique, notamment ses pizzas à pâte au levain, sa salade César au chou kale et ses savoureuses pâtes. De nombreux clients soulignent l'atmosphère dynamique, le design élégant et le service attentionné comme des éléments clés d'une expérience culinaire mémorable. Bien que la majorité des visiteurs louent la qualité de la nourriture et le professionnalisme du personnel, certains commentaires font état d'incohérences dans la rapidité du service, de niveaux sonores élevés et de problèmes occasionnels concernant les places assises ou le confort thermique. Malgré quelques avis partagés sur la taille des portions et les prix, l'établissement demeure un choix prisé tant pour les sorties décontractées que pour les grandes occasions, et de nombreux habitués expriment leur vif désir d'y retourner.
Our family's new favorite restaurant. The Kale Caesar salad, Fried Risotto balls, Funguy pizza, Fried Cauliflower, the Dany pizza, & the Kevin Mccallister pizza for the kids were all exceptional! The pistachio & chocolate gelatos were the tastiest we ever had. We are definitely coming back! The service was amazing especially our waiter who made our first experience there true perfection.
I really enjoyed the Kale Ceasar Salad & the margarita pizza as well as the ragu pasta. The diavolo pizza I was disappointed by. The pastas are well executed!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Although most people seem to go for the pizza, I go for the salads. Always fresh, well composed & delicious. They may look like a medium sized salad, but trust me there's a lot in that bowl. Only attempt to eat one yourself if you're super hungry.
UPDATE: The loss of the back terrasse is sad. It was so much more pleasant than sitting in a terrasse in a reclaimed parking spot right next to Notre Dame St. Traffic.
The white shop towels are sure to cover any dark clothing with a pile of white lint balls.
What was a great kale Caesar now has an overly sharp dressing with way too much vinegar.
Waiting 45 minutes for a pizza on a Tuesday night just after 5:00 in an empty restaurant is an unacceptable attempt to run a bar bill.
10/10 atmosphere & food!
The sourdough & kale caesar are unbeatable for kicking off a meal, & we had fun discovering some new wines. The Margherita, Dany, & Passion Patate pizzas were all incredible. Perfect'pizza night' way beyond typical.
I really wanted to like Elena, especially after seeing so many great reviews, but overall it fell a bit short for me.
We started with the kale ceasar salad, which was quite salty, probably from all that Parmesan, so maybe that's just how it's meant to be. For pizzas, we tried two. The Amatriciana wasn't really my thing, I didn't like how the flavours came together, so it might have been a bad choice on my part. On the other hand, the pizza Dany was an expected delicious surprise: the spinach & hot honey were delicious; the sesame seeds a nice touch.
That said, the dough on both pizzas was very good. The spicy oil, however, wasn't spicy at all, which was a bit disappointing. Maybe they have different versions, but the one we got had no heat.
One of us wanted a tea, but they don't offer tea at all. For dessert, I got a decaf latte to have with the cake, but it arrived way later, more than halfway through it. The cake itself, though, the hazelnut with the gelato…very good.
Service was another weak point. The wait for everything was long, & at one point, the waitress came to clean the table, but just quickly wiped around without actually picking any of the pizza crumbs, which felt a bit careless.
The place itself is beautiful, nicely dimmed lights & a great atmosphere visually, but the music felt too loud for this type of restaurant.
All in all, I guess it wasn't that bad of an experience, I definitely expected better given the hype. I might give it another try, but this visit didn't quite live up to expectations.
Great pasta & starters. Good spot for a quiet date for two. Dining room is a little tight for larger groups. I've been here a few times & have loved the food every time. Kale Caesar salad is a must.
Got together with some friends for a meal & one friends had reserved. We were warmly greeted upon entering & were seated at Justin & Anthony's table. They were both excellent. Service was fun, efficient & friendly with excellent recommendations. We started with the Kale Caesar which was good. Then we shared the Amatriciana pizza which I was super surprised to see an actual wood fired oven. Pizza dough was excellent with good hydration & good flavours. Then we shared the Mafalda al ragu which was delicious. What I didn't like was the lack of English menus & the lackluster reason why there weren't any, wasn't a fan of the kale Caesar, place was quite loud & finally, the little sign outside wasn't big enough to see when driving or even walking by. All in all, an excellent place & definitely recommended.
