After nine years in business, Stella Pizzeria is expanding its culinary offerings with the opening of a brand-new Italian brasserie-style restaurant in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles.
Located in the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion, at the corner of Sainte-Catherine Street, this new establishment showcases classic Italian cuisine. The menu, developed by chef Alessandro Bleve, offers a range of traditional dishes, including artisanal pizzas, fresh homemade pasta, and several specialties that reflect the authenticity and richness of Italian cuisine.
Stella Brasserie Italienne is described as a downtown Montreal gem with a prime location for catching a show and a lively atmosphere that suits pre or post theatre dining. Food generally draws strong praise, especially pizzas with dough described as perfect and toppings top notch, and a diverse menu that includes pasta, seafood, and meat dishes with several items singled out as standouts. Signature cocktails and a wine list are frequently highlighted as part of the experience. Service is consistently praised for friendliness and efficiency in many visits, though some reviewers note uneven attention, slow water refills, or missteps during busy periods. Ambiance is often described as chic and energetic, with a warm vibe and terrace option, and some comments mention the occasional noise level or busyness at peak times. Prices are sometimes labeled as high, but many reviews feel the value is fair given location, quality, and drinks, making the overall experience worth returning for. Overall, the consensus is that Stella Brasserie Italienne is a go-to spot for a delicious meal before or after a show, offering generous portions, strong pizza and cocktail offerings, and a hospitable atmosphere, with service consistency as the main area for improvement.
The host was rude & waited for me to say'bonsoir' before helping us since'we are in a French speaking city', bad first impression upon arriving. Our server was basically non existent & never followed up with us once she took our orders. No offer of another drink or a check in to see if we needed anything...we had to get up to find pepper & water. My friends liked their meals, my mushroom pasta was a bit tasteless.
Update: The manager contacted me about this review & did not apologize for anything. They blamed me for not greeting the host in French. I am part French & totally agree that we should make an effort to speak French while in Quebec but the host was rude about the fact I greeted him in English.
Un très bon moment : Nous sommes rentrés juste pour 2 expressos & chocolats viennois - une ambiance chaleureuse & finalement nous avons décidé d'y manger - un carpaccio de boeuf délicieux, un tartare délicieux & également pour les raviolis - un service irréprochable & un accueil très chaleureux.
Merci 🙏 on recommande vivement & nous y reviendrons avec plaisir lors de notre prochaine visite sur Montréal 🤩
Mar 5, 2026
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.
Plat du jour était excellent. Mes collègues, de Toronto & Washington, ont adorés leur repas également!
Belle ambiance, pas trop bruyante.
Service excellent, vraiment une belle trouvaille!
En plus, un parking extérieur à seulement quelques pas👍
Le seul problème est que je vais devoir y retourner avec amis & famille pour leur faire découvrir😊
The signature cocktails are original - the Aquila (mezcal&aperol) was very good. Everyone's meals (focaccia, pizza, salmon, beef tartare, pasta & ravioli du moment which was duck stuffing) was tasty though the pizza was just ok.
Unfortunately after our cocktails & entrés no one came to ask if we wanted anything else although I had said we'd be taking wine. So we were starting our main courses before we were able to order our wine. Also our water glasses were never refilled during the meal, it was only done so when we were on dessert. So a bit of work is needed on the service. But the waitstaff was friendly & courteous.
The ambiance is lively & modern chic.
Stella Brasserie Italienne is a true downtown Montréal gem, perfectly located for anyone catching an evening show (Quartier des Spectacles).
We booked a table for 2 people sort of last minute on a busy Thursday, & given the place was packed, we happily accepted bar seats. It turned out to be the best decision! The moment I sat down, I was greeted by Maxime, the barman, who was incredibly courteous & very friendly. He instantly prepared a delicious craft cocktail & offered flawless service throughout the night. The food was just as exceptional. The pizzas were truly phenomenal; the difference is in the details: the dough was perfect, the sauce was tasty & fresh, & the ingredients were top-tier. Stella Brasserie Italienne has that perfect combination of electric energy, a great location, a top-notch staff, & a complete menu.
We'll absolutely be back! Highly recommend booking your future pre-show dinner here.
Je sais reconnaître une organisation bien gérée quand j'en vois une.
Réservation faite à moins de 24h, restaurant complet, Vendredi soir, heure de pointe, veille de la Saint-Valentin… & malgré ça, mes demandes spéciales ont été non seulement acceptées, mais exécutées avec une précision & une générosité qui dépassaient mes attentes.
Ce n'est pas juste du service, c'est de la culture d'entreprise.
Souci du détail. Communication claire. Exécution impeccable.
Respect à toute l'équipe. Longue vie au Stella.
Feb 18, 2026
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 were 5 for dinner. Our food was great. We had the meal salad, muscles, pasta, pizza & steak. They all arrived at the same time (not by our server), & we never saw anyone again. No one asked if we needed anything - salt, knife, water, another drink… nobody!
Meilleurs services. Excellente expérience. La nourriture au. Rendez-vous. Respect du temps & en plus si tu n'as pas de choix, Aurore est la meilleure personne pour t'orienter.
Feb 5, 2026
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.
Un endroit aussi chaleureux que délicieux. Stella est la petite perle de la place des arts : les mets sont copieux & exquis, sans parler du personnel, aussi gourmand que les plats. Nous avons été accueillies par l'amical Michael, aussi drôle que serviable. Par la suite, nous avons eu la chance de goûter aux cocktails raffinés d'Alex, le barman charismatique du restaurant. Notre serveuse, la charmante Aurore, nous a été de très bon conseil, notamment sur la carte des vins. Nous reviendrons sans hésiter ! Un grand merci à l'équipe pour son hospitalité, nous avons passé une merveilleuse soirée.
Dernier déjeuner à montreal avant le départ pour Paris.excellent repas ( onglet de boeuf sauce Porto au romarin & ravioli fourré au canard sauce à la truffe), le tout servi par un personnel souriant aimable,& aux petits soins pour la clientèle.jerecommande chaudement
Il manque de variété de bières pour pouvoir porter le nom Brasserie. C'est le point qui m'a déçu. L'accueil était courtois. Belle vu sur les activités extérieures.
Jan 1, 2026
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.
Charming location. Staff is friendly & welcoming. Food was horrible. Carpaccio with too but way too many sun dried tomatoes. The parsnips puree was way but way too sweet. The pizza my spouse took was very good though. The foccacia did not have the texture of a foccacia. Too dense to call it a foccacia. The dessert was some sort of lava cake. Baked for too long, no lava inside. Food was very dissapoing to say the least. We are happy we tried, we wanted to like it as we live close by but not going back there. They need to get a chef that tastes the food before letting this out.
Réservation à 17:30, déjà 3 items non disponibles sur la carte. On commande une entrée & les plats principaux. Ils nous apportent les plats principaux après quelque minutes, & aucune entrée (elle n'a pas été préparée). On laisse tomber l'entrée. La pizza a du fromage Fior di Latte non fondu encore froid & ce qui semble être des champignons en conserve.
The restaurant was packed, actually there were way too many diners at the time. Because of the lack of space, we were seated at the bar. The service was excellent & the bar tender was very attentive. I ordered the mussels in wine sauce, which tasted okay, but were simply bland & overly filled with sliced onions. The dish was in need of garlic & seasoning, that was very apparent.
Unfortunately, I ended up with food poisoning & was up all night & half of the next day after dealing with a very upset stomach. The mussels themselves had to be off as I noticed a good amount that were closed.
It was a disappointing experience given that the service is indeed excellent.
