Il Bazzali presents a focused menu centered on the technical preparation of authentic Italian pasta dishes and hand-stretched pizzas. The kitchen prioritizes traditional techniques to create firm, perfectly textured doughs alongside rich, slow-simmered sauces. Every plate emphasizes the structural balance between artisanal flour, imported cheeses, and fresh aromatic herbs. The physical space features an open layout that prioritizes communal interaction while maintaining a standard level of functional comfort. Patrons encounter a direct focus on core regional flavor profiles that avoid unnecessary culinary fusion or contemporary over-complication. This establishment maintains a straightforward operational philosophy, ensuring that the consistency of basic ingredients remains the primary driver of each served item. The environment supports a focus on ingredient quality through a simplified, utilitarian approach to the classic Mediterranean culinary framework used for every preparation.
Il Bazzali is widely celebrated as a charming, authentic destination that captures the heart of Italian dining in Montreal. Guests consistently praise the high quality of the homemade pasta, generous portions, and flavorful ingredients that create a warm, comfort-focused experience. The restaurant is particularly noted for its unique and memorable atmosphere, highlighted by the owner and chef often serenading diners with impressive opera performances. The staff is frequently described as friendly, attentive, and welcoming, contributing to the establishment's reputation as a special place for celebrations and social gatherings. With its inviting decor and pleasant outdoor terrace, many visitors find the overall experience both cozy and distinctive, expressing a strong desire to return for future visits.
Grand chef cuisiner dans un petit resto. Ambiance chaleureuse & excellente bouffe, jamais mangé aussi bon à bon rapport qualité prix. Je recommande fortement
I've got their pizza. The taste is very good. The staff is friendly. I've got takeout, but judging from what I saw, they have nice atmosphere, dimmed light & not too loud.
Nous avons adoré notre expérience culinaire & que dire du chef à la voix d'or. Les serveurs sont très courtois. Le chef prend le temps de saluer sa clientèle.
Ce restaurant ne mérite plus ses lettres de noblesse. Jadis peut-être, mais aujourd'hui, la gloire est bien fanée. Nous avons commandé deux pizzas, une entrée, un plat de pâtes & un mijoté. Autant le dire franchement : si vous tenez à votre réputation, cessez immédiatement de servir de la pizza. Non seulement vous n'y excellez pas, mais c'est une véritable catastrophe, & je ne suis pas le seul à le constater. Les clients parlent, mais vous semblez refuser d'entendre.
Ma Roma e Nizza ? Une caricature. Une montagne d'oignons caramélisés, au point d'être écoeurante, des anchois rarissimes comme s'ils étaient en voie d'extinction, & une pâte digne d'une boulangerie du dimanche soir : épaisse, craquante, huileuse, sans âme ni structure. Pas d'alvéoles, pas de légèreté, pas de vie. Une pizza non découpée, en prime. Dans la Petite Italie…
Le service, certes, a relevé le niveau : courtois & attentif. Les cocktails, corrects mais sans éclat. Encore faut-il savoir qu'un lychee martini n'a rien à voir avec un dry martini & qu'il ne s'accompagne surtout pas d'une olive. Quant au choix de vins au verre, il est famélique. Après tant d'années en mode « apportez votre vin », n'avoir su bâtir une carte cohérente est une incompréhension totale de l'utilité d'un permis de débit.
Seule lumière dans ce tableau : la macreuse braisée, réussie & à la hauteur de son prix.
En conclusion, je vous le dis sans détour : abandonnez la pizza, ou engagez enfin un artisan qui en maîtrise l'art. Car à persister dans cette voie, vous ne faites que ternir la réputation de la maison.
As an artist (& not one that comes from a moneyed background),'fine dining' is something that can be relatively impossible. In fact, most of the typical fine dining experiences make me queasy: overpriced, minuscule morsels of food that leave you heading for a burger immediately after you've emptied your paycheque on a few forkfuls of'food', having just spent 3 hours amongst horribly pretentious influencers & Instagrammers, unable to avoid hearing their inane & vapid yammering from every corner of the restaurant. (I also NEVER wait in line to go eat somewhere… Montréal seems to be just as famous for people waiting in line for eggs on toast as it is for being served eggs on toast. It's eggs on toast, people, c'mon!!). I do not feel comfortable forcing myself TO BE comfortable in these establishments.
On the very special occasion that I do end up with the opportunity to eat out somewhere, it needs to be worth it, & on realistic terms. It often helps when friends or family come to town, & we go out for meals. Not that we don't treat ourselves on the regular, but it beats eating in a tiny flat & having to do the dishes in an even smaller kitchen. & just a couple of blocks away, with the same comforts of being in a homely environment, is the incredibly unique, & equally unpretentious restaurant Il Bazalli, at the crossroads of Little Italy & La Petite Patrie, just a few blocks east of St Laurent on Beaubien.
This gem of a neighbourhood eatery serves truly amazing Italian cuisine, while nestled in mismatched chairs & ramshackle booths. Oh, & being sung to by the owner & chef, Davide Bazalli. Yes. Opera no less. If you have heard about'that Italian place in Montréal with the handsome opera singer', this is the place.
We have been to Il Bazalli several times since they opened ten years ago, & I have never left a review. We most recently visited for my birthday celebration, & we were not let down! They were able to cater to our group of sixteen, & there was something there for everyone. The staff were extremely courteous & patient, not to mention extremely helpful & very knowledgeable about the food & wine selection. Over the past years, I think I have had most items from the menu, if not ordered for myself, but shared from the plate of my wife. The cod accras are a usual favourite, but tonight I went for their braised beef & mushroom stuffed arancini (a few months back, during the restaurant's anniversary celebrations, we had BEET arancini!!) About the size of a walnut, I felt like a bit of a savage eating these crispy morsels whole, but they were incredible! For my main, I had the Linguini'Goloso' (see photo) which was Parmigiano Reggiano cream, smoked lardons, mushrooms, caramelized onions & Parmigiano Reggiano. Ravioli, cod filet in pizzaïoli sauce, braised beef scoter, pizza, beef & salmon tartare, not one of our 16 guests were left disappointed! We were only disappointed we didn't have room for dessert, although this birthday boy did get a slice of almond & orange cake (vegan & gluten free!)
In a persistently gentrifying city that seems to be favouring pretention over true cultural substance, Il Bazalli is the type of place one would hope to find in their neighbourhood. Check it out!
