Il Focolaio
Info & Location
About us
Since 1984 clients have been coming to Il Focolaio to get that authentic Italian taste that is reminiscent of their grandmother’s cooking. Il Focolaio, in fact means fireplace in Italian. The name depicts the maple wood burning oven where each and every one of our pizzas and roasted ingredients are cooked. Our fireplace, as in the old country, not only brings forth the food but also becomes the gathering place for our clients who always feel welcomed and right at home. Our recipe for success is simple, serving up pizza using ingredients that only a true pizzaiolo would use, such as extra virgin olive oil, top quality tomatoes and only the freshest ingredients, all prepared with passion and a love for cooking to bring you the end result that you will never forget. We invite you to come and enjoy the taste of Italy with a nice glass of wine from our wine list. Enjoy it all on our terrace in the middle of downtown during the summer months.
Our Specialties
Wood oven pizza.
Amenities, services & more
Capacity: 128 We accept: Master Card, Visa, AMEX, InteracPhotos (19) More
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Events Nearby
Pride 2025 at Place Ville Marie
Aug 10, 2025
Fantasia International Film Festival Montreal 2025
Jul 17, 2025 to Aug 3, 2025
Reviews often mention
Display Allpizza(555) salad(35) recommend(34) crust(29) options(26) italian(23) rapide(22) pizzeria(22) topping(20)Page 1 of 2 - 33 Reviews
Tyra
This is one of my favourite pizza places in Montreal! There are so many varieties that you can have, & I haven't even tried the calzonis or the salads. Last time I went, we were able to get a reservation for 11am & were immediately seated when we got in. This time, I got a Campagnola, without olives, & it was absolutely delicious. I devoured the whole pizza. I noticed it was slightly smaller than it was when I visited in past years, but it was no less delicious! I highly recommend this place for lunch or dinneView more
Ruben
Great place to eat pizza decent prices service excellent I'll recommend.View more
Mohammad
This is one of the best Italian pizzas, I have ever had outside of Italy.
You have a huge selection of pizzas, more than 70 types of pizza.
I recommend it for sure.View more
Bradley
Amazing pizza every time! Consistent, always fresh, & not shy with toppings. Plus they have delicious gluten free crust available & lactose free cheese for people with dietary restrictions! The servers are also very knowledgeable & friendly. Highly recommend!View more
Michelle
Everything about our evening there was perfect. The service was impeccable & the food delicious, wow! I definitely recommend going there. They have a whole variety of pizzas that it was a struggle to choose one because everything looked deliciousView more
Shabnam
There are a lot of options here for pizza lovers! The best ones are marked by *. For the first time I'd recommend to go with the * ones. You'll be given French menus but if you ask, they'll provide English Menus.
I didn't like the vegetable based pizza we got the second time we went there.View more
Sina
Absolutely loved this pizza shop! The pizza was genuinely tasty - fresh ingredients, perfectly cooked crust, & just the right amount of cheese & toppings. The price was very fair for the quality & portion size, which is always a plus. What really stood out, though, was the staff - they were incredibly nice, welcoming, & made the whole experience even better. You can tell they care about their customers & take pride in their service. Whether you're grabbing a quick bite or dining in, this place is worth a visit. I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend it!View more
Mike
A pizza place from the 80-90s & still running must mean it's the best, well yes, it was great. The sauce & pizza are amazing, you can choose from your 70 options of pizza.
I'd definitely recommend, but the line up is an issue.View more
Ethan
Pizza & service were great with good selection, I'd recommend ordering over sitting in to eat, the chairs were some of the most uncomfortable I've ever sat inView more
Clémence
Yummy pizza with a great vibe! Highly recommend the broccoli pizza. Also tried the alla greca, which I would not recommend.View more
Daniel
Gluten free friendly crust is to die for. Best ever. Cooked to perfection. Our one regular wheat crust eater said it was his most favourite pizza ever. Definitely recommend & coming back. So happy you were so close to our hotel. Front staff ladies 10/10.View more
Anthony
Friendly place downtown Montreal, with so many pizza options that everyone can find something that perfectly fits their taste ! Great service, great pizzas, very good wine ! I definitely recommend !View more
Laya
We go there a lot. I've tried a few dishes, but my favorite is the number 16, which is a shrimp pizza. It's light, tasty, & they are generous with the amount of shrimp (unlike other places where shrimp pizzas often have just a few pieces). You should definitely try the house wine-it's really good. As for dessert, I wouldn't recommend the tiramisu, even though it's my absolute favorite. It doesn't seem to be made in-house, kind of like the ones you buy from groceries.View more
Immi
If you've been to Italy & know the real taste of a pizza, then here you'll find the same taste & quality. Very friendly service, definitely recommend this place 100%.View more
Vishal
I recently dined at Pizza Focolaio in downtown Montreal & was thoroughly impressed! I ordered the vegetarian pizza ratatouille & the Giardino salad, & both dishes were fantastic. The pizza was stone-baked to perfection, with a crisp crust on the outside & a soft, chewy interior. The ratatouille toppings were generous & beautifully seasoned, creating a delightful medley of flavors. The Giardino salad was fresh & well-composed, providing a refreshing contrast to the pizza. Pizza Focolaio offers a wide variety of pizzas, both vegetarian & non-vegetarian, catering to diverse tastes. Each pizza is stone-baked, enhancing the flavors & giving it an authentic, rustic touch. The ambiance is cozy & welcoming, & the attentive service made the experience even better. I'd highly recommend this spot for anyone craving delicious, high-quality pizza in Montreal!View more
Ashutosh
Genuinely is one of the best pizzas you can get, period. Such a rich & original variety of pizzas at a competitive price, fast service & great branding. Love their tiramisu as well. I recommend their truffle pizza called tarta something, everyone already posts so many pics of it already, it's soo good, you definitely have to try it if you like truffles.View more
Yike
I am a pizza lover & I have tasted many delicious pizzas. I have to say that when I first ate the pizza from this restaurant, I was really amazed. The tomato sauce was very delicious, & the ingredients were matched, & the crispness of the crust was just right. I will definitely recommend it to every friend who comes to Montreal.View more
Natalie
This place was right next to our hotel in downtown Montreal. It was super busy! It has over 70 pizza options which I thought was so cool. It came out really quick & it was DELICIOUS!!! Tasted just like NY wood fire pizza! Would definitely recommend.View more
Tina
The place to be for a delicious pizza made with fresh ingredients & a lot of choices (more than 80) Very friendly staff. I really recommend this place. Try also the dessert if you have some space left ;-)View more
Kunal
Tasty pizzas & great view of the square. Definitely recommend to visit during the summer.View more
Mayuri
Awesome veg pizza & salad. Would definitely recommend to allView more
Moin
Pizza was great! Had the chance to try types, number 74 & the other one was the portobello mushroom pizza. Both were delicious but I'd highly recommend number 74, super tasty & flavourful! Great service & easy to find in the heart of Montreal.View more
Liana
This restaurant's pizza is phenomenal, one of the best pizzas i've ever had. Will definitely come again! 100% recommend, staff are extremely welcoming, helpful, & friendly.View more
Arghavan
This place is a pizza lover's paradise! You can find a pizza for every taste & preference here, with an extensive menu that caters to everyone. I decided to try the number 65, & it was absolutely delicious! Highly recommend!View more
Mason
This is a long review but worth the read. I lived in NYC for a long time & visited all over the world & frequently eat at the best pizza places like lucalli Brooklyn, original prince street, sallys ct, spago smoke salmon pizza, Savoy Tokyo etc. Having experienced all these venues, I would say this place is fantastic. Obviously for global pizza fans its still not quite at the global top level like the one mentioned above but this place without question the best in Canada. I am very impressed by consistency as well as its very hard to find good chefs willing to make just pizzas in Canada. This is why Prince Street in Toronto tastes absolutely terrible & does not even taste 5 percent of original one in NYC. I recommend everyone checking out this place in Montreal to come here. Try their truffle pizza & their cold jar of sangria. I have respect for the owner family as I know how hard its run a pizzeria in Canada.View more
??????
We were pleasantly surprised by this establishment. Rashid, who helped us choose an order, was very friendly & pleasant to talk to. Everything was so fast! & delicious. The pizza was amazing. I have never tried such interesting & multifaceted pizzas. I highly recommend visiting this place, preferably in the morning. Because in half an hour there will already be many people who want to try the best pizza in the world.View more
Diana
I loved this place. I recommend going with extra time, because you can wait 20 minutes in the lineView more
Phanuel
Simply the best pizza in Montreal. I recommend it anytime of the day.View more
Daniela
This is one of the places where I've tasted the best pizza in my life! The Montréal one was super delicious! I highly recommend it!!View more
Nicole
Phenomenal pizza, lovely sangria, awesome atmosphere, & amazing service. Probably the best pizza I've had, will be going back again & again! Couldn't recommend more!View more