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.
Il Focolaio offers wood fired, thin crust pizzas with a vast range of toppings and a menu that balances classic Italian staples with inventive options, all baked to perfection in a real Italian oven. The crust is consistently crisp and flavorful, the ingredients are fresh, and gluten free crust and lactose free cheese options are appreciated by many diners. The service is repeatedly described as fast, friendly and attentive, with staff making guests feel welcome and cared for even during busy periods. The atmosphere is lively yet cozy, making it a great spot for casual dinners, family nights or a quick bite after visiting nearby sights, and the location downtown Montreal adds to its appeal. Desserts like tiramisu and cannoli are frequently praised, and the wine and beer selection complements the meals well. Overall, this spot is widely regarded as one of the best pizza places in town, a must visit for pizza lovers, with many guests planning to return.
We visited from Hamilton, Ontario. We walked in the freezing cold & were so happy to stumble across this warm & cozy place. It was busy but very welcoming. We ordered the pepperoni pizza & it was probably one of the best I've ever had. Hot, delicious & made on the spot in plain view of the dining area. The crust was thin, crisp & perfect.
If I lived in Montreal, this would be a regular go-to place. ⭐?⭐?⭐?⭐?⭐?
Feb 11, 2026
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This was an amazing little spot with super efficient service. The food was fantastic & at points there were lineups out the door but within 20 minutes a giant line all seemed to be placed no matter how busy it was. The food was so fast to come out & it tasted incredible. There were so many options & you could change any of the toppings on the pizza so was easy even if you didn't want something exactly was designed. Also the dessert was well worth it.
Staff were really friendly & the service was great. I felt the pizza was a bit underdone but I understand there can be a bit of inconsistency when it's busy.
Overall I don't know if I'll return considering the price but I think it's worth a visit.
It was a last minute stop to grab a pizza just before closing. They were quite busy but the food came quick & was fantastic. Will definitely be back on my next trip to Montreal.
A 5 star experience. Had a great supper there with the family, & the service was impeccable, with very minimal wait time considering how busy the restaurant was.
The pizzas, salad, & desserts were absolutely fantastic. I'd come back to Montreal just for a meal at this restaurant again.
The pizza was crunchy & baked to perfection. The base sauce & toppings were alright. Service was fast & the waiters were friendly. A bit pricier than I expected.
But the seating was cramped. I could practically hear the person next to me breathing. I understand they're busy, but this was a bit suffocating. Really ruined the experience for us. We were more worried about our personal space than enjoying the pizza.
This place was our second option since our first option was not open yet 😊 A little further down the road but it was already starting to get busy. The restaurant is not very big & was very warm. The tables were a little close together. Our pizzas were delicious & were the perfect size. It took a little while to pay the bill but our service was very friendly.
Ended up at this place because of my friend's recommendation. She's been to this pizzeria before & thought their pizza is amazing so she took me here during our Montréal trip. The place was busy when we went for a visit during peak lunch hour rush on a Thursday. There was even quite a long line forming outside the restaurant of people waiting for a table. We ended up waiting for about 15 minutes or so before getting a table. The waiting time wasn't too bad to be honest. & if you don't want to wait, you can always order to go & eat it at the park across the street. What we ordered: Caesar Salad 8.5/10 The salad was fresh & nicely seasoned. Not too salty or peppery or cheesy. Very balanced. The portion was quite generous too. No.23 Campagnola 9.5/10 Sauce, mushrooms, onions, spicy pancetta (Italian bacon), mozzarella, black olives. I have to say this was probably one of the best pizza I've ever had in recent times. The pizza was cooked really well with that wood burning aroma whiffing off of the crust that's slightly charred on different spots. The texture was nice, chewy & there's a slight bounce to the bite. All the toppings were also evenly cooked & sitting nicely on top of the gooey mozzarella & the portion is quite big & generous. No.68 A La Griglia 9/10 Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, grilled vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, onions, artichokes, mushrooms, green & red peppers), fresh garlic, Italian herbs, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano. My friend actually ordered this one & I have the same comment about the overall pizza like the Campagnola. I think their pizza is really solid & you can just order whichever pizza that have the toppings that you like & I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it. Definitely will go back again the next time I'm in Montréal
Dec 12, 2024
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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.
The option of half salad half pizza is amazing really & I don't think I have seen it anywhere. Portion was good & both the salad & pizza were actually really good. Gets busy during lunch hou
The place was busy but the service was fast, get there early if you don't want to wait! The salad was huge but perfect to share, & the pizza was great. Crust was nice & lots of cheese!
The restaurant was very busy which is always a good sign. The pizza was delicious, I would just get it well done next time because I love a good crispy crust.
Jun 28, 2024
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The food here was absolutely phenomenal & the service was great. The quality of the pizza ingredients is definitely above average. It is very busy, we were waiting in line for a seat, but it was very much worth it. The normal pizza crust has egg & milk in it, but the whole wheat crust is vegan friendly.
This is my favorite Pizza restaurant. I try to eat here when I come to Montreal. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the pool chicken pizza. I will be back in the summer. It is a very busy spot but worth the wait.
The pizza & the service are outstanding. It's a very busy pizza place but totally worth the wait. The server was so attentive he understood we wanted to share the pizza & he asked if we wanted ours half & half. Not sure why we didn't think that at first but it's adorable that the waiter cared that much!!! I'll definitely go back! Try the grilled veggies pizza! Exquisite!!!!
This is the best, best pizza place in Montreal. My son & I have been going there as part of his birthday routine since he was seven (13.5 now). It's a special place & the pizza has never failed. Some servers have worked there for years. We know one & we always wonder if we will run into him & if he will remember us. Some years he does, depends how busy it is. But forget our experience, you will not go wrong with getting pizza at the place
The Pizza & Salad was amazing! The service was great we went on a busy night & our waiter Denis was absolutely amazing! Probably one of the best service I ever had at a restaurant
