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 a lively wood-fired Italian pizza experience with a broad menu of toppings and creative combos, a crisp flavorful crust, and fresh ingredients that make many pies stand out in Montreal's pizza scene. The dining room feels welcoming and bustling, and the service is consistently friendly and efficient even when crowded, with easy options for takeout or patio seating. The menu includes vegetarian, gluten free and lactose free choices, and cannolis and tiramisu pair nicely with the pizzas. While lines and close tables are common during peak hours, guests repeatedly praise generous portions, fair prices and the overall authentic, satisfying taste that keeps them coming back.
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!
Nov 10, 2024
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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.
My partner & I ordered the Calzoni Volcano (No. 44) & the Pizza Carré Phillips (No. 27), & we both thoroughly enjoyed the Volcano Calzoni. It was incredibly flavorful, with a filling that had a gentle, spicy kick that blended perfectly with the cheese & mushrooms. The Pizza Carré Phillips was more of a classic all-dressed pizza on a thin crust-not bad, but I found myself wishing I'd tried something different, as I can get an all-dressed pizza anywhere. The Cannolis are so delicious too! The waiter was exceptionally friendly & made us feel very welcome. I would definitely come back!
Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambience 3/5 This is definitely my favourite pizza restaurant in Montreal. For years, I stop by this place whenever I had the chance & it never disappoints. The quality is as good as it can be, crust & toppings, simply can't get enough of those pizzas.
This place has over 73 different types of pizza, & you can have it with vegan cheese & a vegan crust ! They have tofu & vegan pepperoni as well. This fungi pizza had pleurotte mushrooms & spicy peppers, it was excellent
Visit: June 2024 I got the Suprema Pizza, which was very good, with an insane amount of toppings & a thin, crisp crust. One pizza is still pretty filling for one person. Also comes with olive oil to add to the pizza or use for the crust. Also loved the decor in the restaurant, it gave a very rustic feeling to the place
Aug 2, 2024
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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.
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.
May 4, 2024
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Second time, just as good as the first. Had the gluten-free crust with prosciutto & spicy pancetta (since the pepperoni is not gluten-free). I'm already looking forward to our next visit.
I've loved pizza my whole life, & these were definitely on the top of my list. I eat all kinds of pizza, pan pizza, thin crust, stuffed crust, homemade, frozen, New York style, Chicago style, Italian pizza, Canadian pizza, etc., honestly speaking, pizza is just so versatile that I personally believe anything can be added on it. I've never seen a pizza menu with 77+ flavors. Besides the pizza per se, the highlight of the experience to me was the fact that they served olive oil & red chili pepper flakes on the side, which made me feel like it was a "healthier cheat meal". Thank you for the great experience. Servers were so nice as well! Will be back there again! P.s. We didn't make a reservation, but we noticed there were people queueing up to get in after 6pm.
Focalaio on Phillips Square, just in front of the Bay store, is probably the best little Pizza place for thin crusted, any topping you can imagine pizza , with great tasting cheeses .
They also have the best Caesar salad downtown . No pasta just pizza
but delicious , go after 8pm its quieter , or go early betw 130 & 530pm .
We hit up Il Focolaio for the 1st stop on our downtown pizza crawl.
The Margherita pizza's crust was thin but retained a certain level of chewiness while the sauce was very scarce so we couldn't really taste it. The basil flavour was absent & we encountered a few salty pockets here & there.
The Polpetta Di Mamma Angelina pizza had the same crust with good sauce coverage this time. The sweetness of the red pepper comes through but we wished there were more meatballs.
Overall, Il Focolaio is an OK place for your weekday lunches, but we wouldn't recommend it for a night out on the town.
