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.
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.
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!
Aug 18, 2024
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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.
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.
Nous étions un groupe de 11 & quand nous sommes arrivé le restaurant était plein , ils ont pris le temps d'analyser les possibilité & ils ont réussi a nous trouvé une place dans un temps qui était plus que acceptable. Nous avons commandé & reçu notre commande dans un temps record & en plus tout était vraiment délicieux probablement la meilleure pizza que j'ai mangé. Le service était parfait le personnel est extrêmement gentil & attentionné. Très belle expérience nous recommandons fortement & nous allons assurément y retourner merci beaucoup pour se délicieux souper!
Pour une fois je tombe sur de la bonne pizza à Montréal je la recommande fortement, menu varié pour tous les goûts. Avec une décorationet vintage l'odeur spécial qui ravive les souvenirs de l'enfance. 🥰enfin pour moi ☺personnel accueillant & au 👌petits soins . Les prix sont raisonnables Par contre l'attente risque de durer un peu mais ça vaut le coup 💥 Merci beaucoup
Dec 20, 2023
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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!
My mom said this was the best pizza she’s had in Canada! & that’s coming from an Italian⭐?⭐?⭐?⭐?⭐?
I found the pizza cheesy, flavourful, spicy in the right ways & delicious!!! I cannot wait to come back & I highly highly recommended checking this spot out for your next pizza craving. The cheese pulls are amazing & the olive oil & Chili flakes add an excellent touch😍
Located in the downtown area, I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area to give it a try.
Authentic Italian Restaurant with an original menu.
Professional staff & pleasant service.
A downtown treasure, extensive list of many delicious pizzas with a cosy not too fancy atmosphere. Would recommend but make sure to book or get there early it can get busy at times !
Sep 22, 2023
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If you are in Montreal & want a great pizza place you have to head out to Pizza II Focolaio. You have over 50 pizza choices. Good food & great service. We were there on Aug 30, 2023 based on the reviews we saw & it is true to what everyone says. Must recommended if you are in Montreal.
Très agréablement surprise par ce restaurant !
Nous avons été rapidement accueilli, & le service est très courtois.
Il y a plus d'une vingtaine de choix de pizza (elles ont toutes l'air exquise!).
J'ai pour ma part essayer "La Renaissance" & je la recommande.
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.
