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.
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
Even though the place is small as soon as you take a bite of your food, you forget that space even exists because of how good the pizza itself is! Would be nice given how popular they are to possibly expand, but we will have to see!
They have the best pizzas! Their pizzas are absolutely delicious!!! Every time I go, they never disappoint! Service is great; friendly staff However, I find the restaurant a bit small & would've preferred if it was a little cozier & a little chic
I ordered a take out pizza, it was with italian sausage & ham It was 24.5 with tip i paid 28, & to be honest it had a 10$ worth frozen pizza taste. I am disappointed I was seeing line there always. But If I've been there for a dine in for a date I would love it because the place is very cool & the stuff is so nice. Other than my pizza experience it looks like a very nice place but I am very disappointed for the food unfortunately.
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%.
Nov 15, 2024
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I don't know, this place is changed. They used to be one of the best Italian pizzerias in town. I used to go often in 2018-2021, used to have amazing pizza. We went yesterday their menu was changed. Tomatoes on the pizza were tasteless orange grocery store tomatoes, mediocre cheese, the dough looked fine. It wasn't the same authentic Italian pizzeria anymore. New management maybe? They had also removed their delicious sub sandwiches from the menu. Super disappointed ( also no Italian pizzeria has pineapple pizza on the menu!)
Our friends in Montreal said this was a great pizza place, & they were 100% correct! We visited Montreal & unfortunately we could only manage to do delivery, but it was fabulous! There were so many pizza options on the website that we had some trouble deciding what to get. I had the absolute best anchovy pizza I've ever had! Everyone else really enjoyed their pizzas, too (the kids are Hawaiian fiends, & everyone else got assorted meaty toppings). The delivery guy was also very lovely & insisted on bringing the pizzas up the stairs to us, even though we went down to meet him. The delivery boxes are also really appealing, haha. Will definitely return for more the next time we are in town!
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!
While the pizza tasted fine, it seemed more like a regular cheese pizza. Nothing about it said it was the MARGHERITA pizza. No fresh basil, seems like they baked it with the basil leaves on it, no mozzetta, the way it should look like.
