Located in an enchanting setting on the shores of the Lachine Canal, Il Fornetto is a perfect place to offer oneself a moment of relaxation and change of scenery without having to leave the city. Inside, the rustic-inspired though modern décor is particularly pleasant. Yet it is above all for its superb, double-level terrace looking out directly over the canal that people love this place. Open from early in spring until late in autumn, the terrace welcomes you to come and enjoy beautiful the sunsets.
Il Fornetto’s menu takes on the appearance of an encyclopaedia of Italian cuisine. The selection is impressive and includes all of the staples: pastas available as a full dish or half portion, which is great for an entrée, various antipasti and veal and the most important staple of them all, pizza baked in a real wood-burning oven. Here, it is particularly delicious, crispy and topped with the freshest ingredients. Not surprisingly, this restaurant – open since 1987 – shows no sign of slowing down.
Il Fornetto consistently delivers an excellent dining experience with friendly, attentive service, a warm and inviting atmosphere, and a menu that showcases authentic Italian flavors. The wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas, and well-balanced dishes receive frequent praise for taste and quality, while the canal-side terrace and cozy interiors provide a memorable setting. Guests often highlight generous portions, good wine selections, and a welcoming vibe that works well for celebrations as well as casual dinners. The staff are noted for being helpful and professional, making reservations and dining smooth even when busy. This combination of dependable food, thoughtful hospitality, and a charming location keeps diners coming back time after time.
This place is just as I remember, a staple of the lachine water front restaurants great wood stove pizza accompanied by all the right flavor profiles. Very nice ambiance & service is on point. Couple of reason I don't give a 5 star rating, on the way to the washrooms we over heard some getting chewed out for some kind of error that was made, something else is the place has not changed in ages & lastly this place is exactly the same for as long as I could remember not yet to have had a menu that gets me excited to try something else.
We had a great experience at Il Fornetto. Ordered the Calabrese pizza which is mozzarella cheese, spicy oil, Italian sausage. Fantastic pizza. Great char from the wood oven on the crispy crust. You see the oven in the restaurant & it smells incredible as soon as you walk in. The ingredients are all savory & taste fresh. The portion is perfect for one person. The price is fair.
The restaurant is pretty high end & the service was good. It has a very cozy vibe inside. We came on a Sunday night around 7pm with no reservation & waited around 10 minutes for a table.
Jan 26, 2026
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Recently enjoyed a lovely birthday dinner at this warm & inviting restaurant in Lachine. The ceasar salad was great & the lasagna was delicious & everyone else in our party enjoyed their meals as well. The service was outstanding. Looking forward to trying it during the summer months.
Guylaine & Jasmine were absolutely the most welcoming & competent of servers. Even though the restaurant was very busy & the terrace was full, we were served as if we were the only ones. Fish well prepared, lots of crispy veggies. Eggplant appetizer is outstanding. Tiramisu made fresh every day. Price very reasonable. One of the nicest terraces on the Island of Montreal. It in has a first class view on the Lachine Canal. We will return often.
Por supuesto, aquí tienes la versión en francés del review:
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Une expérience spectaculaire du début à la fin.
Il Fornetto nous a agréablement surpris avec une combinaison parfaite de saveurs, d'ambiance & de service. Nous avons commandé des scaloppini, des cannelloni, une pizza Américaine & des pâtes puttanesca - chaque plat était parfaitement préparé, savoureux & présenté avec soin.
Le service était impeccable. Le personnel était chaleureux, attentionné & a su interagir naturellement en français, anglais & même en espagnol, ce qui a rendu l'expérience encore plus conviviale & personnalisée.
L'ambiance du restaurant est à la fois élégante & détendue, avec une magnifique vue sur le canal si vous choisissez la terrasse. Parfait pour un dîner en couple ou une sortie entre amis ou en famille.
Un véritable coup de coeur pour ceux qui recherchent une cuisine italienne authentique à Lachine.
Nous reviendrons sans hésiter!
Jul 3, 2025
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We visited this place for Mother's Day & they accommodated us last minute for a party of 12. The service was great, food amazing, I loved the Foccacia ! & the veal scallopini.
I found the dessert to be a bit pricy.. granita for 10$. However, 5 stars for this restaurant I will definitely returning!
The view is stunning as well overlooking the lachine canal.
Il Fornetto is a great spot for Italian food with a beautiful view of the Lachine Canal. The pizza was very delicious, with a perfect crispy crust & fresh toppings. The service was friendly & professional, but the rocket salad was overpriced for what it was, not much flavor for the cost. Still, it's a solid choice for a date night or a casual meal with friends.
It became our fav Italian resto in no time.
Located by the beautiful waterfront in lachine
Their pizza is to die for! Like really amazing & I don't usually love pizza in general. It's just tastes like in Napoli, Italy… yummy! Thin, crispy, but also a bit chewy, with just perfect amount of toppings, & made in the wood oven! Perfection!
We have tried everything in their menu , but my fav is eggplant parm! Omg…. It's so so freaking good!
The veal dishes are amazing & the pastas are cooked to perfect al dente. So many tasty dishes to choose from.
Service is always great , super friendly, fast & attentive, with smiles.
This resto is very popular, so make reservations, you will not be disappointed.
Jan 31, 2025
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Belle adresse face à l'eau sur Saint-Joseph dans le Vieux Lachine, un quartier qui prends de plus en plus vie. Service impecc par Karine. Rapide, courtois & sympathique. Resto qui se remplit tout le temps alors vaut mieux réserver. En été c'est mois compliqué vu la terrasse. Nourriture de qualité, servie rapidement. Pizza au four à bois, croûte mince & choix varié. Bonne sélection de vin. Desserts intéressants (key lime est très bonne). Café serré comme il se doit. Comptez environs 24$ par pizza. Vin au verre 12 a 15$. On y retourne. recommend.
Our favorite place in Lachine. Very cozy place because the spot is very nice on the riverside. The food is excellent! We always make reservations on the second floor to enjoy the beautiful view .Highly recommend. Their pizza is the Best!
Nice place on the waterfront in Lachine. Sorry to say but I wasn't blown away by the food, it wasn't horrible, tasted ok but not really that impressive. The drinks we ordered were miniscule for the price (old fashioned) & I think they got the other one wrong (margherita, but they brought a senorita).
Another great meal at Il Fornetto. Been coming here for years, not only for the food but the ambiance inside & out, with a great view of the Lachine canal. The staff are super friendly & always welcoming. Shared a large Caesar salad which was perfect for 2 people as a starter. Then enjoyed the Lasagna which is always consistent & tasty, & had the Rucola pizza which was absolutely delicious. All their pizzas are fantastic, you can't go wrong with any of them, & so many to choose from! In addition also had a Table d'hôte of Braised Short Rib with some spaghetti. The meat was so tender & succulent. This included a mista salad or minestrone soup. Sadly no room for dessert on this visit, but their tiramisu & crème brûlée are worth the extra indulgence.
