Tucked away on one of downtown’s quieter streets, La Marinara has subtlety down to an art. Warm colours and soft light, potted plants and flickering candles create a soothing, unassuming atmosphere. Music plays low and ambient, setting the tone but never intruding on the conversation. For this reason, La Marinara is best suited for romantic dinners or quiet business lunches. Designed in the style of the French bistro, it specializes in Italian pasta dishes. Primavera, bolognese, alfredo, carbonara, amatriciana: the usual suspects are present in all sorts of savoury permutations.
If you’re looking for veal, there may be no restaurant in the city better suited to your needs. Why not try the breaded veal, or bring crispy and cream together in sonorous harmony with the veal parmigiana. Did we mention the veal with lemon?
La Marinara earns widespread praise for authentic Italian cooking, homemade pasta that many describe as among the best, and a warm, intimate, unpretentious dining room. Reviews highlight friendly, attentive service from a family-run team and a cozy atmosphere that feels welcoming rather than formal. Dishes like gnocchi, fettuccine and veal marsala are repeatedly praised, with tiramisu and Caesar salad noted as standout desserts, while some nights offer generous portions and others feature smaller servings for certain items. Occasional drawbacks include a very salty soup, a carbonara with too much cream cheese, and high wine prices, but these are not universal. Overall, La Marinara is seen as a dependable downtown option that delivers comforting, well-executed Italian flavors and a consistently positive experience that keeps locals and visitors returning.
Excellent experience at La Marinara in Montreal! The homemade pasta was fresh, perfectly cooked, & full of flavor. The tiramisu was light, creamy, & the perfect sweet ending to a great meal.
I absolutely adore this place, for not just the delicious food, but also the staff. The place is so nicely presented & their logo is so cute & minimal, it's absolutely lovely. A lot of people dress up in there, but if you are a tourist looking for something to eat, they will gladly serve you without formal attire. The food was top notch, best pasta I have ever had & that is a lot coming from me, since I eat pasta nearly everyday! Their bread was even delicious & they made sure to accommodate you as much as possible. The waiters checked in more than other restaurants which was really good, because they were very customer focused & made sure our satisfaction was top priority. I would go here again & again if I could!
Jun 28, 2024
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Typical traditional Italian restaurant with high quality products, run by long time owners that used to be at Piedmontais. La Marinara is one of the best price quality option in Montreal. We had scallops as appetizers that were amazing. Then we had veal with pasta that were tasty & tender. Great for lunch & dinner. The owner recommended a 60$ bottle that was very good.
This is an AMAZING restaurant. They treat client on a personalized basis & get to know them as a person. I ordered my meal & forgot to mention that I had allergies & upon receiving my meal I realized that the fish had almonds & without hesitate the server removed my meal & brought me a 'Nut Free' pasta dish in a flash. Thank you all for saving my life!
What more do you need, save & despite the afore given 5 stars on all 4 questions. I must admit your prices border on exorbitant for main dishes of basically pasta. Kind of discouraging for becoming an habituer of once or twice per every week... Otherwise most enjoyable, as it was always for the many years I frequented your Marinara!
Nov 4, 2023
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Came here for lunch & ordered the penne a l'Arrabiata. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce was great & the spice level was right on the spot, hot but not too much. Service was quick & efficient. On the minus side, it was a bit too pricey for my budget, & this will limit me to come back here for lunch.
Nice little restaurant close to the Bell Centre, the ambiance is nice, the food is very tasty & overall we were satisfied.
Small critisism: portions are small. You'd think that a $24 bowl of pasta would be a full bowl.... (The bowl wasn't big)
So it's a trade off of great location, but not great portions.
Service was good too, not a bad thing to say there.
I recommend it.
Sep 9, 2022
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Warm, welcoming ambiance. Fantastic service by experienced waiters. Quality of food is very good - pasta & sauce excellent as was the tiramisu. All 6 of us were very pleased with our meals & dining experience.
Pairing veal a la limone with pasta with a tomato based sauce on the same plate was not exactly appetizing. Everyone else at the table was pleased with their meal.
Dinner at Cafe Bistro La Marinara is way more than 5 Star!!! The food is delicious, the service is outstanding, the venue is excellent, & the experience is one I would recommend to anyone. Their Escargot is original & unique, & the Fettuccini is probably the best pasta I have ever had. & that includes any of the many restaurants I've eaten at in Italy. La Marinara checks all the boxes for food, service, surroundings, value & hospitality. You feel like you are having dinner in someone's home rather than in a downtown restaurant. Thanks & Merci to the entire team at La Marinara for hosting a truly wonderful evening for my wife & I at your restaurant. It was special & we will be back. David & Nancy, Toronto.
Fabulous pasta & veal! Great value! Better food than restaurants at Twice the price. Nice little place with a family & warm feel. Service friendly & efficient! Will go back next time I go to Montreal
