Nora Gray delivers a sophisticated interpretation of Italian culinary traditions through a menu focused on seasonal ingredients and meticulous preparation. The kitchen prioritizes house-made pastas and locally sourced produce to construct dishes that balance rustic authenticity with modern technique. Diners encounter a selection of antipasti, handmade agnolotti, and carefully composed proteins that reflect the core tenets of regional Italian gastronomy. The interior environment fosters a focused sensory experience where ambient lighting and clean aesthetic lines emphasize the plate. Each plate represents a deliberate choice in texture and flavor profile, maintaining consistency across the entire menu structure. By emphasizing the intrinsic quality of raw elements, the restaurant creates a cohesive narrative centered on the integrity of traditional preparations while integrating contemporary adjustments to suit an evolved palate.
Nora Gray is frequently praised for its intimate, cozy atmosphere and its selection of high-quality, flavorful Italian-inspired dishes, particularly the fresh pasta and seasonal offerings. Many diners highlight the attentive, knowledgeable staff and the vibrant energy of the space as key factors in an enjoyable evening. However, recurring feedback points to concerns regarding high price points relative to small portion sizes, as well as inconsistencies in food preparation and service pacing. While some guests find the dining experience to be exceptional and well worth a visit, others feel the value does not always align with their expectations, noting that the restaurant can become quite loud and occasionally chilly in colder months.
The food was honestly not good. The spaghetti alla bottarga got no unami flavor, we couldn't taste any fish toe but just strong acidity from the lemon, which was way too overpowering.
Beef cut was too chewy, pork was better but not standing out.
The appetizer of carppacio is very normal, mushroom underneath but not very well integrated in flavor. Sea bream cheek was meh-ok, standard olive oil with some balsamic.
The tuna sauce of potato is too bad, the fishy-ness all came out.
Dessert - the citrus mascarpone one has good composition, salt & olive oil on top are nice. But the signature tarte noire is just a dense chocolate cake, all of us have tasted some bitterness.
Only dish worth eating is the tagliatelle alla bolognese. Good in texture, taste & classic.
Service was bad, the waiter was not very patient. Gave our table the wrong order two times, once from the other table, then taking away & didn't apologize. Then second forgot about the sauce on side note. I still tipped reasonably but now I kind of regret it for the below average food experience & service.
The food & atmosphere were incredible. We ordered the beef appetizer with their focaccia & the mushroom pasta special & pork dish. We usually don't get dessert but loved every dish so decided on the chocolate dish. It was all so delicious! The staff was also very friendly & helpful with wine & food descriptions. I would recommend to anyone!
this was a wonderful saturday night meal with the family. a super elegant spot with a calming & cozy aesthetic. from the wine to the pasta everything was divine. we got a half plate of each pasta, the beef tartare, shrimp, olives, focaccia & every dessert. highlights were the lemon butter pasta & the chocolate mousse. the wine was incredible too. great service, great vibes, amazing food. what a perfect for spot for a date night too. immaculate.
Apr 28, 2025
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Unreal food experience. Food clearly is made with love, the dessert pleasently brought back memories of my wife's grandmas pavlova! Will not go wrong with heading to this epic neighborhood spot in Montreal!
Spectacular feom start to finish. We were celebrating a birthday. Servers were attentive. Informed. Fun & gabe us great advice. Not pretentious but absolutely delicious. We had a few starters. As there were 3 of us they bepught 3 zucchini flower delights not 2. The cocktails were creative & strong. The dessert was beautiful & came with a sparkler! The house special homemade pasta was exceptional.
Nora Gray was an excellent combination of great food, attentive service, & unhurried dinner ambiance. Simon was our waiter & checked in regularly with us; he answered all of our questions & selected a wine to go with my dinner. The hostess also made a huge difference by seating new diners in different corners of the room rather than lumping everyone into the same section. Everything we ate was delicious, but the pastas stood out in particular. The sauces were extremely fresh & vibrant, & my pappardelle was made in-house that day & basically melted in the mouth. Between the generous amount of snow crab in my pasta & the huge, impeccably seared sea scallops I had for secondi, this place more than scratched my itch for seafood. We finished the meal with their in-house salted caramel gelato, amaretti, & espresso as a dessert, which I would highly recommend. We will definitely be back here the next time we're in Montreal.
Came with a group of seven, which meant had to have the table d'hote. This was fine because it gave us a nice selection to share. When we arrived, the small spot was loud & already crowded for a Thursday night. It was a little too loud & crowded for a refined experience. We had a booth for 6, but remember, there were 7 of us, so it was tight quarters! We started with focaccia with excellent olive oil & spicy pepper dip. Entrees & pasta were substantial & flavourful. I enjoyed the burratta & gnochi. The ravioli was also a hit, with a nice toothsome feel to the al dente pasta. The steak & seared pork was excellent & well seasoned. They provided an order of giant seared scallops for our non-red meat eating friend. The scallops may have been the best thing on the table! The desserts were tasty but not exemplary, but the espresso drinks were very good. For $150 total per person, we felt we received plenty of food & options. However, the loud, hectic atmosphere & the very cramped seating detracted from an otherwise interesting gastronomic experience.
J'ai mangé hier soir pour la première fois au restaurant Nora Gray. C'était pour l'anniversaire d'une amie & nous étions un groupe de 3. L'accueil chaleureux & l'ambiance feutrée du restaurant m'ont plu dès mon arrivée. Le cocktail que j'ai pris en apéro, le Erbosa Club, était tout à fait délicieux. J'ai commandé la Foccacia maison & les Fettucine au ragoût de boeuf & parmesan en entrée, puis les ris de veau grillés en plat principal. La Foccacia était savoureuse, accompagnée de pepperoncini & d'une huile d'olive de grande qualité. Les pâtes en demie portion était un préambule parfait pour mon plat principal. La sauce onctueuse du ragoût de boeuf était un délice. Étant un grand amateur de ris de veau, je les commande très souvent au restaurant & ceux de chez Nora Gray, servis sur un risotto d'épeautre & garnis d'un gremolata au raifort, étaient sublimes, grillés à la perfection. Le service était extraordinaire & a fait de notre soirée une expérience extrêmement agréable & mémorable. Après que nous ayons exprimé nos goûts quant au vin, on nous a proposé 3 bouteilles & nous avons retenu un Chablis tout à fait divin ! En dessert, la mousse chocolat-espresso garnie de tire-éponge & de pistaches a parfaitement complété notre festin. Chapeau à toute l'équipe de Nora Gray ! En quittant j'ai éprouvé un seul regret : celui de ne pas avoir essayé ce restaurant plus tôt; j'y retournerai très certainement & je le recommande sans hésiter ! *** Last night was my first meal at the Nora Gray restaurant. It was for a friend's birthday & we were a group of 3. The warm welcome & cosy atmosphere of the restaurant appealed to me from the moment I arrived. The cocktail I had before the meal, the Erbosa Club, was absolutely delicious. I ordered the homemade Foccacia & the Fettucine with beef ragù & parmesan for starters, followed by the grilled sweetbreads as a main course. The Foccacia was tasty, accompanied by pepperoncini & high-quality olive oil. The half-portion pasta was a perfect preamble to my main course. The creamy sauce of the beef ragù in the pasta was a delight. Being a great lover of sweetbreads, I order them very often in restaurants & those from Nora Gray's, served on a spelt risotto & garnished with a horseradish gremolata, were sublime, grilled to perfection. The service was extraordinary & made our evening an extremely pleasant & memorable experience. After we explained our preferences for wine, we were offered 3 bottles & chose a divine Chablis! For dessert, the chocolate-espresso mousse topped with sponge toffee & pistachios rounded off our feast perfectly. Hats off to the entire Nora Gray team! As I left, I had only one regret: that I hadn't tried this restaurant sooner. I'll certainly be back, & I recommend it without hesitation!
The staff, decor & ambiance created a charming & elegant feeling. Everything from the cocktails we had(Negroni Sbagliado & Gimlet) to the amazing food (Burrata Salad, Porc, Anolini) to the dessert(affogato) was presented with attention to detail & high quality ingredients. I would recommend anyone with the budget to eat here.
