Reviews describe Nora Gray as a warm, intimate Italian spot with a concise yet refined menu, strong pasta offerings, and a thoughtful wine list; the bar dining experience is often highlighted as memorable and the service is usually praised for attentiveness and knowledge, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere. Some visits note that portions can feel small and prices high, that the room can be cold or noisy, and that consistency varies between dishes, but when the kitchen is on, the dishes are inventive and well executed and the overall experience remains highly regarded for date nights and cozy dinners.
Maybe I had too high hopes for Nora Gray, because last night's birthday dinner with my wife was a bit of a letdown, & I'm blaming the wine. We ordered the'Teresa Cascina Tavijn' red Italian wine, which was far too acidy & lacked a complexity of flavour. Choosing the right wine is so important. It can make or break & evening at an upscale restaurant like Nora Gray. Our waitress was amazing & gave us an in depth explanation of the food & wine, so it's nobody's fault but our own for choosing one that wasn't to our tastes. Nora Gray's service & atmosphere is truly top notch, in this warm & cosy nook of a restaurant. One of the highlights of the evening was the'Flétan de la Gaspésie, salsa d'oignons brûlés, petit lait, Ciabot del Moreto'20', which was a powerhouse of flavour & left us both raving. The'Viola Olive Oil' from Cucina Imports that we asked to be poured on a small dish was one of the best olive oils I've ever tasted, & well worth the $4 fee. It was perfect for wiping up with the'Focaccia Maison'. Unfortunately, one of the low points of the night was the'Battuta de boeuf, puntarelle, anchois, ail' which was far too chewy for a tartare. Tartare is supposed to be so tender that it melts in your mouth, but this was so gummy that I had to give up on champing & hide bits of half eaten beef in my napkin. Another dish that was less than memorable was the'Farro de Pacina, jus de volaille, poivre'. So, at one point our night out wasn't looking great, but thankfully it was saved by a mind blowingly spectacular dessert called the'Mousse chocolat & ricotta, crème à l'huile d'olive, noisettes'. It was a prefect blend of sweet, salt & more scrumptious olive oil. In the end, I would recommend giving Nora Gray a try & hopefully you'll have better luck with the wine. I heard that they have an outdoor patio in the summer time, which sounds like fun.
Oct 25, 2025
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Super expérience à ce restaurant, notre serveuse était parfaite, elle nous a bien suggéré & accompagner tout au long de notre souper. J'ai rarement été aussi satisfaite d'une sortie au restaurant. La nourriture & les drink valent certainement le détou
We were there last night, & I wish we were going back tonight!! The atmosphere was very cool, restaurant has its own unique vibe. Food was delicious, staff is super attentive & polite. Will be back very soon, so much more we need to try on the menu! oh & perfect extra dirty martinis :)
This place is so mid. The food is mediocre, service is meh & it's super expensive. Spent near 70 bucks on a steak that wasn't cooked properly(they made it well done…). Every dish other than the focaccia was pretty bland. Just go somewhere else & save your money.
This place is great. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The special tonight was a the sausage with polenta. It was absolutely delicious. The bartender & waitress kept my thirst quenched with beautifully crafted mocktails.
We were a group of 7. They usually don't do à-la-carte service for groups above 6, but they accommodated us without a fuss. Lovely professional staff.
Je suis vraiment triste d'avoir été déçu par Nora Gray, j'avais vraiment hâte d'y aller. Au lieu du décor romantique intimiste que j'attendais, on retrouve des tons sombres digne de ces vieux restaurants italiens new yorkais, sans le kitch, & un bar où tout le monde s'écrase les uns contre les autres. Les tables sont des tables de diners tristes. Nôtre focaccia était servi froide, sans aucune épices ou condiment pour relever. L'huile d'olive est en supplément. Mes pâtes ont été servis froides; j'ai du les renvoyer, & on m'a expliqué qu'avec une sauce pesto c'est normal que ce soit tiède (à 45$ le plat c'est dur à avaler… & faux, d'autant que la deuxième fois c'était chaud). Celles de ma femme était bonne mais quelconque. Mais la cerise sur le gâteau, ou plutôt le fromage sur les pâtes, c'est le parmesan rapé facturé 4$. Jamais je n'avais vu ça de ma vie, ni ici ni en Italie. Je suis soufflé. Le vin est lui aussi hors de prix, bien la carte soit archi complete. On regrette qu'il n'y ait que très peu de choix au verre (pas les meilleurs).
Heureusement la soirée est sauvée par un service souriant & patient, qui écoute & met le client au centre de l'expérience. Si les plats coûtaient 15$ Nora Gray pourrait devenir une cantine pour le midi, mais pour une « date » plus jamais.
Aug 29, 2025
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For some reason, it's taken me year to check out Nora Gray & I'm very glad that I did. Lovely food & very thoughtful service especially when it came to wine recommendations.
The food was just fine, but for the portion sizes it was vastly overpriced. It was hard for our table to eat enough despite spending close to $100 per person & we all got pizza afterwards.
Aug 3, 2025
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I've been coming here for years & every time I go I am always wowed by everything. The food, the service & the ambiance are all old world feel in that they make you feel at home & welcome. Eat everythimg, drink everything & enjoy the ver knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended.
I went on a date in this small cozy restaurant located in a beautiful neighbourhood.
The service was professional.
The ambiance was intimate.
The cocktail I ordered was not to my liking (too bitter).
They have only two small toilets, but I suppose it's proportionate to the size of the restaurant.
The food, albeit oily, was very good. I ordered the strozzapreti.
We had the luck to have a terrace spot on a beautiful day. It's a small terrace, bordering a semi-busy street.
The parking situation was easy for us ; it was paid street parking.
Bottomline, I would come back again to enjoy the delicious food & romantic, niche-y experience.
Great experience overall with knowledgable waitress. She pointed us in the right direction with wine choice & we pretty well let her choose our dishes, she did a fantastic job! I still prefer Gia over Nora Gray but I like how it's a different menu.
