Pasta Pooks is consistently praised for fresh handmade pasta and high quality ingredients, with standout dishes like spinach ricotta ravioli, gnocchi and casoncelli, while the lively cozy vibe in Little Italy is noted, the space is small and can get loud, and portions are sometimes described as modest for the price; the rotating menu and strong wine list are valued, and service is frequently highlighted as friendly and attentive, though a few visits report slower or understaffed service and crowded pacing; overall the reviews position Pasta Pooks as a must-visit for pasta lovers, offering an exceptional homemade pasta experience that justifies a premium price.
Pretty disappointing overall. I tried the spinach/ricotta ravioli, & the sauce was basically melted butter, not creamy, not flavorful, just… there & plain. The ravioli filling had no real taste, & the spinach was completely bland.
The tagliatelle bolognese had plenty of meat, but the flavor profile was flat. On top of that, the pasta was overcooked, which didn't help. There are definitely better pasta spots out there.
The cheesesteak was another miss. The meat was chewy, the bread was chewy, & the whole thing was hard to get through. Not my style of cheesesteak at all.
Overall, not worth the hype. If you're already in the area, maybe give it a try, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
Amazing food & service! It was our first time trying Pasta Pooks & the food was delicious! We had the bread service, followed by the baccalà to start which was served on fried polenta & the italian sausage appetizer. They were absolutely to die for & really set the tone for a great dinner!
We had the gnocchi with tomato sauce & the garganelli with a butter & mushroom sauce for our mains, which were all homemade & equally delicious. The portions were perfect & the value received for the price is outstanding.
I highly recommend going!
Apr 13, 2026
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Truly the most amazing fresh pasta I have ever had. We tried the spinach ravioli & some spiralized type of pasta (forget the name) with mushrooms. Both were unreal!
Small artsy restaurant. Delicious fresh pasta. Seasonal menu. We had the cod as an appetizer. It was light & tasty. We tried all their pastas. Everything was just delicious. Portions were reasonable. The waitress knew the menu well & explained everything to us. It was a very enjoyable meal. I recommend making reservations because this place is very popular & gets full quickly.
Such a great hole-in-the-wall sort of restaurant. They have a limited menu & it really allows skill to shine. Their semolina pasta was perfectly bouncy & the white ragu was delicious. The raviolo pasta was beautiful - thin pasta, stuffed full, with a lovely sage sauce. The service was also so lovely, one of the waitresses sat down to explain various dishes to us which helped a lot! If I lived in Montreal, you'd see me here weekly.
Apr 5, 2026
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'Best pasta in Montreal'? Not even close. This place is all hype, zero substance.
The ricotta & spinach ravioli had about as much ricotta as a green juice. It was basically spinach wrapped in dough. Bland, unbalanced, & honestly embarrassing for a dish that simple. This is entry level pasta & they still managed to miss.
The fennel salad was completely destroyed by a heavy, confused dressing that overpowered everything. No finesse, no restraint, just a mess on a plate.
Then you look at the menu & it all makes sense. Four mains & a wine list that reads like a novel. Over 200 bottles. Priorities are clearly not in the kitchen.
I keep seeing people call this place'the best.' Compared to what, airport food?
At best, it is a 2.5 on a generous day. Save your money & go somewhere that actually knows how to cook pasta.
Finally checked out Pasta Pooks & it's a really solid spot. The handmade pasta is fantastic & the restaurant has a super fun, lively energy.
That said, it is definitely on the pricier side for the portion sizes, & the space is tiny so it gets pretty loud. Overall, it's amazing food & a cool atmosphere-just expect a premium price tag for a casual meal. Definitely worth checking out!
The food is delicious. Pasta as it would be in a very good trattoria in Italy. What does not work at all is the price, that is outrageous. 55 dollars (with taxtes & tip) for a bowl of ricotta-spinach ravioli & a tiny glass of natural wine, you know the one that looks like pineapple juice & tastes worse. In fact the wine list is insanely priced & utterly hip, as if this was a Michelin-starred joint, run by a dude fom Williamsburg. In fact you just ate at the bar, perched on a stool, & looking at the wall. Avoid the place, save some money & try to visit Bologna instead.
Mar 30, 2026
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Hidden in little Italy , with an inconspicuous signboard, this tiny restaurant is incredibly popular! Online reservations & credit card guarantees are required to get a table; it's a popular Italian handmade pasta restaurant that demands a bit of patience to enjoy.
The pasta is perfectly cooked, springy & chewy, & infused with flavorful Italian meat sauce.
We were six people celebrating a couple of birthdays the pasta here is fantastic.we as Italians really appreciate the art of homemade pasta. The appetizers are also very good. My only critic is the portion size. I understand the pasta size being what it is, however the portion size of the appetizers could be a bit bigger. We needed eight appetizers so we can all have a bit of each otherwise we love everything else about this restaurant.
The pasta is exquisite, but the overall experience was disappointing. The place feels neglected & extremely loud, with people acting as if they're in their own living room with no consideration for others. It might work as a chaotic family spot, but it's definitely not a place for a cozy or romantic dinner.
On adore le Pasta Pooks. Notre petite place chouchou pour se gâter. Les pâtes sont divines des yeux au palais. C'est notre endroit préféré pour manger des pâtes fraîches, des frais. C'est aussi le seul endroit où j'ai envie de lécher le beurre dans mon assiette tellement c'est bon! On est chanceux d'avoir des petits joyaux comme vous.
Mar 15, 2026
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The pasta is truly delicious, but we were disappointed with how understaffed they were. The prices would be more fair if the service was even half decent. We were two people with a reservation & it took 1.5 hours to receive our pasta…
For the entire dining room there were only two waitresses (both working very hard, our waitress was lovely!) & one guy just standing around texting on his phone. Sad vibe for a neighbourhood spot!! I hope they hire more people.
We went yesterday to try Pasta Pooks out after seeing all the social media hype, & we can confirm that it's just that, hype. Quite expensive for the portion size whether it be the appetizers or the pasta. We ordered 2 appetizers (very tiny portions, 20$ minuscule strachiatela with veggies), 1 pasta, which was actually good, just quite small, & its pasta... which is very cheap, & still the portion served was disappointing.
The very small glass of wine was $17 dollars (plus tax) & we finished the night hungry, definitely it was more hype & snd did not live to our expectations.
It feels like they're trying to live off the hype, & not have any returning customers. 3 stars because the pasta was actually good.
You cannot justify those prices when the portions are minuscule, there's not even a nice view, or you're not in a highly touristy area.
This is the first bad review I have had to write, which says a lot
Pâtes somptueuses & authentiques. Gnocchi alla ricotta comme un nuage en bouche. N'hésitez pas à essayer les autres plats comme les entrées, très originales. Beau choix de vins aussi. Pasta Pooks, à découvrir absolument!
We've been hard pressed to find this kind of spot! Super delicious food, comfortable space & vibe. Every plate was delicious (ordered 2 pastas & 3 entrees). We realized my brother was in town at last minute, & they found a way to work out the reservation to include an extra person - really personal touch. Service was great & each dish hit the mark. Looking forward to coming back!
Fine but not nearly what I was expecting. It's overhyped & overpriced in my opinion. Expensive, small portions, few options, mid service, & the pasta was definitely not mind blowing. Personally I would go elsewhere in the neighbourhood if you just want pasta & a glass of wine.
