Pasta Pooks serves handmade pasta shaped by traditional techniques and seasonal ingredients. The kitchen produces delicate ravioli and tender gnocchi that carry authentic flavors in every bite. Each bowl relies on fresh components to define the character of the preparations. The interior space remains compact, creating a sensory environment that centers entirely on the warmth of the food. These dishes provide a focused exploration of texture and flavor, where the natural quality of the dough remains the primary feature of the meal. Simple preparation methods ensure the integrity of every noodle, providing a direct connection to the kitchen's approach to scratch-made staples.
Pasta Pooks is widely celebrated for its exceptional, high-quality handmade pasta and standout dishes like the ricotta and spinach ravioli, gnocchi, and signature tiramisu. Many diners describe it as a premier destination in Montreal for authentic, seasonal Italian cuisine, often praising the vibrant atmosphere, warm service, and thoughtful wine pairings. While some visitors find the restaurant to be on the pricier side with smaller portion sizes, and occasionally note challenges related to the small, loud space or long wait times, the majority of patrons consider the culinary experience to be well worth the visit and frequently return for the heartfelt, top-tier food.
Let me start by saying I don't normally leave restaurant reviews but I could not help myself leaving one for Pasta Pooks. Been meaning to go for awhile & I went today with my wife, daughter, son in-law & our 1 month old grandson. Let me say that the food was off the chart amazing! Best pasta I have had on this side of the Atlantic!! We started with the fried zucchini flowers which were crispy, fresh without being oily, polpo & patate that was just the perfect balance between octopus & potatoes with a tasty sauce. We decided to order all the pasta dishes & shared them. Each was better than the next. The linguini with speck in mushroom sauce was my favourite-so flavourful. All the homemade pastas tasted incredible & fresh!! The sauces were so good, I had to ask for bread to do a scarpetta!! Plus, our waitress, Margo was excellent & pleasant, helping us with wine & plate selection (well we ordered almost everything-haha) & all with a smile & friendliness. All staff were pleasant & obviously pleased to be working there. Definitely will be back to see what else is new on the menu. Keep it up Chefs & Team!!
Went to their little dine-in section on the side of the restaurant. There's a limited menu but still quite good. I believe they change the menu every so often, but you can't really ask for modifications. The spinach ricotta ravioli was good & buttery. The bolognese poutine wasn't the best meal as it was not saucey at all, it felt quite dry. The gnocchi ragu was soo good. Literally melted in your mouth & was filling. I would go back to try more pasta in their main dinning area.
Stopped by Pasta Pooks for lunch & overall had a good meal, though it did not quite hit exceptional status.
We started with the Piatto di Antipasti Misto, which came with sliced charcuterie, fresh mozzarella, & fried dough pieces. The quality of the cured meats was solid, & the fried bread was a fun touch, though the portion felt a bit modest for 26 CAD.
For mains, we tried the Spaghettoni alla Gricia & the Gnocchi al ragù Napoletano. The spaghettoni had nice, thick crispy pieces of guanciale, though the sauce itself was a little heavy on the salt. The gnocchi was soft & paired well with the rich meat sauce, making it the stronger pasta dish of the two.
We finished with dessert, ordering a slice of lemon meringue pie & a chilled berry dish. The lemon pie had a bright citrus flavor & light meringue, which balanced out the heavier pasta courses nicely.
Service was friendly & the menu offers a nice variety, but given the price point, a few elements fell just short of outstanding. Worth a visit if you are in the mood for classic Italian plates, but keep expectations ground.
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.
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.
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.
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.
