Founded in 1960 by brothers Peppino and Federico Corneli, the restaurant continues to uphold the same authentic recipes passed down through generations. A true family business, it is now proudly run by the new generation — Nicola, Pina, and Alex Corneli, together with Chef Joe Nicodemo. Our homemade pasta, hand-crafted by Nonna Donna, remains the heart and soul of our cuisine. And of course, our pizza baked in an oven imported from Italy delivers that traditional taste we’re famous for.
Visit us at our two locations: Little Italy – Montreal Vimont – Laval
Groups are welcome and reservations are strongly recommended.
The lounge is equipped with big screens for sports events. Our specialized wine list and wide selection of beers and cocktails is the height of the Italian zest for life!
Ristorante Pizzeria Corneli offers a lively, welcoming Italian dining atmosphere where wood fired pizzas and generous pastas showcase fresh ingredients and comforting flavors. The menu emphasizes authentic Italian fare with large portions and good value, and many dishes are described as flavorful and well balanced, from seafood pasta to lasagna and pizza specialties. Service is repeatedly noted for being friendly, attentive, and professional, able to handle big groups with ease while keeping a warm, personal touch. The ambiance, including a pleasant terrace, is a frequent highlight and contributes to a vibrant yet family friendly vibe. Gluten free options and a strong wine list add to the overall appeal, with many guests appreciating the bustling energy without sacrificing quality. Some reviews mention the space can be noisy or crowded and a few dishes could use a touch more seasoning, but the overall experience is consistently praised and many guests say they would return.
Love the lively atmosphere here. It was hard for us to find an Italian restaurant for a table of 8, so we found Corneli through Google Maps. The decor is beautiful. Love that they never rushed us. Food was comforting & came in big portions. We were looking forward for desserts but we got too full. My sister usually doesn't like mussels but she loved them here :) Highly recommend this place for group celebrations.
After a two-year break, I returned to Corneli on a Saturday night at around 7:30 PM & was blown away by the energy! If you want a quiet, intimate dinner, this isn't it! The place was packed to the gills with birthday parties & big families. It's loud, it's bustling, & it's pure Montreal Italian vibes.
The Highlights:
• Service (Much Improved!): Huge shoutout to the staff. Despite every table being full, our waiter was attentive & prompt. I've never seen a team move so fast-they were literally running to keep up, & it worked!
• The Food: We shared the Calamari, Cavatelli, & the Linguine Pescatori (see photo!). Everything was delicious: fresh seafood, perfectly cooked pasta, & the cocktails were also spot on.
• Pro-Tip: You must book a table. We arrived at 7:30 PM & there wasn't a single free seat in the house.
Bottom Line: If you're looking for a high-energy spot for a group dinner or a celebratory night out, Corneli is back on my list. The seafood pasta alone is worth the noise!
Mar 21, 2026
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What an amazing Italian meal! The restaurant was quite busy for a Monday evening at 7:45…we were greater immediately & seated in a lovely booth facing the street. Our server names Ryan made a couple of suggestions & we went with the lasagna & the Cornell pizza…oh, my goodness! They were so good! We enjoyed a bottle of Miraval rose..,a perfect compliment! The Italian music, the atmosphere & Ryan's attention made for a perfect evening!
We really enjoyed the quality of the food but the balance was a bit off. We ordered the polenta & the salmon linguine. Both dishes had too little of the secondary ingredients. The polenta could have had more mushrooms & a lot more spinach & sauce, the linguine could have used more of everything except noodles. That's not to say the portion sizes were too small, but rather that there was too much of the'carb' ingredient relative to the other ingredients.
The ambiance of the place was pretty good, more modern chic than resolutely Italian in style.
The service was also very good handling such a large group.
Great Italian food! They have gluten free options.
The tiramisu we had that day was about disappoting since it is too liquify & tastes like whipped cream in between.
But the waitress waived the charge for this.
I tried Rabit it is so tender & good! My friend has this mushroom & spinach plolanta, amazing good. Highly recommended!
Feb 10, 2026
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Great italian authentic food , great service from Carla , & great overall atmosphere .
The reason why i didn't give them a 5 star review , it is because we had to wait standing for like 45 mins for them to find us a table although we had booked in advance , but they gave us a table at first that is not supposed to be a table... very squeezed no one can sit in it & in the way of the waiters.
I visited Restaurant Corneli for my birthday & overall had a good experience, though I left feeling a bit disappointed. The food itself was excellent. The lasagna was rich & flavorful, the gnocchi had a great texture with a fresh tomato sauce, & the pizza was perfectly cheesy with a crispy crust. Everything tasted really authentic & made with care.
The restaurant has a warm, classic Italian atmosphere, & the service was friendly & attentive throughout the meal. However, as someone who works in the service industry, I was a little surprised that nothing was mentioned or done for my birthday - no small dessert, acknowledgment, or gesture. It's something I always make sure to include for guests at my own job, as it adds that personal touch & makes their special day memorable.
Still, Restaurant Corneli delivers great food & a cozy dining experience. It's just missing that extra bit of hospitality that would've made it perfect.
Oct 16, 2025
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The Best Italian Restaurant I have ever been to in Montreal. Each dish takes you another level of nirvana. For 4 people we ordered Polenta Funghi spinachi,Pizza toute garni,Piccata il lemon 🍋 a glass of wine,gavi granee, vitally alla bosacaiola,calamari & coffee di jionnais.
Excellent. I gave 4 stars for one main reason:
Every dish ordered is very salty.
I wonder if one could request to hold the salt or do not add salt if already in the sauce.
We would like to go back another day only if we can request to HOLD THE SALT PLEASE 🙂
WE HAD A GREAT TIME!!
Our server Elizabeth aims to please . She's very pleasant ,smiles alot,& we are a table of 12.
Thank you Elizabeth 😊
Sep 7, 2025
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A soulful Italian restaurant with a beautiful terrace. I tried the vegetarian pizza which was delightful. The atmosphere & the service was 10/10 too. Highly recommended!
Some of the best Italian food ive had. Wonderful Flavours, great portions for the price & amazing service. Place is always packed because of how popular it is. Great atmosphere, highly recommended.
The food is ok but not tasty. The service was slow, some people came after us & got their food before us. I didn't feel in a typical Italian restaurant but more in a tourist trap.
I recently visited Corneli with my girlfriend. I ordered the Vitello alla Parmigiana with vegetables & potatoes, while she chose the Linguini alle Vongole.
Unfortunately, my veal dish was a big disappointment. The potatoes were floury & unpleasant to eat, the carrots were fine, but the green vegetables tasted frozen, something I notice right away & personally don't enjoy. The tomato sauce was good, but the veal itself was overwhelmed by the flour coating, making it hard to really taste the meat.
My girlfriend's linguini dish was better overall. However, the clams were not cleaned properly, so there was sand in them, which is a big drawback for a seafood dish.
On the positive side, before our meals arrived, we were served complimentary Italian bread (similar to focaccia) with spices & pepper. It wasn't too strong & was very enjoyable. Honestly, it ended up being better than my main dish. We received only one slice because I took the picture late, but normally they serve four or five slices, which is a nice touch.
Each dish was $32, & with tax & tip, the total came to around $80-$90 for two. Given the quality, I find it quite expensive.
Main takeaway: Corneli seems like a better choice if you stick to pasta, which they do well (though my girlfriend's dish could have been improved by properly cleaning the clams). I would definitely avoid the vegetable-&-potato option & go for the homemade pasta instead. Overall, I'd call it a so-so restaurant: not terrible, but not one I'd rush back to for veal.
