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!
Corneli offers a lively, authentic Italian experience with generous portions, flavorful dishes, and attentive service. The atmosphere is warm and bustling with tasteful decor and a pleasant terrace, making it a popular spot for celebrations in Little Italy. The menu features classic Italian favorites with standout pizzas and seafood pasta, plus plenty of options for sharing. The staff are consistently welcoming and professional, and guests appreciate the good value for money given the quality and portions. Overall, Corneli feels like a cherished neighborhood destination where great food, drinks, and a vibrant vibe come together for a memorable meal.
We ordered two types of pasta, & the pesto pasta was especially delicious. We also ordered an appetizer, which was excellent. The portion sizes were good & satisfying.
Apr 26, 2026
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
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 all the noise!
Good: We had vegetarian Pasta & pizza & some drinks. Pasta was good, pizza was lacking veggies but fresh oven backed crust was nice. Wine & Mango margaritas were good.
Bad: two of the drinks we ordered didn't have simple syrup so they were very sour, un drinkable. I informed the waiter & he said they won't charge. But they charged. We asked for more bread, it was finished ! Salads were ok, could be dressed well & noticed some ingredients from list missing or barely there! Pretty noisy & tight spaced place.
This is the best Italian restaurant in Montreal & probably the best restaurant in the whole Canada. I came here in the past with two friends & the pizzas were amazing & the tiramisu was beyond mouthwatering & tasty! Today I came with a friend & had the Coniglio alla cacciatora & my friend ordered salmon, there was a little misunderstanding with the order but then it was corrected & my friend was able to have his salmon with veggies & pasta as well, for what you eat the price is really good, portions are generous & the food is very well cooked & prepared, whether you get pasta or pizza or meat everything is perfectly cooked & staged in places to the perfection. Because of the little misunderstanding the waiter was beyond kind & generous & offered us the dessert & coffee, I got the Ferrero rocher cheese cake which was insanely good! They have many choices of Italian wines & they serve a good espresso coffee, I don't like espresso in many places in Montreal but I loved it here! I am Italian born & raised in Italy & I love this place, the family who created this place did an amazing job for the products they offer, for the passion they have in cooking & for the people they choose to work for them! Good job guys keep up the good work, I can't wait to come back & eat again there!
We were very excited to try this restaurant since I love with two pasta lovers. We each ordered different meals & they were all delicious. Our waiter was very polite & helpful. I appreciated that they offered both English & French language menus. The atmosphere was beautiful & very welcoming to all. There were families with young children as well as couples.
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!
We had a terrible experience at this restaurant. Food arrived one hour after we sat down.
My partner ordered bolognese pasta +meatball with the « gluten free option ».
Turns out the gluten free option comes at a surcharge & NO meatball in the plate.
Pay more to get less.
No explanations were given.
Expensive & average food.
The pasta & pizza were delicious! Full of flavour & perfectly cooked. Highly recommended 👍👍you won't be disappointed! Our server was andrew he was taking care of us professionally.
Oct 4, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
We dined at Restaurant Corneli in Montréal over the weekend. Parking in the area can be challenging, but once inside, the restaurant offers a refined & inviting atmosphere. We sampled a variety of dishes: the pasta was excellent & a clear highlight, while the pizza was enjoyable & well-prepared. The chicken with mushrooms, however, was less impressive compared to the other options.
Very good 👍 experience. First time there & loved the pasta - linguine with seafood & pesto was excellent & pizza was good. Nice terrace, busy & nice interior spacious. Good vibe. Prices are 20-30$ per main dish.
Aug 18, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
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.
Nice family friendly place. Went to dinner here with a group of 12. Turned out we weren't the only large group attending & the atmosphere was noisy but very cheerful & fun. Restaurant is large with a curbside patio outside at this time of year. Very busy but the service was excellent. Appreciated that they had no problem having us add a couple additional people to the reservation. Food was good. Several of us had pizza which was great & my wife really enjoyed the seafood pasta!
Corneli is a lovely Italian restaurant located in Little Italy. 🇮🇹 I really enjoy their pasta, especially the Pennine à la Romanoff, which is rich & full of flavor. 🍝 The atmosphere is warm & inviting, & the service is consistently good & friendly. ✨ A great spot for authentic Italian food in Montréal. I always leave satisfied!
-
Corneli est un excellent restaurant italien situé dans la Petite Italie. 🇮🇹 J'aime beaucoup leurs pâtes, en particulier les pennine à la Romanoff, qui sont riches & pleines de saveur. 🍝 L'ambiance est agréable & le service toujours bon & accueillant. ✨ Une belle adresse pour savourer de la vraie cuisine italienne à Montréal. J'en ressors toujours satisfaite !
Been here 20+ times over the years. This time ordered Scalopine with pasta & wanted Rose Sauce. Came with Tomatoe sauce & had no time to even say a word as waiter was gone within seconds. Flagged him down...took plate, utensils & returned within 30 seconds with a mound of rose sauce on top of the pasta only to find out that they just dumped Rose sauce over the tomatoe sauce. Flagged waiter again, Took plate & then returned with a bowl of spaghetti Rose sauce within 30 seconds again. No utensils, rushed & terrible service. Times have changed there.. Just a rush experience with a NO CARE ATTITUDE FROM STAFF. Has become a chain like atmosphere.. with workers who have no passion or commitment to good service or food.
