Stellina focuses on the foundational elements of Italian culinary traditions through a meticulously curated menu centered on artisanal pasta production. Every plate highlights the interplay between high-quality semolina and seasonal ingredients sourced to maintain authentic flavor profiles. The kitchen emphasizes traditional shaping techniques that ensure the perfect texture for various regional sauces. Patrons encounter a direct approach to preparation where the natural characteristics of ingredients dictate the outcome of each dish. The interior environment prioritizes functional simplicity, allowing the focus to remain entirely on the culinary output served at the tables. This commitment to standardized preparation methods creates a consistent experience that respects the historical roots of Italian cooking while maintaining a clear and accessible format for every visitor who chooses to experience these regional specialties.
Stellina is widely celebrated for its exceptional Italian cuisine, featuring fresh, house-made pasta that many guests describe as the best they have ever tasted. The restaurant offers a warm, inviting atmosphere and a professional, friendly service team that consistently makes patrons feel welcomed and well-attended. Highlights from the menu often include the creative agnolotti, flavorful carbonara, and signature desserts like the tiramisu, all complemented by a thoughtful wine selection. While the popularity of the space can sometimes lead to a lively or loud environment, many diners find the high quality of the food and the professional, attentive staff make for a memorable and highly recommended dining experience.
We stopped by Stellina last Friday evening after a day of wandering around the Plateau, & honestly it was one of the better meals we have had in Montreal in a while. The wood fired pasta with lobster mushrooms was worth the trip on its own, & our server took the time to walk us through the wine list without ever making us feel rushed. It gets loud & lively as the night goes on, which we did not expect but ended up loving, it gave the whole place this warm neighborhood energy. We are already talking about going back next time we are in town, maybe a bit earlier to snag a table on the patio.
I loved my dining experience in Montreal because I visited Stellina & had the opportunity to try their food! Not only is all of it is melt-in-your-mouth delicious but their service is kind & very attentive. I had a scrumptious pasta dish with a bone marrow sauce & it was paired beautifully with a sharp red-a recommendation of the host! They also have the cutest open-kitchen dining counter where you can observe the chefs at work. If I'm in Montreal again, this is the first place in coming back to for a good meal.
Overall, a good experience. The pasta is delicious & freshly made. The drinks were served cold & presented well. The service was alright, expected a more consistent & timely experience due to the elevated class of the place. The tiramisu & lemon dessert were great but the panna cotta was not what we expected. The bathrooms are very warm & there are only two stalls. It's a nice ambiance & a pretty spot, love the open kitchen & the bar is cute too. One of the servers, Nico was kind enough to offer us a birthday dessert for our special night, which was a nice touch. Eric was very professional & friendly too.
Fabulous find. Very friendly, cheery, relaxed team. Small menu but absolutely delicious, fresh, made on-site, pasta - quality ingredients that taste out of this world.
Visited 4 times in one week - highly recommend!
We were just passing by this place late afternoon on Saturday (Aug 1). They have a great patio, so we decided to have dinner early. Very friendly & professional staff. I had the Tagliatelle & my wife had a shell pasta dish with calamari. The food was absolutely delicious...honestly the best meal we had while we were in Montreal for 4 nights, & we had many. Caveat...the smoked meat is still awesome too!
Delightful culinary experience ( the pasta is outstanding), attentive service, & an elegant ambiance. The outdoor seating provides an enchanting setting , with a view on the heritage architectural masterpieces of Rue Saint Jacques.
We visited here for lunch before checking in at the InterContinental, choosing it on the spot via Google Maps.
Although the 4.3 rating made us hesitate briefly, we decided to go in because the exterior looked trustworthy & reliable.
The building exterior has a classic Old Montreal charm, & the interior is cozy & beautifully designed, creating a wonderful atmosphere. They also have an outdoor patio space, which looks great for dining during nice weather.
The lunch menu was reasonably priced & the portions were satisfying. The appetizers were pleasant, & the fusilli pasta course was a bit salty, but still delicious. The main filet mignon steak felt like finding the best tenderloin steak of my life. It was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, & the meat was incredibly tender & pillowy soft.
The service from the staff was welcoming & polite. It is recommended Italian spot near the hotel.
Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing. The food took quite a while to arrive, & when it finally did, half of the dishes were cold & had to be sent back to the kitchen. For the price point, especially with pastas around $38, the quality did not meet our expectations.
That being said, the service team handled the situation professionally. They were very apologetic throughout the evening & kindly offered us dessert as a gesture of goodwill. While I appreciate their efforts to make things right, the food itself fell short of what we expected.
I personally really enjoyed my fish (linguini scampi). It was rich & creamy & the scampi was fresh & not rubbery at all. I went for a party with some friends & two of them both felt sick after eating. One of my friends ordered the taglionini & they were soo salty she only had a few bites of her meal & had a stomach ache the rest of the night. The waiter had implied that this was one of the restaurants signature dishes which & it was disappointing. Another friend of mine ordered the carbonara & she enjoyed it much more, but similarly the dish was way too salty & hard to finish. For a restaurant serving $40 pasta dishes you can get better elsewhere. The waiter also tried taking away our octopus appetizer dish when there was still half of it left & didn't even ask before trying to clear the dish. Lastly, we had reservations at 8:45 that we made two months in advance & we didn't get seated until 20 minutes later. I had this restaurant in my list for a long time & after finally going, I wouldn't go back & wouldn't recommend it either.
