Italian restaurants worth the detour in Montreal
A curated selection of five standout spots serving elevated pasta, risotto, and stone-oven dishes across the city.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Montreal has no shortage of Italian restaurants, but a handful stand out for their refined takes on classic dishes and ingredient quality.
Stelina, in Old Montreal at 410 rue St Jacques, offers elevated Italian primi like squash almond cappelletti and shrimp bisque spaghetti. Antipasti include blood orange pistachio burrata and ricotta with truffle and honeycomb. The spot has outdoor seating overlooking the neighbourhood and a strong cocktail list.
Jacopo, on Place Jacques-Cartier, prepares fettuccine tableside in a pecorino cheese wheel and serves dishes like orechiette con rapini and margherita al tartufo. The long antipasti menu features bruschetta with spinach and ricotta, carpaccio di Manzo, and panzanella with croutons and Kalamata olives. Open for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Restaurant l'Osso at 7130 Boul Saint Laurent brings Mediterranean refinement with pan-seared foie gras, grilled octopus, and pastas like braised veal shank ravioli with parmigiano cream and gremolata, plus tagliolini pescatore with lobster, shrimp, scallops, and clams in Calabrian tomato sauce.
La Spada on Notre Dame West serves high-end contemporary Italian—Pappardelle Ragù d'Anatra, Tonno alla Amatriciana, Bistecca di Contrfiletto—in a dining room of blue velvet couches and gold-trim details. The menu includes creative salads and vegetarian and vegan options.
Bottega, with multiple locations across the city, specializes in Neapolitan pizzas with traditional white and red options like Marinara, Caprese, and Quattro Formaggi.
These five spots from a longer list each bring something distinct to Montreal's Italian dining landscape.