Amelio's

201, rue Milton, Montréal, QC H2X 1V5 514-845-8396

Description: Affordably, fabulously flavorful and eminently satisfying. Amelio's is a tried-and-true standby in the McGill area, serving up great thick-crusted pizzas and pastas. It's not a fancy spot for a romantic dinner ­ this is hearty food in a super-casual atmosphere. Understandably, students make up a large percentage of the clientele, but the place is worth checking out even if you're a PhD.
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Bice Montréal

1504 rue Sherbrooke ouest, Between Guy St & MacKay St, Montréal, QC H2X 2T6 514-937-6009

Description: This stylish restaurant, aglow with polished woods and pale, sculptural walls, resides between the Ritz-Carlton and the Museum of Fine Art on one of Montréal's most fashionable streets. The restaurant offers fine Italian dishes, including a traditional osso buco, grilled veal, roasted duck, filet mignon, pan-seared red snapper, and marinated tuna. The pasta course includes such delights as rabbit-stuffed ravioli, wild mushroom risotto, and spinach and ricotta gnocchi. If you manage to save room for dessert (you should!), look to the iced praline parfait or white chocolate mousse for your sweet fix. An array of wines and liqueurs provides the perfect complement to each dish.
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BU Bar à Vin

5245, boul St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2T 1S4 514-276-0249

Description: Many folks come here just for the wine, and honestly that is a fine reason. They have a wide variety of wine, with weekly by-the-glass specials that encourage repeat visits. But the food, designed to complement the wine, could stand on its own quite easily. The menu is comprised of several sections of hot and cold antipasti (think Italian-style tapas) such as caponata, brandade, crostini, grilled vegetables, walnuts and olives, carpaccio, salad Caprese, and charcuterie platters. Substantial enough to be a meal, but small enough to serve as appetizers if you're on your way to dinner somewhere else, and all decidedly delicious.
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Café Via Dante

251, rue Dante, Montréal, QC H2S 1K3 514-270-8446

Description: Café Via Dante never fails. The Little Italy haven has been a neighborhood favorite since it opened a few years back, but it deserves wider acclaim. Home-style pastas are sublime, but the daily specials are almost always fantastic too ­ standouts on the regular menu include rabbit and polenta, gnocchi, and pappardelle with lamb ragu. The wine list is short but sweet, and the staff is affable and helpful.
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Casa Napoli

6728 St Laurent, Montréal, QC H2S 3C7 514-274-4351

Description: The godfather of all Italian restaurants in Montréal has been doing a brisk business for over 20 years. Once inside, the dining rooms are decorated with arches, stucco walls and a statue of Venus de Milo. Tuxedoed waiters bustle about with white napkins draped over their arms. The cuisine proves that traditional fare does not have to be boring. In Casa Napoli's cucina, the osso buco is tender, the focaccia is appropriately doused in olive oil and the fra diavolo lives up to its spicy name. Good selection of regional Italian wines priced reasonably.
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Da Vinci

1180 rue Bishop, Montréal, QC H3G 2E3 514-874-2001

Description: Softly lit and filled with Victorian charm, this Italian restaurant has satisfied hungry patrons since 1960. The beautiful restaurant is a fitting complement to the celebrated cuisine, which features traditional dishes and more contemporary options. Pastas are light and delicate and include gnocchi with lamb ragu, asparagus and radicchio ravioli, and shrimp and scallop risotto. Main courses include baked lobster tails, grilled sirloin steak, osso buco, rack of lamb and veal tenderloin. To enrich the meal, you'll find a host of appetizers, salads, desserts and even a substantial list of wines and after-dinner drinks. Private functions can be accommodated as well.
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Galiano's

410, rue Saint-Vincent, Montréal, QC H2Y 2A5 514-861-5039

Description: It is not often that you stumble across an Italian restaurant that features home cooking rather than haute cuisine. If you find yourself craving a simple carbonara or the fresh green taste of basil on succulent (not sweet) tomato sauce on pizza, step into Galiano's. The rustic interior with exposed brick archways and wood floors only enhances the feeling of being at an Italian grandmother's kitchen. If you listen carefully you can almost hear her say, "Mangia!" when the dishes are placed in front of you.
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Il Mulino

236, rue St-Zotique Est, Montréal, QC H2S 1L1 514-273-5776

Description: Careful preparation of the freshest ingredients gives Il Mulino an edge in Little Italy, where Italian restaurants are abundant. The menu changes frequently, as you might expect, which not only allows the kitchen to use only the best produce but encourages repeat visits. Italian food fans will not be bored here! There are plenty of distinctive pastas, but if you want a bit more protein, try the osso bucco, grilled octopus, Baccala alla Livornese (salt cod with tomatoes, garlic and basil) or stuffed veal chops.
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La Fornarina

6825 St Laurent, Montréal, QC H2S 3C8 514-271-1741

Description: Little Italy's home cooking can be found at La Fornarina where everyone is accommodated in three separate halls (seating a whopping 240 people) and treated like family. Smell the pizza cooking in the wood-burning stove as you peruse the menu featuring old favorites like parmiggiana and scallopine. Great place for families and groups. Abbondanza!
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La Petite Marche

5035 rue Saint-Denis, Montréal, QC H2J 2L9 514-842-1994

Description: Come hungry and expect heaping plates of food to satisfy even the most gnawing of early morning pangs. However, if you are hankering for greasy, artery-clogging options look elsewhere, as the Petit Marche specializes in the fresh, the light and the tastefully prepared. Try poached eggs with fruit, roasted potatoes and tomatoes Provencal, or salmon rolled with a melange of cheeses and capers. For the ultimate value, bring a partner as the portions could easily accommodate two appetites.
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Le Latini

1130, rue Jeanne-Mance, Montréal, QC H2Z 1L7 514-861-3166

Description: Serving fine, traditional Italian cuisine, this restaurant has been a city institution since 1979. Expensive, definitely, but many clamor for the delicious food, which changes depending on the constantly evolving menu. The table d'hôte selections are terrific if you want a luxurious dining experience with several courses, but the à la carte fare is great, too. Among the options you'll find are pastas, veal, seafood and even more exotic dishes like sweetbreads. The risotto also has quite a good reputation among regulars. Many Italian wines are available.
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Le Muscadin

639, Notre-Dame ouest, Montréal, QC H3C 1H8 514-842-0588

Description: Winner of multiple awards, from the esteemed DiRoNa to Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence, Le Muscadin has set the bar on fine Italian dining quite high. The atmosphere is elegant and refined without being stuffy or pretentious; the menu is simultaneously sophisticated and accessible. You might start with salmon-wrapped hearts of palm or snails in white wine-cream-garlic sauce. For the pasta course, try spaghetti carbonara or gnocchi with tomato sauce and lamb. Main courses are lovely and varied ­ choose from veal, beef, chicken or seafood. Among Montréal's finest.
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Lucca

12, rue Dante, Montréal, QC H2S 1J5 514-278-6502

Description: Italian "cucina rustica" in an intimate little bistro in the heart of "Petite Italie." The chalkboard menu features a varying list of special dishes that are prepared with seasonal ingredients and a permanent list of Italian staples such as risotto and fresh pastas. Try the signature veal chops in a wine sauce reduction or any of the seafood, especially the squid. The wine list predictably has a great selection of Italian varietals to pair with the food. Al fresco dining in summer on the terrace.
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Restaurant Roberto

2221, rue Bélanger est, Montréal, QC H2G 1C5 514-374-9844

Description: You can have a great meal here. Pastas are made in-house daily, and the sauces they're topped with are awesome. There are big salads, a good selection of veal and chicken dishes, pizzas and calzones, and specialties such as braised rabbit and roasted veal shank. But the homemade desserts are stunningly wonderful, from presentation to taste. Cannoli, gelato, granita, tiramisu, biscotti ­ each and every one is fantastic. Don't overstuff yourself on pizza and pasta!
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Rosalie

1232, rue de la Montagne, Montréal, QC H3G 1Z1 514-392-1970

Description: Chic and much-praised, Rosalie is a contemporary bistro in every sense. The mod décor features mirrored and wood-paneled walls, retro globe light fixtures and tables made from salvaged wood ­ the effect is warm and bright without being garish. The menu offers a number of classics such as tortelleni with duck confit, milk-fed leg of lamb, and slow-cooked Atlantic halibut. A selection of fresh made pizzas are also offered.
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Wienstein & Gavino's

1434, rue Crescent, Montréal, QC H3G 2B6 514-288-2231

Description: This stylish venue is awash in warm colors, beautiful patinas and soft lighting. The place, which occupies three floors, is lively and animated, ideal for group functions or dinner with someone special. Italian fare is the name of the game, whether it's a delicious pasta dish where you choose the shape and the sauce, or you opt for lamb, chicken, tuna or a luscious lasagna. You'll also find colorful pizzas topped with a host of fresh ingredients, along with soups, salads, appetizers and desserts. Crusty bread and a selection of wines add to the appeal of the place, which is constantly busy with young professionals and patrons of all sorts.
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