Bottega

Excellent place to go to enjoy some great food. Pizza was fantastic and baked in a wood fired oven. All the dishes tried were absolutely delicious. Service was warm and super attentive . 100% will return!

We came here for a girls’ night out and were really looking forward to, but while the food was delicious, the service was shockingly rude and left us all feeling uncomfortable. Early on, while I was speaking with one of the staff member who brought us bread, our server interrupted and started talking over me. They both walked away mid-conversation, ignoring me entirely. When I asked the server about it later, he simply said the bread wasn’t meant for our table, no apology, no basic courtesy. We were then left waiting until I had to call him over to place our order. The food arrived and tasted great, but the atmosphere quickly turned cold. We started noticing the staff, and even the manager, giving us pointed looks, as if we were overstaying our welcome. The restaurant had been full when we were eating, but by then, several tables were open, so we didn’t feel like we were taking up space. When the server came over with the card machine, he didn’t just hand it to me, he dropped it on my hand. It was careless, and it hurt. At this point, the restaurant was mostly empty, so we stayed at our table a little longer to chat. That’s when our server came over again to fill our water… and splashed it all over the table. It felt intentional, like we were being pushed out. The whole experience felt cold, dismissive, and just plain rude. I wish I could recommend this place for the food, but the service was unacceptable.

We are in Montreal for Memorial Day weekend and after a long day of exploring had decided to visit Little Italy. Our first place was booked up so, we decided to take our chances and try Bottega. When we first arrived our hostess was not sure if they could seat us. However, she told me to hang on for 5 minutes and after that she was able to find us a table. The food was amazing and fresh, we started with calamari, and a house made salad. Amazing! The owner was such a friendly person and spent some of his time talking to us. He and his staff are quite welcoming and the food is spot on. If in Montreal I highly recommend stopping here.

Great service at Bottega last night from each individual person who helped serve our party. The pizza was terrific, though I guess I’d have hoped for a touch more variety on the menu. Perhaps more salad or pasta options. Then again it IS a pizzeria, so that’s mostly my bad. The pizza is worthwhile for sure, and the fried calamari is super fresh!

I really enjoyed the restaurant — great food and service. However, I did miss having a house wine option. Given that Ontario already has a solid local wine production, I believe it would be entirely feasible to offer a reasonably priced house wine, served by the glass or in carafes, much like many good restaurants do in Europe. My suggestion would be to consider buying wine in boxes (bag-in-box), which can maintain quality while allowing for a more affordable and welcoming experience for customers. It would definitely add value to the overall service. Thank you!

We had so much fun here! Our wait staff was lovely and kind! The food was top notch and satisfied all of our desires for dinner. I highly recommend the pizza and the tiramisu! We would go back here in a heartbeat.

We had dinner with our race team of 20 people. Service was amazing! Never an empty glass and everyone knew exactly what they were doing. Big compliments to the kitchen and pizza station as all our dishes came out at the same time. Highly recommend going here!

An average Italian restaurant to me, which was very good but also nothing special. The focaccia and oil was great and the gnocchi was decent too, but I didn’t think the meatballs were special. I liked the pizzas we got and the calzone was neat to order but they felt a little forgettable. Broccoli on a pizza was a bit unnecessary. The basil ice cream was very memorable and mint-y in a refreshing way.

The food was equisite and the service top notch. Kudos to Nadia our waitress for exceptional service !

Waitress was amazing! Great service. Food was very good. Pizza was authentic. It got very busy and VERY loud. Like extremely... we were also boxed into our seating area.. too close. Good desserts too!

The service from Jerome was top notch. He explained every detail on the dishes we ordered. In our experience it has been extremely rare to find wood fired pizza in Montreal. Don't be fooled by the pizza ovens at other places which are trying to be authentic. Most are using gas and not using a wood-fired method which makes a difference when making authentic Neapolitan pizza. The salads were fresh with good flavor and not overly drenched with dressing. The gnocchi was homemade and melted nicely when we bit into it. It was like biting into an edible pillow of yumminess! For the dessert we opted for the gelato which was fresh and creamy and not overly sweet. Everything was perfect and we will be back soon. Great job Bottega staff! Bravo!!

Very weird experience. Stopped for a late meal here, near my condo rental in Petite Italie. Sat at the bar. Had a Peroni beer, ordered food, then asked for a red wine recommendation. The bartender/server was new, so she asked a colleague to help me. I told him I wasn't familiar with their by-the-glass options and asked for a recommendation. He replied, "Neither am I." He laughed, then walked away and mumbled that he'd be back. So I asked the waitress to wrap my food to go. The manager brought the insulting dude by to apologize. He did so, but why would a visitor to a touristy Montréal neighborhood with 100 restaurants waste their money on a smart-ass server at an upscale restaurant like Bottega when there are so many options nearby. Try Corneli or Mon Lapin instead. They seem to want your business.

Diavola. Angel in a devils body. She's spicy - but you can't ever get enough. She walks towards you on fire as your mouth waters. A single bite has you losing all sense of yourself and your surroundings. The more you have the more you want. You let her burn you because you'd rather feel the pain than spend another moment not tasting her moist thin crust and her familiar yet unique sauce as they dance together on your tongue and your eyes roll backwards. She will make all others seem insignificant. You wouldn't mind this being your last meal.

Food was excellent. Service impeccable in a nice happy setting. Some in my group say this is the best pizza in North America.

Was told this place was a " classic " in little Italy so we were curious to try. We shared : Squash ravioli appetizer -3/5 taste & texture were nice, dish overall was a bit bland Pizza Nolana - mozza, rapini and sausage 2/5 this really lacked taste and the bitterness of the rapini was overpowering Pizza capricciosa- 3/5. Yummy tomato base, mozza, ham, artichokes, mushrooms. This was the better of the 2 pizzas. So overall, a little disappointing experience compared to other pizzerias of this type,price etc in Montreal.

After eating there 8 years ago, I returned last night. The place was quite packed for a Tuesday night at 9 pm! Overall, I was expecting an above average experience but unfortunately it was very average. The night began with our waiter being extremely pushy for us to order drinks and appetizers the second we got there. Then, inquired to make a slight change to my pizza by replacing the prosciutto with salami or pepperoni and they wanted to charge me $3 extra. As well, i wanted to have tomato sauce instead of white sauce and they charge extra for that as well. Basically, you know where this is going, any slight replacement wIll cost you.. I wasn't too impressed since their pizzas aren't exactly cheap and they feel like they have the right to charge a supplementary fee for any change.... In terms of the pizza, I felt like they cheaped out on the toppings and the presentation- see pics. The vegetables didn't look too alive and appetizing. I will give them some credit for their tomato sauce and dough which was quite good. However overall I wasn't impressed and I wouldn't go back unless someone really insisted to go there.

My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night one hour before closing. We initially wanted to go to mon lapin but there was a crazy lineup so we ended up here because it was close-by and there were quite a few empty tables. I came here many years ago and I remember being disappointed. It was totally my fault though because against my better judgment I ordered the margarita pizza because it was the popular choice but I actually like pizza with a lot of topics so I was disappointed. For starters, my bf and I shared the arancini Bella Napoli which is a risotto ball with ham and mozzarella inside. It was $5 for one!! Pretty pricy if you ask me! It wasn't huge or anything either. I liked that it was crunchy on the outside but I found there wasn't much cheese inside and it definitely was not melting. I also didn't see any ham. We also shared the veal meatball because the reviews on here pretty much all raved about it. My boyfriend and I were not impressed however. It was just like any other meatball with sauce on top. And again $5 for one meatball is pricy! As for the pizza this time I knew better and we got a pizza with toppings! We chose the diavola which contained salami, tomatoes, mozzarella and chilli flakes. We also added sausage to it. The pizza wasn't spicy like I thought it would be so we added some spicy oil which was really more of a paste and we added olive oil to the paste. I liked that the waiter offered to add toppings and asked me what I liked because I felt like he was catering the pizza to my taste and really cared. The pizza was good but some parts of my crust were burnt which was disappointing. It really depended on the slice because some parts of the crust were good and I would dip it in the olive oil which made it even better but some parts were so burnt that I didn't want to eat it. To me this place is decent but I've had better pizza elsewhere in Montreal and probably would not come back again.

Luigi and his heavenly service. Everything is always so consistent at Bottega. Thank you

So I had my husband's 50th Surprise Birthday Party at La Bottega Ristorante this summer, and I can't express enough how incredibly satisfied I was. First off the space was clean and cozy, Second the food the chef prepared for my party was Outstanding !!! everything came out hot and in a timely manner, and last but not least the staff were Amazing !!! any and everything that was requested by myself and the party goers was attended to with a smile and promptly. The La bottega Chef and staff are the Best I have encountered in a very long time and I say to them keep doing what you do the way you do it !!! For anyone looking to have an event I would highly recommend calling on the La Bottega staff to get the job done for you with the utmost Professionalism. Thanks again La Botte staff for making our Special Day really Special...

We walked by this place earlier in the afternoon and loved the outdoor patio so we came back for dinner. The staff was wonderful and the patio was, indeed, perfect. The server recommended an excellent red wine to start. Then we had the burrata and speck, both really good but overpriced for what you get. The arancino was great and finally we ordered the margherita pizza. His was Napoli style and made to perfection. It's what I was hoping it would be and it met my very lofty expectations.

Best pizza crust ever!! We went here cuz my bf was in the mood for pizza, and he asked me do you know any good pizza place, DO I? hahaha. Found this place a few years back, aside from pizza they also have the best gnocchi in town, I believe it's the same folks from the now closed Il Mulino restaurant. The pizzas are fresh and the crust is perfectly crispy while retaining a mild chewy texture. The toppings are simple and fresh. The bread is fresh and amazing, sadly, it is only served with olive oil and no balsamic vinegar :( 4 stars overall, but 5 stars for pizza and gnocchi

The place looked very inviting from outside so we decided to go here for my dad's birthday. There were many choices on the menu, and pretty good prices. The restaurant is beautiful, the music not too loud and very pleasing. We ordered the sausage and rapini, aubergine in tomato sauce and grilled shrimp with grapefruit. We also got two pizzas that were amazing! For desert i got the chocolate almond cake and my dad got the tiramisu that was delicious and juicy. Ended with an espresso and latte thaf were also very very good. Service was amazing and for two people for all we ate, 135$ cad tax and tips included. Highly recommend for authentic italian food

This review is for take out only. Taking into consideration it's never going to be the same experience fresh out the oven, eating in. While my take out experience was 3 out of 5 I am giving the extra star because I feel it really does have the POTENTIAL to be 4 out of 5. The dough was good though a little on the chewy side. I was disappointed with the lack of toppings and uneven distribution of toppings. Picture reference attached. The tomato sauce was delicious. The eggplant side dish was delicious. The meatballs were a little too soft in texture (I prefer more of a bite, perhaps the grind was finer than I prefer) though it was tasty and the sauce was great so if you don't mind the texture it might be for you. Service was great - we ordered on the phone, they were accommodating to dietary requirements where possible. I really enjoyed my meal and I look forward to going back and eating in the restaurant. I'm sure it would be better!

Very good and authentic pizza, made by people from Napoli, Italy. Good gnocchi as well! Overall, great experience. The only negative comment I have is on the arancini (rice balls). The crust, rice and overall flavor were really good. However, inside there was a big chunk of cold and unmelted mozzarella cheese... When I brought it up with both waiter and manager, they acknowledged the fact that other people had complained about it but still made me pay for them instead of taking them off the bill or offering my kids a free gelato or something...

I've been going to the Laval Bottega location for the better part of the last decade. A recent gathering of friends brought me to the 'original location' in beautiful Little Italy. I was excited to find out if this location offered the same quality of food or if there was a notable difference in any way. The first thing I noticed was that this location is probably half the size of the Laval location. The decor is about the same and it promotes a warm and intimate environment, ideal for a date or special occasion with a significant other. I went with their polpetta (meatball drenched in tomato sauce and Italian herbs), a marinara pizza as a main and for dessert their Nutella pizza! The polpetta is so underappreciated I can't help to recommend it to everyone I eat here with. Sure, the price-tag of $4 per meatball is off-putting but trust me... try it. It's perfect and it will leave you wanting for more. In some ways it was so good it sometimes overshadows the main course for me. Thinking about it right now makes me drool... I'd go here and order 5 of them and just leave a happy man. I went with their marinara pizza and while it was good I will freely admit I was somewhat disappointed but it. I expect my pizza to maximize.the space in my plate with a perfect crust ratio and for some reason my pizza was somewhat deformed. It wasn't round but more so leaf shaped? Furthermore, the crust was too thick which left me less tomato/igredient goodness in the middle to enjoy. I enjoy the crust but I'd recommend better preparation. For dessert we shared the Nutella pizza and it was sublime. Thankfully it was properly prepared being perfectly round with little crust to deal with. Price-tag is a little high but it's worth it. Overall I enjoyed it but I much prefer the Laval location for a variety of reasons. Buon appetito!

We are impressed with the atmosphere. The only positive comment we have about this place is that dishes are very affordable, or completely inexpensive. For starters, we order a veal meatball with tomato sauce and a cannelloni alla bolongnese. Ok, veal meatball came out directly from the oven, very hot very tasty to start with. Cannelloni is average. Would not repeat this dish next time. However, the crust was a thin crust but too soft, and doughy, feeling a bit too spongy/chewy. The tomato sauce does not taste much. The toppings, very few eggplants and only ONE piece of basil in a 12-inch pizza. The boccoccini cheese was alright. Nothing much i can say about.

We were just wandering around Little Italy and came across this busy restaurant tonight! The service was excellent, I could not remember if I had ever had such delicious pizza before. Options for vegetarians and meatetarians. The crust was so tasty, topped with simple ingredients. Our waiter explained the menu and options that we could add to it. I would totally recommend this restaurant. Definitely make reservations!

Bottega is located on Zotique in the Little Italy neighborhood. I'll be honest, I was planning to go to Pizzeria Napoletana, but the lineup was huge so me and my friend ended up here. Bottega has a very interesting food menu & a big wine list. One of the things I liked is they have zucchini flowers on the menu (Seasonal of course). We tried the Arancini. Wasn't a big fan. It was too dry. The pizza was good but not as good as magpie. There's something about the tomato sauce at magpie that makes their pizza's special. Sorry Bottega, you are #2 when it comes to pizza. I'd pick pizza at Magpie anyday . Food : Good Service :Fast Ambiance : Casual Worth the price : Yes

Beat pizza in Montréal, the closest that I've had here compared to Italy. The wine list is extensive and well thought out, with interesting Italian specialties.

Bottega is rated on google as the #1 place for pizza in Montreal. I ordered the pizza margarita, my favorite. It arrived quickly, too quickly and looked very nice. but I found its texture to be limp and rubbery. It turned cold within a few minutes. I expect a good pizza to be crispy on the bottom. This can be achieved by baking it thoroughly. The waiter explained that their wood-burning oven is set at 900 degrees so that the pizza is ready to be served quickly. Any additional baking time would render a burnt pizza. I would recommend that they lower the temperature of the oven and bake the pizza longer. Their under-cooked, limp pizza is a far cry from #1 in my books.

Last night was perfect to eat outside. Professional service, real Italian experience, delicious food. I had the bread, prosciutto and figues. Surprisingly, good size for an appetizer! Then I had the calzone. Italian beer to complète that very nice meal. Service impeccable malgré la rue bruyante ; tables invitantes à l'extérieur comme à l'intérieur. Les prix sont raisonnables et les assiettes généreuses, surtout l'entrée pain, prosciutto et figues : un délice !

Always consistently great pizza! I ordered it on Uber Eats as I couldn't go out. The salad was missing but. It sure it it was their fault or the drivers. Nevertheless, excellent pizza!!

Sad. If you are not planning on drinking heavy amounts of wine or liquor here, do not go. Waiters here like to be tipped on the vast % markup of spirits. As soon as we informed our waiter(Tony) we were not drinking, everything changed. Rude, food arriving 30 minutes after tables served that were seated after us, curt behaviour and appalling service. The food was great. But sadly the experience was ruined.

Amazing food, most authentic italian pizzeria in Montreal. The one in Laval is also good but lacks the authenticity that this location offers with the italian staff and location in little Italy.

I've been twice with my family. The service is great and the pizza is amazing. My parents have been to italy and they said that this pizza is just as good the Neapolitan pizza they taste in Italy. It is a bit expensive, especially the wine. I also go there for takeout sometimes

Went there on a Friday night. Waiter at first seemed cold and indifferent, but after engaging the conversation with him he seemed pretty nice. I guess since the place is so popular and busy the waiters no longer care about the customers? The eggplant appetizer wasn't really memorable, but the pizza was great. The dough and the way it's baked is really what sets this pizzeria apart. However, service was so quick we didn't really have the chance to enjoy our evening. We ordered at 6h15 and by 7h15 we were done and the bills were already paid. I guess they want a fast customer turnaround...

I think I'm becoming a regular at Bottega. There are times when I go twice a week; for good reason though. They make the best authentic Italian pizzas in MTL, along with other traditional Italian dishes. I personally believe their pizzas are the closest thing to the real deal that you could find. I recently traveled to Naples and ate at the world renown "Da Michele's". Upon my return I went to Bottega to compare pizzas. I must say, it doesn't taste exactly like the pizza in Naples, but it comes pretty friggin' close! For that, I must give Bottega a huge shout out for representing the beauty and simplicity in Italian cuisine. When I order, I usually get the classic margarita pizza. You could never go wrong with that. It's the original and it's the best! However, if you're not in the mood for pizza, there's a variety of pasta dishes to order as well. They serve very good gelato too. Their hazelnut and pistachio flavours are killer! Don't forget to wash down your meal with a delicious shot of chilled limoncello! It's not that expensive. You could eat great for 20$. Enjoy ;)

This has got to be my favourite pizza in Montreal. They are just like what you find in Italy and the service is very good. If you want to start with an appetizer then the meatballs are an excellent choice as is the melanzane (eggplant). I usually get the pizza Siciliana which has eggplant on it or the Margherita and I highly recommend them both. For dessert the tiramisu is always tasty. You'll need to reserve for this place because it is ALWAYS packed. I've been loads of times and they are always busy everytime I go.

Came here for dinner during December to have some authentic Italian pizza but wasn't extremely impressed to be honest. The restaurant is beautiful with excellent service and a varied menu. We decided to split the Arancini and the meatball to start and then had an arugula pizza topped with extra prosciutto. The starters were just ok - I've had better arancini elsewhere and the meatball was borderline flavorless. The pizza was good! No complaints there except for the hefty $6 price tag for three slices of proscuttio added. Ended with some delicious sorbet which I want to say is made in-house but can't be sure. Overall a good experience - come for the pizza but skip the apps!

I'm a bit surprised this pizza place is so well reviewed. I much prefer Magpie than Bottega. I went there maybe few months ago and it was not memorable at all. It was busy and the vibe was cool but I won't go back for the pizza!!

My first weekend in Montreal and I had discovered Petite Italia. With all the great aromas drifting down St. Zotique my choices for dinner were limitless. One in particular had an old-school brick oven and that was good enough for me - don't worry, I plan to hit every other restaurant on that street eventually. The atmosphere was casual inside and out, with diners ranging from couples to familes to after work socials. I was pathetic dining by myself and had no choice - what to do except ask for a table for one. The maitre d' (who may or may not have been the owner...) sat me at a table right next to the kitchen. Talk about "dinner and a show." For a saturday night it was fairly busy and when I offered not to take up a 4-top by myself to sit at the bar, he replied, "No sir, sit, relax and enjoy your meal." Can't argue with that. Stephanie, my waitress, took very good care of me. Looking around I saw a lot of dishes that looked great...from the fried zucchini flowers(?) to the pizzas to teh calamari...so much to sample next time. I may also be the first person to review Bottega without being able to comment on their pizza since I ordered a glass of wine and a calzone. Without hesitation it was quite possibly one of the best calzones I've ever had. To top the night off, I finished with the hazelnut gelato and that was pure heaven. Now the hard part; I was a bit surprised when the bill came and the cheapest glass of wine, a plain mushroom & meat calzone with a cup of gelato along with tip came to over $50 for one person. I'm still learning what constitutes cheap vs expensive in this city so don't let this fool you though - I try to get the most for my money wherever I go. It's pricey in my opinion but the service and atmosphere were great. The food/dessert was amazing and I did not walk out of there still hungry. It's a great place to visit once and a while or for special occasions. Plus, I moved in down the street after that night so there's a good chance I'll be back.

A group of 7 of us dined at Bottega on a Saturday night. Our table wasn't ready when we arrived, so we waited at the bar. As an apology for the wait, we were each given a complimentary glass of wine. A+ on the customer service! As an entree, we had calamari, served with lemon. They were perfectly cooked - the texture was great, but the oil used tasted very mildly burnt. The star is the pizza! The margherita and capricciosa were delicious! The crust is thin, crispy on the outside and chewy in the center - amazing. The sauce is simple and clean, and has a rich tomato flavour. And the cheese .. mmm.

Wonderful service and atmosphere Excellent Italian food that was very fresh. A definite place we will go back to. Great family atmosphere. Restaurant seemed to be filled with regulars when we went (the waiters greeted many of the patrons by name as they arrived) - after eating there I can see why they love it too!

I've been here 4 of 5 times and always had a decent experience. However was there Friday, July 6,2018 and was disappointed. The drinks were fine but the Pizza was half raw and the other was burnt. At these prices I would expect better consistancy. As I said the drinks were fine but I really had a hard time justying the $335 bill plus tip for 4 pizzas a couple of appetizers and drinks.....DISAPPOINTED....

Bottega serves quality food from top to bottom and always offers new and delicious appetizers which, so far, have never disappointed me or my guests. I have been there 6 different times now and have never walked out thinking the meal I just had was nothing but, at the minimum, a solid experience. It's a well-run restaurant. I always order the Caprese pizza because I cannot resist the combination of ingredients. It tastes great and as everyone else says the crust is amazing but I do feel like sometimes the middle part of the pizza becomes soggy and a bit mushy. This might often be the case when using cherry tomatoes and I am not sure if there's a way around it? The prices are a bit high but what you get in return is a level of freshness rarely found in other restaurants in the city so at least, you know the prices are not totally unfair. They do not skimp on quality. Besides, it's hard to argue their prices are too high since the place is almost always jam packed for dinners, especially late in the week. Service has always been very good despite how busy they are. The waiters are friendly, knowledgeable and professional. Good eats await you at Bottega and for me has yet to ever disappoint. Vegetarian food: 4.0 Value: 4.0 (it's expensive but the quality of ingredients is A+) Service: 4.5

Great crust and definitely solid pizza. Not the best I've had in Montreal but up there.

Best pizza ever with truffle oil! Wow! Good and fast service, nice atmosphere, love the pizza oven in the back!

Great casual Italian restaurants in Little Italy. Good place to go with friends and family. Everything is super fresh and well prepared. We end up sharing a bunch of small plates when we go but their pizzas are great too. Caprese salad and gnocchi are not to be missed. Dessert is awesome too, the tiramisu is the best I've had in Montreal. Good wine list as well. Usually boisterous and lively with fairly high noise level.

Calamari was fantastically delicious!! Oven baked Pizza was great too!! Parking in the back of the restaurant very convenient!

I have been here twice and twice I was salivating for "the best pizza in town" and twice I have left disappointed. The first time, I ordered the pepperoni pizza. It's about a 10", scare on the cheese side of things. The wood-oven crust, which I had been looking forward to the most, failed to impress me. Yes, it is a good crust, but I feel I have had better elsewhere. The second time, I had a calzone, sort of pizza roll (think glorified pizza pocket). I am sure there are excellent calzones out there, just not at this place. Just Overall, the pizzas are very artisanal and feel authentic. The service is so-so; water did not get refilled, it takes a long time to be seated or to get acknowledged, and you are hushed out if you are done. The ambiance is nice, good for a romantic date. The tables are too close to each other however and we often found ourselves almost in the conversation of our neighbours.

I didn't think I'd ever find good pizza in QC, where your average slice-o' is nothing short of appalling. Glad I heard about this place. Waitress was so nice as to arouse mild suspicion in my rude-New-Yorker bones. I wish they had beer that wasn't $7 bottles of Moretti, but they more than made up for it with a delicious margherita pie and world-class bread and olive oil. PS if you ask, they have both mozzarella di bufala (a highly recommended upgrade) and shaved truffles available.

The best of Montreal's high-end wood-burning-oven Restos. Also, make sure to order the meatball appetizer and the rice balls...

Pizza is nothing like Italy.... It feels like a poorly cooked pancake batter. (Very difficult to digest!) However, the appetizers are truly excellent and so is the gelato. Staff is nice and polite!

The food in Bottega is really good and the pizza has unique flavour. Zucchini flowers for appetizer - what a treat!

We were staying at a rental place in the area and our landlord recommended Bottega as one of his favorites. He was right about that! We had a terrific meal here with very good service, very lovely wine selections, great fresh and gourmet selections on the menu, not just the pizza. We did like the wood-fired pizza, I've had a bit better before, but it is solid and makes for a nice meal. My only complaint is that they don't cut the pizza and I know that's traditional, but it makes it a pain to try to cut at your table. Our real favorites were all the other things besides the pizza on the menu. The arancini were the best we've ever had. It's a nice place but not putting on airs and entirely comfortable. In the summer they have a lovely little terrace for dining.

A friend just asked me where to find a great pizza in Montreal, and I was reminded of Bottega. You can hear all about the owner's quest to learn the secrets of his ancestors by studying the intricacies of the perfect pizza in Naples on his website; this is not just advertising hype however - the pizza is cooked to perfection in about 90 seconds in a 900 degree pizza oven - perfect dough, simple ingredients and sumptuous sides make for the perfect Italian food experience - the rapini and sausage were better than my Sicilian mother-in-law's, and that's saying something!(but be warned, if it's gobs of mozzarella cheese you're looking for, then this is not the place for you!) The ambience is busy and cheerful - urban but not sterile. (Highly recommended too, by my guy Joe, who has Sicilian blood, and is not easily impressed by Italian restaurants...)

I loved this place. Best real italian pizza I have had in Montreal! Service was very good too and loved the atmosphere.