Impasto
Italian restaurant · District de Saint-Édouard ·
Gourmet Italian cuisine with house-cured charcuterie & fresh pastas
Gourmet Italian cuisine with house-cured charcuterie & fresh pastas
"After more than a decade in business, Impasto feels classic, enduring, and yet perpetually fresh. The first in a string of ventures by prominent Montreal restaurateurs Stefano Faita and chef Michele Forgione, this Italian spot satisfies with house-cured charcuterie, fluffy focaccia, seasonal salads, and regional pastas and mains. The menu evolves regularly, but expect Quebec ingredients composed in dishes that ferry you through Italy, from Rome’s vitello saltimbocca (sauteed veal with prosciutto and sage) and tubetti alla gricia (guanciale, black pepper, pecorino) to southern Italy’s nutty sea bass crudo and Sicilian-style cavatelli in sun-dried tomato and almond pesto. Sibling spots Gema (Neapolitan pizza across the street), Vesta (more pizza, with a slightly more local bent), and Chez Tousignant (a reimagined Quebec-style diner) are also worth visiting. If you drive: Parking can be tricky in the heart of Little Italy, but it’s not impossible. Bike paths and Bixi stations are easily accessible nearby, though." - Valerie Silva
"Michele Forgione and Stefano Faita, the restaurateurs behind this sleek Little Italy restaurant, are among Montreal’s most notable, and their combined expertise makes for a mouthwatering offering. Expect pillowy ricotta gnocchi, seasonal salads, house-cured charcuterie, and a wine list that’s extensive and varied. (Impasto is temporarily closed due to a COVID-19 exposure; check its Instagram account for reopening information.)" - Karin Murray-Bergquist
"Exquisitely crafted pasta, house-cured charcuterie, and a solid wine list coalesce for an invariably satisfying date night at Impasto, the Little Italy spot that started it all for co-owners Stefano Faita and Michele Forgione. Marble tabletops, warm wood surfaces, an open kitchen, and large windows help to set the mood just right." - Eater Staff
"In Little Italy's Impasto, chef Liam Beckett — who worked in Tuscan kitchens from 2011 to 2014 and learned the tradition of dressing crudo simply with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon — treats crudo as an exercise in respecting a few excellent ingredients. Earlier this summer they served turbot crudo marinated in tomato water with a cucumber, mint and shallot salsa, and the latest iteration features bluefin tuna with pistachios, mosto cotto (grape must syrup) and a citrus cauliflower purée. The dishes have been a hit: crudo is becoming more of a staple, diners are already asking about future preparations and requesting lesser-seen cuts, and the restaurant intends to serve crudo year-round." - Joe Bongiorno
"Co-owners Stefano Faita and Michele Forgione hit the nail on the head with their modern Italian restaurant, Impasto. It’s close enough to Nonna’s cooking to not be sacrilegious, yet inventive enough to turn heads, all while staying true to local, Quebec ingredients. Sister restaurant Gema, across the street, has some of the city’s most popular Neapolitan thin-crust pizzas. Wine curation by Benjamin Lemay Lemieux covers both sides of the street. Check the website for delivery options." - Ivy Lerner-Frank