Restaurant Moccione

"Nestled on a quiet stretch of Saint-Denis, this contemporary Italian spot hits all the right notes, and then some. It’s serving up seemingly simple yet eye-opening appetizers (like fried fish in sugo crudo and melt-in-your-mouth beef carpaccio), along with devastatingly delicious pasta dishes and a primo selection of cocktails and desserts. After the restaurant relocated to larger digs, it’s slightly easier to nab a table, though — be warned — reservations still fill up fairly quickly. For takeout that won’t disappoint, be sure to try nearby Moccione Pizza, owned by the same team." - Valerie Silva

"Moccione means “brat” in Italian, but there's nothing self-centered about the food and service in this airy space on a quiet strip of northern rue Saint-Denis. The team welcomes you like you’re a long-lost friend, and you can expect seasonal Italian dishes like trout tartare with clementines and radishes, homemade gnocchi with morels and arugula, and halibut on a bed of pureed spinach sweetened with local corn. Desserts here are the best part, including the lightest of cannoli topped with pistachio and velvety orange rind and their homemade gelato. " - ivy lerner frank, team infatuation

"Nestled on a quiet stretch of Saint-Denis, this contemporary Italian spot hits all the right notes, and then some. It’s serving up seemingly simple yet eye-opening appetizers (like fried fish in sugo crudo and melt-in-your-mouth beef carpaccio), along with devastatingly delicious pasta dishes and a primo selection of cocktails and desserts. After the restaurant relocated to larger digs, it’s slightly easier to nab a table, though — be warned — reservations still fill up fairly quickly. For takeout that won’t disappoint, be sure to try nearby Moccione Pizza, owned by the same team." - Valerie Silva

Rank: #45 "Moccione created a welcome new niche in Montreal’s Italian dining scene when it opened at the end of 2018. The cozy pastel room, with only eight tables and six bar stools, could be a feminine French bistro. The menu is equally short, smart and soigné, with laser-focused takes on the classics."

"With pasta-twirling Moccione completing a move over to St-Denis Street, owners Luca Cianciulli and Maxime Landry have debuted a new takeout spot in its place, offering up some seriously delicious pizzas, plus some tried-and-true appetizers and desserts that earned them praise at the original. Don’t miss out on its asiago-filled arancini or pistachio-orange-ricotta cannoli for dessert." - Karin Murray-Bergquist, Valerie Silva