Le Petit Italien — Restaurant in Montreal

Visited the restaurant today with a super good cousin I hadn't seen in years who was at last in town (along with a few family members who joined at a later stage), food quality itself was really amazing - but (massive BUT here) I don't remember bumping into more difficult and unpleasant service... I found myself standing up at least 4-5 times to go and pick up the menu myself, almost felt like we were disturbing the crew of the restaurant, had to keep my arm up for endless moments to be remotely noticed, so that we could try to order something (or had to stand up and walk into the restaurant to go fetch for a bit of support - restaurant which was otherwise empty so I can't say that the staff was in any amount overwhelmed with other people to attend). At the end as we gave up and decided to go elsewhere, I went to pay cash the $103 bill and handed out $105 with the agreed idea that my cousin would be the one leaving tip directly on the table - I looked as the staff took my money didn't even pretend to have the intention to give me back the $2 in change, or at least have the decency to even talk to me for the change, the gesture more than the amount just felt so unpleasant, anyway so we all decided to just depart and leave absolutely no tip because the entire servicing just felt so irksome and disagreeable the entire time through, not too sure what the problem was today with the unpleasant vibe (which was felt by all of us)... Anyway, too bad, because the cooks in the kitchen really did a decent job and taste was there, and the weather was also with us, so the day had all the ingredients to be fun and magical (which it was ultimately, Bernard street never disappoints) - but the service, it just made us all feel super unwelcome the entire meal through, last time any of us visit unfortunately, until at least management reboots with hopefully a new...

I came at a good time — it was pretty empty inside with only 1-2 other groups. Most people were sitting outside (there are only 4 tables outside, so pretty limited seating). The menu was minimal, nothing particularly special — just standard Italian dishes.

Appetizer: We started off with a Caesar salad to share. The dressing had a weird aftertaste, kind of like pesto, which was off-putting and didn’t taste like classic Caesar at all. That said, the croutons were actually pieces of crunchy parmesan — so good and original! I devoured those. But beyond that, the salad was just okay. Rating: 6.8/10 – Good for sharing, but nothing I’d crave again.

Main – Bolognese: I was excited for the bolognese since it’s often made with pork and I usually can’t eat it, so I love when I find a version I can have. Sadly, it was underwhelming — there was barely any meat in it. It wasn’t bad, just not special. Honestly, I’ve made better at home for less money. It had some small basil pieces (nice touch) and came with parmesan, but they didn’t offer to grate any fresh cheese, which is a small but important detail for me. Rating: 7.5/10 – Solid, but nothing that made it worth going out for.

Main – Pesto Gnocchi: This came out lukewarm, which was disappointing right off the bat. The pesto was almost completely overshadowed by a heavy layer of ricotta and lemon zest. I love both of those usually, but together they completely drowned out the pesto flavor. If you're craving good pesto gnocchi, go to AMERIGO instead — seriously. Rating: 6/10 – Disappointing.

Vibe & Service: The service was fine — average, nothing memorable. The vibes inside were cute and simple, but again, nothing special or standout.

Final Thoughts: All in all, I wouldn’t go back. I tried it, and now I know it’s not for me. There are better Italian...

2025/09

Second time I visit Le Petit Italien in at least 5 years.

This time, I had rigatoni, my guest lasagna, which were both excellent. We shared gelato for desert. Again, the pasta was up to expectation, desert however, a bit underwhelming.

Still worth visiting. Pasta is good. Service is prompt. Portions are comfortable and the restaurant is clean. In addition, prices are reasonable.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There is value in doing one thing and doing it as best as it can be done.

In this case, Italian food and specifically pasta.

The menu at Le Petit Italien is concise and focused.

I ate (can't remember the exact title) a type of bruschetta with white anchovies which was very tasty, unique, appetizing and good. a crudo, which was equally inviting and dressed perfectly a pasta putanesca, my favorite, which I order whenever it is on the menu. Well done, even if the olives were almost too shy for this bold tasting plate. Someone at our table ordered profiteroles (3 on a plate), the chou dough was hard, stuffed with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. The service was attentive and prompt.

I would have rated this 5 stars if I had not tasted the profiteroles. Next time, I will stick to the Italian theme and order cannoli instead.

Overall, a good, well run, comfort food restaurant I...