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15 Outstanding Eats in Montreal’s Little Italy and Mile Ex

From thick crust pizza al taglio to a rainbow of Thai curries

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Bound by Jean-Talon Street to the north, the railroad on the south, Avenue du Parc to the west, and St. Denis on the east, the area that encompasses Mile Ex and Little Italy has no shortage of stellar dining options.

Old school body shops nestle amidst new condos and IT headquarters in former manufacturing buildings in “Mile-Ex.” It’s officially named Marconi-Alexandra, and is also home to spots like Senegalese restaurant Diolo and wine bar Le Diplomate. Meanwhile, Little Italy is best known for the Jean-Talon market (see Eater’s market guide here) and a plethora of restaurants ranging from traditional Italian to a vegan ramen spot. Left off this list are some of the area’s iconic cafés, but you’d do good to stop by Caffè Italia or San Simeon, and then bakery Alati Caserta for a cannoli, after getting takeout at any of the options listed below.

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Diolo Traiteur

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“We don’t offer ketchup or mayonnaise,” says the menu at Diolo, “We make special sauces for each dish. Be curious!” From mafé, a traditional peanut stew with smoked fish, to yassa, a Senegalese stew with onions, lemon, and habanero pepper, restaurant Diolo features West African cuisine for vegetarians and omnivores alike. Check out chef Edmond’s lamb brochette or whole grilled fish, in addition to their chicken dishes; finish up with thiakry, a sweetened millet pudding for dessert. Spend the afternoon skating at nearby Jarry Park and pick up at the restaurant. 

Manitoba

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Manitoba’s commitment to local terroir and seasonality translates into sublime, earthy takeout options: in addition to pastas made from local grain, they’re making beetroot bolognese and chaga mushroom tiramisu, both featured in the winter menu. The épicerie showcases new chef Jean-Philippe Matheussen’s commitment to preserving and fermentation, with salt-cured egg yolks, dried duck breast, marinated chanterelle mushrooms, and an herby winter tea with fireweed, juniper, and blueberry. Order early in the week.

Restaurant Joon

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One of Little Italy’s newest spots is no newcomer to the neighbourhood: Owner-Chef Erin Mahoney lives a block away. Her dishes take inspiration from the cuisines (and wines) of Persia, Armenia, and Georgia, with an emphasis on freshness from herbs, nuts, pomegranates, and local produce from Jean Talon market and meats from local farms. Don’t miss her special Sudjook Sunday sandwich. Pick-up at the resto, adjacent to the northern Benvenuti arch on St Laurent just south of Jean Talon. 

Marconi

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Like others, this neighbourhood restaurant with a French, market-based focus had to do a pandemic pivot, translating carefully prepared small plates to takeout. Housed in a former dépanneur on Mozart, chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly brings experience from having worked at top spots like Montreal’s Au Pied de Cochon. Co-owner Molly Superfine-Rivera handles the wine; in addition to prepared foods (check out their three course table d’hôte), there’s an épicerie with signature granola. Drop by for takeout. 

Impasto

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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.

Dinette Triple Crown

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Dinette Triple Crown made its name with their southern-style fried chicken and family dinner platters, but the sides deserve equal attention (especially the biscuits). Their fun, retro-designed website gives the rundown on all their pantry items: preserves made with summer’s bounty, including a collection of hot sauces, pickled asparagus or watermelon rind, a dry pork rub, and peach preserves. Curbside pickup and in-house delivery in the neighbourhood; check their website for more details.

Umami Ramen & Izakaya

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Tucked into a corner across from the Parc de la Petite Italie, Mile Ex’s vegan noodle shop has everything you need for a Japanese-style ramen feast. Choose from ramen with broth or tsukemen (dipping noodles), complemented by gyoza Japanese dumplings or seaweed salads. And, yes, there’s sake, too. Pickup at the resto or order through CHKPLZ.

Pizzeria Napoletana

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Offering classic pizzas from margherita to marinara since 1948, this anchor of Little Italy offers over 40 varieties of pizza and more than 30 varieties of pasta. If you want to bring their sauces home — or a branded onesie for a newborn— check out Miss Napoletana, their épicerie directly across the street. Pick-up or delivery available with multiple third party services. 

Chez Tousignant

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When a chef takes months to perfect a recipe for the perfect potato bun, something should tell you that this isn’t just any old casse-croûte. Little Italy’s favourite snack bar offers homemade hot dogs, griddle-cooked cheeseburgers, squeaky-cheese poutine, and the Big Mike burger, named after co-owner Michele Forgione. Wash it all down with a Tousignant sodas — root beer, black cherry, or orange. Pickup and delivery available with multiple third-party services

Épicerie Pumpui

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There’s a rainbow of curries — from red to green to yellow (to Massaman) — at Pumpui, under Chef Jesse Mulder’s expert guidance. Yes, there’s Pad Thai, but there’s also Yam Samun Phrai, a crunchy cabbage salad with loads of herbs and coconut milk, and Pad Krapao — a holy basil stir-fry with tiny chilis offered in veg and non-veg format — for those who like to keep things (really) spicy. The website has all the details for their fun merch, plus curbside pickup and delivery with CHKPLZ.

Café San Gennaro

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Roman-style thick crust pizza al taglio and bomboloni pastries bursting with pistachio cream are on the pandemic menu at San Gennaro, part of the Bottega family. With old-school coffee and the return of their breakfast (put an egg on it) pizza, all your carb needs can be met in one place. Curbside pickup, in-house local delivery, and multiple third-party apps.

Le Diplomate

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Chef Aaron Langille’s Mile-Ex wine spot treats an array of local produce with equal degrees of care and creativity, and the result is a treat. Le Diplomate’s simple, skillfully crafted small plates are on hold for the moment, replaced by a compelling menu of hearty family dishes served with sides and dessert — and a great selection of natural wines. Details on pickup and delivery on Le Diplomate’s website

Mon Lapin

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With a focus on the apéro hour and a continued commitment to natural wines curated by co-owner Vanya Filipovic, Mon Lapin 2.0 keeps reinventing its menu with happy results: potted bacalá with olive oil, smoked eel en brioche, and duck confit with juniper and pine are on their winter menu, along with a tiny, perfect carrot cake. Head over to their expanded premises for pickup or order online.

La Carreta

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This Salvadoran restaurant is well known for homemade tortillas, tamales, and hearty platters, complemented by great selection of affordable pupusas. Order online with the usual third-party services, or head over for takeout. 

Pastaga

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Comfort food to go is the new theme of Chef Martin Juneau’s primary restaurant since the pandemic; Pastaga offers a variety of soups, frozen for convenience, with casseroles (think mac and cheese, or moussaka) and savoury pie mains with cod, chicken, or pulled pork fillings. Turnip, maple, and chipotle soup, or carrot and cardamom? Follow it up with some Queen Elizabeth cake. coconut and cranberry tapioca or tiramisu. Natural wines, always close to Juneau’s heart, are still a focus. Pick up right there or order through CHKPLZ.

Diolo Traiteur

“We don’t offer ketchup or mayonnaise,” says the menu at Diolo, “We make special sauces for each dish. Be curious!” From mafé, a traditional peanut stew with smoked fish, to yassa, a Senegalese stew with onions, lemon, and habanero pepper, restaurant Diolo features West African cuisine for vegetarians and omnivores alike. Check out chef Edmond’s lamb brochette or whole grilled fish, in addition to their chicken dishes; finish up with thiakry, a sweetened millet pudding for dessert. Spend the afternoon skating at nearby Jarry Park and pick up at the restaurant. 

Manitoba

Manitoba’s commitment to local terroir and seasonality translates into sublime, earthy takeout options: in addition to pastas made from local grain, they’re making beetroot bolognese and chaga mushroom tiramisu, both featured in the winter menu. The épicerie showcases new chef Jean-Philippe Matheussen’s commitment to preserving and fermentation, with salt-cured egg yolks, dried duck breast, marinated chanterelle mushrooms, and an herby winter tea with fireweed, juniper, and blueberry. Order early in the week.

Restaurant Joon

One of Little Italy’s newest spots is no newcomer to the neighbourhood: Owner-Chef Erin Mahoney lives a block away. Her dishes take inspiration from the cuisines (and wines) of Persia, Armenia, and Georgia, with an emphasis on freshness from herbs, nuts, pomegranates, and local produce from Jean Talon market and meats from local farms. Don’t miss her special Sudjook Sunday sandwich. Pick-up at the resto, adjacent to the northern Benvenuti arch on St Laurent just south of Jean Talon. 

Marconi

Like others, this neighbourhood restaurant with a French, market-based focus had to do a pandemic pivot, translating carefully prepared small plates to takeout. Housed in a former dépanneur on Mozart, chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly brings experience from having worked at top spots like Montreal’s Au Pied de Cochon. Co-owner Molly Superfine-Rivera handles the wine; in addition to prepared foods (check out their three course table d’hôte), there’s an épicerie with signature granola. Drop by for takeout. 

Impasto

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.

Dinette Triple Crown

Dinette Triple Crown made its name with their southern-style fried chicken and family dinner platters, but the sides deserve equal attention (especially the biscuits). Their fun, retro-designed website gives the rundown on all their pantry items: preserves made with summer’s bounty, including a collection of hot sauces, pickled asparagus or watermelon rind, a dry pork rub, and peach preserves. Curbside pickup and in-house delivery in the neighbourhood; check their website for more details.

Umami Ramen & Izakaya

Tucked into a corner across from the Parc de la Petite Italie, Mile Ex’s vegan noodle shop has everything you need for a Japanese-style ramen feast. Choose from ramen with broth or tsukemen (dipping noodles), complemented by gyoza Japanese dumplings or seaweed salads. And, yes, there’s sake, too. Pickup at the resto or order through CHKPLZ.

Pizzeria Napoletana

Offering classic pizzas from margherita to marinara since 1948, this anchor of Little Italy offers over 40 varieties of pizza and more than 30 varieties of pasta. If you want to bring their sauces home — or a branded onesie for a newborn— check out Miss Napoletana, their épicerie directly across the street. Pick-up or delivery available with multiple third party services. 

Chez Tousignant

When a chef takes months to perfect a recipe for the perfect potato bun, something should tell you that this isn’t just any old casse-croûte. Little Italy’s favourite snack bar offers homemade hot dogs, griddle-cooked cheeseburgers, squeaky-cheese poutine, and the Big Mike burger, named after co-owner Michele Forgione. Wash it all down with a Tousignant sodas — root beer, black cherry, or orange. Pickup and delivery available with multiple third-party services

Épicerie Pumpui

There’s a rainbow of curries — from red to green to yellow (to Massaman) — at Pumpui, under Chef Jesse Mulder’s expert guidance. Yes, there’s Pad Thai, but there’s also Yam Samun Phrai, a crunchy cabbage salad with loads of herbs and coconut milk, and Pad Krapao — a holy basil stir-fry with tiny chilis offered in veg and non-veg format — for those who like to keep things (really) spicy. The website has all the details for their fun merch, plus curbside pickup and delivery with CHKPLZ.

Café San Gennaro

Roman-style thick crust pizza al taglio and bomboloni pastries bursting with pistachio cream are on the pandemic menu at San Gennaro, part of the Bottega family. With old-school coffee and the return of their breakfast (put an egg on it) pizza, all your carb needs can be met in one place. Curbside pickup, in-house local delivery, and multiple third-party apps.

Le Diplomate

Chef Aaron Langille’s Mile-Ex wine spot treats an array of local produce with equal degrees of care and creativity, and the result is a treat. Le Diplomate’s simple, skillfully crafted small plates are on hold for the moment, replaced by a compelling menu of hearty family dishes served with sides and dessert — and a great selection of natural wines. Details on pickup and delivery on Le Diplomate’s website

Mon Lapin

With a focus on the apéro hour and a continued commitment to natural wines curated by co-owner Vanya Filipovic, Mon Lapin 2.0 keeps reinventing its menu with happy results: potted bacalá with olive oil, smoked eel en brioche, and duck confit with juniper and pine are on their winter menu, along with a tiny, perfect carrot cake. Head over to their expanded premises for pickup or order online.

La Carreta

This Salvadoran restaurant is well known for homemade tortillas, tamales, and hearty platters, complemented by great selection of affordable pupusas. Order online with the usual third-party services, or head over for takeout. 

Pastaga

Comfort food to go is the new theme of Chef Martin Juneau’s primary restaurant since the pandemic; Pastaga offers a variety of soups, frozen for convenience, with casseroles (think mac and cheese, or moussaka) and savoury pie mains with cod, chicken, or pulled pork fillings. Turnip, maple, and chipotle soup, or carrot and cardamom? Follow it up with some Queen Elizabeth cake. coconut and cranberry tapioca or tiramisu. Natural wines, always close to Juneau’s heart, are still a focus. Pick up right there or order through CHKPLZ.