Simmering fresh pasta, very little for you? Eat some, on the other hand, yes, please! Here is a selection of places in the province where you can catch pasta fresco to take home.
Paradiso Pasta
-
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Paradiso opened in April 2022, in Westmount.
-
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Owners Kira German (right) and Will Weston are supported by Kira’s sister, Lindsey, who takes care of just about everything outside of the kitchen.
-
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
There are several shapes of pasta in the fridge.
-
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The religious theme of the decor echoes the act of worshiping fresh dough.
-
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Every day, its dough. When we visited, on a Thursday, it was pizzocheri, a flat, short pastry made from buckwheat, topped with potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
1/5
Kira German and Will Weston had already kneaded, stretched, rolled and cut their batch of fresh pasta before opening Paradiso, in April 2022. She at the Nora Gray restaurant, he at the Monkland Tavern, where he worked before his years at Joe Beef. There are several shapes of pasta in the display case and in the refrigerator, as well as sauces, six varieties of lasagna, tiramisu, soft amaretti and a few groceries. From Tuesday to Saturday, you can also leave with your dinner, a prepared pasta that changes every day. When we passed, it was the original pizzocheri, made with buckwheat. Divine !
Eve Dumas, The Press
344 Victoria Avenue, Westmount
Etna Pastificio
PHOTO SARAH MONGEAU-BIRKETT, THE PRESS
Fresh pasta is the specialty of Etna Pastificio.
At the end of the year, the owners of the Etna refreshment bar and the Etna Pastificio fresh pasta counter, both located in Villeray, announced the merger of their two establishments. The restaurant on rue Jarry is being renovated and from March will become a fresh pasta counter and a local wine shop specializing in privately imported natural wines, with a dinner service at lunchtime. Until then, the counter on rue Drolet remains open every day to stock up on fresh pasta and homemade sauces.
Iris Gagnon-Paradise, The Press
7500 Drolet Street, Montreal
Il Miglio
PHOTO DOMINIQUE LAFOND, PROVIDED BY IL MIGLIO
Il Miglio is a Montreal staple for fresh pasta.
When talking about artisanal fresh pasta in Montreal, it is impossible not to mention Il Miglio, which has become a reference in the field since the opening of the place in Mile End in 2017. A second “express” address on Robert- Bourassa was inaugurated in 2019, followed by the counter at Time Out Market. It is possible to stock up on fresh pasta and sauces at the first two locations, but the variety remains greater at the initial address.
Iris Gagnon-Paradise, The Press
5235 Saint-Laurent Boulevard and 111 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard, Montreal
BarBara Wine
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
There is also fresh pasta to take away at BarBara Vin. In the photo, Catherine Draws, co-owner, shows one of the varieties of the day.
A popular café and wine bar in the Saint-Henri district, BarBara Vin also has a counter side to discover. Since chef David Pellizzari puts fresh pasta on his menu every day, it is also possible to buy it on site, to take away. At the entrance, several varieties of the day are displayed in the window: all you have to do is make your choice!
Iris Gagnon-Paradise, The Press
4450 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal
The pasta factory
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE PASTA FACTORY
Handmade stuffed medallions are a specialty of the house.
During the pandemic, the Raphaël restaurant in Prévost changed its identity and vocation. After 20 years, the owners, Claudia Campbell and Raphaël Martellotti, have transformed their establishment into a counter specializing in fresh pasta. The success was immediate! In addition to machine-made short and long pastas and homemade sauces, the place, which is open Wednesday through Sunday, has an ace in its pocket: its famous medallions, hand-made, one-by-one, and stuffed delicious toppings.
Iris Gagnon-Paradise, The Press
3053, boulevard du Curé-Labelle, Prévost
Pasta Shop Stoneham
PHOTO FROM STONEHAM PASTA SHOP FACEBOOK PAGE
Head to Pasta Shop Stoneham to stock up on fresh pasta
In Stoneham, Pasta Shop is preceded by a more than favorable rumor. Reached by phone, Maxime Hamel says that after losing his job as chef at the Pur hotel during the pandemic, he had the idea of cooking up fresh pasta for friends and neighbors. The enthusiasm was such that he set up a production space in his basement and delivered to his (increasingly numerous) customers. He even had an outlet in a bulk grocery store in the village, which one day moved, leaving the premises vacant. Without really having a business plan, he opened Pasta Shop Stoneham in June 2021. Since then, the clientele has only grown. He also sells fresh pasta – short, long, stuffed – to a few restaurants in the area. His speciality ? Beef ravioli braised in red wine and original sauces, such as mushrooms and bacon or red wine and rosemary. Open Wednesday to Saturday.
Iris Gagnon-Paradise, The Press
2694, boulevard Talbot, room 106, Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury
Succeeded
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
At Succeda, fresh pasta is serious business.
In Rosemère, Succeda is an address to remember to stock up on fresh pasta. On the grocery side (the place is also a restaurant), there is a wide variety of them, in several shapes and colors, as well as a choice of sauces to coat them. The ravioli and stuffed pasta are all shaped by hand (sfoglina fatto a mano), without a mold or machine, explains chef Nick Bramos, who plans to open a “mini” Succeda in Mirabel in the summer of 2023. Open Thursday to Monday.
Iris Gagnon-Paradise, The Press
283 Grande-Côte Road, Rosemere
Radish groceries
PHOTO FROM THE RADIS GROCERY FACEBOOK PAGE
The Radish Grocery Store on Île d’Orléans
The word spread quickly on Île d’Orléans and in Quebec: Épicerie Radis is a little gem to discover. The Italian (and entirely vegan) specialties of the place are worth a visit. The chef makes everything homemade, including the “fauxmage”, the Roman pizza and, of course, the fresh pasta, such as lasagna bolognese, spinach and basil tortellini or ricotta and lemon spaghetti.
Iris Gagnon-Paradise, The Press
6970 Royal Road, Saint-Laurent-de-l’Île-d’Orléans