Hidden Italian Bistro | Fiorellino

Fiorellino is a newish snack bar in the Old port, tucked away behind the Church just shy of Chinatown.

It showcases Italian classics like Porchetta Tonnata, wood oven pizza and awesome Aperol Spritz aperitifs. The chef combines tried tested and true recipes but mixes them with a little healthy spin we’ve noticed (and appreciated as Italian can sort of be a big gluey calorie blast). The night started off with a shaved mushrooms Parmigiano Gremolata, which tasted a lot like a very pricey cream of mushroom salad – say what? It seemed like everything came with roasted, grilled or fresh green whether it was basic, green onions or rapinis. Their slow cooked porchetta is to die for. I have no idea what the dijon, herbal, nutty flavors were – I think the chef keeps the glaze a secret… but it cut the buttery roast with perfection.

The decor is retro and casual, much like a lot of the tapas joints popping up all over Montreal. What is unique about this particular space though is the layout of tables and the lighting. It’s rare when a restaurant has the perfect lighting. Ladies know what that is, because they see it after in their selfies! The tables were intimate enough to feel the fun energy of other eater and drinkers but spacious enough to not feel like a cafeteria. The decor was authentic enough to make a person feel like they could be in a little Italian bistro somewhere in Napoli.

What was our favorite part of the experience? The food was good, the space also very enjoyable but what would keep 2 busy foodies coming back you ask? The staff. Do not underestimate the power of human charm. The staff was funny, shiny, on the ball, and very accommodating. We had lengthy discussions with both our awesome host Josh (the sexy blonde dude with the bad ass tattoos) and the wait staff. We left with that feeling that you get when you go to a really fun party and meet rad humankind.

Go for the zucchini cake, stay for good times ;)