There’s a fine line between creativity and confusion in the kitchen, and unfortunately, @capellomontreal leaned a little too enthusiastically toward the latter.

Italian cuisine has always had a quiet confidence about it — simple ingredients, balanced flavors, and dishes that don’t need a long explanation to shine. Here, however, it felt as though every plate was determined to overdo it…

Take the burrata, for example. A lovely ingredient on its own, creamy and delicate. It arrived accompanied by gnocco fritto (deep-fried dough) and a balsamic that somehow tasted like it contained soy. Why? Your guess is as good as mine. It was one of several moments where the food felt “creative for the sake of being creative,” rather than harmonious.

The pinsa wasn’t much better. The crust had a burnt bread taste, topped with pepperoni that tasted suspiciously like it had taken a detour through Costco, and any promised garlic flavor also seemed to have gotten lost somewhere along the way.

For our main, we had Radiatori Vodka Piccante. The vodka sauce, which contained sweet breadcrumbs — an unexpected plot twist — and tasted oddly like something that might have come from a jar rather than a simmering pot, also lacked the “Piccante” part.

Dessert brought us a tiny $18 tiramisu that appeared to have been extended with extra cream, arrived slightly hard as if freshly thawed, and for reasons unknown, contained chocolate chunks. Not offensive, just… puzzling.

Service also had a slightly frantic energy. Within the first ten minutes of sitting down, we were visited three times — including once within the first thirty seconds asking if we were ready to order. At 5:30 p.m., with the restaurant nearly empty, it felt less like attentiveness and more like we might be gently encouraged to eat quickly and move along.

Add to that a few small but noticeable details — shaky tables and water glasses that weren’t quite clean when we sat — and the overall experience didn’t quite match the price point. The plating was also surprisingly simple for dishes positioned at this level.

In the end, one can’t help but wonder if the prices are influenced more by the view and the high-rent location than by what arrives on the plate.
Our rating is higher than it should be due to the fact that the cocktails were pretty solid. Same bar as the other two restaurants above it. We would reccomend skipping all three for food, and just drink at the bar instead.

March 7th, 2026 – Italian Food Quest stop 18 – Cappello
✨Overall Score 6.8/10✨ (cocktails add to the score)
Ordered:
🍝: Radiatori Vodka Piccante
🍕: Pinsa Ail et Pepperoni
🧀: Burrata
🍰: Tiramisu
🍸: Cherry Americano, Green Spritz
💰: 💸💸💸💸💸