Marcello’s Pizzeria

Dropped in for lunch as we were in the area. Spaghetti Bolognese was quite good. Pasta properly al dente. Wine prices are very decent. Service was very good. My nephew was well treated. A fine little neighbourhood spot.

Marcello offers a good menu selection and great service. Food quality is very steady, some items like the fried calamari are always on my food items craving list. The pizza is enjoyable. Overall a safe bet.

Customer service was out of this world. The servers were appropriately attentive, full of charisma, charm and of course, very resourceful. I would consider going back just for the great service we had.
Unfortunately, I don’t really see myself going back anytime soon. I don’t think too highly of paying over $ 15 for under-​cooked chewy meat AND pasta topped with an underwhelming bland tomato sauce (mine was Tortellone alla piemontese, his was the Fettucine de farro
). I suspected that the pasta wasn’t housemade and the server confirmed it (and I appreciate such honesty which is why I added an extra star). By the rubbery and lumpy texture of the chicken I’m guessing some of the meat is cooked from a frozen state. After being so spoiled at Nino D’aversa & Panino Cappuccino, it was literally hard to digest this unauthentic & completely lackluster Italian pasta (I had to bag it «to go» along with the disappointing mish-​mash of a soup which barely resembled the so-​called minestrone I ordered). Sadly, the wine was no better and could not save the meal (I don’t recommend the Italian Merlot off the limited wine list nor the California Cabernet Sauvignon which was the selected wine of the day).
To end on a plus, we enjoyed the desserts we shared — the lemon sorbet and chocolate tartuffe. Also, their thin crust pizzas and tiramisu dessert look very promising — perhaps I should have gone for that instead. Of course, the upscale and romantic décor, the intimate terrasse and the overall familial atmosphere made the dining experience a tiny bit more pleasurable. I just wish the food was on par.
I hope the family business and the three brothers in charge of management decide to bring back house-​made pasta. They could at least consider doing it for dinner service on the weekend or by request… I just don’t agree with the excuse that they’re skimping out on food quality because they’re «too busy».
FYI: Reservations not accepted. Went on a Sunday around 4:30pm. Wasn’t busy at all — only about 3 – 4 tables in use at the time.

The experience was pleasant from the momemt I walked in. Service is friendly and attentive. The food is fast and fresh. The pizza is light and crisp and flavourful. Just perfect. The fettuccine with grilled chicken in a roasted garlic cream sauce was out of this world and the gnocchi was delicious. Definitely worth coming here.

They could not get us out of there fast enough. It was a special occasion and we felt really rushed. I was hurt by the sharp attitude shown to my elderly parents by the server.

Too bad one of the brothers that owns the place is one of the most deplorable human beings on the planet. Simply because of his personality and the way he treats people including his staff I have boycotted this place for 10 years.

We were in Toronto visiting our daughter who lives close by this restaurant and looking for something for dinner. The pizza is so good. We all ordered different pizzas and every one of them was good.
The restaurant is very busy but with good reason the food is worth the wait.

I’ve been to both locations now and both are fairly busy — depending on what time you visit, of course!
On a Sunday afternoon, late lunch, the St. Clair W location was quite packed. A young male waiter with long hair and glasses spotted us and recognised that we wanted something quiet, so we were sat right next to the kitchen. At first, I thought it was weird, but he was right, it’s actually the quietest table in the restaurant! Feels kinda separate from the busyness upfront… until you hafta scoot around people to head downstairs to the washrooms. ;)
Ordered the grilled calamari, quite good. (I would’ve preferred the breaded version, but I was *trying* to be healthy.) And for main, the Primavera pizza ($ 14) was shared. Due to the toppings like sundried tomatoes & olives, the pizza was on the saltier side, but still didn’t feel too heavy because of the thin crust.
Aside from the really thin crust, what sets their pizza apart is also their CHEESE! They use really good, chewy quality mozz, yum!!!
Service was very pleasant, mainly due to the waiter who seated us. His personality was very upbeat and understood my needs which added to the experience.

If you go, get the pizza. Amazing. Most underrated in the city. I’ve been with the wife +/​-​7 times, and everytime have left feeling satisfied. Good food, good value and personable staff.
What more could you want?

The pizza, and pastas are excellent. The antipasto was impressive and was portioned well, the way you’d expect in Italy. We expected a typical Toronto small portion but were glad to be incorrect. The wine is also more reasonably priced compared to most decent restaurants in Toronto (or Ontario generally, thanks to our archaic system dictated by the L Control-​Board O).
The décor is also very pleasant and rustic at Marcello’s. Service was also decent. Great spot.

Been here a few times, the restaurant is always packed. Fortunately we haven’t had to wait for long every time we visited. My husband loves the pizzas from their wood burning clay oven, his favourite is Capricciosa — tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, prosciutto, and sundried tomatoes. Very flavourful with generous amount of toppings. I usually order the Linguinie di Mare — shrimps, mussels, bay scallops, and calamari, with request in garlic cream sauce. The pasta is cooked to perfection and the portion is big. Although I find the sauce a tad watery rather than creamy, the food is delicious and filling. We also like the complimentary bread with different varieties of olive oil. Marcello’s is a solid Italian restaurant in the neighbourhood.

Great pizza! But best of all, the servers are all fantastic! Definitely worth the visit!

Horrible service. I have never been so disrespected and insulted by anyone in my life. Management and staff do not take pride in their work. Because the food is good thy think they can be jerks and rude. I go to a restaurant for service and refuse to pay for their ignorance. Will never go again.

One of our Toronto favorites. Marcellos has wonderful food, reasonably priced.
The restaurant is very busy so be prepared to wait a bit at times, but it’s well worth it.
Highly recommended; Shrimp Diablo appetizer, mussels appetizer, Pizza Napoletana. If pasta you’re thing, try the Pasta Salmoni or the Seafood Fruitti de Mare.
This place will soon become you’re go to Neighbourhood Italian restaurant.

Marcello’s is a great neighbourhood restaurant. It is always busy, and I’ve never been when there isn’t a line. It is worth the wait. The staff are friendly, but can be stern. Like if you question how long the wait is, or if you are blocking the exit while standing in their skinny waiting area. It can get pretty loud with all of the people, but that is sort of their atmosphere.
The specials are written on a black board at the back, so if your server doesn’t tell you them, you are left straining to read them.
Every pizza and pasta I have had is good. The calamari is lightly battered — crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Everything is very fresh tasting.
I’ve never had dessert, but it doesn’t look like there is anything homemade. There is a case at the back with desserts that are brought in (cheesecake, mousse ect).
Overall this is a safe bet. It is a good place to bring people because the food is good and they seem to have something for everyone. The service is fast, but they don’t rush you (even when they have a line out the door!)

Marcello’s has tasty Italian food and great value.
The calamari is a bit greasy, but very tasted.
The pizza tastes like it is home made and has a nice crust. The pasta is very reasonably priced.

Delicious pizza! I’m not a fan of muscles but my parents say that they also have the best muscles (all about the sauce with ingredients that my mom still can’t figure out). It’s very reasonably priced, and super cheap considering how good the food is, but the lineup is proof enough! They don’t take reservations so you have to either be lucky or wait 15 – 20 minutes for a table.

Very popular in the area. We went on a weeknight and there was a line-​up out the door. We were seated within 15 minutes and although the restaurant was packed you didn’t need to raise your voice to have a conversation with the people you were sitting with and didn’t feel like you were eavesdropping into everyone else’s conversation.
There is a stone oven in the back so all three of us ordered pizza. We were all very satisfied with the quality of the pizza. One of us ordered soup as an appetizer and received a good size, hardy bowl with tons of vegetables. Prices are average at about $ 10/​entrée and the pizza was a size that I felt full but not overly when we left.
If you are looking for good, everyday Italian food, this place fits the bill.

I guess it’s four stars if you consider what neighbourhood you’re in? I’m not sure. It was very standard food, standard service and I’d even venture to say less than standard ambience… so I’m a bit dumbfounded by the reviews.
Food: grilled calamari appetizer and caprese salad. Serving sizes were correct. The sauce on both was identical. A bit strange. Under salted/​seasoned as well. Mains were linguini with shrimp, and pizza w proscutto and arugala. Points for offering parmesan cheese. The mains were very average, no complexity of flavours, the pasta (like, the actual linguini) had the same flavours as something I’d make out of a box at home. When the server opened our bottle of wine, she filled both our glasses to the top right off the bat – no swirling, no sniffing. Just here ya go.
If your’e going with your family, and you live in the neighbourhood, I guess this is a good option. Since I don’t have a family, and I live far away — I won’t be going back.

I’ve been here twice already and every time I think about the food my mouth waters for more!
My latest visit was the best one overall. The spaghetti al pesto was delicious! It was full of flavor and the presentation was just awesome. The service was good and it wasn’t that busy at the time but I did come in around 430. Great prices for the portion sizes you get and a definite yes to coming back to this place! Maybe next time I’ll give the pizza’s a go!