Bottega is practically royalty in Montreal’s pizza landscape. Since opening in 2006, this family-owned Neapolitan pizzeria has remained a gold standard for anyone craving a taste of Italy. Run by the Covone family, Bottega takes its pizzas seriously, leaning on an impressive roster of ingredients: organic salumi, buffalo mozzarella straight from Caserta, and hand-picked San Marzano tomatoes. Each pizza, crafted with a natural dough and baked at a scorching 900 degrees in a wood-fired oven imported from Naples, emerges in a crisp, golden glory in under two minutes.

The menu is a love letter to Naples, with classics like Margherita and Marinara joined by white pizzas topped with truffle and porcini or homemade sausage. Beyond pizza, Bottega’s small-plate sfizi—like the Bacio della Bottega, stuffed with prosciutto and ricotta—speak to their dedication to high-quality fare. The warmly rustic space, fitted with white tablecloths, an Acunto oven, and a wine list heavy on organic Italian producers, makes Bottega as much a neighbourhood gem as it is an homage to Italian culinary tradition.