Baristello is an Italian cafe, very beautiful, very large (1500 square feet), and very inviting. It’s located in the new neighborhood of Outremont, the Mil Montreal campus, and we’re glad to see that locals and university students alike have already embraced this cafe as it just opened!
As soon as you enter, you are impressed by the size of the room and the height of the ceiling. We also like the large Italian bar where we can chat, standing up, with a good cappuccino or espresso made fresh by the barista. There are also a few tables where you can sit inside or on the terrace. “The inspiration comes from northern Italy, from Turin, where there are large industrial-style spaces, that’s what we recreate here, with a Montreal touch,” explains co-owner Piero Ciampoli, who is also an experienced barista. This is also the second Baristello café to open in Montreal; the first is located rue Jarry, in Villeray.
The menu is simple, but delicious: you eat homemade pizzas (margarita, vegetarian or pepperoni) and focaccia-style sandwiches. “The pizza is my mother and grandmother’s. A square pizza, inspired by Sicily, soft and made with fresh ingredients,” adds Mr. Ciampoli. Vegan desserts come from Cafe Dei Campi – muffins, lemon or chocolate chip cookies. There is a small delicatessen area where you can get coffee, Chuck Hughes products, such as his pepper spread and olive oil, and other products imported from Italy: tomato coulis, pasta, etc. “I see that people are happy, it really makes me happy to contribute to neighborhood life,” concludes Piero Ciampoli enthusiastically.
Baristelo is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
