Carmelina Restaurant

I have to say this restaurant has an absolutely beautiful atmosphere. Their seafood are great with pasta, especially the sauce!

First thing they served was a glass of flat, warm coke; fortunately the waiter was able to get a can of coke.
Bread, although hot, was tasteless and served with unsalted packaged butter.
The caprese salad was okay, but given the price, you’d think they would not serve you stale, yellow arugula.
The seafood pasta was decent but the bucatini was no good.
Despite being one of the few Italian restaurants in Markham and we love Italian food… We will not be returning. Overall a meh experience even when not considering the prices. No wonder it was empty on a Saturday evening.

Celebrated our anniversary at Carmelina’s — great food and excellent service. The staff have been here for 10+ years and are really caring and attentive. On Friday’s and Saturday’s there is live music — they have excellent ambience and this is really a hidden gem in Markham.

I’ve driven past this restaurant hundreds of times and even used to frequent the sushi place next door but never patronized them until a few weeks ago for my mothers birthday. I tend to take my parents to the Octagon for their birthdays, but this time wanted to try something new.
To be honest i was Not really impressed. I Expected a lot more from the reviews I’ve read or heard from other people, not to mention the not-​so-​cheap price point. The décor was nice, My steak was overcooked, my dad’s carmelina chicken was partially raw, the service was meh, the live music was nice but a little loud. Not to mention I ordered a wine, which ended up not being available so they offered me a more expensive wine instead but said they’d charge the same price. Im so glad I double checked my bill, as they tried to charge me the original higher price of the replacement wine. Not sure if it was an oversight or not, but it irked me a little.
I think I’ll spend a little more money and stick with the Octagon for future special occasions. It’s «tried, tested and true». Unfortunately I doubt I’ll visit this establishment again.

Great service the most amazing seafood and attentive staff. It was so good we made a reservation for Saturday before we made it to desert.

This has become one of my favourite restaurants in the area. Foods are above average and service is excellent. I had dinners with family on an early Friday night. We ordered their special and from menu. Our server and manager came to ask if they lived up to our expectations. I thought it was a little too spicy and she actually talked to the chef and tried to help. They had live music with piano and guitar, which was a pleaant surprise. The décor is a little old, but the overall ambience is quite pleasing & comfortable. We had a good time and will come back with our friends.

Great spot out in Markham that actually gives you a very European feel with its décor and atmosphere. Service is also very friendly with servers that know the menu very well. I’m guessing the server we had has been there for eons. We originally ordered a label of red wine but he suggested to spend just a little more for a better label. Not a big drinker but the wine we had (sorry, can’t remember which) was very good.
Definitely a place I’d recommend if you’re looking for something a little more than just casual especially on a special occasion. We went on a weeknight so the place wasn’t busy at all. May have to book a table on the weekends, though.
[Appetizers]
Crispy Calamari — Nothing out of the ordinary with this, though you do get a good serving that can be shared. ⁴⁄₅.
Bruschetta — Also a good serving size that can be shared with up to 4 – 5 people. Had a really nice crunch to it and a generous amount of toppings. ⁵⁄₅.
Grilled Portobello Mushroom — A must try if you love mushrooms and/​or goat cheese. Definitely a must try for vegetarians. I’m a huge fan of both mushrooms and goat cheese so I absolutely enjoyed this salad which I had as a main. ⁵⁄₅.

It was alright. That mushroom soup for the appetizer was unbearably sparse, where be the mushroom? I was slurping salty water.
Calamari was pretty delicious and so was the bread. The main I tried was the seafood risotto — mussels, shrimps, scallops + salmon, calarmari in a rich saffron broth — okay, I guess this was pretty good. Comparable to the average Italian resto, probably would’ve stood out to me more if we didn’t stuff ourselves on the apps.
Overall, probably one of the better Italian restos in Markham

I do not hand out 5 stars lightly… But this place was spectacular!
We had the bruschetta, seafood linguini and lobster bow ties, it was all great.
Service was well above average, but what really made it was the gentleman with the velvet voice playing the guitar and piano– it made our night!
I can’t wait to go back!

I came on the recommendation from a hotel. I walked in around 6pm on a Monday and it was empty. The servers were extremely nice and knew and tasted the specials, which I could appreciate.
I had the soup of the day, which was a Mushroom Purée (no dairy) and was absolutely amazing. My entrée was the Seafood Alla Newburg. The seafood was awesome, but the veggies were under cooked.
One of the poor things was that because it was so quiet, you could hear every conversation in the kitchen and the chef was not coming off as a very nice person. He yelled at the servers on several occasions and whether or not they deserved it, it was not pleasant to hear during dinner.
It is a very nice restaurant — prices a little higher, but the ambiance better on the inside than it looks on the outside.
I would come back!

Been coming here for years. The service, staff and food ks amazing. They are very flexible and easy to work with when hosting big parties!

I’ve been wanting to try a nice Italian restaurant around the area for a while now and decided to give this one a shot despite the not so flattering reviews.
I came in for lunch with a colleague and was seated immediately. The ambiance was pleasant. The décor although a little over done added character. The servers were very professional, even the table cloths were fancy!
We received a variety of bread with mini packets of butter. Bread didn’t seem fresh and it would’ve been nicer to have an actual stick of warm butter or olive oil. It would compliment the image they are going for of an upscale Italian restaurant.
I ordered the pasta con pollo which comes with a wide variety of pasta styles to choose from. I was recommended fusilli (long curly pasta). It took maybe 15 mins before we were served. The chicken was flavorful, but a tad rubbery. The olive oil and pasta sauce complimented each other, loved the sprig of thyme. The pasta itself was flavorful and al dente.
The actual menu is a little pricey which is expected for the type of restaurant they want to be. I ordered from the express menu and it cost $ 15 plus tax and tip.
Overall, I plan to come again and perhaps try the chicken florentine or halibut and shrimp with a tiramisu dessert.

I found this place based on Unilocal reviews and proximity to my hotel and saw that they had gnocchi. I didn’t expect them to have Greco-​Roman type décor and pretty awesome food, too. Service was prompt and sufficiently attentive. Would definitely come back.

When you walk in the restaurant, the pillars, the curtain, the atmosphere makes you feel like you are already in Europe.
You can order a la carte or there is a fixed price menu $ 35 dinner.
Appetizer
— Both the Bruschetta and the hot squash soup are as good as expected.
Entrée
— Linguini seafood, with fresh fish, mussels, shrimps, scallops, calamari in a saffron tomato sauce is full of seafood flavor.
— The 8 oz Angus steak in a wild mushroom natural jus sauce served with roasted potatoes and vegetables is very disappointed. The texture of the steak is the worst I have ever tried. Not only is it not close to the name of Angus, it has a lot of fats and vessels. This is not only my dish but 3 other dishes are the same like that.
— Risotto funghi, Arborio rice simmered with mixed mushrooms, onions, garlic and porcini broth served with grana padano parmigiano, grilled portobello mushroom and parsley truffle oil is above average but is not perfect. There are other restaurants that can do better.
Dessert
— The House Tiramisu topped with chocolate sauce doesn’t look like Tiramisu I have in the past. It is a Tiramisu paste though it tastes better than its look
Overall, it is a bit disappointed. The décor is far more superior that the food.

Food was delectable :) Just make sure you clarify when making custom orders. Had the lobster… Must try, the sauce was creamy and buttery. Nice quiet restaurant to bring you date.

Carmelinaaaaa … isn’t that a song by Matthew Good? The song, not so good; however, the restaurant is VERY good. I’m confused by the low rating from others. Maybe they went on a bad day? Maybe I went on a good day? Maybe they’re referring to the song? What matters is that both the hub and I liked it very much. The restaurant is close to home, but we were skeptical to go because of some of these reviews. My in-​laws tried it and recommended it (and they are very picky). So we bought a couple of WagJag coupons and decided to try it. The hub ordered a halibut, salmon and shrimp on basmati platter, and it was delicious. I had the lamb risotto and I’m still craving for more; the rice was perfectly cooked, steaming hot (as it should be), and the meat was juicy and tender. The portions were big, and I could not finish mine. For dessert we had the tiramisu and it was really good too. Some may find it pricey but you are getting a lot for your money, and although it may not look like it from outside, it’s nice and fancy inside. We were even serenaded by a nice gentleman playing the guitar (no, he was not singing Carmelina).
It’s nice to know that we have a good Mediterranean restaurant in our city (Markham), we definitely recommend it, and we’ll be returning soon.

passing this place on woodbine countless times, it was about time I try this place.
The heavy wooden doors with the handles makes you feel like you’ve entered into a rustic, renaissance Italy, with its Corinthian pillars, statues, and wall to wall décor, it sets the mood for a good Italian meal. The wait staff were presentable, quaint, and knowledgeable with their dishes, and provided us feedback on certain entrees. I decided to have the Mediterranean fussili pasta. The texture, and aromatic matrimonial flavors came out in the dish. With the mix of black olives, sun dried tomatoes, and pesto sauce with grilled chicken, the portions were satisfying. Overall a 4.5÷5.
For the dessert, I decided to have their pecan pie which was soft, tender, and sweet. the perfect balance. an overall 4.5÷5
Its definitely a fancy place to take a date, and their extensive lists of wines as i saw are enjoyable, though unfortunately didn’t have the opportunity to try since I had a cold and was on meds.
I found it quite a surprise with some of their prices thought. At most bistros I have been to, their pastas were quite pricey, on avg its approx $ 15−18…

3.5 stars
I was lured to Carmelina Restaurant not by all these 4 stars Unilocal reviews, but the promise of Prix Fixe on their website… Prix Fixe is just an excuse for me to have extra food instead of just a main, since I just could not resist a bargain?
How come NO prix fixe menu? The waiter that’s only for group! But it is on their website! and 2 of us is a group??? Ended up can only order from the a la carte…
Linguine Frutti Di Mare ($ 18)
— I have to say this is the best Seafood Linguine I had in that price range. The scallops are huge, size of a toonie and the shrimps are tiger shrimps too.
Veal Lemone ($ 20)
— Veal is tender and the white wine lemon sauce is zesty!
I know I will be back to Carmelina again… as I know someone wants to have that Seafood Linguine again for sure!

Pension Babe is on a «not Asian food» quest in Markham. A challenge if you’re looking for good and not fast food and not chain. Dial up Unilocal.Do a category search of non Asian places in Markham. The list is pretty thin. Thinner if you live by the motto «don’ t eat anywhere Wayne or Jennifer K have given less than 4 stars».
Carmelina came up. No Wayne or Jennifer K stamp of approval. But heck. We were driving past the place after a day of ice cream and walking along Toronto’s Western more stanky beaches.
The place looks pretty scary on the outside. It looks like a night club. Inside it’s done up in Italian restaurant elegance. I had the bacon fusilli pasta. PB had the fish special. We shared the fried calamari. The pasta was okay. PB had no complaints about her fish and the portion size. The calamari had really nice batter. I’d be back for that. The bread basket was this entirely inedible flat bread. Ugh.
Service was attentive and top notch. A great place to bring your parents. Not a bad romantic date place.

Been coming to Carmelina for a few yrs now and we’ve always loved the atmostphere, service and food. Sometimes they will have an accordion player and you could request classic songs :)
Service has always been excellent. My bf was super tired and wanted to order a ice coffee (which they do not serve) but they made smth just for him. It was really nice of them. They are always courteous & polite.
I absolutely ADORE the Risotto Con Funghi here. It’s prob. the best I’ve had so far. The fried calamari is also a great appetizer. Comes with a bit of salad & sauce. I duno what’s in that calamari sauce but it’s damn good! What I’ve noticed from the last few yrs is… the portion of the risotto has gotten slightly smaller. Not sure about the other dishes as I haven’t ventured out of my box yet :) Will always be coming to this place. I don’t know why but the place doesn’t seem very busy. It’s such a shame cuz this is prob. one of my favourite Italian restaurants!
Parking — shouldn’t be a problem. But sometimes it does get quite busy w/​other adjacent restaurants. You can also park at Royal Bank (who works after hours?) It’s super close.