In Montreal’s Old Port, a new Mediterranean-minded dining room has surfaced with subtle poise. Mare, designed by Sid Lee Architecture for Novantuno Hospitality Group, translates the language of Italian coastal life into a spatial experience defined by warmth, precision, and a certain understated swagger.
The restaurant unfolds through a palette of marble, timber, brick, and raw stone, softened by muted fabrics and mellow lighting. The mix creates a low, enveloping thrum of sophistication. References to the Mediterranean emerge through the mineral quality of the materials and warm tones reminiscent of sun-aged boat hulls. A series of vaulted ceilings recall stretched sails and the architectural lineage of northern Italy.
From the street, a generous glass façade dressed with two-tone drapes offers passing glances of the action within. The entrance acts as a gentle pause point from the bustle outside, framed by porthole details and rust-hued metal panels that introduce the maritime thread. Inside, the space divides into two zones, each shaped around the rituals of Italian dining.
The cocktail bar is set beneath a dramatic drop ceiling. Guests settle among warm tones, watched over by an impressive wine cellar. A circular black marble table provides a discreet setting for groups, while the crudo bar displays the crustaceans ready to be devoured.
The main dining room shifts gear with higher vaulted ceilings that draw in natural light and build volume. A marble chequerboard floor references classic Italian patterning, while brick and porcelain introduce a coastal sensibility. Curved forms echo portside architecture, and photographs blending Italian icons with contemporary American figures introduce an unexpected cultural dialogue.
The black marble crudo bar stands as the restaurant’s centrepiece, the preparation of the fish quite the talking point.
Blending Italian heritage and contemporary gastronomy together in a setting that feels both rooted and new, Mare marks a new dawn for the Old Port’s dining landscape.
@mareportovecchio
@sidlee_architecture
Mare Montreal Photography, Alex Lesage.
