La Cena: Authentic fine grocer and caterer in Villeray

La Cena is a grocery-caterer located on Guizot Street, in the neighbourhood of Villeray. This address has been a staple for locals in the neighbourhood since 2014. Whether you want to cook or savour a delicious meal prepared on site, you’ll find what you’re looking for. Owners Jean-Olivier Beaucage and his wife Maya Ramacieri are lovers of good food and you can see it right away when you enter La Cena. The name of the grocery store, which means “dinner” in Italian, defines the spirit that animates the place. “We liked the gathering aspect of the name, it evokes a large table, but also, in all humility, the last meal,” explains Maya, whose Italian roots are clearly visible in La Cena’s dishes.

A neighbourhood store

The decision to open their shop in Villeray was motivated by the desire to find fine products closer to home. Maya had been living in the neighbourhood for several years when she and Jean-Olivier opened La Cena. This was the couple’s first venture as owners, but they both already had solid experience in the kitchen. Jean-Olivier has been working in the restaurant industry for about 20 years, while Maya grew up cooking a lot at home, especially with her grandfather: “At the age of 34, I took an Italian cooking course at the ITHQ and a pastry training course, and it was during an internship that I met my husband.” La Cena was eventually born, and the concept of “grocer-caterer” was defined over time and by customer requests.

Inside, a fine food section has a nice selection of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as quality products such as pasta, oils, and canned foods. The choice is not infinite, but there is definitely enough to prepare an excellent meal at home. On the catering side, La Cena offers all kinds of ready-to-eat home-cooked meals. Salads, desserts, meats, and more, and everything looks absolutely delicious. The fennel salad and the tiramisu, a great specialty of the house, were up to expectations. Another specialty of the deli is their house-made charcuterie. While the evils of industrial charcuterie are well known, they are not found in La Cena’s meats, which are nitrite-free and expertly used to make excellent sandwiches. The portions are generous, and one sandwich makes a great lunch on its own. You can also get a veggie sandwich with grilled vegetables instead of meat.

Creative catering

La Cena is full of fresh products and its employees are happy to guide customers in their choices. You’ll be sure to find inspiration here. As its name indicates, La Cena also offers a catering service adapted to your needs. Judging by the quality of what is prepared on site, there is no doubt that doing business with them is an excellent choice. Whether it’s for an event or simply to prepare meals for weeknights, Maya and Jean-Olivier are happy to put their creativity to work. This is the aspect of their work that they love the most: “We are both super creative, and we don’t work with fixed menus. We can come up with new things all the time, and people trust our approach.”

In September 2020, a second La Cena location opened in Piedmont, at 585 Laurentian Boulevard. It offers the same products as in Montreal and is the perfect place to stop and grab a bite to eat on a trip north.

Written by Marc-Antoine Ranger
Photography by La Cena

Last update: September 23, 2022

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