Mora: A Stunning, Festive Italian Restaurant on Grande Allée

Where a McDonald’s had been sitting abandoned for about a decade on Grande Allée, an Italian restaurant moved in during the summer of 2025. Opened on June 12, Mora quickly established itself as one of Quebec City’s truly excellent addresses, thanks both to what happens on the plate and to a decor that turns heads the moment you walk in.

Three partners are behind the project: Fabio Monti and Alexandre Grenier, already well established on the street with L’Atelier and L’Ophélia, joined by Justin Cazelais, formerly at L’Atelier and then director at jjacques before launching Mora.

At the table, the cooking stays true to a precise and indulgent Italian approach, with a little creative je-ne-sais-quoi. The beef tartare, set atop thinly sliced potatoes, is one of our favourites, alongside the pasta with rabbit ragout and the artichoke burrata on brioche, generous and impeccable. The cocktails, crafted by Justin and his team using fresh, house-made ingredients, are surprisingly well-balanced and easily carry you through a full meal. Early in the week, the $90 discovery menu for two ($45 per person) offers five courses designed as exclusive creations, from Italian-style aperitivo to tiramisu. And for sparkling wine lovers, Mora claims the largest bubbles list in Quebec, with around 150 references spanning champagnes, proseccos and Italian cuvées!

A breathtaking decor

So what does Mora mean? In Italian, mora means blackberry, echoing the burgundy and velvet tones of the decor. If there’s one element that pushes Mora into another category, it’s precisely that decor. Designed by Raphaël Villeneuve in collaboration with the firm Le Concept, the project required a year of renovations to transform an abandoned building into one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the province. The original brick and stone walls were preserved and paired with deep mauve tones, velvet, travertine and luxurious ceiling heights. The second floor, bathed in carefully crafted lighting, is just as stunning. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we win a few design awards in the coming years,” Justin ventures, and it’s hard to disagree.

Lunchtime brings in regulars from the surrounding office crowd; evenings turn convivial and refined; on Fridays and Saturdays, Mora shifts into a 21-and-over club, with local and international DJs, acrobats and live Italian music. “It often transports us a little outside of Quebec City, more like the kinds of concepts you see in Montreal or in bigger cities,” Justin sums up. This is the kind of address you book when you want to impress a date, or clients, or when you feel like getting dressed to the nines with friends and celebrating in style. The service at Mora deserves a special mention too — it’s excellent.

Sitting somewhere between trattoria, special-occasion restaurant and club, Mora adds to Grande Allée an address that is as indulgent as it is ambitious, equally suited to a business lunch, a date night, or a celebration with friends, with an experience that adapts to every budget: from a reasonable weekday meal to nights built around champagne and caviar. Auguri!

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Mora

Updated on May 01, 2026

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