Stellina Stirs Up Success With Innovation, Tradition, and Style

In 1991, with no restaurant experience but a palate evolved from his parents' cooking, Massimo Lecas and partners had the foresight to fuse the supper club environment with traditional Italian cuisine in his restaurant Buonanotte. It was the first of its kind on the Montreal dining scene.

The atmosphere was less checkered tablecloths and chianti-bottle candleholders, and more party-in-full-swing with DJs. Buonanotte was joined by two other hit restaurants, Rosalie and Globe, and in the next two decades enjoyed a star-studded client list with guests like George Clooney, Bono, Pharrell Williams, Sylvester Stallone, Mick Jagger, and Jay Z.

Massimo credits his prior work in the fashion industry with helping him develop a keen eye for the details—décor, architecture, smart uniforms, and good music—that contributed to the restaurants’ success. Clients still ask him for his playlist.

At Stellina, which opened in 2021, Massimo focuses more on handmade, traditional pasta and the culinary experience over a club atmosphere.

"Italian culture is all about food. At home, you eat like a king," he says.

Stellina offers a classic Italian menu that changes with the seasons. A large picture window allows passersby to watch the chefs handcraft pasta varieties like agnolotti and mafalde. Behind the scenes, the restaurant runs with military precision and a laser focus on providing superior, memorable service. In the front of the house, it’s not uncommon for the chef or owners to sit down and mingle with their guests. Years of experience have culminated in family-style dining that is both cozy and elegant.

Stellina is an Instagram-worthy experience by a restauranteur who's known how to create a buzz since before the social media era.

"It's hard to explain how three unknown young men with no restaurant experience could open a restaurant that made such a splash that it attracted international personalities of this level," says Massimo. "When I think back, I say to myself, 'How?' There were no social networks, no Internet. Back then, it was all word of mouth."

But business acumen was—and remains—at the core of his continued success. Diners can look for "little cousins" of Stellina and his other restaurant, Fiorellino, opening soon. For anyone who wants to follow his path, Massimo offers encouragement:

"Never think you cannot do certain things. Believe in yourself, your vision and follow through."

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