The Yummiest Italian in Portland

Ristorante Di Pompello

★★★★☆ 3.7 (462) • $$

"This is my comfort spot. The pasta is incredible. The bread and balsamic is okay, I would prefer garlic bread. The complimentary soup is amazing!! Don't eat too much or you will spoil your pasta. I love the penne pesto pollo. I always add sun dried tomatoes. It's my dream pasta. The sun dried tomato tortellini is good too!! They have a good happy hour/drink menu and dinner specials. I take all my friends. I brag about this place. I come to celebrate my birthday. I come when I'm sad and need a pick me up. I have had tough conversations here. I have gotten offered a job on the phone here. I had my softball end of season party here. This place is the real deal. The owner is so kind and sweet and welcoming. The outdoor seating is so nice in the summer. I love this place."

Cibo

★★★★☆ 4.1 (592) • $$

Via Delizia

★★★★☆ 4.2 (398) • $$

"We had some time to kill in the area and happened to discover this small restaurant. We were looking a an iced coffee at the time and discovered that the Starbucks around the corner had closed. It's a small corner restaurant with in door and outdoor seating. The inside is quaint with fake trees in an area designed as a European courtyard. It was a relaxed vibe. They serve coffees, gelato, wines and a food menu. I can't speak to the food, but it was a hot day and the staff recommended an Affogoto; Italian espresso poured over a scoop (traditionally) of vanilla ice cream or gelato. My husband went the traditional route and I ordered mine over cookies and cream gelato. It was such a refreshing treat! My husband actually ordered a second one to go and I had a Doppio shot of espresso to go. Yes. (86 can assume we liked it!! We definitely would be back when we are in the area."

Caffe Umbria

★★★★☆ 4.2 (269) • $

"Espresso and coffee makes the day for lots of peeps in The Pearl District. This is a bustling coffee shop to hang out inside or outside sidewallk table in the shade of trees. Cool vibe. I am really enjoying my cappuccino with a complementary chocolate.Also, serving up a spot of tea, cold drinks, yummy pastries and some sandwiches."

Little Bitter Bar

★★★★★ 4.6 (9)

Dame

★★★★★ 4.7 (216) • $$$

La Bottega

★★★★☆ 4.4 (630) • $$

Lombardo’s Pizzeria

★★★★★ 4.6 (33)

Lucca

★★★★☆ 3.9 (376) • $$

"First time back in over five years, but still solid all around. If you go on a hot day start with their generous pour of the light and refreshing Gin and Juice cocktail.We enjoyed the charcuterie board especially the focaccia and smooth garlic butter. The Leek soup was wonderful, the portion a plenty.The Tagliatelle alla Bolognese was just meh, I expected more from the first entree item listed on the menu. Maybe because I'm comparing it to the scrumptious take home sauce at Providore market. The bone Pork Shortrib with creamy polenta was very satisfying and a recommend. The Penne al Primavera was light on portion, the sauce too bland for my liking, but others enjoyed it.They shine at desserts: both the Panna Cotta and Chocolate Budino were excellent!Service was stellar."

Gino's

★★★★☆ 3.9 (443) • $$

3 Doors Down Cafe & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.4 (433) • $$$

"Beautiful street walking day in Hawthorne, relaxing in the makeshift outdoor seating off the sidewalk.Enjoyed some lite bites ~ beets, meatballs. Gnocchi a bit too soft. Cavatelli Bolognese $29 & Sea Scallops $32 were tasty.Service was reasonable but expected more from a $$$. Kept us from ordering dessert and opted to pass.Yes, there are actually 3 doors ;)"

Leipzig Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.5 (13) • $$

"The spouse and I decided to try Gino's for our anniversary. Normally we opt for something a little more special, but with the Sellwood Bridge closed on a Friday night, we didn't want to broach the trip downtown. There was a bit of a wait since they don't take reservations for small parties, but the pleasant hostess took our name and said she would call us. We took a seat at the beautiful carved wood bar. They have an amazing wine list, but sadly only a few options by the glass. I ordered the one Pinot noir that they had at $11 a glass. I'm not sure what I got, but it wasn't a Pinot and it was almost undrinkable. It showed up on my bill at $9.00. As we were waiting to be called for our table, we saw another couple walk in and be seated immediately at a prime table. Not too cool. My husband went to inquire and was told by the hostess that she had called our name and someone came up, so she seated them. She apologized profusely and seated us at the next available table, but it was not one of the intimate tables the other couple was seated at. It was in the main dining room squeezed in between a couple of other tables. We were immediately told that they were out of the black cod special, which was really a shame, because based on the description, it's exactly what I would have ordered. Instead I ordered the cioppino. Oddly, it's served over pasta, which I don't eat. I asked the server if I could have it over veggies instead. She said, "how about I skip the pasta and bring you a side of veggies? Then you can do what you want." Perfect. The veggies were amazing - beautifully roasted but with no oil. The only surprise was the $6 charge on the bill when I thought I was getting a straight swap. The cioppino was quite tasty and did not suffer for lack of pasta. It was primarily clams and mussels. The bay scallops did not add anything, but the two good-sized shrimp were nice. There was a nice tomato-y, fishy, garlicky balance. I asked for a club soda, which they also charged for. Only about 15% of places charge for club soda. The spouse had the putenesca, which was well-balanced and briny. We shared tiramisu for dessert. It was good, but nothing special. They did nothing on plating or presentation except to scoop it and drop it on the table. Overall, we will be back for a great atmosphere and good food, but I could do without the nickel and diming. Our bill ended up at $66 for two entrees, one glass of wine, one beer, and a split dessert."

LoveVerona Pizza&Pasta DownTown

★★★★☆ 4.2 (360) • $$

"When you enter it should be evident that interior decorating is not their thing. There was a large appliance right in the middle of the ordering area and no decor on the walls. I initially walked out as I thought they were closed.That said, the ample sized cheese slice should satisfy your hunger and the price is a more than fair.Unfortunately, the taste is very low-end resembling something you'd find at a ballgame or concert. No customers at lunch and very stoic service. Probably one and done for me."

Campana

★★★★★ 4.6 (129) • $$$

"The Woodlawn neighborhood is an afternoon date neighborhood. Campana is a part of that reason.Service is most excellent! Smiley, poised & good vibes from all the staff. Our waitress knew the menu to detail and was so kind to go through popular entrees and personal recommendations.Drinks were tasty!Interesting indoor setting ~ a little chic yet chillaxed feel.Come here with the loved one. Everything was delicious. You will be full of good food & experience."

Angolo Italian Street Food

★★★★★ 4.9 (10)

Bar Rione

★★★★☆ 4.4 (49) • $$

Montelupo Italian Market

★★★★☆ 4 (239) • $$

Mingo

★★★★☆ 3.6 (365) • $$

a Cena Ristorante

★★★★☆ 4.4 (924) • $$$

Heavy Plays

★★★★☆ 4.2 (34) • $$

"(closed on Mondays) this hidden neighborhood gem has a some delicious menu items. My favorites are the seafood alfredo and banana pudding (yum!)I highly recommend calling ahead and doing pickup. Seating inside is minimal. They share a parking lot with two other restaurants + one other business and the lot is tiny and street parking is usually full, because of all the neighboring condos."

The Nest Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.6 (88) • $

"Went here for happy hour. Cool outdoor lounge area with heaters. Drinks were good. Didn't get to try the food. Bartender was nice!"

Piattino

★★★★☆ 4.2 (570) • $$

"Outstanding locally owned establishment specializing in Italian dishes and wood fired pizzas. Service was fantastic !"

Grand Amari

★★★★☆ 4.2 (35)

"Finally got to visit last night and they did not disappoint! Everything was cooked perfect and had impeccable flavor. My husband and I visited on a Friday with 5:30pm reservations and it was perfect timing. We were sat at our table and really got to take a look around. Love the open kitchen and the wine displayed. Good lighting, not too dark or light. We ordered the scallop, artichoke and spicy greens to start. Then moved to tortelli stuffed with a lemon garlic ricotta. That ricotta was light and creamy, melt in your mouth!!! So good!! We also got the pork Milanese and the porcini crusted ribeye with a side of the lemon potatoes. Then for dessert we had the tiramisu and a dark chocolate cake with cherry in the middle. It even had little gold flakes. So tasty!! I usually will have at least one negative, but I'm telling you these were all cooked to perfection. Absolutely delicious. We will be back again and I will say I would not come back without having the pork, potatoes and the tortelli. Don't be intimidated by the pork sauce being thick, spread it alllll over!! Everywhere. It was amazing and so flavorful. Those were my favorite of what we had. In the photos you will also see the bottles of bubbles and wine we had with dinner. Our waiter recommended each, and was on the money there as well!"

Gumba

★★★★★ 4.5 (533) • $$

"Gumba is a cozy Italian restaurant located in Portland, Oregon, one of my fave food spots that I visited! Gumba delivered. The interior was cute and aesthetic and each room had their own vibe to it. I loved the atmosphere Gumba had. As for the pasta, tagliatelle was my favorite out of the two I tried. The tagliatelle dish is made carbonara style with caramelized shallots, roasted seasonal mushrooms, burrata, sesame and olive oil. Shallots is a game changer for me, I love how aromatic and flavorful it made the dish! The pappardelle was good but a little bit too salty for my taste buds. The pasta itself was delicious and it had the perfect texture! The dish was made with braised beef short rib, toasted chili, garlic, olive, tomatoes, pecorino cheese, and bread crumbs. Yumm!"

Bugatti's Ristorante

★★★★☆ 3.5 (219) • $$

"Superior dining experience thanks to our delightful and attentive server Benji. Really felt like he went above and beyond for us.Recommend the ravioli, bruschetta, and the cacio e pepe pasta is delicious with prawns added. Ambience is nice and waters were always filled. Best service in West Linn. Highly recommend."

Enoteca Nostrana

★★★★☆ 4.4 (40)

"Fuoco!! Deliciousness in every bite! Conveniently booked on Open Table. We got there a bit early, before they opened. So we got a drink across the street at Crush. Fantastic experience from start to finish. We sat on the wine bar side - at the bar top. I highly recommend sitting on this side - especially on a date. They had Happy Hour items to choose from as well. We got the Focaccia & ciabatta Nostrana - Yum! The Insalata Nostrana - I could have had this as my meal. Fresh flavors and crispy croutons to compliment. We both split the Paglia e fieno + the Radiatori al ragù. The Radiatori al ragù had the most amazing cheese grated on top. It complimented the beef and pork. I couldn't put my fork down - it was perfection in each bite. The Paglia e fieno was light and airy despite being a fettitune style noodle. The scallop and lemon pairing was delicious and the plate came together harmoniously. Exceptional flavors and quality - packed with attentive service, beautiful ambiance and decor. Come check them out!"

Luce

★★★★☆ 3.9 (367) • $$

"Amazing little spot and I see myself coming here again and again . From the food to the wine selection to the ambiance-everything was just perfect. We were immediately seated and attended to despite there being a line. The interiors are cozy and the dimly lit environment makes it a perfect date night spot. The menu is made of big and small portions and as a result you get to try a variety. We ordered a bottle of Le Vigne di Faraone Montepulciano to share amongst the three of us . The wine selection is extensive and focuses on bold Italian reds. One thing that I didn't really like was their choice of glassware for wine ,I believe what they used were Sospiros . The volume of the big glass allows ample headspace to collect aromas and with the glasses they provided It kind of brought down the experience a notch . I do understand that they are trying to make an authentic Italian experience but I also think it should depend on the type of wine being served . Not trying to be picky but just a suggestion for the restaurant . The wine was fantastic- light and dry and had a little earthy tones .For food we ordered - Focaccia Crostini with Rabbit Mousse Linguini with shrimp Spaghetti with Garlic & Hot Pepper Pappardelle with Rabbit Whole Flourless Chocolate Cake Food was superb and portion sizes just right . Service is alright , I wouldn't say they were bending over backwards to be friendly but answered all our questions . The staff was to the point and seemed to be in a hurry but that did translate into our food coming out fast as well. Pricing seemed fair for the quality and taste ."

Sorbu Paninoteca

★★★★★ 4.7 (23)

"Hi-end Italian cart that probably shouldn't be compared to Gumba as the dishes are from two separate regions.The Peposo di Manzo was very good, the kale salad would make a great entree. The moist polenta is more cake-like than creamy, which is how I prefer it. And the beef is rich, so good. However, at $15 (September 2021) it's pricy for a food cart. The Torta di Ceci is a wonderful side dish, you don't often find such eclectic options at Italian sit down restaurants. Lastly, the vegan potato vellutata soup was light, but full of flavor.The two guys were cool, service was somewhat fast. They sit alone in a huge parking lot which sometimes hosts the Farmers Market. I look forward to trying their marquee item: porchetta."

Don’s Favorite Foods

★★★★★ 4.7 (15)

"Finally made time to try this new amazing small neighborhood eatery in Beaverton....April 2024 menu!! Exceeded expectations and a warm warm welcomed addition to a vastly growing food scene in Beaverton!! Husband and wife tandem bringing elevated Italian/ French cuisine with a carefully selected pre fix menu and definitely recommend the half glass wine pairing!!! As seen in photos....But please pardon the amateur and poor photography!!! Food looks and taste waaaaay better!! Highly recommended! Super easy reservations and monthly menu changes so definitely something for everyone!! Parking can be a challenging but talk about a diamond in the rough!!! Pricing is way way under market and an incredible value so please go and support these wonderful owners!!"

La Buca

★★★★☆ 4 (425) • $$

"Jennifer and her husband owns this nice corner restaurant for over 25 years. And there is a good reason for it. And the reason is a very simpleOne: they serve good food. - You can have Italian food almost on every corner in the USA. - you will find nicer and more "Italien" feeling places But at Bucas you will find Italien inspired food with a personal touch in service and an experienced influence of good flavor. It's a great Neighboor restaurant you want to go to. We had Bruschetta with goat cheese and caramelized onions and bruschetta shows you if the chefs understands the concept of one bite. In Bucas they do and that bite is so good. And I learned through the years it's important to be risky sometimes and order items you normally would not and so I'll be ordering the soup of the moment: Soups toscana with spicy Italian sausage - and I don't like sausages that much especially Italians can have very strong spice profile. But this soup was an experience and one in every way a very good experience. Instead of the typical Italian soups that mostly are clear this one was cream based and so tasteful without overwhelming into any spice hikes. Just delicious. As main, there was the salmon pasta and the Chicken Marsala both made with fresh ingredients and the salmon made to perfection. Did we have dessert, yes - I could not resist and I ordered another bowl of soup - can you imagine? Yes, it was that delicious. The husband and wife owners deserve five stars even when the paper napkins would have been way cooler if they had been replaced with fabric ones. And a side note: they do not serve espresso. And there is a simple reason for it a Starbucks is just a couple of entrances away. And they have in their Corporate rental agreement that there are no espresso makers allowed in the same house/building or block. Tbh I can understand this from a Starbucks corporate viewpoint - with that brand I would want to have the same in my rental agreements. If you allow it you will have fastly others to follow and you want to be the only one in the block to protect the brand and revenue. But the thing is Starbucks at this location close at 4 pm and Buca doesn't even is open at that time. I wish there would be a way to find a solution for local situations like this to make an exemption. Cause what is an Italian restaurant without an espresso machine."

Caro Amico Italian Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (188) • $$

Mangiamo

★★★★★ 4.9 (31)

Boccellis Ristorante

★★★★☆ 3.7 (303) • $$

"The food, ambience were nice but the SERVICE was really the best.We came here tonight to celebrate our daughter's birthday. She remembered coming here last year when we met up with friends of mine and asked to come here for her birthday dinner.We had reservations for 7 and were seated immediately when we arrived in the back at one of their big round tables that was the perfect fit for all of us. The restaurant is charming and it's in the cutest lil part of downtown Gresham. There is a HUGE parking lot right across the street (to the west) with free parking so you don't need to search for street parking. There are lots of food options here and I personally had the fruitti de mare which is a linguini pasta with a yummy garlic lemon sauce and a ton of scallops, salmon, clams, and shrimp. The seafood was NOT overcooked and was perfect. Oh I don't usually eat a lot of pasta but this was good. I think it's a nice place with good food italian american food. My dear daughter wanted their spaghetti with meatballs because she remembered how tasty it was over a year ago. I think everything they had was delicious and fair priced.But can I just share how awesome our waiter was?? I feel horrible because I didn't get his name but he was so friendly and was genuinely a happy guy and his energy was just great. He brought drinks before we even needed out refills, he checked on us consistently. We brought our own cake that she had picked out and he made sure we had plates, a cake knife, etc and even brought me coffee. The coffee ended up being cold and not that great and when I mentioned it to him when he asked if I wanted more. He immediately got me a fresh americano to take with me.He really made my daughter's birthday dinner lovely.Thank you for a wonderful evening!"

Gabbiano's

★★★★☆ 4.2 (221)

"Awesome romantic joint in the NE neighborhood. Vibe inside is cozy cute with full garage door front wide open for warm weather days. Open layout to the back patio ~ again, cozy cute with lush landscaping.Service is friendly and attentive through and through. Each staff member has a warm friendly face when serving your table. On this occasion they all worked for the auto 20%.Food fabulous ~ come early for the fried mozz. What a start! Pasta housemade and served perfectly al dente. Pork Chop finger kissed delish.Gabianno's is a dinner vibe that evokes fun conversations like a local Italian restaurant should."

Clarklewis

★★★★☆ 3.8 (686) • $$$

"This would be a one star... but the two stars is for the folks at Clarklewis who tried to help us and spent time trying things to accommodate us but this was a truly horrible time for me and a friend who had never been here before. At least, in the end, her food was good. Over the last year I have been attending a lot of events with a friend new to Portland and she is a vegan. I saw a few things about Veganuary where a few spots in Portland were offering vegan items where their menu might not normally have these options. I would never normally take a vegan here and was so delighted that they had a prix menu 3 course meal offered for a great price. It sounded delicious. I made a reservation through Yelp. I am not a vegan but I love food and I do cook quite a few plant based options myself and I eat a lot of plant based food. The difference is that I am not restricted. We went to our event and were early for our reservation. The restaurant seems a bit darker since my last visit - I appreciate low lighting but this is very near pitch.We were given menus and that was when the awkwardness started. The waiter said he was being shadowed by another person and it was her first day. Totally fine...the weird was that the new person seemed way more to know things than the waiter did who immediately seemed to not be paying attention to us at all. My friend asked if they had a separate menu for the vegan options they had for January. He seemed confused and say yes but said he needed to go ask. He eventually came back, was extremely dismissive saying that was no longer available, started mumbling something and we were confused trying to explain that was GENUINELY the reason we were there. VERY long story short and after a lot of back and forth where he would leave, go somewhere and come back basically telling my friend a bunch of vegetables...we were not understanding because he was just saying they would make 'something'... so we just get charged something for something? Finally his, manager? came over saying similar but it was well, we make pasta but that has egg so we can give you the dried gluten free, add veggies... I honestly checked out just figuring I would order off the regular menu since a Caesar salad sounded good but the entrees... nothing was really jumping out so I just went with the chicken. I was delighted with my glass of Malbec which was great since I was mortified I had talked up this restaurant to my friend. We were told by multiple people that the executive chef took time off and apparently is the only person who could cook the vegan menu. Questions about other items were similar - there was a lot of talk about things being pre made which I found just weird since it was like the whole regular menu was almost described like a TV dinner yet the vegan 3 course was this complex thing that only the executive chef could make. All i know is that there were two things I found delicious - the Malbec and my Caesar which I am glad was filling. My friend ordered a drink described by the staff and the menu a sweet. She was confused and had me taste it... I sent it back for her because it literally tasted like vinegar. She was embarrassed thinking that they would feel like she was just nonstop complaints which is when I sent the drink back. The waiter took it and stormed off while the person ho just started was so kind, coming back saying the bartender wanted to try to make her a drink - he did and she loved it. Luckily she also very much enjoyed her whole meal. I did not want to spoil anything for her and I expected the waiter to make a comment at the fact that I barely touched my entrée. When you are planning to assault a dish with that much fennel, I would expect a heads up or I would not have bothered. I then thought I would correct it and was happy to order a simple orange sorbet. It was served as a soup, it was so melted. The tiny amount that was not melted had a very stringy and awkward texture. It has been a really long time since I have been given this bad of a meal. When I got the sorbet I seriously was laughing wondering if that was a joke. We were just exhausted seriously - my poor friend was having a anxiety attack an I was just glad that her meal was good since I am the one who has all the options normally... well, I will chose another option in the future to not come here. The true perfect ending was that I had parked near the door as I am ADA. Some lovely human in a white Tesla parked crooked over the line blocking my door to get in. The best part was that the spot next to them on their drivers side was empty!"