50 Best Italian Restaurants in Portland

“I try not to eat here too often because I like keeping it special - and every time I go, it's special. Service here is exceptional (Andrew is an ever-shining gem!) which stands out on its own against many other Portland restaurants. The food is rustic and unfussy, charming, full of flavor, with variety aplenty. Congrats on 15 years, Luce, and I hope you'll be around for another 15 with this level of amazing consistency!“

“This is one of my favorite places to eat downtown. Staff knows the menu so well. And is kind to make sure everything they prepare meets your dietary needs. Drinks are wonderful. And while the main dining room is great the bar behind the restaurant is a good hack with the same menu on a busy night.“

“Amazing food and service! Love love this place!!!“

“Absolutely one of the best dining experiences we have ever had. Monica supported us at our dinner with some fantastic service and this great wine recommendation attached. Every aspect of the dinner was completely off the charts. We did the chef’s counter, which was even more fun interacting with the very cool chefs. I give them extreme kudos for being around for 15 years and clearly flourishing in a city that has likely seen better days.
It would be a serious mistake to not make dining here a priority.“

“Fresh pasta and inventive salads“

“I cannot say enough good things about Lilla this place is absolutely phenomenal! The fact that it's an all vegan Italian restaurant that has delicious food would be enough but they also have a TON of gluten free options. The food truly was amazing. The kicker was the services our server Abbey was literally a dream, she made the whole experience an absolute delight. She even drew our seating neighbors daughter a coloring page on the spot (it was so good too). This is a new favorite I can recommend this place enough you HAVE to try it, even if you are not Vegan, trust me. I had the mushroom risotto and I highly recommend the Crocchè di Patate(GF). The drinks are also amazing. Ask Abbey for a homemade sprite (you won't regret it)“

“Legitimately some of the best pizza I've had in Portland, and that's coming from someone who's been to almost all of the heavy-hitters in town. Tastes obviously vary, but I don't think anyone who likes wood-fired pizza will leave disappointed.
We started with the fresh baked palloncino bread, which was warm & delightfully chewy with a subtle lemony bite. However, it was super salty (and I say this a habitual over-salter). Thankfully the flaky finishing salt was easy to brush off, which tamed the saltiness. We also had the Belgian endive caesar. The crisp endive mixed well with the creamy dressing & the croutons were out of this world (not shocking, really).
For pizzas, we had the leek & hazelnut and the salami supremo. While the cheese and toppings were top notch, the doughy crust was the star. Perfectly charred, yet soft and chewy. Just excellent.
The tiramisu we had for dessert was also very light and dare I say refreshing.
Service was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere left something to be desired, but wasn't bad & didn't diminish the experience at all. Just maybe not quite up to par with other places in that price range.
Overall, a great experience. I will certainly be back!“

“Excellent real Italian flavors and presentation in a comfortable neighborhood location. All you can ask for Italian taste with pretense.“

“Great foods and great waitress!“

“This is my favorite restaurant in Portland. I finally went into the restaurant after hearing about it for so long and every single time I’ve been here, I’ve had the most exquisite food with ample portions and the most satiating flavors of Italian food and wine that you could get in Portland. It is comfort food at its finest with the best local ingredients and everything is off The chart delicious. I’ve had the pizza, I’ve had pasta, and I’ve had steak twice. Everything is delicious and I can’t get enough of it. The decanting of the wine, the sides to the bread with olives and oil/vinegar. Every single thing I eat, seems to be at the highest level of ingredients with a lot of attention to detail put into everything. The vibe of the place with the uplifting atmosphere, the decor and the righteously amazing vibes of Chrissie the head bartender…makes me keep coming back for birthdays and special occasions. I actually don’t eat out very much with fast food or takeout because I save my money for this place. I can spend $20 at Taco Bell or I could spend $20 here and usually go home very full with leftovers. Chrissie can make the most delicious concoctions and she literally looks like she’s creating something magical when she comes up with something new. Her cocktails are on point yet she’s always innovating her craft. Attention to detail for every single drink. The best recommendations for what they have that night. She informed me that they bake their bread fresh every day. Foods are sourced locally and every single dish makes me want more. I’m trying to get some variety in what I order yet. The steak does it for me every time. The pizza is the best I’ve had in town and sooooo good. I’m very picky about pizza as it’s my favorite food yet this crust and the delicious cheese and greens and everything they put into their pizza is so tasty. The flavor of every single thing I have eaten makes me want to have it again and again and again. If the Italians that I know in my community, make this a regular spot, then I also know it’s good! It’s authentic righteously on point delicious food every single time I go. All my people come with me to this restaurant for special occasions. Do yourself a favor and visit Cibo! If somebody’s coming in from out of town… Take them to Cibo! To celebrate my children’s accomplishments, I take them to Cibo! I already have two reservation reservations for the first week of January and I went there last night. It’s this good! A lot of people post pictures of the food there and I’ve had every dish that I’ve seen online… But what means the most to me about this place is the whole experience of bringing My special people here to experience, uplifting vibes, delicious and exquisite food, the most incredible drinks, and an atmosphere that takes us out of our daily life and gives us such joy and pleasure to experience. Seriously. Just eat here once and you’ll know.“

“Elegant setting for a romantic date or a family dinner. Highest quality ingredients, ethically sourced meats, handmade pasta, always a delightful experience.“

“This is one of the best pizzas in the city. They use top quality ingredients and have an amazing oven. Cooks the pizza to crispy perfection. They will work with anyone and make an excellent pizza just the way you want it. I have tried several of the specialty pizza combinations and absolutely loved them. I hope he opens more locations so more people can experience this unbelievable quality pizza.“

“Amazing food, great prices. Not to be missed.“

“Loved this place, great food!!“

“I definitely need to get back here asap! Had a few appetizers with friends and everything was great. Open kitchen and the head chef was so nice. Thanks for being approachable and answering my questions. I give him 6 out of 5 stars!
The brussel sprouts tasted like savory candy lol“

“Great food! Our first visit and we were very happy with everything. Enjoyed our waiter’s knowledge of menu items.“

“Deli made good food restaurant, outside frescoe atomosphere, good Italian food!“

“We had a great evening! Celebrated our adult son’s birthday! Excellent food and a very good and friendly server! Love this place! And our six year old had his front tooth fall out into a plate of pasta! Don’t worry, we found it :) He was so excited!“

“Charming ambiance, phenomenal meal, and excellent service. Thank you Abigail for waiting on us. I regret it's taken us so long to find our way back here. Still as great as it was a few years ago. That's a testament to a great owner and team. We really enjoyed the bruschetta appetizer, creative mocktails, the king salmon and Dungeness crab pasta specials, and the best tiramisu in all of Portland! See you again soon!“

“Lunch pasta dishes were yummy and generous portions“

“Incredible food, funny and personable hosts. Our new favorite restaurant!“

“Love love love this place. The server was fantastic. He described everything perfectly. Great communication. The food was so creative and tasty. Italian - American with a creative twist. The owner was so lovely. He gave us limoncello. We are going back for sure.“

“Beautiful venue, amazing food, attentive staff!“

“Best tiramisu around. Love this place.“

“I walked up to order and saw loads of basil in front of me getting ready to be turned into something delicious. I ordered a small order of arancini balls. I was delighted that I could choose different ones on the same order. They had 4 varieties and all sounded amazing. I ordered the original mozz and the pepperoni and mozz. Then I could choose from 4 different sauces and I chose the original marinara. These were so good along with the sauce that I can’t wait to go back and try all of them but next time I’m ordering the large for sure! Additionally I ordered the Italian chopped salad and added grilled chicken and soppressata dry cured ham. It was an explosion of flavors! The grilled chicken was so good along with the ham. I can’t wait to go back and try more. Next I’m trying either the eggplant parm sub of the vegan pesto pasta, especially after witnessing the mound-o-basil. I won’t be forgetting the large aracini balls either ;)“

“Good good and service. Great lunch special“

“I just had a birthday party for 17 friends at this fantastic neighborhood restaurant! It was absolutely incredible! The service was top notch. The food, 7 courses, was amazing! Each served in a timely manner. The cocktails were finely crafted! My friends can’t stop raving about their evening at Allora!!!!“

“Excellent food. Great staff. Very nice experience“

“This is a really tasty Italian place up in Northwest. It has an outside seating area and a small inside seating area. They have good wine and cocktails and very tasty. Italian food and pastas. Have been many times and will definitely return“

“Stopped in for a drink (or two) and had ourselves a quality time. This place has a way of transporting you, and that's not easy to do. Great service somehow managed to be outshined by even better cocktails. I just wish we'd come hungry, the food coming out of the kitchen looked ridiculous. We'll be coming back for sure.“

“People in the comments saying this is nothing special… wow. Seriously mistaken.

Firstly, the service here is outstanding. Yes, you will have to wait for a table if it’s busy, but guess what? You can have a tasty pint over at Saraveza, or a yummy cocktail or frozen slushie at Tulip Shop while you wait for your table.

-Chooch’s Caesar
-Sunday Sauce (duh)
-Orecchiette
-Chicken Parm
-Pork Chop Marsala

Everything is special, martini menu is fun and playful, there’s something for everyone.

Everyone loves to complain it seems, but I found nothing to complain about here.“

“Burrata and heirloom tomatoes !“

“The best Italian food! Everything is made fresh and is absolutely incredible. My favorite red sauce for sure. The first time I went there was probably around 15-20 years ago and I had their pizza...WOW is all I can say. So yummy!!! I've also had their baked pasta dishes and they are honestly the best baked pastas I've ever had. It takes about 25-30 minutes to get your food after ordering, but it's so worth the wait because it's made fresh. They do bring a huge basket of fresh and warm focaccia and french bread along with butter while you wait for your food to arrive, and brought a new fresh basket after the food is brought out. I went there about a week ago after not going for a few years, and it still has the same atmosphere/environment as before. It has always been family owned, from what I remember. Very family friendly. Great place for a date or gathering..I do believe they have a room you can reserve for larger gatherings/events, such as birthdays. The service is wonderful, the staff are very friendly and attentive, and make you feel welcome. I've never had a bad experience there. Highly recommend if you've never tried this little gem of a restaurant. It's not inexpensive, but also not overpriced. I think it's roughly around $20-$30 per person depending on what you order, including if you order a soda or Italian cream soda..or choose a dessert. They also have a good childrens menu. You won't leave there hungry at all, even the kids..the food portions are very generous in size. It's excellent quality and definitely worth it to try it if you've never been there.“

“Aaahh obsessed with this place! The Chicken Marsala is sooo yummy and cravable, such a delight. We’ve had friendly service the three times we’ve been. I love the decor and vibe. One of my new favorite spots for sure. Also the caesar salad salad was just divine!“

“love the pizza great menu polite staff“

“great service with a sense of humor, and the food was absolutely amazing! Try the special, if they are all as good as tonight's, you will be thrilled.“

“I had my first experience with my family at Degarios and it was amazing. The service is super friendly and the food was out of this world. This is my new go to place for Italian food, this was just a treat. thank you to all the staff!!“

“Legitimately one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever experienced in the US. I have lived in Italy and my husband is Italian and we thoroughly enjoyed everything about our dinner. The wine selection is varied and thoughtfully curated. We enjoyed a bottle of Sardinian Carignano which is a rare find in the states. The prices are more than reasonable. We had a lovely locally sourced steak that melted in the mouth for $32. Bread is homemade fresh TWICE daily and the meat and cheeses were top quality If you’re looking for AUTHENTIC Italian in Portland, look no further. Nero Gallo has it all; great food, prices, staff, atmosphere and we will most definitely be back.“

“I don’t even know where to start with this restaurant, I absolutely adore every part of it from the well stocked market, the amazing wine offerings, and the ever changing seasonal menu. I’ve eaten here quite a few times and each time it somehow gets better. I especially love their salads and entrees. It’s great for a group, I bring folks here often. It’s also great when my spouse wants a large dinner but I want something light. Also, eat every dessert every time because they are each exquisite.“

“😀Today a group of nine of us former colleagues had a most pleasant lunch. The wait staff were very well organized and tuned in to our needs, while being in the background in our conversation. I am very impressed and recommend this place, despite their need for a restricted parking lot.“

“The Mediterranean pizza was delish. It just happened to hit the spot for me. I will definitely go there again and highly recommend it.“

“I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch treat to myself. The food was superb, and the wait staff was excellent and attentive. Inn addition to an enjoyable and completely affordable dining experience, my delight was extended by a generously gifted and delicious desert treat.“

“Words cannot explain the kids meal buttered noodles, they are SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD. The entire restaurant is so cool, you get to watch them make the pasta, I am so glad that we came here for vacation (Micah, age 9)
PS. It was so good we devoured our food!“

“The only thing my daughter and I don't like is the bread that is served with the pasta, and is also used to make the Panini. The bread is so bad… I don't recommend the Panini.
My favorites are the Carbonara and Gnocchi.“

“Delicious pizza and great Greek salads. Kind of expensive, but good tasting food is worth it…once In a while.“

“An Outstanding Experience!

The service was excellent, and the owner runs the food truck with great professionalism and dedication. The welcoming attitude and passion for providing the best experience make every customer feel valued and appreciated.

As for the food, it was absolutely delicious! The Chicken Carbonara was made with fresh ingredients, perfectly balanced, and full of flavor. A truly exceptional experience—I highly recommend it!

Thank you 😊 🙏“

“Food is top-notch! You can always expect to leave full in spirirt, mind, and stomach. Italian classics elevated and some of the best pizza on this side of the Mississippi. The chefs are cooking like they have something to prove. Can not recommend this place enough! Eat at Scorfana“

“Enjoyed lunched with my daughter and granddaughter today. So many delicious choices, great kids menu. Everything was so fresh. Planning to have dessert next time! We ate inside, outdoor seating is available.“

“WTH! Fantastic! Starting with the spring vegetable salad- impossibly crisp with delightful pea pods and other surprises. Dressed in green goddess & pecorino, becoming exponentially elevated with an added dash of salt.
The garlic bread is everything it should be but I wish it came out closer to my salad.
I looove house made pasta! The black truffle pappardelle here is no exception. But am I crazy? Less butter please and amp up the fresh cracked pepper. The truffle flavor is on target.
I enjoyed this meal with the Chianti which helped balance all the butter.
And then there’s the cannoli, with light lemony filling. Molto benne!“