Located in the heart of Old Québec in an historic house built in 1760, Portofino welcomes you to a warm, friendly environment where every meal is a celebration. For a romantic meal for two, business meetings, or to celebrate a special event with a group, as Old Québec’s premier Italian restaurant, Portofino is the place to be. With seating for up to 140 people, Portofino can accommodate your every need and expectation.
Portofino Brasserie Italienne provides a memorable dining experience characterized by its warm, authentic atmosphere and high-quality Italian cuisine. Many guests frequently praise the delicious pasta dishes, wood-fired pizzas, and flavorful appetizers like the burrata and bruschetta. The service is often described as professional, friendly, and attentive, with staff members going out of their way to ensure a pleasant visit, even during busy periods. While the restaurant can become quite lively and bustling, this adds to the vibrant, cozy charm that makes it a popular destination for both locals and travelers. With a wide selection of wines and consistently well-prepared meals, the restaurant remains a highly recommended stop for anyone seeking an exceptional dining experience in the heart of Old Quebec.
We had the opportunity to dine at this restaurant over the weekend, sitting at a table by the window on the right side. The service was excellent-attentive & enjoyable. The drinks were outstanding.
However, the table next to us was positioned so closely that it completely blocked our access, with their chairs nearly touching our table. This made it difficult to get up without disturbing them, which was not ideal from a logistical standpoint.
The food, unfortunately, left much to be desired & was probably the least appealing aspect of our experience. The garlic bread with cheese lacked freshness, & the cheese was hard. The salad greens were nice, but the shrimp were the tiniest we had ever encountered. Given the price, it didn't feel worth it. As for the pizza, while the dough & sauce were good, the cheese had an odd taste & there was too much of it. After one bite, we left it untouched. The pasta with meatballs had a good sauce & pasta, but the meatballs were bland & lacked flavor.
It was an okay experience overall. The food was average-I tried the prosciutto pizza & salad, which were decent. The waitress was friendly & attentive, & the drinks arrived quickly. However, the seating process was frustrating. When we arrived, we had to wait to be seated, & the hostess walked past us multiple times before finally acknowledging us. That lack of attention put a damper on the experience, but aside from that, it was a decent visit.
Delicious! Everyone in our group enjoyed everything. The service was great, friendly, & attentive without being interruptive. If you're in the mood for Italian this is the place to go.
Dec 16, 2024
on Google
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The waitress/staff were amazing - very attentive & friendly. The margherita pizza was really good, the bolognese was not great. The restaurant was extremely loud. We could not hear each other or the waitress.
We, a party of 2, waited about 15 min for a table on a Saturday night The restaurant was filled with locals - & large groups of them - as well as tourists. We accepted a seat at the bar where the bartender made us some great Margaritas. We enjoyed them so much we had another round enjoying the fabulous musical duo. We had rice balls & bruschetta for appetizers. Followed with a plate of Carbonara & veal parmigiana. The food was amazing. The owner was making sure his guests were well cared for & his staff was just as attentive & considerate. This place is a gem.
Fresh, authentic & delicious taste of Italian food. Staff & owner are welcoming, attentive & accomodating. Fries is not the best but the rest of the food was exquisite (including basil being fresh, fresh tomatoes for the sauce, cream sauce being rich, brick oven baked pizza). Atmosphere is relaxed, clean, & elevated.
Their great service starts at the door with the hostess Emily . She is so warm & friendly . We were seated at our tables without a reservation in around 15 mins . It could be that it was after 8:30 pm . We were a party of 7 . We had both vegetarians & people who ate meat in our group . The portions are small but the food is tasty & authentic. They have a great selection of wines as well . We ordered 2 bottles of Chianti which was very good . There was a delay in service at the table as our initial waitress took too long to take orders or being attentive, but our server changed for some reason & was more attentive as they were winding down for the night . We spent CAD 400 for dinner so not a place to be on budget
Amazing experience. Menu was diverse - was available in MANY languages. Staff are so kind & attentive. Nadia was our server tonight & she was knowledgeable, quick, & attentive. Had bruschetta, carpaccio, & flank steak - all were delicious. Bruschetta was only 3x pieces but flavourful. Carpaccio was soft & paired well with the arugula & dressing. Flank steak was cooked medium rare & was SO tender. Best meal I've had in awhile & entire experience was great. Extensive wine list. Drank a virgin ceasar extra spicy & the Montreal steak spice was unique & delicious. All staff work together to meet the needs of the table as quickly as possible. Never felt over looked. Staff made an effort to partake in conversation. Overall a great experience. I would definitely consider coming back & recommend it to others.
