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.
Omg. Visiting Quebec for the first time. Had some pretty awful food up to this point, but our luck changed when we wandered into Portofino! Wow. The food was excellent: tried 4 dishes & all were amazing. The carbonara: hot & tasty, the pizza: very good, & the gnocchi: my daughter loved it. Starter was salmon & very good according to my companions- who got the remainder to go. Can't say enough great things - had wine & cocktails. Picture is the tiramisu dessert. All excellent. We will be back before we leave this charming city.
The food & service was absolutely amazing, the only negative thing about the experience was that the music was a bit loud & made it a little difficult to have a conversation. Had the cannelloni with maple syrup pie for dessert. Definitely recommend both.
Lasagna & pizza were delicious…authentic. Food arrived quickly.
Abundant choices of food, drink & desserts.
Mary Lou was an attentive & friendly server.
Sep 25, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Quebec before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoQuebec.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Tonight (Monday) was our first of 5 nights in Quebec City ahead of a cruise to Boston.
We decided to try Portofino. We made an online reservation for 7:30 pm. We arrived on time & waited maybe 5 minutes before being seated. All the outdoor tables were full so the two of us sat at a low 4-top inside not far from the kitchen.
Water was brought right away. Our server then took our drink, appetizer & entree orders.
We each had a pint of Stella beer on draft & we shared an order of their Focaccia bread, served with butter & a dish of olive oil & balsamic vinegar. The beer was cold & because it was draft, not from a green bottle, no skunk smell or taste :) The Focaccia bread isn't what we make in the States, but it was find. More of a soft, yet dense bread, topped with herbs. For $3 CAN, it was a deal.
Later on, the Casesar salad was brought out. It was a generous portion & was plenty for the two of us to split. The dressing was tasty as was the shaved Parmesan cheese & the house made croutons.
Later, our Cannelloni entree came. It was in an oval dish that had been baked. The full order came with 2 Cannellonis. Here again, plenty for two people to share. It was stuffed with a meat & cheese mixture.
We were too full to be tempted by their dessert menu.
Our friends arrive from the US in a couple of days, so we've made another reservation here at Portofino for the four of us.
The only downside to Portofino was that it is popular & busy, so it was a bit loud inside.
Très bon moment, accueil parfait aimable souriant . Les serveur sont adorables.
Repas juste parfait du plat au dessert c'est top.
Petite mention pour la tarte à l'érable un délice
Excellente cuisine italienne. Les pâtes se comparent avantageusement à ce que l'on mange dans les meilleurs restos en Italie. Excellent service avec le sourire. Portions généreuses avec présentation soignée. Excellent desserts. Je recommande. Réservation recommandée car certains clients qui n'avaient pas réservé on dû rebrousser chemin.
The staff were not engaged with clientele. We were 3 & one ordered dessert, one a coffee & one a cappuccino. Dessert came & coffee a few minutes later & capuccino about 10-12 minutes later! Atmosphere was good but they need to be better organized.
Ce restaurant offre une ambiance chaleureuse & authentique qui évoque l'Italie dès qu'on y met les pieds. Le menu est généreux, avec un large éventail de plats italiens traditionnels, allant des antipasti savoureux aux desserts gourmands. Les pizzas, en particulier, se démarquent par leur pâte parfaitement travaillée - à la fois légère & croustillante - & garnies d'ingrédients frais & de qualité. La carte des vins est remarquable, proposant une belle sélection de crus italiens & internationaux, idéale pour accompagner chaque plat. Le service est irréprochable : le personnel est attentionné, souriant & toujours prêt à offrir d'excellents conseils. Un véritable coup de coeur & une adresse incontournable lors de votre passage à Québec !
We had a delicious meal! My mother had chicken parm with a side of spaghetti & the tomato sauce on the spaghetti was delicious & fresh tasting. I had the fazzoletti with goat cheese, tomatoes, fried leeks & a delicious cream sauce. We had no room for dessert! It was a great meal.
Overall, the food was incredible, for the most part the service was great, & the food came so fast, we could not believe that we were in & out within an hour, having gotten an appetizer, main courses, & a dessert. The atmosphere & service I gave 4 stars because the restaurant was unbelievably crowded/packed in. We were placed at a table where twice we were asked to move/watch our heads so servers could get bottles of wine out of the cabinet that was beside us. We were also right outside the kitchen entrance & twice when I was moving to put my bag & coat on my chair I bumped, & was bumped by servers bringing food & dishes in & out of the kitchen. I was nervous too move too much as I didn't want to knock anything out of the hands of servers. It was also just so loud. We went thinking it was more of a finer dining experience based on reviews/photos, which I would not classify the ambience of the restaurant as. The hostess who greeted us as the front was beyond lovely. I have very rough French speaking abilities & she very quickly switched to speaking English but thanked me for my attempt at French. We were then met by a man who we originally thought was our server, he gave us the impression that it was a nuisance to be dealing with us. He brought us water, asked how we were & as we tried to respond he walked away & we did not see him again. That being said, our server was so kind & quick & asked us where we were from, if we've liked Quebec, & wished us the best for the rest of our honeymoon. She was absolutely wonderful. The food was amazing. We got the garlic bread with cheese as a starer & it came within 5 minutes, & was so hot & fresh. For our mains my husband got the house lasagne & I got the fettuccine with pesto & they were both incredible. Some of the best pasta we have ever had. For dessert we got the creme brûlée which was also just amazing. It came with some strawberries & a berry sauce on the side which complimented the dish perfectly. I would still rate the experience a 5/5, as ultimately the volume & crowded atmosphere of the restaurant did not take away from our enjoyment at all, but could have made it a more relaxed dinner had it of been a little less loud & crammed. There was also love music which was absolutely amazing. My husband got a beer & I had the espresso martini which was fantastic & for having 1 bartender, the drinks came quick quickly. We would 100% come back if we are back in Quebec City.
