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Portofino Bistro Italiano
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Seafood Italian, Pizza, Seafood [Edit]
54 Rue CouillardQuebec, QC G1R 3T3
(418) 692-8888
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
16 reviews for Portofino Bistro Italiano
16 reviews in English
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Review from Voica r.
Toronto, ON
8/20/2011
Amazing food, great location!
I've had the three course meal, Minestrone soup, sea food linguini and chocolate cake.....perfection!
I don't want to make this review too long so I won't describe every course but I tell you, it's been few days already since my Portofino experience and all I can think of is their food.
Food, service, location = five stars experience -
Review from holly s.
2/5/2012
Portions so big and food was very very good, not a disappointment at all, wine list needs more by the glass choices though, service was good too!
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Review from Ms. M.
4/20/2011
I have gotten several emails now asking where folks can find the delicious-looking pizza featured in my profile photo -- the answer is Portofino, and I am proud to finally be writing a review about it here.
Portofino's pizza is the epitome of crispy thin crust pizza with an undeniably flavorful wood-fired oven taste. And you know this is an authentic pizza joint because the first pizza listed on their menu is the Margherita and the second is the Napoli (i.e., nothing but tomato sauce, mozzarella, and anchovies).
I _NEVER_ eat at the same restaurant twice while visiting a city on vacation, but I broke this rule for Portofino. Even though I only got to eat there twice (in two days!), I still dream about Portofino's Napoli pizza to this day. No other pizza compares -- frankly, not even the pizzas I had in Napoli itself, which were thin but wilted rather than crispy.
If only I lived closer to Quebec City, I'd be eating at Portofino's on a weekly basis to get my wood-fired oven-baked crispy thin crust pizza fix!Listed in: The Best Things I Ever Ate
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Review from Maria S.
9/20/2011
I can't state this strongly enough, this 'charming' Italian restaurant is tourist trap. The cute exterior gives way to a gaudy interior reminiscent of sports bar/Olive Garden establishment. The owner waited on us, and was a bit of a snob. The prices are extremely high for the quality. A pasta dish runs $16 to 30, but the quality does not justify. Skip this place.
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Review from Marion M.
5/15/2011 1 photo
I had one of the specials that comes with salad, main course, dessert, and coffee or tea. the watercress salad was not only yummy with endive and figs, but a beautiful presentation. my main course was smoked duck ravioli, excellent flavor and nicely cooked. the dessert was a nice light chocolate cake with berries and a small meringue cookie. I also tried some of the thin-crust pizza, which was cooked in the wood-fired oven nearby, it came out crisp and very good, close to New York style pizza. Also had a great Italian beer but I cannot remember the name!
the food was well prepared and the staff was friendly, nice decor and loved watching them stoke the pizza oven. I can highly recommend. -
Review from Ms. S W.
9/29/2011
I chose this resto for our splurge night in Quebec City. Yes, it was crowded with tourists, as every place in Vieux Quebec is. The sports bar/soccer banner vibe was not intrusive because of the live entertainment by the guitarist/singer.
Our meal was very tasty and also beautifully presented. We shared a lovely warm duck confit salad. My sister had veal picatta with pasta & veggies; I had chicken parmesan with perfectly dente linguine in a light pesto sauce. Both the veal and chicken were tender & correctly breaded. Alas, too full for dessert. -
Review from Kunal P.
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Absolutely love this place. Amazing Italian food right in the heart of old Quebec city. Prices are not that ridiculous and the food is great. They have huge selection of pasta dishes and wood fired pizzas. Definitely will visit it again
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Review from Jackie G.
7/16/2010
This cute Italian bistro resides on the corner of the crowded St. Jean street. It's a good place for people watching (if you sit outside) without feeling like you are in the middle of the busyness.
Traveling alone in Quebec, I stumbled upon Portofino's and decided to have lunch here and found the wait staff to be extremely warm and attentive. They have a wide selection of pastas, entrees, wines, and desserts.
I had the Spaghetti Bolognese and a pint of Belle Gueule Blonde. What a great choice. I found the Bolognese sauce to be oozing with deliciousness- and ate with great gusto. The pasta noodles cooked just right, probably the best Spaghetti Bolognese I've had in a long time - I finished every single bite (and it was a huge portion they served)! -
Review from Scott B.
5/12/2011
Usually hotel recommendations tend to be tourist traps, but this one was fantastic!
Situated on a corner in lovely vieux Quebec, this Italian restaurant bills itself as Pizza, Pasta and Musica. And boy does it deliver!
I was in Quebec alone and was seated in a lovely window-front table. The wait staff was attentive and friendly without hovering. The arrival of the food was timed extremely well (a pet peeve of mine) and prepared perfectly. I have the prix fixe three course meal consisting of an appetIzer of tomato, asiago and prosciutto, followed by duck ravioli, and a chocolate cake. All were excellent, and portion size was perfect (usually a problem when ordering ravioli on the States).
The music was excellent too. The guitar player/singer reminded me of The Gipsy Kings. Really added a nice touch of ambiance.
My only complaint was the wine by the glass. I ordered the Pinot Noir from Lombardia, and found it too light-bodied, fruity and young.
Otherwise, it was an excellent meal and I will return on my next trip to Quebec. -
Review from Brian P.
9/3/2011
Although it may technically be called "Wood Fire Oven" pizza due to the presence of wood, fire, and an oven in their kitchen, it's nothing like the pizza from Napoli, Italy. It is your average thin crust pizza with standard mozzarella, not the white Buffalo Mozzarella. Pizza sauce was nothing special, tastes similar to canned pizza sauce. 2 stars because their service was fast and they didn't screw up the thin crust pizza, not 3 stars because I was disappointed that their pizza wasn't more authentic Italian style as I was expecting after reading other reviews on here. Italian pizza crust should have some body to it; it's not just a cracker with sauce and cheese on top. I didn't try their other dishes so I cannot comment on their pastas and other entrees. The restaurant had tight quarters which made it a bit tricky to maneuver my way to the bathroom without brushing up against other tables, but because of their need to cram as many people into restaurant as possible, we were seated right away. For a restaurant that caters to tourists, I guess they feel justified in their restaurant layout to try and maximize their profits. This isn't a complaint, just an observation.
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Review from Atlas M.
5/16/2011
Very tasty Italian food, with a very good selection on the menu. Friendly service, and no-problem if you don't speak French. Jovial, fun decor; great location in the center of Haute Ville. And pretty decent thin-crust pizza, even by Brooklyn standards. You can park across the street at underground lot at the Hotel de Ville (city hall).
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Review from Tyler M.
7/15/2010
Good place for a nice dinner. Happened to stroll upon it tonight while in "Old Town" Quebec, and liked the looks of the menu. After being seating by on man, a different guy comes to give us water and ask what we would like to drink, then another man comes to take our entree order, then a different dude to deliver it to our table (which had a great view of the bustling cobblestone street by the way), then a previous man comes to ask about dessert and then give us our bill. Besides the odd "4 different waiters" thing, it was a very enjoyable experience and I would recommend it if you would like some delicious Italian cuisine!
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Review from John R.
7/6/2011
Thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant. Good live music with dinner. Started with calamaria. Perfectly cooked. Wife had veal al limone. Basically veal picatta and said it was excellent. I had fettucine amatriana. Pasta seemed homemade and was perfectly al dente. Finshed with creme brulee and once again it was scrumptous. Reasonable price for Quebec City.
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Review from Ken T.
1/23/2009
My hotel recommended this hidden restaurant as a good place for lunch and I was not disappointed. The thin-crust pizza and pasta lunch special was tasty with a slight hint of home-made quality. The portion was good and satisfying. The service was good too with mostly young good-looking people.
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Review from Eduardo B.
4/15/2010
The food at Portofino was correctly done. The pasta dishes we tried were tasty and the seafood fresh. The decor is a bit tacky - in between the soccer aficionado and the contemporary - but the staff is friendly. I found the prices to be steep for an Italian 'cantina' and leaves an aftertaste.
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Review from Bob H.
1/3/2010
Portofino does a good job. I have been there four times while on vacation and I have not been disappointed. Portofino's is a "safe bet" while in Quebec
