Top 16 Best Italian Restaurants in Portland (tried and tested)

Affordable, flavorsome, and with a huge variety of dishes to choose from, Italian food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. It’s also one of my favorite foods (like many others!)

The food-loving city of Portland is home to many fine Italian restaurants, some casual, some elegant, but most pretty fantastic. I spent many hours scouting out the best Italian restaurants and here are top favorites in Portland, Oregon…

Best For Authentic Food

Fillmore Trattoria

Fillmore Trattoria Portland

This Italian spot on NW 23rd  Place offers just the right mix of casual yet elegant food from the old country – lots of homecooked food including different kinds of pasta, including lasagne and ravioli. However, there are plenty of other dishes with a unique spin on your favorite Italian foods.

It’s a cozy authentic place in the style of a traditional Trattoria and the staff are exceptionally friendly, I love it. The dishes have a traditional style with hearty portions that won’t leave you hungry. Popular dishes include Salmon Toscana, Linguini Fra Diavolo, and the incredible bruschetta. 

Dine-in or take-out from 4:30 p.m., but closed from Sunday to Tuesday. I’d recommend trying my favorite dish the incredible Eggplant Parmigiana. 

Pros

Go-to family restaurant

Wide variety of pasta

Vegetarian options available

Unique Italian dishes

Cons

Limited operating hours

Closed from Sunday-Tuesday

Best For Hand Crafted Pasta

Degario’s Ristorante

Degario's Ristorante Portland

They are striving to be the best Italian restaurant in Portland, and with the praise they get, they’re doing pretty well with their aim!

Degario’s Ristorante is a charming place that prides itself on serving handmade pasta and pizza as well as drinking craft beer, and wine, and I suggest trying their incredible cocktails, Italian, of course! 

Located in NW West Union Rd, they also offer vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, and the happy hour is very popular too.

Pros

Inside a shopping centre

Diverse dietary options

Craft beer and cocktails

Happy hour popularity

Cons

Limited parking space

May get crowded

Closed on Monday-Tuesday

 

Best For Organic Italian

Gilda’s Italian Restaurant

Gilda's Italian Restaurant - Portland - Oregon

The murals on the walls lend this restaurant plenty of old-world Italian charm and ambiance.

Located on Morrison Street, you can satisfy almost any Italian food craving here – pasta, pizzas, and plenty more, and Gilda’s focuses on local, sustainable ingredients when making its dishes.

Open Wednesday until Sunday, from 4:30 on.

Pros

Authentic Italian cuisine

Emphasis on organic and local ingredients

Cozy and old-world Italian ambiance

Wide menu variety

Cons

Limited operating hours

Possible parking challenges

Prices can be higher

Best For Modern

Pastini Italian Restaurant

Pastini Italian Restaurant - Portland - Oregon

Located on SE Division Street, Pastini is open seven days a week, starting with lunch at 11:30.

This spot does a contemporary take on old-world favorites, like lasagne, spaghetti with meatballs, and other classics.

Pastini caters to folks with a hankering for rib-sticking Italian foods but tips its hat to modern eating habits by offering gluten-free versions of some portions of pasta.

Pros

Authentic Italian flavors

Extensive pasta menu

Gluten-free options

Open seven days

Contemporary twist on classic

Cons

Can get crowded

Slightly pricey

Best For Luxury

Mucca Osteria

Mucca Osteria - Portland - Osteria

Whether you dine in or get a big order to take home to the family, Mucca Osteria specializes in handmade pasta that delights the taste buds and doesn’t break the budget.

The restaurant has a lovely, romantic feel, so take time to sit, sip a glass of Chianti, and order a steaming bowl of spaghetti. Open every day but Sunday, from 5 until 10 p.m. Located on SW Morrison.

Pros

Handmade pasta delights

Romantic Italian ambiance

Affordable dining option

Convenient location in Portland

Cons

Limited operating hours

No Sunday service

Limited vegetarian options

Best For Traditional Italian Cuisine

Gino’s Italian Restaurant & Bar

Gino's Italian Restaurant & Bar - Portland - Oregon

 This family-run establishment has been a hit with Portland residents for nearly 24 years, and it’s now doing indoor dining once again, along with pickup orders.

Located on 13th Avenue in Sellwood, Gino’s offers up classic Italian fare like Caesar salad and other expected dishes but also has some delightful surprises.

Try the sausage on polenta, or if you’re really hungry, go for “Grandma’s Jeans,” a dish of pork ribs, beef, and tomatoes spooned over penne. The portions are generous so you may be taking some home! Open daily from 4 p.m. until 9.

Cons

Limited Operating Hours

Limited menu

Best For Family-Friendly

Ava Gene’s Italian Restaurant

Ava Gene's Italian Restaurant - Portland - Oregon

Ava delights its customers with a chic atmosphere and plenty of inventive cocktails to start, then dishes up everything from a beautiful beet salad to more substantial and traditional Italian fare, including gnocchi fritto and lamb ragu pasta.

While Ava Gene enjoys hosting romantic diners, it makes a point of welcoming families, too. Located on SE Division Street, open on Thursdays only right now.

Pros

Traditional Italian cuisine

Local wine selection

Chic atmosphere

Inventive cocktails

Cons

Small portions

Packed on weekends

Best For Unique Dishes

Luce Italian Restaurant

Luce Italian Restaurant - Portland - Oregon

Luce is a small place filled with big flavors. Open daily from 4 until 10 p.m., Luce makes its pasta and has a grocery store on site so you can stock up on your favorites and take them home!

Dine in, take out, but no delivery. Located on Burnside Street, Luce features seasonal ingredients in many of its dishes, so the menu varies from month to month.

Pros

Seasonal ingredients for unique dishes

Convenient onsite grocery store

Trendy and intimate atmosphere

Cons

No delivery service offered

Limited operating hours

Best For Artisanal Pizzas

Cibo Italian Restaurant

Cibo Italian Restaurant Portland

This eatery, located on Division Street, is known for the fabulous pizzas that emerge from its wood-fired pizza oven. Whether you want one piled high with meat or chock full of veggies, Cibo no doubt has a pizza to fit your preference.

The cocktails are famous for their originality with locals and visitors alike – the perfect kick before the pizza arrives! Open daily from 4 until 10 p.m.

Pros

Authentic Italian pizza

Wood-fired oven for flavor

Diverse pizza toppings

Unique cocktail selection

Cons

Packed on weekends

Potential wait times

Best For Cosy Italian restaurant

Caffe Mingo

Caffe Mingo - Portland - Oregon

The menu at Mingo is big enough to satisfy even the most discerning Italian food lover, and the restaurant has a wine menu to match – big, bold, and offering something for everybody.

After having a glass of red, try the gnocchi, or the warm roasted beets with herb and yogurt dressing, followed by the scallops with risotto and herbs.

For the meat lover in the crowd, there’s the Chianti and espresso braised beef, or perhaps the lamb chops with pumpkin puree? As we said, there is something for everyone.

If you’ve got any room left when your meal is finished, there is a dessert menu that’s almost as big as the wine and entree lists. Mingo is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., Located on NW 21st.

Pros

Authentic Italian-American fusion

Extensive Italian wine selection

Diverse menu for all tastes

Cozy and inviting ambience

Cons

Lack of chocolate desserts

Closed on Monday

Best For Locally Sourced Ingredients

A Cena Ristorante

A Cena Ristorante Portland

Situated on 13th Avenue, this Italian eatery lets you dine in or order takeout and is popular for making homemade pasta with locally sourced ingredients.

The room has a chic and elegant vibe. Though it’s closed on Monday and Tuesday, it opens at 5 every other night so that you can sit down to an early feast of dishes and traditional dishes like eggplant parmigiana, Caprese salad, or polenta.

If it’s meat you’re after, try the Bistecca – grilled hangar steak with pine nuts and peppers. There is also an extensive wine list and dessert menu.

Pros

Locally Sourced Ingredients

Homemade Pasta Delicacies

Chic and Elegant Ambiance

Diverse Wine and Dessert Selection

Cons

Tiny appetizers

Busy staff

Best For Gluten-Free Options

Mama Mia Trattoria

Mama Mia Trattoria - Portland - Oregon

At this popular Italian restaurant, the meatballs simmer all day long, and the pasta is homemade. Every day has a different list of specials, all of which make the most of local, seasonal, and fresh ingredients.

Start with a charcuterie board to share with your fellow diners, then move on to favorites like Fettuccine Alfredo.

This spot has gluten-free pasta options for a small fee. Located on the waterfront, on SW 2nd Avenue, Mama Mia also hosts private events, including corporate dinners and family birthday parties.

Pros

Gluten-free pasta available

Ideal for private events

Waterfront location

Cons

Gluten-free pasta incurs extra cost

Limited parking space

Best For Contemporary Restaurant

Serratto Italian Cuisine

Serratto Italian Cuisine - Portland - Oregon

This is one of the city’s most chic establishments, with a long copper bar and private dining rooms to host any event on your calendar.

The food is a lovely balance of Italian with French influences, but you can also get their take on a good, old-fashioned hamburger if that’s your craving.

There is just about everything Italian on Serratto’s menu, too, including fresh pasta and seared sea scallops. Located on NW Kearney Street, open seven days a week starting at 4 p.m.

Pros

Refined Italian Mediterranean cuisine

Chic ambiance and copper bar

Private dining rooms for special events

Open seven days a week

Cons

Prices can be on the higher side

Limited vegetarian options

Best For Gourmet Street Eats

Gumba Italian Food Cart

Gumba Italian Food Cart - Portland - Oregon

 When it’s time for something a little more low-key than some of the swankier locations in Portland without sacrificing an ounce of flavor and zest, Gumba’s is the spot.

This cart, located on NE Alberta Street, specializes in Italian sandwiches and plenty of homemade pasta.

Take home an order of ricca pasta with beef, a fried chicken sandwich, and a few slices of olive oil cake, and let the family relax and eat in tonight. Closed Tuesday, open from 4:30 until 9:30 other days.

Pros

Perfect for a low-key experience

Specializes in Italian sandwiches

Offers homemade pasta

Convenient for takeout dinners

Cons

Closed on Tuesdays

Limited dining hours

Limited menu variety

Best for Outdoor Dining

Gallo Nero Italian Restaurant

Gallo Nero Italian Restaurant - Portland - Oregon

 This eatery is hugely popular with Portland’s Italian food fans, so that tells you how good the dishes are.

Billed as an “authentic Italian bistro,” Gallo specializes in the cuisine of Tuscany and offers spaghetti with seafood, antipasto, lasagne, and risotto, along with plenty of other Italian traditional entrees.

Also on the menu is fish stew and pasta sauteed with prosciutto and garlic. Dine-in or order for pickup, open Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon until 9 p.m.

Pros

Authentic Tuscan cuisine

Outdoor seating available

Popular among Italian food enthusiasts

Extensive menu with traditional dishes

Cons

Outdoor noise

Closed on Monday and Tuesday

Best for Budget-friendly

Ernesto’s Italian Restaurant

Ernesto's Italian Restaurant - Portland - Oregon

Located on Apple Way, this establishment’s generous portions of many Italian classics, along with a salad bar, make it the ideal locale for a night out with the family or a big group from the office.

Open daily from noon until 9 p.m., Ernesto’s serves up everything folks love about Italian food – rich, cheesy sauces, garlic bread, filling, delicious pastas, and plenty of other fare that delights the senses without breaking the wallet.

There are desserts, too, and good wine by the glass for the grownups in your group.

Cons

Packed on weekends

Limited wine selection

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