Vegan
Italian
Organic
Beer/Wine

Portland Italian restaurant serving all vegan food. Features a seasonal menu. Brunch on weekends. Reservations not required but recommended. Previously on SE 11th Ave, this location has a larger dining room and a full bar. No takeaways. Confirmed closed end of 2016.


Venue map for Portobello Vegan Trattoria
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57 Reviews

First Review by cookiem

AnnFromIllinois

Points +760

Vegan
23 Oct 2016

not to be missed

Wow! Blown away by the superb diner there. Don't miss the peps and beet tartare appetizers! For the main course, everyone was happy with their choice: ravioli, linguine, risotto and portobello steak. Baked Alaska and the orange/apple rose were excellent dessert choices. Go here. Bring friends. Enjoy!

Pros: beet tartare

Christyrose

Points +100

Vegan
24 Aug 2016

need to go back!

We got there pretty late on a Tuesday night. They were out of many items. They were out of 4 out of the 5 pastas, and 1 of the pizzas. I ordered the mushroom ravioli, because it was the only pasta left. It was okay, kind of boring. But the other pastas sounded amazing. The beet burger was excellent. I recommend getting there early!

MariToni

Points +22

Vegan
10 Aug 2016

Omg Vegan Italian?? Yesss!!

Authentic and Delicious! Can I give 10 stars? Service was great as well.

veggielinds

Points +290

Vegan
28 Jul 2016

Great Experience!

I've been to this place a few times now, and I have continuously been impressed at the service and the food. I highly recommend the beet tartare and the ravioli, simply amazing.

Next time we go, we'll be trying the tasting menu.

fondducoeur

Points +1167

Vegan
25 Jun 2016

Good food, nice atmosphere

I have really enjoyed Portobello's both times I have visited Portland. Upscale vegan restaurants can be hard to find, and Portobello's is the only Itlian one I have been to. I will not say the food is amazing, but it is pretty good, and I will definitely try to go every time I visit Portland. I had the manicotti with red sauce this time, filled with Cauliflower ricotta, and my husband had pizza which, among some other things, included cashew based cheese and seitan sausage (the pizza was very good by the way). I really wanted to try the cheese plate, but it seemed like just too much food. The dessert looked great also. When we were here a couple of years ago, i remember liking the beet tartar quite a bit. Make sure to make a reservation, a couple days in advance is probably best.

Pros: upscale vegan dining, vegan Italian

Cons: bit expensive, books up quickly

Maire20

Points +223

Vegan
19 Jun 2016

beautiful food and lovely staff!

The deluxe burger is amazing and the staff are really friendly and welcoming. The pasta looked amazing!

ChristianneZam

Points +36

Vegan
13 Jun 2016

cute vegan Italian place

great pasta and very good service! only complain is the ravioli portions and not really good tasting. It's a great place just avoid the ravioli and you'll enjoy.

Cons: expensive

along112

Points +291

Vegan
10 Apr 2016

Awesome upscale vegan dining

Went to Portobello for the first time and it was worth it. I had been wanting to go. The menu has many items that aren't normally found at other vegan restaurants. We had the Hazelnut risotto and the Arrabiata pizza. The pizza by far was the best vegan pizza I've ever had and my partner agrees! Wasn't a fan of the Hazelnut risotto, but it was something new to try. We ended our dinner with the mint chocolate cake, which was out of this world. Can't wait to go back again!

Pros: Unique options, Excellent food

mikeybutt

Points +184

Vegan
14 Nov 2015

Second rate food

We ordered the cheese plate, which was great. The rest of the food was all second rate. Bland food masked by bland sauces. We drove all the way from NYC to visit Portland because it's a vegan Mecca and all. Portobello was our first stop and totally let us down. Maybe our expectations were just too high.

Cons: Beet Burger, Mushroom Arancini, Kale Salad

JustineC

Points +201

Vegan
01 Oct 2015

Amazing

Portobello is a definite must if you are visiting Portland. We started our meal with some grilled peaches with BBQ sauce. It was an unexpected and delicious dish. My husband and I then shared the ravioli and the gnocchi. For dessert I couldn't resist the sundae and it was just how I remember sundae's being from my childhood. It was magical! I had several sundae's at various places on my recent holiday but the one at Portobello was by far the best.

LadyVolsFreakDeb

Points +79

Vegan
26 Sep 2015

Lovely dining atmosphere

We arrived a few minutes before our early reservation and were seated immediately. The service was excellent. We chose the Prix Fixe Tasting Menu. The options were limited, but excellent. My spouse especially loved the salad course. They also made excellent use of local mushrooms in many of their dishes. We both ordered different items and often shared. The garlic was a little strong in my spouse's red linguini entree. I enjoyed the cheesy ravioli. For a tasting menu the portion size was perfect. As with all the courses, the deserts were creative and beautifully presented. The Pouched Pear with Fig Sorbet Sandwich would have been better with more sorbet and one less cookie.

Pros: Service was excellent, Courses timed well, Local produce

Cons: Limited parking

Veganaxos

Points +66

Vegan
18 Aug 2015

A Portland highlight

We had the tasting menu and it was delightful. They accidentally mixed up our order but were great about giving us the wrong dish for free. They were also excellent about allergies. The food was delicious in every respect, although the size of the mains was smaller than the size of the starters! The desserts were heavenly.

emily14

Points +67

Vegan
07 Aug 2015

Amazing!

Having never been to a vegan Italian restaurant before, I was blown away by this place! It had a very nice environment, but it was a little crowded (it was the weekend though). The food was excellent, I had the portobello steak with fingerling potatoes and green beans! It was incredible, and left me wanting to order another. It was a little on the pricey side but not horrible considering how good the food is (most expensive item is $15 unless you order a cheese plate). Their menu featured many classic Italian dishes and they had multiple gluten free options, and were open to modifying other dishes to accommodate a gluten free diet. This was honestly one of the best meals I've had in a while

Pros: Great Italian food, Moderate prices, Accommodating staff

KatieBatty

Points +1477

Vegan
18 Jul 2015

Nice fancy restaurant

Portobello is one of the few fancy, gourmet vegan restaurants in Portland. It books out quickly so you need to book online with a few days notice. It was pretty crowded on the Friday night and quite noisy. The service is really fast and they need quick turnover so if you're wanting to have a nice long meal it's not the best for that. If, like us, you're happy to try the food and don't need to hear the person talk much, then it's fine. Maybe we just went when there were very loud parties in the restaurant (one of which wasn't taking the hint to leave!).

We got the beet tartare for entree - it's cashew, beets, capers and herbs made into a kind of dip with bread and it was really, really great and quite original. I got the gnocchi for my main which was a bit flavourless, it was in a watery kind of sauce rather than a nice rich tomato or creamy sauce. My partner got the cashew cheese filled ravioli which was much nicer, with a divine sauce. We shared the salted caramel sundae for dessert and that was really rich and amazing with fudge sauce, candied walnuts and coconut whipped cream. I got a Virgil's cola which has to be the best cola I ever tasted. Very fast service, in and out!

Pros: Fancy vegan restaurant, Gourmet italian, All vegan

Cons: Too noisy, Gnocchi was so-so

HillaryPerryColey

Points +57

Mostly Veg
23 Jun 2015

Fresh ingredients and fun menu

The food was fresh and prepared beautifully. It has a nice atmosphere and friendly staff.

Pros: Excellent food, Good variety, Nice atmosphere

Shel Graves

Points +262

Vegan
30 Mar 2015

Vegan Italian! Wonderful for a date or celebration

Maybe this restaurant should be called "Cashews" - it's really a celebration of the amazing things that can be done with cashews. It's a bit spendy so maybe best for an occasion or celebration - or maybe everyday is a celebration of delightful food. It offers a cheese plate sample with Vtopian cheeses, lasagna, ravioli and gnocci and tiramisu for desert. Great cocktails including The Vegan Abides (with vegan Irish Creme) and wine pairings.

Pros: Amazing Italian food, Vegan cheese sampler plate, Vegan tiramisu

Cons: A treat night out/on the spendy side, Popular/Make a Reservation if you can, You will want to try all the food!

lai.9292

Points +371

Vegan
28 Mar 2015

Homecooked Delicious Italian

We got on the wait list on a Friday evening expecting to wait an hour or so to sit down; surprisingly, we waited maybe 20 minutes.
I've wanted to try Portobello's Italian vegan fare since I've read about it months ago.
It was amazing; worth the slightly higher prices and potential wait for the quality and menu variety. Our food was flavorful, everything perfectly balanced and unique.
We loved our pizza pie! It was the option with leeks,potatoes,pistachio, asparagus, and some type of lemon cashew cream. YUM! We joked that those are the few toppings we have never thrown on a pizza at home, and to have them ALL combined into one glorious creation was pretttttty cool. :)
Our appetizer was fried rice balls filled with sage and mushroom topped with marinara and basil. They were really delicious too!
I got their house made soda pop, the hibiscus vanilla, and added a shot of rum. Try it if you like Shirley temples with a little bonus.:D
I hope to go back to try their canolli, which I asked about and was told that its a seasonal thing.
Its nice to have a cozy, warm, and hearty Italian restaurant available with a totally plant based philosophy. It really feels like a home cooked meal made with some lovin'.

Pros: Flavorful, Creative Creations

Cons: Small Parking Lot, No Canoli For Me

rachelandmichael

Points +373

Vegan
31 Jan 2015

excellent meal

Excellent meal the environment is very kid friendly but the prices made me glad the kids were at home. Good prices for good date night spot. We did the sampler and it was amazing

Juniper3_3

Points +47

Vegetarian
21 Jan 2015

Loved it!

My husband and I ate here on our last trip to Portland and really loved it. We did not have a reservation so we had to sit at the bar which was fine for us but you might want to plan ahead and make a reservation if you want a table. The service was friendly and prompt and the food was amazing! The beet burger was flavorful and delicious. It was a little on the expensive side but not out of the ordinary for an upscale restaurant like this one. We will definitely be back!

sglcklch

Points +2815

Vegan
16 Aug 2014

Personal favorite in Portland

We ate our way through the city in five days and spent the first evening here for dinner, which turned out to be the best meal we had by far. It’s Italian food alla vegana and it was fantastic! Between the two of us, we ordered and shared—

Beet tartare: pretty much every review I read said to get this dish for appetizer, and it didn’t disappoint. I especially enjoyed the touch of zingy edge that the capers brought to it. HUGE portion.

Arancini: fried risotto balls, do I need to say more?

Cheese plate: a sampler of artisan vegan cheeses crated by various companies. We went for the three cheese plate for $12. Can’t remember all three, but the one that stood out was the peppercorn cashew brie by Vtopian. I wish I lived in the area, because then I could just go to the store and get the whole block at a better value.

Green bean gnocchi: these tiny dumplings were homemade and are supposed to be their specialty, and they were amazing. Lightly browned, soft and fluffy, it really couldn’t get any better than that.

Mushroom cavatelli: these noodles were also homemade. Okay, I ordered another pasta dish because I’m a sucker for all things doughy and chewy. As far as I’m concerned, this was the star of the show. I loved how loaded it was with garlic and fresh herbs, whose flavors shone through beautifully.

All pasta were available in either small or large portion; we had the small for both of ours and it was plenty. If I were to nitpick, though, I’d point out that they were a tad too greasy and could probably use less oil.

We didn’t get dessert as we were already stuffed by then. The selection didn’t look all that exciting anyway. Throughout our evening, the only thing that I wasn’t as happy about was the service. Not that it was our server’s fault—she was very friendly and all—it’s just that the place seemed understaffed for a busy Friday night. There were only two of them and I felt that ours was taking care of more than half of the restaurant, which led to us having to catch her attention and then wait around for service all the time. The bottom line, however, is that the food was excellent, prices were very reasonable (we paid $69 including tips and a glass of wine), and we had a great time.

Pros: excellent food, reasonable prices

Cons: understaffed/slow service

Vegangirlclark

Points +112

Vegan
26 Jun 2014

amazing food and service

This place was amazing. I did the tasting menu which allows you to try a starter, pasta, main and dessert. I added the chèvre also. Soooo delicious. I had the Cesar salad, mushroom pasta, cauliflower steak and salted caramel sundae. Was very pleased with every dish. Service is great too!

Posi Britt

Points +679

Vegan
25 Jun 2014

Ravioli? Sold!

I had yet to find a vegan ravioli that was actually any good. I found that and so much more here! We ordered nearly everything on the menu and enjoyed every single bite. We even ordered dessert. Everything was beyond perfect!
I was very excited to see a mocktail on the menu called the "Sea Shepherd". I ordered it and while being super tasty, they also donate money to the organization every time one is purchased. Awesome!
The atmosphere was really neat inside. Reclaimed wood on the walls and neat little art pieces tucked into the nooks and crannies.
My husband can't stop talking about how next time we are in town, we are bringing 6 friends so we can order the insane "Ziggy Piggy" dessert. But who could refuse with ice cream flavours like strawberry basil, or salted caramel?
Make reservations before you go. It gets crazy busy.

Pros: Ravioli!, Awesome desserts, Everything was amazing

Cons: A bit busy , A bit expensive

shirley1

Points +340

Vegan
06 Jun 2014

Exceptional Inventive food

This restaurant serves unique and classic vegan food in a semi formal setting - we were amazed as each dish arrived at the table - not only did it look good, each dish tasted great.
I started with a Beet Tartare which was diced roasted beets on top of a cashew purée served with a gluten free toast - crazy good.
My husband started with the Sweety Peps which was sweet peppers stuffed with cashew cheese which was just as good.
I then had the cauliflower steak with asparagus,potato ,radish and sweet onions on the side and my husband had the Gluten free Patata Primavera Pizza with caramelized onions,Yukon gold potatoes , Douglas firs and cashew cream .both dishes were amazing and we took a good amount home for the next day as the portions were quite generous.
We overdid it by sharing a Chocolate mousse that was just heavenly- we managed to finish that.!
The service was excellent the ambience great and it was a it pricey but well worth every penny a great meal and a highlight of our trip to Portland.

Pros: inventive food, exceptional tasty, gluten free options

millavinilla

Points +233

Vegetarian
27 Mar 2014

Pretty good

My husband and I had our anniversary meal here. We did the taster menu - where you get 4 courses each. Over all the food was good. I was a little disappointed by the tiramisu - very difficult to find vegan. The textures were good, it was just lacking a stronger espresso taste. Also service was a bit slow, which we didn't mind too much. Our waitress was very nice and apologetic about the wait. Would definitely return on our next visit to portland. Hard for me to turn down a completely vegan Italian place.

Anthony-Fucito

Points +52

Vegan
16 Feb 2014

Overrated, I think...

My opinion of this place is clearly in the minority, but I actually found this place didn't live up to it's reputation. We got pizza and fries (strange choice to serve at a gourmet eatery). Our crusts were flat and the sauce was scant. The fries were good but that's not exactly a challenging dish. If it were half the price and half as raved about, I wouldn't have been as disappointed.

tfrederick

Points +32

Vegan
31 Dec 2013

gnocchi actually worth coming back for

Had the fixed menu on a Sunday night. Delicious. Service a bit "shy," but definitely not surly. Attentive, but not overwhelming. Food very fresh, nice portion sizes, well presented, and balanced. Will go back for more on a night when we can choose from the whole menu!

Pros: great variety on menu, rare to find a vegan Italian restaurant, all vegan, not just vegetarian

Cons: wine list is "meh", wine is a bit pricey, cavernous space...

phyl

Points +42

Raw
29 Dec 2013

Choose another...

I read the reviews and went to Portobello's website. On the site their ideology is European, which means diners should plan for an hour and a half for dinner. I thought, "Cool! Love Europe! Love long dinners!" I also thought that was why there were some negative reviews about service. So my partner and I made a reservation and prepared for a lovely, long evening of feasting. First - the waitress was unknowledgeable, inattentive, and surly. Example: I asked if any of their red wines were sulfite free. She said she had no idea, and stood there looking at me. I asked her to please check with the bartender while I checked to see if I recognized any of the wines. While she was gone - for a long time - I read the legend on the wine list and discovered that if the wine had a N by the name, it was sulfite free. She finally came back - with no answer about the wine. So I educated her about her own menu and ordered a glass of sulfite free red. My partner and I are raw vegans. We do branch out when we have to (as in going out where there is no raw available), but my second question was if she could point us to any raw/living menu items. She scornfully said that some had "raw components," like the greens in the salads and the lettuce on the burgers, but they had no raw food. We stayed positive and ordered appetizers (fried mushrooms and stuffed peppers) and dinner, the portobello mushroom burger and portobello steak. The appetizers were good, though it would have been really easy to keep both raw. The entres were not good. Heavy on the bland side - light on creativity. Add that to the surly, unknowledgable service, and we will not be returning. Choose Pappa G's or Blossoming Lotus instead.

Pros: Vegan, stuffed peppers

Cons: unknowledgable staff, surly staff, nothing raw/living




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