Portofino in Newcastle upon Tyne

Very nice restaurant serving good, affordable food. We hadn't booked but they allocated a table. I gave 4* for service because they were very busy and could have done with more staff on, owners not staff problem.

We booked a table for 8:15. We didn't realise that Newcastle had been playing so when we got there it was absolutely bunged. We spoke to one of the waiters and explained we had booked a table. He checked us off the list and apologised that the table would still be a few minutes. We said it was fine. We waited about 10 minutes and someone came over and apologised that it would be a bit longer but would we like a couple of drinks on the house. We said no and it was fine. We'd had a great night in town so we weren't in any rush. The whole place was buzzing it was a great atmosphere. In the end we waited about half an hour but were finally seated. The waitress was apologising the whole time and we said not to worry. We ordered our meals, starter mushrooms and calamari. Both delicious and plentiful! Our table was cleared promptly and our mains came. A Mexicana pizza and carnivore pizza with sides of chips and onion rings to share. All well made and 100% amazing! Just what the doctor ordered. We asked for our bill as we were both stuffed. A man, who I think was the manager came over and apologised for our wait again and asked if we would like dessert on the house. We said there was no need but he insisted and said he would put it in containers so we could take it home. He came back over with our bill and desserts, the whole thing came to £55. He had taken the drinks off the bill too as even though we had refused at the start of the night they were on the house. Absolutely great service, attentive staff and great atmosphere. Would we go back again? Absolutely.

Been coming here since 2009 and ive always been mesmerised by the building. The food is really good as well I highly recommend, its always bustling yet the waiters are always attentive.

My only regret is I am 57 years old and it's only the 2nd time I have been. I look forward to returning very soon to rectify this.

Great restaurant 👌 lovely helpful friendly staff, I would definitely recommend this. Food was gorgeous 😍

Great food, friendly attentive staff, nice surroundings. Mon-Fri early bird special prices until 7pm makes even better value. Even kids Menu adaptable if you ask which is always a sign food is freshly made.

Been to Portofinos numerous times now and never once had a bad night or meal. A beautiful building with OUTSTANDING food. The staff are amazing and friendly. We never leave hungry or disappointed. A true, authentic Italian. Can't fault a single thing. Favorite restaurant in Newcastle!❤️

Large portions. Decent price. Decent service. Beautiful building.

Italian restaurant in the center. All good.

Busy busy restaurant in a beautiful building. Food was great and menu varied.

Visited here for the first time this evening and we were blown away by the decor and interior design, I never knew that there were buildings like this in Newcastle. The food was top notch and very enjoyable, with the wait for food being very short, we did not have to wait long. This is also very clearly a busy spot as the whole restaurant was booked out for the evening, a good sign for the rest of the menu that we didn't try too. Prices are also pretty good, especially if you order from the happy hour menu (12-7pm) midweek!

Went recently with a friend and it was amazing Great food and fantastic service

Very friendly,attentive and professional. Authentic italian food and decor. A real treat for the eyes and palate. I will return.

Excellent central restaurant. Food and wine was second to none. When in Newcastle will always return Bruschetta was good but a bit of garlic would make it exceptional Pate with toasted bread was beautiful my husband said. Tagliatelle Bolognese was to die for. Portion size was spot on Mushroom risotto was also fab Frascati wine lovely and cold and reasonably priced. No room for desserts

Great food and atmosphere. We had a very friendly and helpful waitress. Even though the restaurant was fully booked, they still made a plan for us to eat there. Would definitely recommend visiting this fine Italian dining restaurant if you are in Newcastle

I have Celiac disease so appreciate restaurants that cater to gluten free people like me. Your pizza is really good. So thanks for having GF food.

Came for a pre concert meal. Surrounding were amazing, food was gorgeous and the staff were very attentive. Would definitely recommend.

We love eating here. Always delivers. Attentive staff and tasty courses. The wine was beautiful too. We are never disappointed with the quality of dishes. Happy Hour is a bonus too.

Always love this restaurant. Good value for money and food very tasty. Two of us had starter and main. Shared desert ( we were quite full). Glass of red wine and soft drink. All for £42.. Definitely recommend

Amazing place foe us girls to catch up! Food is out of this world. The premises is beautiful and the staff are so lovely! We never dine anywhere else!

Brilliant food Good service Lovely building

Excellent service and delicious food! Would highly recommend! The value was also fantastic

Best Italian reasturant I have visited in a long time excellent service from all the staff,brilliant quality food and very reasonable prices. Thank you

Good quality food at great prices, right in the between the city centre and the quayside. Highly recommended 👌

Food was fine, the carbonara was good. Service wasn’t good. Waiter was uninterested and was ignoring us. Drinks tasted like dish water.

Best Carbonara I have eaten for a long time, split it with half a pizza, along with fantastic atmosphere and well priced, 1st time attending and now my wife and I s new destination .

Great service choice of wine’s always love the experience

Absolutely love this place! Food, service, atmosphere, price 5 stars!!!!!!!

Had a delicious pre theatre lunch. Staff very attentive and friendly

Came in for lunch with wife and 3yr old. They had a lunch time menu that was extensive. We ended up havin 2 courses, was fantastic. The risosto was beutiful! Kids menu was excellent, my son enjoyed his authentic pizza and some of the nicest carrots Ive eaten believe it or not. I Do recommend portifinos!! The staff were brilliant and very friendly.

Delicious carbonara and tiramisu! All the staff were friendly, helpful and attentive.

Such a beautiful building and food is OK too. Very helpful waiting staff (but not in your face)

Reasonably priced meals, friendly staff, would recommend

Excellent meal as per usual in a beautiful building.

Real Italian. We loved the dishes. Ordered different ones and shared. All was very good. Also smiling faces around is another star deserved 😉

Lovely restaurant ,great value and all the walls are tiled from the original building. Stunning

We come here regularly. Great place, reasonable prices. This time though we were sold a horrible wine as we were told it was better than the house, though cost more. I did ask to taste the wine, but got sold on the recommendation instead. I think they just wanted rid of it. I'll know better next time.

Great choice of Italian food available and even better prices at lunch time happy hour prices.

In the city to watch my team play Newcastle Utd. Reviews for this place were good so decided to give it a try. Not disappointed. Great venue, great food and great service. Very generous portions and incredible value for money! Not surprised restaurant was full. Geordies obviously have good taste!

Booked the table at one of our favourite restaurants after an afternoon concert at the glasshouse/Sage Sunday afternoon.

Portofino’s is my favourite Italian restaurant in Newcastle. Consistently good food, always a a buzzing atmosphere, attentive service and excellent pricing. Highly recommended!

Fantastic service even though really busy, food piping hot and delicious. Great price and very friendly and helpful staff, I'll definitely recommend this restaurant

Fabulous little gem of a restaurant, staff so friendly and professional and the food was outstanding. I got the seafood pasta and it was the best I’ve ever had.

Amazing restaurant with some great tasting Italian food. The staff were all great and very attentive. It's a really nice venue, plenty of seating area and is in a great location. Would highly recommend visiting this place!

Always enjoy visiting Portofino, lovely friendly & helpful staff and great food 🍷

We ate at Portofino in December last year from a recommendation and it was excellent, great food ,great service ,will definitely be our place to go when in the area.

Fantastic Italian restaurant, great food, attentive, friendly service and reasonable prices. Would happily visit again and again.

The food was delicious and service was 1st class. On a very busy day

Great Italian food in Newcastle

The service wasn’t warm or overly welcoming. The table allocated for 3 people as way too small and therefore we were cramped, later rectified. Food was average. The building is stunning.

We get here regularly great food and a nice atmosphere

Great Italian with loads of atmosphere. Service was fast and staff were friendly

Visiting from Wolverhampton and came to your restaurant for the first time tonight. The Novara gnocchi with parmesan cheese I had was one of the best things I have ever tasted, absolutely sublime. The staff were very welcoming as well. Thanks.

Good Italian resto in Newcastle

Risotto, pasta and pizza are good. A decent brand of Italian zero alcohol beer. Desserts are tasty and good portions.

Best Pizza Ave had in a while. Fast fantastic service.

A great place to eat with great food and a great atmosphere. 👍

Staff were amazing, the food was delicious and atmosphere was welcoming

The old lady who was on the floor was super rude . The pizza was good but all the pasta was undercooked too salty and not that enjoyable at all. Our main server was okay very polite but we didn’t get a check back what wasn’t great as the food was not up to standard. All together we did not feel welcome at all and I would not recommend here. There are plenty of better and more affordable options much better going 5 mins down the road and going uno.

Always enjoy our time visiting Portofino's. As ever great food and friendly service.

Loved it. The restaurant us in quite an amazing space. No idea what the building used to be, but was and indeed still is very impressive. I'll be investigating the history of the building in due course. The staff were great. Friendly, attentive but not overly so. The food was delicious. The ability to choose between 3 types of pasta (4 if you include gluten free) was refreshing. The option of spaghetti only with certain dishes puts me off choosing them ordinarily. So Pasta Roma with penne it was. 2 pasta dishes, 250ml wine, 2 pints of Peroni, 1 cappuccino, 2 desserts a touch under £65.

Had lasagna and it was cold and burnt at the same time felt like an oven ready supermarket meal. I will never set foot in again as there are better options Cheers Rob

The food is excellent and every dish is on the large side. The price is not very expensive. I will come back again when we revisit Newcastle.

A lovely traditional Italian family restaurant that makes the effort to cater for coeliacs/gluten free. Possibly the best gluten free pizza I’ve eaten in over 20 years, reasonable prices, a fantastic red wine on the Happy Hour menu and a delicious gamberoni al aglio to start. The allergens menu is clearly displayed on their website so you can plan confidently ahead and know what is safe to eat. Service was attentive and friendly. A lovely spot for lunch with an ever changing specials board. Highly recommended!

First time to this restaurant and it won't be the last. Everything was really good from the staff, the service and the atmosphere. Food was very nice and reasonably priced. So no complaints from us and would recommend to friend's etc.

Really great atmosphere. Quick service and great food. All tip top.

Lovely intimate setting for a night out. The service was excellent. The food, divine. Superb choice available. The amarone is superb, the limoncello awesome.

We were in Newcastle for the day for a university open day and booked this place online beforehand. We were not disappointed!! Fast and friendly service, excellent tasty food and really good value for money! Lovely building too! It’s somewhere we will remember for future visits.

Gorgeous place and food as good as ever come here regular one of the best places in town.

We ate here before going to a performance at Theatre Royal which we have done a few times before. Service was speedy and friendly and the food was great as always and reasonably priced. There is a real buzz about the place and booking is advisable even at 5pm when we went.

Great all round experience. Great food, good service and brilliant atmosphere. All of this at an almost unbelievable price. Would highly recommend and will definitely continue to eat here.

Simply put, I am in love with this restaurant. From the stunning historical decor to the heartfelt story of the family behind it, and the two incredible waitresses who took such great care of me during my lunch, this place radiates authentic Italian charm, which is reflected in both the atmosphere and the service. Italian cuisine is one of my favourites, and I believe I’ve found a restaurant that prepares it to absolute perfection. Granted, I only tried the pizza, but it was easily one of the best I’ve ever had. Honestly, this restaurant has earned a special place in my heart. Every time I return to the area, a visit to this amazing establishment will be an absolute must.

Me and wife visited restaurant this Monday afternoon for a lunch, and we really enjoyed everything! Service was delightful, a big shout out to the waitress-hostess , Gabriela, Sylvia & Natalie Really accommodating and really helpful 😊All absolutely brilliant & kitchen sraff chapeau bas the food was delicious , my ravioli with spinach da leccarsi i baffi. We will definitely be back!

Book early. Otherwise, you might not get in

The food………..what can I say? Fantasico! Sea bass……fresh! Mussels….fresh! All cooked to perfecto!

Very welcoming and friendly waitress made us very welcome. Food and wine excellent value for money, definitely will be back and recommending to family and friends!

We always have great food and service every time my wife and I go here.

First visit and massively impressed. The food was extra special and very well presented. The service was very attentive and very helpful. Nothing was a trouble.

Celebrated my sons 18th birthday here tonight. After a miscommunication during our booking, there was some initial issues accommodating a high chair for our baby daughter but the staff quickly found a solution and really couldn't do enough for us. They are the main asset to this establishment. The service was first class. It's no wonder why this restaurant is so popular. Food was great, atmosphere was lively. Overall, we had a brilliant night, fitting for any celebration and we would highly recommend to others. Only thing I would caution to other families is that this venue is not appropriate for push chairs, there is no space in the dining area and we had to leave ours at the entrance within the restaurant. There are several sets of steps and isnt isn't the easiest place to acess with a buggy. Book ahead if you need a high chair and if you have an infant that cant sit up unaided, I wouldn't recommend here. Other than this, fantastic place to dine out.

Called in on a Saturday night for my daughters birthday with family. The food was delicious and there was a great atmosphere. The staff were lovely and really helpful.

Great as usual. Lovely food and wine. Friendly attentive staff.

I love this place. It’s so beautiful and chill. The food is amazing 🤌🏼

Lovely place for a catch up of 6 of us!

My first time at the restaurant, everything from the service, food, atmosphere, cleanliness, and attentiveness of the staff are all excellent. I can see why this is a highly rated restaurant, and also why it was very busy when I went. I will be back for sure. I’d advise booking a table beforehand to avoid disappointment 🙂

Always reliable and always a pleasure

Only went at lunchtime and ordered from the happy hour menu. Food was excellent and plenty of it. Lovely staff.

Great atmosphere. Food was good and reasonable. Staff very friendly.

We chose Portofino based on glowing online reviews, and we were not disappointed! We made an online reservation, just in case, and it turned out to be a smart move. The restaurant was incredibly busy, so it’s highly unlikely we would have gotten a table without it. We visited during happy hour and ordered the Vegetarian Pizza and Calabrese Al Forno. Both dishes were delicious and packed with flavor. The lively atmosphere added to the experience, making it a wonderful place to enjoy a meal. Highly recommend for great food and a welcoming ambiance!

Our first choice place to eat whenever we are in Newcastle. Wonderful lunch as always. The belly pork from the specials board was to die for! Thankyou so much for singing Happy Birthday to Rosie for her 9th Birthday 🎂 sorry she was a little overwhelmed 💗 see you all again soon. Steve, Dee & Rosie. Grazie mille 🙏

A rainy Tuesday night in Newcastle but plenty of warm Italian atmosphere here. A very good starter of baked portobello mushroom and Italian cheese on a grilled polenta slice. Really excellent homemade Polpette (meatballs) and spaghetti with a just right spicy tomato sauce. Packed with very jolly clients in a rather lovely high ceiling decorative restaurant. Make sure you come here!

Enjoyed a starter and main with the lovely red house wine. The staff are friendly and very efficient.

Lovely food, reasonable prices, lots of choice, very friendly staff and a great atmosphere.

Visited on Saturday night. Despite being busy food arrived quickly and out server was excellent. However, my pizza was burnt and way to hard to eat.

My friends and I visited Portofino for the first time on Friday night and the only thing I can say is that it is not to be missed. It was easily the nicest meal we have ever had, with the most delicious food, enthusiastic staff and perfect vibes, great value for money too. Maria was our waitress and she made our experience 10/10, she knew the menu well and gave us brilliant recommendations, she was also the sweetest, bubbly soul and really did make our evening special. We enjoyed it so much we returned the next day for a lunchtime bite. I highly recommend the Gamberoni pasta with tagliatelle. I will definitely be returning the next time I am in Newcastle.

After talking to my son this morning ( Sunday 29th September 2024) , telling me all about his Italian meal out , where here lives . I decided to go shopping and then to Portofino's... Newcastle .. They s have a great Menu. And special boards and desserts.. I chose Pasta alla Scoglio ,Linguine with Prawns , Mixed Seafood and Cherry tomatoes in a light tomato sauce. and a glass of wine .. and a coffee ... Had a lovely chat with the staff too. Thank you. Delizioso .!! .

Excellent experience with reasonable prices

Visited today 11.12.23 for lunch with friends. My pizza was absolutely delicious, the best I’ve maybe ever tasted! Staff very professional, the building is beautiful, a lovely place to dine. Prices very reasonable too. Thankyou. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Visited three times since my first review. Each time food has been amazing. Dined today 25.9.24. The risotto was absolutely delicious. Staff always welcoming and extremely professional. What a beautiful building to dine in. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lovely old building with bags of character, very friendly quick service and lovely food , we both had the vegetarian pizza which was tasty. We go here every couple of months for a pizza!

The food is always delicious, an excellent variety of choices on the menu with a choice of desserts that will leave your mouth watering. We enjoyed the atmosphere which was greatly influenced by the amazing staff who were lovely.

What a great place. Stunning architecture, buzzing atmosphere, friendly and professional staff, good choice in wine and superb, affordable food. What is not to love!