Portobello Restaurant

First time coming to this Italian restaurant and we were blown away by their hospitality. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by the kind woman at the front desk. We had a reservation forn2 and she asked us if we wanted to sit "outside" or "inside". There really was no "outside". They're all indoor seatings but the "outside" ones are right to the side after tithe entrance and therefore it's a much brighter surroundings. The "inside" a lot more darker and moodier, which was what we picked cuz it was our date night. We started with the burrata as appetizer and it was perfect! The burrata was soft, rich, and creamy. You can tell they use high quality olive oil and Balsamic. We used some of the warm, crusty bread they served on the side to mop up some of the leftover juice from the burrata. I ordered Linquini ala Vongole for me and it was to die for. Perfectly seasoned, good amount of clams, al dente pasta, and buttery white wine sauce. My fiancé ordered the gnocchi made it was a bit of a let down. They're definitely made in house, but they're too soft for our liking and we thought that the rosè sauce is a little bland and could use a bit more salt. Everything else was impeccable though. Service was at fine-dining level. Our waiter was so polite and attentive, without being overly over the top. He kept checking on us at just the right time, even placed our sparkling water in a cooler, too. The venue is so clean, quiet, comfortable, and romantic. Will definitely come back again to try their other menu and dessert. Highly recommend if you want something more than ordinary Italian restaurant.

Instead of waiting in line for Anton’s come to Portobello’s. Such a great experience, food was amazing, service was top notch and there was a steady stream of regulars coming in so this place must be good. A fantastic Italian restaurant in Burnaby heights.

The food was amazing... from the appetizer to the dessert. Our service was fantastic too. Can't wait to go back.

I had a wonderful dinner here recently. It's a small but lovely little restaurant with great ambiance. Our server was very attentive and the food was delicious. It's hard to find good elevated dining that's outside of the downtown/westside core but I really appreciated this little gem. We had the burrata and prawns to start, I had the gnocchi as a main and tiramisu for dessert. Everything was done to perfection. I find gnocchi can be a real hit or miss but this place certainly got my stamp of approval. Thank you for a memorable dining experience!

First time trying the Portobello and we found it okay. The ambiance is nice, the decor is inviting. I found the menu to be more minimalist than say a wide selection of classic Italian dishes. We did the Dine-Out menu based on the value and the food was decent enough for the price. The service was okay -- not rushed but comfortable. For me the bottom line was there was no WOW - factor or anything that would blow one away, either with the food or the service. I am hesitant to comment on the pricing as it is tough these days as prices are soaring in restaurants which is understandable given the current economy. And Portobello is not inexpensive by any means. Now we did not try any of the higher priced menu items ie: Ossobuco at $54 did I feel the value of the Dine Out menu was on point at $59 for a 3 course meal? Sure in comparison to the single item Ossobuco at $54. However for what we had - I could be swayed either way. I probably will not go again as at these prices I just expect more.

I have no idea why there are so many rave reviews for this joint. My experience was VERY underwhelming. The appetizers for "2" were expensive, and VERY small. One of my companions had the caeser. The lettuce was wilted and actually browning in some spots. I had the penne with sausage. The sauce was watery, and overly acidic, with no depth to it at all, and the sausage had the weirdest after taste. Highly over rated, and mediocre. I have had better pasta in cafeterias.

Wonderful place with super attentive staff! Will be back again for sure.Food: 4/5

This was our first visit and it was an early Valentine's Day dinner. My wife had the Linguine alla Vongole and I chose the Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Both were spot on.Food: 5/5

Convenient location, lovely fresh flowers, fabulous service. Great desserts, mains & salads were fine. $$$ wine.Recommended dishesSeafood Risotto

Portobello has always been a favorite restaurant for us and we've visited their West Broadway locations many times over the years. Recently, they moved onto the old Pear Tree location on Hastings in Burnaby Heights. They start you off with some really great complimentary crusty warm bread. And then we moved onto the garlicky Caesar salad and juicy mussels. For my main, I picked the braised prime rib short ribs. Super fork-tender. The Petti di pollo con carciofini thin slices of chicken breast, sautéed with butter, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, white wine sauce was good too. Service is attentive and friendly. Make sure to get the tiramisu for dessert.