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Amy Lam

Amy Lam

Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More

vegan chicken parmesan sits next to a pizza on a wood table vegan chicken parmesan sits next to a pizza on a wood table
i
Locals claim Lilla’s vegan “Chicken” Parmesan is even better than the real thing. Find it just off Hawthorne in SE Portland.
Culture / Food / Portland Restaurants

Must-Try Italian Restaurants in Portland

Italian restaurants in Portland serve up Nonna-style pastas and updated takes on classic dishes.

Updated Apr. 30, 2025 4 min read
Amy Lam

Amy Lam

Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More

Portland’s Italian culture persists thanks to early pioneers of the city’s bygone Little Italy, where Italian immigrants flourished alongside the old Jewish Quarter in 1900s South Portland. Even the prolific national chain, The Old Spaghetti Factory, was born in the Rose City. (Fans of classic red sauce and meatballs can visit its historical waterfront location, a local favorite since 1984.) From Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas to hand-made pasta, Portland’s Little Italy lives on across the city’s neighborhoods — read on to indulge in a few of our favorites.

Find Top Portland Italian Restaurants

Find great Italian food in the bustling city center and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Luce

This intimate restaurant is a Buckman neighborhood staple, serving rustic handmade pasta with (my favorite) antipasti and a healthy salad selection. Luce’s menu is updated seasonally, but a few dishes are consistently available. Try the warm octopus salad, fresh and tender charred octopus and chunks of potatoes and olives under a drizzle of olive oil. You can’t go wrong with any antipasti or crostini, crispy toast topped with your choice of salted cod, smoked trout or rabbit liver mousse (or get all three).

I haven’t even mentioned the pasta! Oh, the pasta! One of the things I love about Luce is the option to order half portions of salad and pasta, so if you go with a group, you can have a tasting feast. The spaghetti, dressed in a simple garlic and wine sauce, wakes the palate with a dried chili kick. The heartier pappardelle with rabbit is a thick pasta dish with a sweet tomato sauce. Get an order of focaccia to sop up all the sauces.

A plate of spaghetti with clams
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Enjoy house-made pasta in Luce's small digs on East Burnside.
Shop manager stands behind the counter at Luce
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Luce is part small Italian restaurant, part wine and grocery shop offering handmade pastas and seasonal entrees.

Gumba

There’s no shortage of dining options in the Alberta district, and Gumba stands out as a top choice for anyone in the neighborhood. From its humble beginnings as a food cart, Gumba now calls itself a “pasta parlor” inspired by Italian from-scratch pasta. Don’t let the casual vibes fool you; they’re serious about their food. From top to bottom, their menu is stacked with comforting dishes like house-made burrata and warm, airy Neapolitan-style fry bread.

I’m a sucker for thick noodles, so naturally, I’m a big fan of the menu’s mainstay beef short rib pappardelle. Al dente noodles, served with tomato sauce and tender beef that melts in your mouth, are balanced with briny olives and garlic.

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Lilla

Vegan diners who love Italian cuisine rejoice: Lilla is here! Gone are the days when vegans are relegated to plain spaghetti with tomato sauce; Lilla’s plant-based menu will satiate every craving — from savory meatballs and chicken parm to creamy alfredo and rich bolognese. And there’s pizza, too, like the Panna e Funghi, with a smooth alfredo base topped with mozzarella and chunks of mushrooms like portobello and grilled maitake. Every bite is a contender against non-plant-based pizzas.

Sometimes, you crave comfort dishes like chicken parmesan with robust bigoli in a sweet marinara sauce. The faux chicken patty is crispy with a slightly nutty flavor that blends well with the saucy dish and dollops of mozzarella. If you plan on making it a date night, Lilla is centrally located within a short walk of fun times like mini golf at Birdie Time Pub or experiential art installations at Hopscotch. There’s also bowling at Grand Central or laughs at Helium Comedy Club.

vegan chicken parmesan sits next to a pizza on a wood table
Locals claim Lilla’s vegan “Chicken” Parmesan is even better than the real thing. Find it just off Hawthorne in SE Portland.

Even More Italian Food in Portland

Mamma mia, these joints hit the spot.

  • Mucca Osteria

    Mucca Osteria offers authentic Italian fare in an intimate downtown setting. Enjoy fresh locally sourced ingredients, house-made bread and pasta.

  • Caro Amico

    Caro Amico has been serving delicious Italian classics since 1949. Favorites include the traditional lasagne and chicken parmigiana.

  • Piazza Italia

    Located in the Pearl District, Piazza Italia is a family-owned Italian trattoria that features weekly house-made ravioli specials.

  • Gilda’s

    A cozy neighborhood restaurant in Goose Hollow, Gilda’s serves simple, delicious Italian fare made from fresh, local ingredients.

  • Tartuca

    Tartuca offers scratch-made Italian fare and a robust wine list to diners visiting the Mississippi neighborhood.

Nostrana

Anyone recommending Italian food in Portland would be remiss if they didn’t mention Nostrana. Since 2005, Nostrana has treated diners to elegant Italian fare made with seasonal, fresh local ingredients from the Pacific Northwest. Chef-owner Cathy Whims is a James Beard Award finalist deeply influenced by former mentor Marcella Hazan, an Italian-born food writer known for introducing traditional Italian techniques and recipes to American audiences.

The menu often evolves based on what’s available from local farms and sources, but mainstays include the Insalata Nostra, a radicchio Caesar salad drenched in house dressing and balanced with parmesan. A wood-fired oven sits at the heart of their kitchen, cooking up roasted trout or Neapolitan pizza. I’m partial to the classic Margherita, with perfectly charred and chewy dough and sweet San Marzano sauce.

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Montelupo

With locations in Northeast and Southeast Portland, Montelupo is a quaint Italian market and restaurant dishing up unfussy and hearty fare. The Kerns location features a rotating pared-down menu of simple classics, so you can try spaghetti dressed with garlic and olive oil or in a red sauce with plump meatballs. Diners can sub for gluten-free pasta as well.

As good as the pasta is, my heart belongs to the focacceria in the Sellwood location. Baked until crisp and golden brown, Montelupo’s focaccia-style pizza has a light, chewy texture and comes topped with pepperoni, fennel sausage or mushrooms with sunflower pesto. Those cursed with gluten intolerance can also eat here; their focaccia offerings include a simple gluten-free red sauce slice with mozzarella and basil. Both locations include a cozy market with fresh pasta, house sauce, and Italian pantry goods you can bring home in your carry-on.

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Portland Restaurants

Explore the many other delicious cuisines Portland has to offer.

More Restaurants
two men seated at a table share a pizza in a warmly lit pizzeria with a wood-fired oven in the background

Portland Pizza Guide

Find the best pizza in Portland, Oregon, with our guide to Portland pizza — explore the classics, vegan and gluten-free pies, experimental slices and more.

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Eight Great Sushi Spots Around Portland

Portland is only an hour away from the Pacific Ocean, so it should come as no surprise that the city’s sushi options are both delicious and expansive.

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Portland Ramen Restaurants

The Portland ramen scene has exploded in recent years, spurred by the arrival of two authentic eateries straight from Tokyo.

a large plate of colorful food, a pitcher and two teacups on a wooden table at Enat Kitchen in Portland

Four Great African Restaurants in Portland

Enjoy flavorful dishes from Ethiopia, Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire and beyond at these African restaurants in Portland.

A biscuit sandwich with egg, sausage and melted cheese on a plate

Comfort Food Favorites in Portland

Get your comfort food fix — whether you’re hankering for mac and cheese, fries topped with gravy or a steaming bowl of pho, these local dishes don't disappoint.

a table of middle eastern food

Middle Eastern Eateries in Portland

Portland’s Middle Eastern restaurants promise rich Lebanese, Iraqi and Syrian flavors, warming spices and authentic cultural traditions.

a table of barbecue food

Portland’s Best Soul Food Spots

Eat your way through Portland to find soul food dishes that taste like they were flown in from the Mississippi Delta.

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Thai Food in Portland

Thai food in Portland is some of the city's best cuisine with options that are cheap or pricey, sweet or savory, authentic or Americanized, vegan or meaty.

a close-up of a chef cutting slices of juicy brisket

Best Barbecue in Portland

Find outstanding barbecue in Portland — tender brisket, pulled pork, sausage and more — at local restaurants and food carts.

two tacos on a wooden table

Portland’s Top Taquerias

Follow our guide to Portland's top taquerias and find a wide variety of tasty tacos — from meaty morsels to vegetarian creations — in every part of town.

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