Porta Via Restaurant — Restaurant in Markham

I really appreciated how dedicated the male server was to us (the one who makes the sandwiches) because he had an eye for detail, was patient with us and gave us many bread options to choose from! Being indecisive myself, I really admire his unwavering support for such an anxious customer. He understood I was a first-time customer and just said I wanted the two sandwiches that I saw outside the door on the poster. It looked appetizing even though I don't know the name of the sandwiches or don't know how to properly order like his regular customers. He still understood what I meant and he gladly made it for me. When I wanted it on a specific bread just by the looks, he said there were more to choose from and showed me visually since I couldn't just rely on auditory descriptions. The pita-looking bread looked the best and had two other flavours to choose from so I went with those two! One for the steak sandwich and one for the chicken sandwich. He also said it comes with either soup or salad and I said I'd take one of each for each order. Then, he promptly gestured to the next menu card in front of me saying to choose which soup of the day I would like to go with my order. I picked the tomato and sweet potato puree soup! Very nice! After that, the cashier that works closely alongside with him said the coffee is complimentary with the order, though I didn't get myself one because it was already such a fulfilling order with so much generously portioned food! It was warm, fluffy and so fresh! The fact that this restaurant chain has been open since 2004 and I just discovered it now is my only regret! I'd definitely pick this place as my go-to brunch place for next time and recommend it to all my friends! :D Though it was on the pricey side, it was worth every penny! I can see why it's on the pricey side too so it makes sense! Love it!! The atmosphere was another point deducted just because I thought it was too loud to my liking just because I have autism, but otherwise, it's great! Thank you for your service and hospitality! You spent majority of the time helping me complete my order, I felt bad holding...

This is an amazingly fresh, affordable, family run restaurant in the Markham/Richmond Hill area. I was incredibly surprised to see how fresh their ingredients are, how affordable their grain bowls are, and how delicious their food is. The young man behind the counter was helpful and helped me pick toppings - I ordered a preset bowl of kale, rice, quinoa, chickpeas, corn and mixed vegetables. It was delicious. The bowl itself was very large and could last for two meals. I was shocked that it was only $11. I paid extra for the seared tuna premium topping, which was also delicious. My husband ordered the spicy mozzarella beef panini, which he said was cooked to perfection. It's a nice touch that they offer complementary coffee as well. This is perfect for anyone looking for a healthy meal, whether it be vegetarian, vegan, or conventionally meat. I would highly recommend this place and we'll certainly be coming back in this future. There is sufficient room for dining in and they also...

Goodbye Freshii, here comes Porta Via!

This is the perfect health conscious choice for lunch in the area and I've been loving trying each menu item. So far I've tried 90% of their paninis and each one has been a hitter. There's a great selection of different grains (wraps, tarragon bread, gluten free and vegan options, etc) to choose from and you can select all your own ingredients or pick from their pre-set menu. The side item is either from their soup catalogue, or their stuffed salad. Literally, the container is bursting with greens if you go for the side salad! For $20, you get a very well balanced meal that is filling-and doesn't make you need to nap after. I always get to-go, but there's a nice seating area to enjoy as well.

The only downside are their hours. They close...