Porto di Mare — Restaurant in Livorno

Alright, let's talk about Porto di Mare in Livorno. If you, like us, arrived in this "Little Venice" expecting the charming canals, the salty sea air, and the inherent romance of Tuscan Italy to sweep you off your feet, then prepare to have your feet firmly planted back on the ground. Deceived? Perhaps. A little bit jaded? Absolutely. But fear not, fellow travelers, because amidst the concrete reality of Livorno, there's Porto di Mare. And dare I say it, it's actually… good. Not "frame this photo and send it to your grandkids" good, but solidly, reliably good. The kind of good that makes you sigh with relief after wandering past a few too many questionable establishments. The service? Impeccable. Attentive without being overbearing, they clearly know their way around a hungry tourist. The food? Also good! Fresh, well-prepared, and exactly what you'd want after a day of realizing Livorno isn't quite the postcard dream you'd envisioned. Think honest, unfussy Italian fare that hits the spot without trying to be something it's not. The wine? Fine. It'll do the job. You won't be writing sonnets about it, but you also won't be pouring it into the nearest plant pot. And here's the kicker: for all its modest charm, Porto di Mare is, in our humble opinion, the best option we could find in Livorno. Is it fancy? No. Is it going to blow your mind? Probably not. Is it going to offer you a "Little Venice" experience? Bless its heart, no. But will it provide a perfectly decent, reasonably priced meal with solid service? Absolutely. So, if you find yourself in Livorno, lower your expectations, embrace the reality, and head to Porto di Mare. You might not get the Italian dream, but you'll get a darn good meal. And sometimes, that's all you...

I was ignored by the staff for 20 minutes and then I left.

Edit: After posting this one star review, the owner tried to contact me on multiple platforms asking me to delete it as I didn't try their food, so I feel I should elaborate.

Dear Mr. Cardosi,

Please accept this public response as one to all the messages you sent me.

In your message you claim I have visited your restaurant during peak time (9:30pm Saturday) and only two of your staff are qualified to take orders. You feel my review is unjust and should be removed.

Here's my point of view: I was tended to as soon as I have taken a seat and have been brought the menu. This, however, is where the good service ends. I was seated outside with one member of staff available. For some reason, though, he was not very attentive even though only two or three other tables were occupied. I tried informing him I have already chosen my meal multiple times but was, in my view, ignored. It was getting late and I was very hungry, so I decided to go to a restaurant next door (where the service was spotless by the way). It seems to me allowing only two waiters to take orders is a peculiar management choice.

Even though I was not able to try your food, which I regret, service should be evaluated at the same level as the culinary experience. For this reason, my rating stays the same. I wish you many satisfied customers. Unfortunately, I was not one.

All the best Daniel

PS. Finding your unsatisfied customers online and asking them to take down their reviews is also a poor...

This was an amazing local seafood place. Everything we had was just spectacular. Have been in France for last 5 months and the food hear beat everything we had in France. I got the spaghetti and sea urchin, a local delicacy. Was first time getting sea urchin in pasta and it was to die for. The urchin soaked up the salt of the ocean and made a natural salting of the spaghetti. My girlfriend got the fish soup, another classic local dish. It is not a soup that you think of, not much broth, but was also wonderful. Locally caught fish, octopus and squid was marinated to perfection in a light red tomato sauce. No chewy bites in the soup. To finish we got the cheese cake, which came out hot and gooey. It was rich but delicious. To add to the great food was the wonderful service. We felt welcomed from the moment we walked in. They had English menu, but was not really needed since our waiter spoke very good English. Overall was a wonderful welcoming into Italy and if this restaurant is any indication of what is to come, I think we will have a...