PortoVino Ristorante Italiano — Restaurant in Des Moines

Dining in Des Moines; Italian Dining in Des Moines.

A far cry from the very ordinary, noodles and red sauce, PortoVino Ristorante Italiano actually lives up to and EXCEEDS its promise as “Italian Cuisine”.

From the moment approaching the front desk, explaining that our party were “walk-ins”, without reservations, we were warmly greeted, welcomed, and offered patio dining (which actually was our preference on this June occasion).

Servers arrived with ice cold water, menus (and wine list), and garlic bread (with a delicious red sauce) arrived in short order.

The menu is modest but quite complete and the simple list of expected ingredients does NOT begin to describe the robust flavors that await.

Insulate Spinaci. Spinach Salad. All the familiar pieces are there, yes, but the salad that arrived was a dream, not simply a few pieces of indifferent leaves. This was a WARM spinach salad, with the bacon and mushroom and hard boiled egg allowed to embrace the tender baby spinach.

An assortment of pastas, ranging from the very simple, to the more complex, with accompanying sauces, ingredients. The Fettuccine Puttanesca Scampi is featured in one of the photos. Bursting with flavor, artfully presented.

It was difficult to choose that dish over so many others.

The Filet Mignon was served with a heavy coating of balsamic reduction atop the filet. If you enjoy the flavor, you will be delighted; if you are not as keen, consider asking it to be served on the side. The filet itself was cooked to perfection, in this case a pink medium well.

There were a few stumbles, one that went on to be a loud, resounding thud.

First, after asking about “soft drinks”, and hearing this is (currently) a CocaCola establishment, there was no “diet” (sugar free) offering. A trifle, but curious, given the full bar. Perhaps on this occasion, they were simply sold out of Diet Coke?

Expecting crowds, and without reservation, our party arrived for an early dinner, of perhaps 5:30pm on a Saturday. As a further precaution, ALL items were ordered at once, rather than doled out over the course of the evening.

Beverages, check, salads, check, appetizer? No. Entrees, check.

No Calamari Fritti appetizer arrived. There was a noticeable delay between salads being cleared and the eventual delivery of entrees.

Of course, the items that arrived were EXCEPTIONAL, however, the absence of the calamari was brought to the server’s attention.

The prospect of having to choose between the brilliant pasta and what promised to be a delectable calamari was confounding, however, this may be a case of flying too close to the Sun.

It was only AFTER the entrees were cleared that a calamari was presented.

There are two calamari choices, sauteed and fried. Fritti does speak of a lightly breaded, fried offering. That is not what arrived but there was no way to be sure.

Calamari can be a difficult offering, easily ruined. This sautéed offering was tough, bordering on being rubbery. When confirming that was the dish, I reminded the server our party had ordered the Fritti, to which he dramatically replied, “Oh My G*d!!”. Another offered that this plate was destined for another table.

Whether the order was never communicated to the kitchen, whether the kitchen received then lost or ignored the order, will remain a mystery for the ages. Not delivering a stumble; the WRONG dish, for another table, a -thud-.

Return visits are likely, however, ordering one course at a time may be the model to adopt.

Based on the dishes that arrived, that Calamari Fritt holds its own promise. We will meet, one day.

A humble caution; watch your step; there are stairs from bar area to main floor.

Do not even ponder the possible distance, the thought of Des Moines. Just make a reservation and prepare to be...

It’s so exciting to have a “swanky” new restaurant in Des Moines. It’s so often that I hear people wondering where to have more of an upscale dining experience in town and this definitely checks that box. I will admit, it did take me a second to adjust to the space. I used to frequent this location when it was another restaurant so I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. They did a fabulous job renovating.

Food was delicious and the wait staff were extremely attentive. I came alone so I sat at one of the tables in the bar area. I was checked on after each first bite and when I asked for a suggestion on what to order, the dish that was recommended did not disappoint.

Here’s what I had:

For a starter I had the Steamers (clams) - I was brought bread for this dish. While it was tasty, I was a little thrown off by the peppers and tomatoes. I was expecting more of a true white wine and butter sauce without the acidity from the tomatoes. Still really good especially with the bread to soak up the sauce.

For an entree I had the Linguine di Mare Piccata - This was one of the top 3 suggestions from my server. The tiny scallops were a little dry, but the halibut and prawns were cooked to perfection. A flavorful, light, and citrusy dish. Definitely one I would order again.

For dessert I had the flan - I had a hard time choosing and went with something on the lighter side. Everything looked delicious and I plan to try something different next time. I have my eye on that cheesecake and cannoli!!

Overall, a fabulous dining experience. I’m looking forward to bringing my friends and...

5 Stars – Straight from the Heart, Experience the Soul of Italy in Des Moines, WA!

Family-owned. Chef-driven. Authentic to its core. PortoVino is everything you dream of when you think of rustic Italian dining—warm, welcoming, and absolutely unforgettable.

I had the pleasure of attending their soft opening tonight, and from the moment I walked in, I felt like part of the family. Greeted with a warm hug and a bottle of their very own branded wine, I knew I was in for something special.

Let’s talk about the SAUTÉED CALAMARI (tomatoes, green onions in a spicy olive oil garlic sauce)—tender, and seasoned to perfection. It absolutely stole the show. But the magic didn’t stop there. A nearby guest was so moved by the flan that they sent one over to my table so I could try it—and wow. Silky, creamy, and the perfect balance of sweetness. Truly a gesture and a dessert I won’t forget.

This is the kind of place where memories are made. From the food to the hospitality, every moment felt straight from the heart.

My last words tonight? “I’ll be back.” Make your reservations while you still can—PortoVino is about to become a Des...