Via Vecchia

we started our weekend Portland trip at Via Vecchia and it is so much better in person than in pictures! we were seated at the bar around 7 and Moonie was our bartender/server who is incredibly hospitable and friendly.

for our starter, we tried their homemade sourdough with parsley and garlic butter, and we were impressed by both. our drinks were perfect, gin & tonic and siesta which is tequila, bitter rosso, blackberry, lime, and grapefruit + campari foam. my friend loved how he made the gin & tonic perfect in the correct glass, which many places don't, and i absolutely loved the flavor profile of my siesta.
then we tried the meatballs which were flavorful and mouthwatering and cooked to perfection, and added whipped truffle ricotta to take them to the next level. my only regret with the whipped ricotta is i would have liked more. the meatballs with the whipped ricotta was much better than the sesame breadsticks that came with it, they definitely belong together.
the polpo was some of the best we've ever had, if not the best, with the bean salad and every bite was like a new dish. literally takes you to a new dimension of tasty pleasure. we planned on getting entrees but were starting to get full so we had their vignola (margherita pizza) which has the perfect crust but could use a bit more mozzarella. we finished with the creamiest pistachio gelato with tiny hazelnut(?) cookie spheres and the entire experience could not have been better.

siesta 5/5
gin + tonic 5/5
sourdough bread 5/5
meatball 5/5
whipped truffle ricotta 5/5
polpo 6/5
vignola 4.8/5
pistachio gelato 5/5

the music was serene, modern instrumental italian jazz and i asked for their playlist but i was told the owner gatekeeps his songs, which is completely understandable but also disappointing. it does create an amazing vibe with the ambiance.

tl;dr
the meatballs + whipped truffle ricotta as well as the polpo were the top contenders, get the sourdough, and fantastic drinks. everything was phenomenal, i would highly recommend via vecchia and can't wait to return!

ambiance: 5/5
food: 5/5
drinks: 5/5
service: 5/5
via vecchia: 5/5

This is THE place to come for ambiance. It's the cutest restaurant in Portland in my opinion, by far. Definitely my top recommendation if you're wanting to end a date night with a cute drink in a romantic location.

The service is fantastic too. They're quick and kind and know the menu super well.

Based on ambiance and service, I'd give a 5. Easily.

If I were to score just on food.... 3 stars ... we've tried multiple pasta dishes and pizzas and everything has just been okay. However the presentation is great!
I did enjoy the artichoke appetizer, but definitely order more than one dish if you're sharing apps!

Overall, I'll be back. Just probably sticking to drinks!

It was "ok"
For all of the hype. Meh.
The sommelier was lovely. She helped us with more than wine. And it was a good start. And then it just became mediocre. We had the artichoke with tapenade. Minimal flavor
The scallops were good, but the lentils upon which they were served were room temperature.
The lamb shank was almost obscene for the restaurant and the risotto upon which is was served the as tasteless. No salt. No flavor.
The wine was delicious and slightly over priced.

Would not go back when other options are close by and available.

Food was all great! Arancini, bruschetta and polpo were all delicious. 3 of us got the lumache and we all enjoyed. Service was also great and vibes inside are impeccable! Would definitely recommend! I'd say my rating would probably fall somewhere between a 4 and a 5, but I'll give them the 5

We celebrated my husband's birthday here! We were greeted with the best table (a corner spot) with the best views of both outside and inside! There was a kind birthday card on the table and a hostess offered to take our jackets. Right out of the door, I was blown away. Not even going to lie! They hooked us up!

The ambiance was lovely! The green tile throughout the restaurant and in the women's bathroom is absolutely beautiful. The lighting and decor is something worth seeing. The music they can improve on for sure. Maybe some old jazz would suit the place better than the new age techno music. Just some food for thought!

The meatballs are so good! Spicy. Totally satisfied by tastebuds. I make homemade meatballs often at home and not one place can top them but this place may have! Job well done. The rest of the food was a little salty, and this is coming from a gal who loves salt! So that has to say a lot! I am not sure about the cuisine, other than the meatballs, is the greatest, but the wine and drinks are. And that my friend is worth the experience (including the ambiance).

Our server was awesome too! I love the way he served our wine from start to finish.

I'd totally go back for sure!

Great spot! Fantastic service! They even left us a cute note for our anniversary. Our server was knowledgeable, explained the wine menu in depth, and picked a great bottle for us. Felt like we had our own sommelier! Server also had great recommendations for portland in general!

The food was fresh and flavorful! The bolognese was UNBELIEVABLE!! Good portions too!

I don't go out too often to Italian restaurants, but how could I not step inside the ivy-adorned, elegant Via? Inside the restaurant maintains the same atmosphere of beautiful high-vaulted ceilings, mirrors, and a bit of a romance. We walked in on a Tuesday night and were lucky to be sat immediately at a table.

To start us off, we had the Sourdough app and the Brussel Sprouts. The sourdough came with two house butters, one definitely had honey incorporated which was our preferred one. The Brussel sprouts were so so tasty -- accompanied by Parmesan shavings and pomegranate seeds. We both had pizza, the Vignola and the India St. These are nicely sized, oval shaped pizzas with an amazing crust to sauce ratio. Both delicious! Gotta try their pastas next time. I also had the Siesta cocktail, which was not too bitter!

I made a reservation to celebrate my birthday here and it was a phenomenal evening! From the personal touches like a birthday card and candle on dessert to the delicious food and excellent service, this place is by far one of the best places in Portland for an all around experience. It's a little on the pricier side but the quality and service really shine through. The food was delicious! We ordered mussels and burrata to start, a pizzette for the second course, and two pastas to share for the third course. This was way more than enough to share between 3 people. Overall, I had a lovely evening and will be recommending this place to friends in the area or those that visit.

On the hunt for the best Espresso Martini in Portland... 8/10.
Really good martini! The drink was ice cold, the flavors blended nicely and it stayed that way until the last sip. The espresso and alcohol taste was not separated while drinking it and I love that.
I recommend ordering if you're an Espresso Martini Enthusiasts.
Absolutely love the atmosphere here. It's one of a kind.

Visited in October when coworkers were in town. It was a Wednesday and since we didn't have a reservation, we sat outside. Luckily it was early and hadn't cooled off yet.

I had a cocktail topped with foam and a pasta dish. I was hungry enough to have ordered more but didn't want to spend any more than I had to. The pasta cooled off very quickly, because we were outside but the small portion didn't last long.

My coworkers were shocked at how fast the food came out. It was clear the server wanted to flip our table but the people I was with were chatty. I probably won't visit again because there are so many other awesome places but it was good to try.