Piazza Italia

07/25/2008 Posted by db1221sw10th

We first found Piazza Italia a few years ago when they were closing between lunch and dinner. We didn't realize they were closed and wandered in...true to their Italian heritage they weren't going to let us go hungry so Alesandro made us a sandwich and we sat and ate while they prepped for the evening crowd. We love this place, the food is great (the eggplant parm is to die for) and the owner and staff are friendly and real. It's like going with your Italian grade school friend to her grandma's for Sunday dinner.

Pros: food, service and staff

Cons: didn't find any

07/17/2008 Posted by williew

We hadn't been in a long time & dropped in for a late lunch, mid week. It was fabulous. Amazing, simple, beautiful food. Great service. Wonderful Italian conversation in the background from patrons and staff alike. I brought my five year old son and he loved it, got to choose his own gelato from the case - with the help of our waiter. Mille grazie & a presto!

Pros: amazing food

Cons: a bit of a wait but worth it.

07/01/2008 Posted by tpatel577

I do not know what the other reviews encountered at this pathetic whole in the wall in the Pearl. Whoever thinks this is a gem tucked away in the Pearl needs to rethink or rewrite their review! This place is a joke! We ate dinner their evening, if you can even call it that. We waited a half hour for a server to greet or even acknowledge that their were customers waiting at the table. No wine list, nor did she ask us if we wanted anything to drink. The food was undercooked, and the pasta was terrible. After countless efforts to get our orders correct, a short man who seemed as if he has Napoleon's complex came out from the back with his chest all puffed out telling us that he is the owners son, and that this was a "Family establishment" and they do not serve classy people? So now the restaurant discriminates towards their customers? Rather, this guy threatened us further and becaome more aggressive. All we wanted was to have our order correct, rather fully cooked. No attempts to bring resolve or satisfy the customer. Rather we were asked to leave, and not come back. You got that right. Other customers who were waiting decided to leave after watching the interactions of the owner and his behavior. This place needs to take a lesson in customer service, culinary skills, and overall business ethics. Go take a class in all! Rude service...Terrible food...NO CLASS AT ALL!!!

Pros: None

Cons: Everything

06/13/2008 Posted by sunflowrangel

What a great italian restaurant tucked away in the Pearl District! We decided to try this place with recommendations from a friend and were pleasantly pleased with everything here. Every day on our trip was cloudy except for our last day which was also the day we decided to go to Piazza Italia. The weather was so nice that we sat on their outside patio which had a quaint and cozy atmosphere. The service was a bit slow and the waiters seemed a bit distracted, but they were pretty busy. The food was great! My fiancee and I shared the caprese salad and pasta al pesto. The portions were a little small to split, but it was perfect for us because we had been eating like pigs the rest of our trip. The pesto sauce on the pasta was definately full of basil which was great because most are just full of oil. We were also looking for a nice clean un-oaked chardonnay and we were brought the tenuto di blasig italian chardonnay which was absolutely perfect. A harmonious balance of ripe fruit and slight butter. We also had the amaretto cheesecake which was lacking on the amaretto flavor, but was still delicous. And the price was pretty resonable especially since we split. We definatly want to go here again!

Pros: great food, wine, atmosphere

Cons: not too much

04/27/2008 Posted by lisalis10

Piazza Italia is just a couple of blocks from where we live and we've walked by it numerous times without even thinking of stopping. A few weeks ago we decided to give it a try on a Saturday night, but didn't have reservations so couldn't get in. Right away we knew this place was something special. We called the next day to make a reservation and nobody answered the phone, so we popped in and were able to be seated anyway. I wish we had discovered this place a long time ago! The Italian-speaking staff were fun to watch run around taking care of the customers, and really made the experience seem authentic and not stuffy at all. The food was very good and inexpensive. The menu is mostly no-frills pasta dishes, but everything tasted really fresh and expertly prepared. I haven't stopped craving the Linguine Squarciarella since!

Pros: Excellent food, fresh pasta, fun atmosphere

Cons: Reservations recommended most night.

04/07/2008 Posted by cyam

On a weekend get-a-way to Portland, we tried Piazza Italia. For 1/4 of the price we spent at El Gaucho the previous night we had a wonderful meal. Service was excellent, food quality, beyond our expectations. After a day touring the Willamette Valley we were a bit wined out, but the nice Sangeovese by the glass was perfect with our meal. My Bucatini amatriciana was fabulous as was my wife's papadella. Nice warm atmosphere, friendly staff. I'll be back."

04/06/2008 Posted by Angela091771

From the time we stepped into this restaurant it exuded everything Italian. The lasagna was absolutely incredible. The meatballs are awesome! The service was excellent and it was a great experience. This is a must if living or visiting Portland.

03/05/2008 Posted by rasta326

What a gem! Food is amazing, pasta is FRESH and owners are fabulous! This place is very busy and small too but definitely worth the wait!

Pros: Too Many to List

Cons: Parking may be an issue, small dining room, limited space while you're waiting for a table

03/03/2008 Posted by ShawnLK13

My husband and I were recommeded to go here by the concierge at our hotel. We are from Seattle and have both been to many authentic Italian restaurants, including several all over Italy. We both had the most amazing dishes: I had the pasta el pesto, and he the lasagna. The server recommended a great chianti and to top it off, the tiramisu was like butter. The entire bill was only $60 including an entire bottle of wine! The food was top notch, the service impeccable, and we can't wait to drive to Portland again just to eat here. If you are looking for a quiet dinner, this isn't the place. It is like being in Italy: loud, but fun! The whole experience was perfect. Everyone I saw eating their cleaned their plate. It is a must go, but make a reservation because it is a small place, but even if you have to wait, it is well worth it!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

01/21/2008 Posted by ciaoleleus

A lazy Saturday walking around the Pearl, and we came across Piazza Italia. We live close by but not in the Pearl, so we are so happy we discovered it! Here in Portland, the words authentic Italian scare me away, as they usually are not, but this place is. It's not the Florence or Tuscany that most people experience, it is the small towns across Italy that are not concerned with "glamour" and the latest trends. It is small Italian neighborhoods in New York City and Chicago - family, food and fun! The food? Roman? Northern Italian? Who cares, its simple and good and you are transported from Portland to a real city Italian restaurant, not a Bon Appetite photocopy of one. So you have to wait? So it's loud? Gosh some people are spoiled and not much fun!! Go, have a good time, listen to people speak Italian, enjoy the music, and eat some great Italian and Italian American food!!!!!

Pros: Fun, lively, good food, authentic