Thank you, portello, for a wonderfully hosted social event last weekend. The attention to detail prior to the event in planning the use of space and wine and food selections was impressive, as was having a dedicated server for the evening. Our guests were very complimentary of the cozy feel and excellent wine and food. The flavorful bruschetta, bread boards, warmed olives, cheese plates and meat balls were perfect for our celebration. I highly recommended this cafe for any occasion.
Review Source:WINE'S THE WORD:  They really know how to wine and dine you here! In search of a place to have good wine and conversation, we found the Portello Wine Café in NW Crossing. I loved that even on a Friday night, it wasn't too crowded (which is the opposite of the downtown Bend scene). We were able to chat in a comfy and intimate spot.
FINE WINE & MORE: Â They offer a variety of wines, both domestic and international. The wine list is ever-changing, so you won't get bored. We devoured a bottle of Dumas Station's Cow Catcher Red from Walla Walla, Washington. I think the bottle may have had a hole in the bottom because we emptied it fast! They have an awesome happy hour deal: a $5 wine list from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. And, if you happen to drag a non-wino fan along, not to fret, because they have a selection of beer too (it's Bend after all!). They also have live bands on Saturday nights so you can enjoy your good wine and bites alongside live music!
SMALL BITES: Â Let me first start off by saying that everything I sank my teeth into at Portello was totally mouth-watering. We oinked out, so we tried many of the offerings on the menu. We started with the warmed olives that were marinated to perfection and served as a perfect compliment to the wine. We moved on to the cheese board, which included 4 cheeses, all of which were heavenly. My favorite was the rosemary goat cheese. The board comes with fruit as well as toast, but I found the toast too thick for some of the milder cheeses. I would have preferred a softer bread for the board. Â Note that my bf just commented that he wildly disagrees - he loved the toast and described them as having the right amount of chewiness and crunch (he's sleeping on the couch tonight!).
We also tried the blue farm salad, a harmony of gorgonzola, dates, walnuts, and pears, amongst a field of mixed greens. I loved that the dressing on this salad was light and applied sparingly so that it did not take away from the other goodies in the salad. Finally, we ended on a bruschetta note. Portello has a wide variety of bruschettas and you get to choose four per order. We tried the mozzarella, tomato, & basil (always a classic favorite), the tuscan white bean with sun-dried tomatoes (a totally unique combo of deliciousness), and the brie with apples (my heart melted for this one!). Â Like I said, we oinked out!
FINAL NOTE: Â I definitely plan on coming back the next time I'm in Bend. This will probably be my first stop. Okay, family first, then straight to Portello!
Wine bars and small plates, these are a few of my favorite things...
While visiting Bend, it's nearly impossible to find a wine bar or wine tasting...yeah I know, I'm spoiled living in Oregon's wine country....but Bend is all about the Brews, we get that.
Yelp came to our rescue! I don't think we would have found this cute place otherwise. It's off the beaten path, in a "new and upcoming" suburbia of Bend. Kinda like a little strip mall surrounded by houses, like Orenco Station in Hillsboro. I did find it odd that they only have one review, so I asked our server how long they have been here, she replies, 6 yrs! Seriously??
We saw it was a bit busy, so we stopped in. We timed it just right, it was Happy Hour! All wines were $5 a glass, now that's what I call a HH, not just one or two featured wines, but ANY wine from their menu! I chose a Rose and my sweetie had a Spanish red. The pours are generous also. We decided on some nibbles, we ordered the Brushetta, you get to choose four different kinds. The Bruschetta was a little to thick for our liking. The flavors were great though, from the usual mozzarella and tomato to smoked salmon. We also tried the meatballs, nothing special about them, but they were good.
The service was great, the food just good, and the wine selection good, I would have like to see more Oregon wines on the menu though.
I'm not a wine expert, but I know what I like. Fortunately, several of the staff at Portello know too because the wine list changes several times a year. As a frequent guest at Portello I like that the wine list changes from time to time. The food menu could change a little bit more for my taste, but that's because I've eaten there so many times. For the occasional visitor that' won't be an issue. The bruschetta and salads are easily the best in town and offer a healthy and satisfying alternative to the food at local brew pubs. Portello offers a great and unique atmosphere in Bend. Very mellow, even when it's busy, it makes for a nice neighborhood hangout or destination restaurant. The staff is uniformly excellent, friendly, and very knowledgeable about their wines. I've also used Portello to cater small events, which they do a terrific job with. For those folks who don't live within walking distance there is ample parking in the small NWX commercial district.
Review Source:Love the Portello. The food is always so good here I have a hard time picking an entree. I enjoy relaxing in their comfy couch or armchair seating and chatting - they never rush you here and the service is always friendly and pleasant. Last time I went on a Friday evening and there was live acoustic music featuring local artists and one of the artists, Kylen Johnson, was amazing. A real treat.
I also have used Portello for a 15 person party/luncheon and was so impressed with the food, wine, and service.
My favorite place in town - the food is delicious (and a steal at the prices), the staff is always great, and I learn something new with every wine menu (it changes every few months)! Â Between the patio in summer, cozy soft-seating in winter and live music on Saturdays, it's my go-to place year round for girls night out, out of town guests and special celebrations. Thanks, portello, for always hitting the mark!
Review Source:What a total surprise. Â We went in for a nice glass of wine but didn't expect such great food. Â I had the albacore tuna salad. Â It was bright with a strong lemony flavor. Â It was obvious that the chef cared and crafted a delicious meal. Â The staff was knowledgable and helpful.
The only reason why I can't give them 5 stars is that they served their red wine at room temperature. Â It's a common mistake but red wine should absolutely be served a little cooler than room temperature (~60-63) rather than the 75 is all too common.
I went for a romantic evening the other night and was reminded again why this place always sticks out in my mind for a great evening out. Â It's in a somewhat remote, but quaint area in Northwest Crossing's little metropolis. Â We got a lovely little high top table (we learned from the menu that the tables were from a large recovered tree - sorry, can't be more specific). The waitress brought us some wine and port which were both delicious and flavorful (made us forget about the chilly cold outside the windows). The place was packed and yet everyone seemed cozy and happy.
To start we ordered the choice of 4 bruschetta plate which is perfect for an array of tastes! It offers choices with items such as honey walnuts, pesto with salami, Brie and artichoke tapenade.  Yum!  I believe you choose 4 from 8 selections. At this time we also ordered their chocolate soufflé (as it takes 25 minutes to prepare).
For the grand finale the waitress brought out our soufflé.  Ahhh!  It's just not worth ordering soufflé unless you have a good clue that they will do it right!  It was perfectly delicate with a moist center nearly giving weigh under the scoop of vanilla and caramel sauce.  It was warm and chocolate-filled.  Needless to say it was devoured with lightening speed! Â
I will definitely be returning to this charming little cafe! Â Oh and they also have occasional live music.
Delightful place for a small plate nosh and wine or beer. Although it is located in the Northwest Crossing neighborhood, not far from our home, we had not been in to Portello until we stopped by today for a glass of bubbly and an antipasta tray after a noonish excursion to the Northwest Crossing Farmers Market. (Great Farmers Market, btw. Go. But that's a different review.)
While the Portello Wine Cafe has seating indoors at both high seat tables (hate 'em) and regular tables (like 'em) and sofas (also like 'em), we opted to sit outside in the beautiful Bend afternoon at one of the tables placed on the sidewalk on nice days. Lovely to watch the people passing by on their way to and from the market and enjoy a very nice glass of prosecco along with the nibbles of the antipasto plate.
Wine and beer menu has a nice selection at the normal Bend prices, about $7.50 to $10 / glass for wine. Happy hour prices are $5 / glass and that applies to the Saturday afternoon service as well.
Food was good although not uniquely stellar. Menu ranges from "this and that", like the antipasto  to bruschetta, paninni and salads.
Saving the best for last, service was top notch...5 star service...friendly, professional, personable, efficient.
We'll go again. Four stars may be on the horizon.
with all do respect Martha P from Portland, Meranda... it was never a good place to get a glass of wine! Portello cannot be compared to that disaster. The owners of Portello are creative and curious when they choose each bottle of wine and bottle of beer to offer here. Â You could even ask about the winery and I'll bet that Lance will provide a very informative story about the owners and history of the winery.
The food is almost always perfect (when it gets busy, it must be difficult to make the most perfect bruschetta as it is all about the timing) and fresh. This place could have been named Portella's Soup & Wine Bar as the chef was creating some masterpieces in that tiny kitchen!
If you want a great simple meal with a great & interesting selection of wines this is the place to go. If you WERE looking for just another place to grab a typical Alexander Valley or Napa wine, Meranda was a distant 3rd. Â Portello's is a place where they like you for coming in and look forward to saying your name upon your return.
Check it out! you won't be disappointed!
This is a place that has good food, and good wine, and a good atmosphere. All good, but not great. I think that the bar has a little bit of a "cold" feeling, since it's made of concrete - and the people there are pretty nice, but nothing out of the ordinary. I also think that the prices are a little bit high... but that's probably a result of being in Northwest Crossing. Nothing too cheap over there. Overall, it's probably the second-best place to get a glass of wine in Bend next to Merenda.
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