Nostrana Reviews

Great food and drinks and wonderful service, highly recommend. Such a pretty space and we loved the patio—inside is beautiful too!

Nostrana, located east of the Wilamette River, serves excellent Italian, including regional seafood. The service was excellent and the ambience very good--they took a "warehouse" type space and cleverly converted it to have a country Italian feel with high ceilings. Only negative: the bathrooms. Perhaps between scheduled cleanings there were guests that were not respectful of others and having proper sanitation???

Our first visit and we were able to be seated at the bar, which we often prefer. The service was wonderful. We asked for - and were cheerfully served - tastes of several wines before choosing. The pizza was superb; the salads excellent and the bean side dish was perfect for a February evening. Very comfortable and inviting restaurant. We will return.

We came for a birthday dinner and LOVED the food. The wait staff was also phenomenal. We were VERY DISAPPOINTED, however, Nostrana's customer service. We brought a vegan birthday cake along with us (as we were aware that an Italian restaurant would likely not offer a vegan dessert for our birthday party) and were charged a $12 cutting fee for this!! We found this absolutely outrageous - so much in fact that it ruined our mood and impression of the restaurant. Our dinner included appetizers, several drinks per person drinks, and a main course (with additional sides) - we were not having a stingy dinner by any means - but the cutting fee left us feeling like we were being nickle and dimed by this establishment. Its such poor customer service to hit your clients with such an outrageous fee. We will not be revisiting this restaurant again - its such a shame for an establishment to ruin the mood of our evening by such a snobbish policy. It inevitably left a very distasteful impression.

I came here for a solo dinner on a recent business trip. Sat at the counter and watched pizza prep during my meal. Great service and really excellent food!

I have been to this establishment twice now, and must say they don't all the I's and cross all the T's when it comes to amazing food and great hospitality. Albeit - it comes with a price as the food here is not cheap! However - congratulations on a job well done.

My new favorite Portland restaurant. Excellent food. Excellent service in a beautiful restaurant. Everything that touched my lips was fantastic from the bread to the coffee. We’ll be back often.

First time visit for 4 of us to celebrate birthday. All good was amazing. We had Jesse as server who was outstanding. Appetizers, entries, desserts and wine was excellent and we would definitely come back.

I took a date here in the afternoon for lunch. The atmosphere was great, and our server was excellent. He was very personable and fun. And even though it was busy, he was on top of things and we got our food quickly. My biggest complaint was the parking. But who doesn't complain about that downtown?

The bread and service!!! Wow. I got the margarita pizza and it was good, but the bread was the show stopper.

Our food was good, I’d say better than average. The trout was nicely done and very tasty, while the large pork chop was flavorful but could have been more tender. My friend had an Italian beer, which he said was surprisingly good. We sat inside, which was a large open space with no charm. At 6 pm on a Saturday night the restaurant was very busy and noisy. The tables outside in front looked like a much better option if you can get one. While our dinner was fine, I think there are restaurants in Portland with more interesting cuisine and charm.

This food at Nostrana was very delicious! We had a group of 7 for a business dinner with most people from out of town. The food took a very long time to arrive but it was all delicious. We will absolutely be back!

This restaurant was a great dinner choice. The wine choices were plentiful, and the wine themed decor added to a very nice experience. The staff were friendly and welcoming - the waitstaff were engaging and attentive. I would definitely return when in town and have already recommended to friends who live in Portland.

I had lunch here last month while in town for work. We sat out on the patio, since it was late September and one of the last summer sunny days of the year. The food was excellent, our server Jasmine was great, and I definitely will be back.

I had dinner there on Monday night with a party of 4 people. We had reservations for 8:00 and we were seated timely. We ordered drinks and appetizers which were very good. The salads and entrees were good, but my salmon was a very small portion, and was room temperature. The deserts were delicious. My wife was not finished with her wine when her glass was picked up. When brought to the attention of the staff he had a bad attitude and went and got a small amount of wine and dropped it in front of her with attitude. Overall the experience was good but the attitude of the staff put a damper on it. I spoke with mgmt. today to share our experience and they apologized and were committed to making our next visit better. We will visit again...

Place is pretty busy, i didn't give them more than 3 stars cause we ordered 2 pizzas, one was over done, burned around the crust, the other one was ok. My dish was ok, but nothing to bragg about, i ordered pasta with prosciutto on a red sauce, very little prosciutto, and the sauce blah. My friend ordered the crab cannelloni, very small portion. We order the salad that comes with beets, and it was missing something, it was plain bowl of mix spring, with some chopped beets, for $12. The cheesecake was delicious with plums, a nice touch.

Not your typical Italian restaurant. Pizza and pastas are fabulous, light and so fresh tasting. We were a party of 6 and one couple was almost 1 hour late. The servers never made us feel uncomfortable or rushed, and satisfied our hunger with delicious small plates until our friends arrived. Good wine list. Will return

What a delightful meal. A great bottle of champagne, long rigatoni in delicious tomato butter sauce, fillet of beef and salad. Trendy and modern and exceeded our expectations. Dinner for two including the bottle of champagne came to $110 so quite reasonable. I will definitely return.

My friend wanted to go here. I was hesitant to go based on the on-line reviews. Expensive wine. Lackluster service (we had to hail them down from chatting at the end of the bar with one another to order another round.) The best thing about this place is that it has really beautiful interior. (Private party space upstairs.) As my friend pointed out, there's nothing this beautiful bar-wise in SE Portland. I couldn't think of a competitor. Food was fine. Will I be back anytime soon? Nope.

I went to Nostrana with friends. It’s on the other side of the river from downtown but an easy ride in Uber. It’s a hip Italian place with a great space and a vaulted ceiling. Located in a strip mall, but perfectly serviceable. The service was good, although they were a little aggressive on pulling the plates. Highlights of the meal were the flatiron steak and the pasta. The flat bread pizza was just okay and the roasted chicken was a little over cooked and dry. The wine list is good. Although you know you are in a hipster joint when there are 16 orange wines on the list! Crowd skews younger and hip.

Awesome Italian food, with a beautiful, comfortable outdoor patio. Kids had delicious pizzas. Adults tried a variety of pastas and desserts. All great!

Four of us had dinner at Nostrana’s and we were all impressed. I had paparadelle with goat cheese and hazelnuts. Delicious. My wife had pasta with clams that she found to be superb. One of our friends had the flat iron steak. Tender, beautifully cooked. I will return for that dish. Our other friend had the Columbia River Chinook salmon. Also terrific. The wait staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. We can’t wait to return!

I took my boyfriend here for a special occasion and was extremely disappointed in the service and attitude of servers. We arrived for our 8 o’clock reservation and were “reminded” we only had 1.5 hours at the table. The Restaurant closes at 10 PM so I’m not sure why we needed to be done by 9:30. We asked the server a few questions about the menu and the response was they did not know or they would respond with what was already described on the menu that we asked about. The food was good but the service was so disappointing I would only give this one star and do not have plans to come back

I really enjoyed my dining experience at Nostrana. I wanted a good heavy meal after touring around Portland all day. I saw the pictures of the pastas and pizza and the great reviews and had check it out. It was in a strip mall in North part of Portland. Nice atmosphere, it was roomy, with a rustic vibe. It was Sunday evening and it was packed. Good idea to have reservations. There are always 2 things I eat to determine a good Italian restaurant. We had the cappelini pasta with clams and the tomato sauce was superb and flavorful. It was filling yet the portion was just right. I had the Margherita pizza which was equally amazing. The thin wood fired over crust was delightful. The bread and focaccia was also on point I had to stop myself from indulging so I don't get too full. It's a classy yet casual neighborhood Italian place that really delivers on taste and ambiance! Highly recommend!

An authentic Italian restaurant with a menu which changes nightly. The wine list was extensive and the variety of craft cocktails was entertaining. Very tasty dinner with great flavor and very attentive service.

all new restaurants have hicupps and if this happens then oliver or alex are on the ball this is a veagan freindly experiance the food is from all over the globe and exiting if you tried one country at a time you will want more my favorite is shwarma and its so nice that you just have room for an italian ice cream or a capachino you can sit down stairs for that special ocasion and the music is good coming out of the yamaha speakers ive eaten there every day since opening before eating in golders green and the drive to the old east end is great

We ate at Nostrana on a Monday night at about 8pm and every table was full. The ambiance is pretty casual with an open atmosphere, but it wasn't too noisy - we were able to have a normal conversation and hear each other. The food was good - I can't say it was great because I didn't love my selection. I had the meatballs. I loved the pasta and sauce. The sauce seemed to have a bit of red pepper in it and the pasta was toothsome. But to me, the meatballs had too much of a particular spice for my liking (anise? fennel?). I wouldn't order it again. I do wish I'd tried the pizza since they have a wood fired pizza oven. The service was average/unremarkable. I would eat here again, since it seems to be a Portland favorite, but I'd try something different.

They have an outstanding wine list. We we enjoyed a bottle of Italian Chenin Blanc while waiting on our table. It was a lovely wine, that was served by their knowledgeable staff. Worthy of praise.

My previous experience at Nostrana was during COVID…eat outside, disposable utensils, no service, etc. On top of the obvious restrictions the food was just ehhhhh. This was my first time returning since that overpriced mediocre gastronomic experience and I left even less impressed. There are far better Italian choices in Portland than this hype driven overpriced venue. The highlights were the Roasted Kalettes (basically the same as roasted broccolini served at various restaurants) and the Insalata Nostrana (radicchio and parmesan). Both were yummy. The meatball pizza was OK but nothing special. The Radiatori (beef and pork ragu with tomato, red wine, fennel, leek, parmesan, and parsley) was a huge disappointment. This was a generous portion of bland pasta with very little protein…I mean VERY little…and no indication of tomato…NONE. I have to doubt there was even red wine in the dish. Skip the cocktails on the menu. The Sous Vide Pear Old Fashion tasted like watered down pear juice with a hint of whiskey served with attitude. And I love a good Old Fashion. This one gets a “zero”. You can risk it and judge for yourself but there will be no returning for me.

Got the pork chop. Turned out much better than expected. Was juicy and tender. Appetizers were excellent. Definitely a place to re-visit

We went with friends, and each of us had a meal that was tasty. Very authentic southern Italian. But, it was so noisy (weekday) that we couldn't really talk. Maybe if you went very early (5:00 PM), it would be quieter, in which case, it would be among the very best Italian in Portland.

Nice atmosphere. Good food. The pizza margherita was good, but I’ve had better. Wine list has good selections. The gnocchi one of our group had were prob the best meal. Good, but a little pricey ... not sensational.

We dined on their patio on a nice spring Portland evening. We shared a crab pizza to start. That might sound odd, but the crab is not a dominant flavor so it works. All the mains were quite good as well. Excellent service, great atmosphere and a good wine list with a number of good value Italian bottles. Definitely will return!

Accurate title, admittedly not original. From the fresh tangy ginger soda to the pear sorbet, it was a perfect meal. Jenna prepared, delivered and described the charcuterie board that set the tone with smoked trout, delicate and rich liver pates, pickles and surprisingly delicious cow tongue mousse. I dined on a Gnocci Thursday and enjoyed a nice plate of their melt-in-your-mouth little potato dumplings wading in a creamy garlic sauce and shrimp. So many other wonderful menu selections. Pizze from the open fireplace is out of this world and served Italian style...no worries, they supply sharp scissors. Highly recommend!

We lucked out and managed a table for four without a reservation on a Saturday evening. Each of us ordered the pizzas and they were top notch! Must return to try more of the menu.

We ate here right before we flew out of Portland. It was my favorite meal. The pasta was fresh and the Bolognese sauce was amazing. We had a decadent chocolate dessert at the end of the meal. We did not have a reservation but were able to sit at the bar and eat, it was a great place to see the beautiful room and the bustle of the wait staff. They have excellent service. Would recommend to others.

Cool vibe. High price point - grilled octopus was room temp! Diavola pizza was good ($17 and $ 20 respectively). Grilled flat iron steak was decent but nothing to write home about. Pasta was just OK - we had the Capellini. 20% automatic tip added to the bill. A couple of hundreds for two people with mediocre wine.

Oh my goodness...this is the place to bring your date for a night cap. It doesn't matter if he drinks beer...they have 5 on draft and sone only (local) only available at this place....FYI...after 10pm its half off wines...YES that means bottles as well.....AND from all regions....You will be overwhelmed...

The food was poor. Chicken dry, beef too salty. The restaurant was expensive to begin with and then enforces a 22% tip, which from both the simple amount and the fact that one is obliged to pay it, is outrageous. Definitely avoid this place.

Charming place in SE with an ambience that can’t be beat. Huge vaulted ceilings with wonderful wooden beams add to the charm of this awesome Italian spot. The bread with the olive oil sampler is a must. The cheese plate was good - the honey with the walnut and fog “salami” was astounding. For the main course, I opted for the goat cheese papardelle (the addition of prosciutto is a must for this dish), while my date opted for the pizza (ingredients and the dough were perfection here). We had a dessert similar to a flourless chocolate cake with a Chantilly cream which was divine. Fair prices for the upscale quality of the food; wait staff friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Definitely recommend!

It was almost full. We enjoyed wine but food was so salty and I couldn’t eat them all. My son was with me and he choosed this place so I couldn’t say anything but tooooooo salty. Chicken was salty pasta was salty I wanted to ask them to taste food I got box brought them back but I can’t tell my husband to eat it. We’ll get sick if we eat this kind So I trashed

1. Food quality was very good but quantity was, with the exception of the chicken and the brisket, a little light. For example, 7oz of a skirt steak alone for $38 was kind of silly. The brisket was really good and included asparagus and mashed potatoes and was quite tender and delicious. Goat cheese pasta was tasty but a very small portion. If you go home and have to snack, it's probably inadequate and, BTW, we aren't gluttons. FWIW, we did try multiple appetizers with mixed opinions and 4 different entrees and two deserts (split). The wet carrot cake in a brioche bun was clever and delicious although not that pretty. 2. Service was friendly and professional however the 22% "required" service charge (i.e. tip) is not reasonable and, frankly, spoiled my opinion of the place to some degree. The tipping concept is out of whack. It defeats the whole concept. Maybe that's why they call it a service fee. I'm not a fan as the power is removed from the customer and service wasn't enough to warrant the fee when the tab is high. 3. Atmosphere was nice enough. Quite a few families but not disturbing 4. Birthday recognition was a little rooster candle. Kind of weird. They should probably comp a drink or desert. Oh well, we didn't really expect anything but it was unceremonious. For a normal restaurant, I would give it a 4+ but for the hype that many people gave me, I just don't think it deserves it. Maybe a 3.5+ I will go back but only to try the pizza which is also pretty hyped. Maybe they do to go. Anyway, I won't be hyping it. I had a better experience at other places I visited this weekend like Ramen Afuri or Ex Notion with Matt's Taco's both of which went over much more solidly with our out of towners,

We visited Nostrano with friends and greatly anticipated our visit. I ordered a pizza to share with everyone at the table. What arrived was a very poor version of an Italian pizza. The crust was underwhelming, I doubt that it was Caputo 00 flour and it certainly was not properly aged before using. The sauce was more of a tomato paste instead of a properly prepared San Marzano tomatoes with a pinch of salt, lightly blended, and not cooked before it is placed on the pizza. Finally the cheese lacked any flavor at all. How this place has James Beard awards could only occur if the tasters passed on the pizza. If you want to make a great Italian pizza, visit any of 5hese places to learn how to do it properly. I recommend Two Amy’s in DC, Marco’s in Denver, Cavalli Pizza in Irvine, TX, Starita’s in NYC or better yet Starita’s in Naples, Italy. You have the Damn oven, use it correctly or get rid of it. I had the Tagliatta for dinner. It was perfectly cooked and nicely presented. Had I not tried the pizza, I would have given Nostrana at least 4 stars. Although pricey for the food, it was well prepared and presented. Service was impeccable. Ron

I can’t say enough about this restaurant! The food was amazing, the service was spot on, and the best cheesecake I think I’ve ever had (the perfect crust)!

We found this place by chance and made a reservation for bar seating. That was so much fun. When I couldn't decide which white wine to have, our bartender/server let me try them both. I ordered the 'straw and hay' and it very good. You must also save room for dessert. Our dinner was great, service was the same and we will be back!

I got a bill for nearly $50 for a smaller than average pizza and a cocktail. Both the cocktail and pizza were good, but not the best I've ever had by a long shot. The service staff was friendly, but I had been there over 20 minutes before the cocktail was delivered and the pizza was delivered so late the wait staff apologized. When I received the bill, it informed me that a 22% service charge was applied to make up for that fact they were not paying their employees fairly and also suggested I leave an additional tip on top of that. It is not my responsibility to ensure their employees receive a fair wage, that is the responsibility of the employer. It is my choice to tip if service is above and beyond. I will not return. In Europe, employees are paid competitive wages and so tips are not expected - what the heck, Nostrana?!

We have enjoyed dining at Nastrana several times a year because the food is good, but now want to warn others. While we are comfortable with the concept of a 22% mandatory tip, we are not comfortable when the server then tells us that Nostrana’s mandatory 22% service charge goes to the house and that we have to tip more if we want our server to receive a tip. We feel like we are being cheated if we leave more and like we are cheating the server if we leave nothing extra. In the future, we will be dining elsewhere so we can feel good about tipping 22%.

There is a reason why Nostrana is so highly regarded in Portland, and that was demonstrated to us on the evening of our 40th wedding anniversary. Although the evening got off to a disappointing start, as the staff could not find the yellow rose I had delivered for my wife (more about that later), we nevertheless had a marvelous experience. Everything about the restaurant is first class, from the receptionist when we arrived, the meal, the service, the wine, the décor, and the surprise anniversary dessert at the evening’s conclusion. This is a true Tuscan-style trattoria. My wife enjoyed her smoky rotisserie chicken, and I thoroughly enjoyed my radiatori al ragú (spicy short rib pasta). Both meals were excellently prepared. I had pre-arranged an excellent Brunello from the wine list, and the recommendation more than met up to my expectations. Our server was phenomenal, and at the end we received a complimentary surprise anniversary dessert with the traditional candle. Oh, the yellow rose? The flower was delivered to the restaurant, but a worker inadvertently placed it in a portion of the refrigerator where it was hidden from the manager’s eyes. When the flower was finally discovered a few days later, Nostrana’s manager contacted me and offered over-the-top apologies. Pure class! Sometimes, you can tell a lot more about a restaurant when things go wrong, than when they go right. That apology cemented Nostrana as one of our very best recent dining experiences. Don’t even think about it -- go there and enjoy your evening.

Popular restaurant, highly recommend making a reservation. You can also wait next door at their bar. Nostrana salad is delicious! Also had the Chefs pizza, also very good. They charge extra for everything, bread for the table and any extra.

Will not return since mandatory service charge and charging for BREAD! Was a loyal customer since they opened but no longer. Too expensive, food getting lackluster, resting on their laurels, etc, etc. Don't get me wrong, some things were still great but I won't be going back to see how things evolve. Goodbye!

Clean establishment, excellent food and best tasting pizza. Fair prices. Nice location and friendly, efficient staff. Local favorite

Lots of more expensive choices than pizza, but no matter what you eat I can almost guarantee satisfaction. This James Beard award winning chef deserves every accolade. Don't miss it! Reservations a must.

Beautifully prepared food. We had party of six and shared courses. Worked beautifully - (x2) Insalata Nostrana, Pizza Funghi verde, Pizza Margherita, Fettuccine Morrels, Roasted Idaho Trout, Pork Belly Arrotolato, Apple rhubarb cobbler. All delicious! Don’t forget to ask for bread — their crusted French bread is exceptional.

All dishes were fantastic. The insalata nostrana (basically a caesar made with radicchio) was one of the best salads I've ever had. It didn't sound very appealing but I'm glad I tired it. The pizza was very good. It was made right in front of me as I sat at the counter. Perfect crust and flavors. All pastas were very good. The best part of the two evenings I spent at Nostrana was the service received from TBird. She was friendly, professional, efficient and knowledgeable. Dining alone is not always enjoyable. There was no space at the bar and I wasn't keen on sitting at the counter but luckily I did as that was her section. The two guys making the pizzas and pastas were also great. Can't wait to go back on my next visit to Portland.

I love a great pasta pomodoro, for me, a harsher test than a more complex dish... the delicious balance of flaors, the deliciousness and freshness factor is so important, and Nostrana is so good! Enjoyed Ivan our bartender on the Enoteca side of Nostrana, very modern and trendy bar space, tastefully done:

The food was some of the best around. The Pizza and Pasta was a 9 plus. The wine menu was original favoring Italian Wines [ and quite expensive. The service was very good. This is a fast moving, loud place, and the tables and chairs are not favoring a long sit.

It really is some fine cuisine. Classic Italian fare with a modern twist. Great service and friendly atmosphere. We had the sliced steak, cardoon side dish, spaghetti with clams, anchovies and breadcrumbs. Reminded me of home, but ingenious. Fantastic wine selection. We were shocked at the reasonable prices.

Unless someone tells you, you probably wouldn't guess that this restaurant is located in a space that was formerly a grocery store. They've done a great job of re-purposing the space. My siblings were impressed with the décor. I think this is the third time I've eaten at Nostrana. Each time has been a good experience. The bread they bring to the table is quite good. The menu is sophisticated Italian fare -- no spaghetti and meatballs, but lots of choices from the simplicity of the meatball sandwich that I ate (it was good) to more subtle entrees. Nostrana is quite busy. I tried to make a mid-week reservation here once, and they didn't have a table until 8:30 pm, so if you want to eat at a particular time, it is probably a good idea to make a reservation several days prior. The lunch menu is a little less expensive than the dinner menu.

This must be the best pizza in Portland! Everything coming out of that kitchen looks wonderful, actually. This is always a must when we visit Portland.

We loved Nostrana. We would return in a heartbeat. (The menu changes daily so don’t have your heart set on something you’ve read about). We went on a weekday around 5:30pm. If you book on opentable for a reservation, they have 3 options: outdoor, standard or counter. The counter did not look terrible, but it sure was nice to score a table. Outdoor would have been lovely, but we were just fine with our table for 2 inside. We did not have a reservation and did not have to wait, however it was a weekday at 5:30pm. I would say it’s a special occasion meal, but life is too short to not enjoy good food and good wine. We did not order a standard appetizer or anti pasta. However, you can order a serving of cheese for $5 that comes with maybe 3 crackers, and this was a good nibble. We also ordered a bottle of wine because the price of a glass was $15. For the meal, we ordered a pizza and a pasta to share. I recommend doing this if you are among a crowd who is into sharing. We enjoyed all of it and our waitress was great too. And because we were on a roll with enjoying the moment, we did order dessert. The bundino was great and hard to pass up. We even ordered some house infused limoncello! Go check this place out, make a reservation and plan to enjoy yourself and the moment.

This is a pretty average Italian restaurant. The bread was yummy and the olive oil was very good as well. The pizza is really subpar. The crust was ok but the cheese and other ingredients were not nearly as good as you get at a true Napoletana pizzeria. The pasta was really just an American version of pasta and, hence, lacked the subtlety that real Italians produce. What irked me about this place was the complete inflexibility to change dishes. Any minor adjustment throws them into a tailspin. We live most the year in Italy and the true Italian chefs, even in the simplest trattorias, can whip up anything on the fly—not here. I’ll give this place a C+. If the inflexible staff here want to see images of what real Italian food looks like, look at Andreoli in Scottsdale or Osteria Valter in Salt Lake City. Giovanni is from Liguria and Valter is from Monte San Savino in Tuscany and you can taste the authenticity in their food. Also, I could ask Giovanni and/or Valter to make any adjustment and the response would be “no problema. Lo farò subito.” Not at Nostrana. If you ask for any kind of change the waitress will say, “I have to ask chef”. Then she will come back to declare, “Chef says no.” Chef wouldn't survive if Chef had to cook for real Italians.

Weeknight anniversary dinner for 4, two couples. Seated promptly. Non-noisy milieu, rather cozy. Appreciated the artwork and mural of local purveyors. Our waiter was super attentive and knowledgeable (great recommendations) while not overbearing. Black Walnut Manhattan was superb, as were ciders. Pizzas made to order were fantastically flavorful, and crispy but not dry. Grilled octopus made us think we'd been transported to Bilbao, Spain - excellently seasoned and presented. Wonderful overall. Recommended. Looking forward to next time.

In Portland a couple times a year and try to visit Nostrana when we are there. Food and service is always excellent. This time when we got our check there was a 22% tip added on and a small print out for us to give a tip on top of that 22%. Very tacky! We always tip at least 20% if food and service is good. They should re think this policy.

The pizza here is awesome, house made Mozzarella, thin crust and you have to cut it with scissors. The Raddichio salad is super delicious too.

A lovely meal, attentive wait staff, pleasant greetings and good food makes for a comfortable and filling meal.

Had dinner here the other night with my wife, our grandson and his roommate (both freshman at Lewis and Clark). They wanted Italian. We were not disappointed. The restaurant was very nicely decorated with a lively but laid back casual environment. Wait staff was very attentive and helpful. Each of us liked our food. It was Monday, so I had the "Meatball Monday" selection. It was tasty with a little spiciness, but not overpowering. The capellini was done just right. My wife liked her meal and the pizza was just right for our college students. I will return next time we are in Portland.

Our group of 6 arrived a little bit before our 7:15 pm reservation time, so we checked in and wandered through their large garden just across the street. Great space and they definitely pop over to harvest stuff for the kitchen. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, especially the bar area. Great light fixtures and furnishing. It is a bit loud with a lot of chatters We got a variety of menu items: Margherita pizza to share along with the Nostrana salad with radicchio, parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing. Steak, rigatoni pasta with calamari, roasted half chicken, and spaghetti. Everyone was happy with the meal selected. Portion size adequate. For dessert, the fruit crisp that requires 20 minutes to make was delicious. Gelato was very nice. The group also got some very nice cocktails and red wines. The group waited about 25 minutes before we could be seated, for that they brought a serving of bread and butter. We asked our server to put the pizza on our bill, but in the end, she brought one bill with the automatic 22% gratuity already included. Initially we thought it is because of the 6 people, however, after reading several reviews, that is their standard practice. This is definitely a pricey dinner outing.

We had an excellent meal. Service is very professional and friendly. The arancini are gooey and delicious. My beef ragu pasta was a large serving of perfectly cooked pasta and sauce - yum! Highly recommend

A little over a week ago, eight of us dined at Nostrana. The experience was delightful, the food was great, and the service was topnotch. We all seemed to have something different and everyone raved. We highly recommend Nostrana to anyone who likes Italian food, from pizza to the entrees.

I made the reservation for 7:00pm about a month in advance. We were finally seated at 7:45. I asked if we could sit at the bar and wait and was told no, they use that for diners. No one came to even bring water until 8:00. By that point I just wanted to leave , but we were hungry. When it finally arrived the food was ok, good breads and roasted chicken. I had the pasta with shrimp which was flavorful but had shrimp that were about 1/3” in size, like cheap salad shrimp. The waitress when asked politely about the specials, replied, “Everything on the menu tonight is special.” To top off what was a pretty rotten experience 20% gratuity was automatically added to the bill. We are generous tippers generally but this was insulting when the service was so sub par. We won’t return and neither should you,

We heard rave reviews and decided to spend an evening drinking some spectacular wine and eating some of our favorite cuisines. The wine was spot on, the service was excellent - Bunny kept us well-served throughout their busy evening, the only exception which Bunny offered to replace, was the extremely oversalted pasta - it was actually the worst dish we had ever been served and we are not picky! The salad was wonderful as was the tiramisu which was the best we'd ever tasted- Bunny explained how the pasta had likely been oversalted during cooking and offered to replace the dish - overall except for the main course, the experience was great. From the packed seating we know this meal was a fluke and we should've taking Bunny up on her offer to have it replaced but given the large crowd and bustle, we decided to pass.

Everything here is house made, don't pass up on the Pasta. We had a green one with Arugula and it was off the charts good. The local Steelhead was cooked perfectly, and the Butterscotch desert with chocolate was amazing. As one guest put it "who needs a husband when you can have this". They also have a large wine cellar of mostly Italian wines.

Nostrana is a very nice, and large Italian restaurant in the vibrant SE Morrison neighborhood of Portland. Very good food, good service, extensive and nice wine list. But we sat outside on a cool evening and not one heat lamp! Weird that they would overlook that obvious detail. The outdoor seating is nice, and covered, but not so nice when it's cold! Overall, very good dining, but beware if they are busy and outdoor is only seating this Fall.

We have loved Nostrana over many years, but Covid and reduced hours, etc. kept us away until my birthday. We split a salad, split a tortellini and split a dessert, with two glasses of wine each. ( we are seniors—can’t eat large portions anymore). We also purchased a loaf of bread to go. The bill including the 22% was something like $158!! (For essentially one total meal and 4 small glasses of wine!). On top of that was an extra slip for a service charge for the waitress. She said we didn’t have to do that, but we felt intimidated , so we tacked on another $10. The total was about$195 something. We love Nostrana, but after 25 years, we will not be returning. It’s just too much! We felt we were paying your servers more than you were! We spent a little over 90 minutes there, and the server was probably serving several tables. It was ridiculous! Please rethink this policy. We felt taken advantage of. Just think— if each of us had had a modest three course dinner, the bill would have come to close to $400!!

We recently visited Nostrana while in Portland visiting friends. We were there for lunch and we each had a meatball sandwich that was amazing. A little on the spendy side but worth every penny.

This place has been excellent for a long time. Their obviously hand-made gnocchi are outstanding; their salads imaginative; it's like eating in Italy - conveniently in close-SE Portland

I've never had any kind of meal here except a delicious one. I must is the Nostrana Radicchio salad, and the new key and bolognese sauce are wonders. The outdoor patio is a lovely place to sit in the summer, and the service is always attentive. The only reason I give this place a 4 instead of a 5 is that I feel that their wine list is a bit overpriced. However there one choices are delicious.

After spending winter break in Tuscany last year, we wanted to relive the experience and have a long, luxurious authentic Italian meal. We went for lunch 3 adults, 3 tweens) and hands down it was the best Italian food we've had since our trip, and probably the past ten years in the US. Our service was great, the ambience was lovely and we can't wait to go back!

Ate at Nostrana and it was truly an outstanding experience! The staff is friendly, efficient and attentive. The food was fantastic! The wine was also fantastic. We sat outside and enjoyed both the food and the ambiance. Would definitely recommend eating at Nostrana if you're visiting Portland.

We had an excellent meal Friday evening outside. Our server was great and the food was tasty. The drinks were good and we loved the desserts.

LOVE this place. Some of the best Italian food in the city of Portland. Great bar, fantastic service, outdoor tables (if you're there in the summer months). Would recommend this to anyone looking for great, creative food.

My family and I love Nostrana and will go for special occasion dinners, but a best kept secret is their lunch! This is our go-to for a luxurious Friday lunch or even a mid-week pizza and salad. The daily menu is different than the dinner menu and ranges from full entree options, to a more casual panino or pizza. If the patio's open, there's no better spot to sit under an umbrella, and in the winter the indoor ambiance is relaxing with all the windows.

Such a wonderful gem within a short walk from Revolution Hall. Great lively atmosphere and the food was delicious! We will definitely be back.

We hadn't dined here for a couple of years but recently went to check it out again. Our server was friendly and professional without hovering. The food was still outstanding especially the bone in rib eye steak. Several traditionalists ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and the dish got rave reviews. Will not wait so long to go back next time.

Went for my Birthday...made the reservation with request for window seating which was fulfilled; appreciated this kind of attention to details. Nice ambient and food was tasty. Will likely go back.

That kinda says it all. The room is nice, the waiters could definitely be a little more welcoming but the prize goes (as it often does) to the writer of the menu. It all sound great. But good look finding any Porcini in the dishes that claim to have them! Even the Gnocchi aren't Gnocchi but quickly made giant lumps of Gnocchi-like material. And when I say giant I mean it. You get two! Covered in a very ordinary tomato based sauce with little sign of the tasty mushrooms. But for that you'll pay a hefty $18. The Porcini factored in somewhere but not the taste. My Chianti by the glass was borderline undrinkable. The Etna Bianco was not much better. Cheap wine bringing in a nice profit at $13+ a glass. That big room, I guess, equals big rent! We went for lunch as a test to see if we wanted to go back some time and try the dinner menu. The pricing for what you get made us think twice about that. If we do go back, well, read my headline again.

There's no doubt these guys can cook some good food, but it can be hit or miss when they are busy. I was there last night (Sunday) and ordered a pasta dish (with fresh clams and fried squid) and was very disappointed. The pasta was overcooked--definitely not al dente--and the seafood was as well. The clams and squid were both needlessly tough. The wine is overpriced, and there is not a single one that you can order by the glass that is less than $12. Most are $14-$16, which including tip is pushing $20--that is extreme. Their wine steward should be able to find good wines for a glass with a pasta that doesn't equal the price of meal. The arugula salad, on the other hand, was excellent. The noise level was extreme, and I had to leave early because it was giving me a headache and my throat was getting sore from shouting.

Top of our list for family get together weekend. This place is wonderful! There were five of us, so we were able to order many dishes and sample them. We had Arancini, burrata, capillini clams, pappardelle, rigatone, snap peas, diavola, and salumi. Also the wine they suggested was terrific-Cascina delle Rose Nebbiolo. Dessert was fruit crisp and tiramisu. Completely stuffed and completely happy.

Excellent Food the meal was delicious. Had flat iron steak and pasta with berry cobbler fantastic. Service was excellent.

This is your typical italian place. Good food, good service and traditional woofire pizza. Had a nice evening with some friends and would recommend to others.

Been here quite a few times and always gave it 5 stars. Went on Saturday May 29th and it was weird and just not up to the standards of Nostrana. First you have to scan the menus on your phone which I guess is ok but then you have to order on your phone which was a big pain in the butt. Had to order wine and pay thru the app before they would serve it. Then leave your payment info on the app and re order your food and pay again. Then if you want dessert you have to go through that process again. When they bring out your wine, food, or desert someone just sticks it on a table next to you and you have to serve yourself. Pour your own wine and serve yourself then each time you pay they put an automatic 20% tip on the bill. I paid the bill for the 5 of us which was 130 for the wine (2bottles) and 160 for the food which they put a 60.00 tip on, which if it was a normal dining experience would not have rubbed me the wrong way. But with no serve it was a slap in the face. I know it’s different because of COVID but we have been to a few different restaurants and nothing like this. Whoever came up with this idea should re think and just wait till they can do it right. Most of the food was up to the standard you would expect except the pizzas were limp and soggy. Might give them another chance but not totally sure.

A year ago I had mentioned that my wife and I had to wait for over a half-hour, without much acknowledgment from the restaurant staff, for our reservation before we ultimately decided to leave. I should note that the general manager subsequently reached out to us with his apology and with an invitation to return. We did so a couple days ago and had a great dinner with great service. The restaurant's response to what I suspect was an isolated issue speaks well of management. We will return again.

I think the 2 most shocking things were the two small triangle pieces of bread in the burrata dish for $18 (it was ridiculous, honestly. 3 people and only two small pieces of bread that were even too small for the little ball of cheese and large dollop of relish) And then the required 22% service fee so they can pay their employees a “robust” wage. No, we are being forced to pay them a robust wage and you are gouging us accordingly. Aside from that, there was WAY too much arugula on the thin and soggy bottomed pizza (the Margherita pizza was thin and a little less soggy, but still soggy, as well) and the skin on the roasted chicken wasn’t brown or crispy enough. The server was very nice though, but when I asked if the tip was already added to the bill, she said “well, that’s the service fee for the restaurant, but yes, I guess”. So was the expectation to add more as a tip there? It sure felt that way. A lovely atmosphere, to be sure, but we won’t be back and we would not recommend it.

This place is amazing!!! It's pricey but worth every dollar. Everything from the service to the food, including desserts is impeccable. No problem to reserve a table 3 days prior for 10. Very accommodating!!

Apparently for large parties they prefer the table to use a pre-fix menu but we were neither informed of that or would have wanted one. Our server took our orders effortlessly and even though we had some special requests the entire dinner went very smoothly. Cathy Whims has never failed us and Nostrana remains our favorite restaurant in Portland.

Everything we had was top notch. Creative food. Professional but accessible staff. Lovely visit for a birthday celebration. Highly recommend.

If you don't have reservations, prepare to wait (and wait and wait). We were warned that this restaurant is typically reservations only but we ordered tons of wine in their wine bar next door with hopes of getting a table (and it worked). Immediately I noticed that they were playing a Best of Britney Spears playlist inside the restaurant. YES! A nice, sit down Italian restaurant playing the Princess of Pop... I was in carb and pop music heaven. The menu changes frequently and I had their meatballs, which were the pick of the day; they were delicious. The winner of the night, however, was the orange wine. Our table was so curious about what orange wine could be that our waiter sent the sommelier over and he shared with us loads of information on what orange wine is and allowed us to sample two before ordering a bottle. All in all, we spent well over 3 hours in both the next door wine bar and Nostrana proper and it was a great night!

Our daughter's friends had highly recommended Nostrana, so we dined there while visiting her in Portland. Her friends were right - our appetizers, salad, and entrees were all beautifully presented and flavored and cooked to perfection. These included: beet cured salmon, insalata Nostrana, crab meat cannelloni, pappardelle, and pan roasted Alaskan halibut. The wines are pricey but fair, that is, Nostrana's wine list includes only good wines sold for about three times their retail price (standard pricing for good restaurants). The service was friendly but efficient and professional.

Excellent atmosphere. An open room, but not loud. We were seated immediately (slightly ahead of reserved time), and greeted promptly by server. Ordered pizza and a pasta entree`...both were delicious and timed perfectly.

Nostrana is a classic in Portland for reliable and excellent Italian food. Their pizzas and much else sees time in the wood fired oven which imparts nice flavor and texture. My wife and I had lunch there most recently and the food did not disappoint. The complimentary bread and focaccia are good, then we shared an Insalata Nostran (radicchio with Caesar style dressing). My wife had trout and I had a wild mushroom lasagna - both excellent. Service was quite good though it was at the very end of the lunch service. If I had a bone to pick, I think the by-the-glass wine prices are a little high. My wife had a couple glasses of sparkling Franciacorta Barone Pizzini Brut Animante at $16/150ml glass; that's $80/bottle for a wine that probably costs them $25 or less; I had 2 glasses of 2016 Montesecondo Chianti Classico again at $16 per small 150ml glass (one underpoured) for a wine that can be had for $20 or less retail by the bottle. These are not outrageous prices, they just didn't set well with me. If it was dinner, I would buy by the bottle or bring my own from my cellar. That being said, I'm always happy to come back here.

We had a wonderful meal under a tent at this restaurant, luckily before the big heat wave! The food was awesome, and the service was so quick and efficient. They are also being careful due to pandemic. We had the pizza and pasta with goat cheese! Very delicious! Reservations are recommended. Had a lovely dinner!

Absolutely amazing Italian Wine list. And the Pizza is to die for. The thin crust is remarkably delicious. Also sitting at the high tops outdoors was most enjoyable!

Be sure to have your phone translator available, because the menu is mostly all Italian names that barely hint at what you can determine to be in the serving you are considering. It is nearly mandatory here to strike up a conversation with your server to translate just what it is you will be getting. The menu seems to be printed each day on plain paper, thus you will think there is a chef in the kitchen creating a masterpiece just for you from hand selected ingredients that he just purchased hours ago. Not! We considered starting with a Blanco house wine at $18 for a six ounce glass. Decided against that rather quickly. We were served complimentary bread and oil, and they will bring more if requested. The size of your dinner serving may require more, just to offset the hunger when you leave. The room is very crowded with tables. It is easy to bump into the person sitting at the next table, or worse, have foot traffic bumping you as you eat. Claustrophobic individuals should stay away from here. It is noisy when filled with patrons, the ceiling is open to the second story rafters above, but the concrete floor seems to bounce the noise around, so you will have to speak up to be heard across the table. We ordered 2 Caesar salads. While we didn't detect the presence of any tangy anchovies the minuscule sized croutons offered a different texture to the red lettuce which is the sole greens on the plate. The salad size is large and tasty, but not really a Caesar salad as you would expect. 2 plates of "Gigli" at $21 each were delivered. They were supposed to have sausage and shell pasta. There was a decent amount of pasta, but the meat was so finely diced that it was impossible to get a single piece on a fork - it slipped through the space between the tines. I left half of mine I was so disappointed in it. Not to worry - the server didn't ask if we liked it, although she made one pass through "everyone liking the taste?" obligatory question and then fled quickly. The Rotissarie chicken was a leg laying on a mound of something else. The leg was slightly larger than the rotisserie chicken at Costco which you could get for far less money than the $28 price here. The taste was the same - maybe the chef shopped at Costco ?? Capellini Marcella was a mound of hair spaghetti, carefully centered on the plate which had been rinsed in tomato paste. Think Chef Boy-Ar-Dee spaghetti dinner in a box without the miniature meat balls and you will have the picture. $18 for a cup of spaghetti. Pork belly is called Arrotolato here. It was about 5 pieces of sliced meat the length and thickness of bacon plus a bit of potato like substance. The meat was about 20-30% fat which nobody would eat unless on a weird diet. That was worth $29. Not. The one redeeming item was the cheese cake. It was delicious, except for the crust which required unbelievable force to cut through it. About as tough as biscotti. Based on the size of the piece served I would estimate 5 slices could be cut from a quarter of the pie, 20 pieces per pie @ $10 each slice makes it a $200 pie. I'm certain the profit on that item was about $180 Nice: Cloth napkins. Your silverware will be changed out at least twice during the meal. The water decanter replaced with a full one for you to pour into the little glasses. An hour later I was still hungry. I won't be back. This restaurant is designed for pretentious people that like to spend a lot of money for very ordinary food, and be seated on hard wooden chairs, in cramped noisy quarters. By comparison, Olive Garden provides a bigger menu, larger servings, more flavorful food and a far better value.

This restaurant came recommended to us by our hotel concierge. It was even better than he described! Every dish was excellent. Our server, Jonah was apologetic when our dinner was delayed by a large group. We didn't care!

... i took a young friend to this spot (owed a debt, paid with food) and it did waaaaay more than just fill my pasta jones. since it was my first time here, i asked the waiter to advise, which can be a dice roll in itself, but fortunately the universe tossed jonah our way and he was fantastic. the food was great, the spot was great, but not sure what it would have been like without this guy...

Meeting friends on a Monday night in a SE Portland restaurant, one wouldn't think that it would be so busy. But it was! Our dinner began with insalada mixta, enough for two healthy plates. Then it was capellini and chicken meatballs, and for me beef stracotto. Desert was the vanilla bean sorbet and the roasted banana sorbet. All were delicious, well prepared and nicely presented. Our friends had the beef dish and ravioli and the special blueberry desert. Although the restaurant was packed with people we could have a pleasant conversation at our table. Everyone thought that this was a very fine dinner in a wonderful environment. We shall return!

Unable to secure reservations (3) two hours prior (understood); outdoor dining only under tents in parking lot; $71.50 for three pizzas and a salad; all three pizzas had burnt crust 👎🏽 and too much tomato sauce; pizza had no flavor. This establishment is overrated. Very disappointed!

Ok. So you hear the word Brussel sprouts and I inevitably think “yuck that smells so bad.” These are not the brussel sprouts of the past. I ordered the pork shoulder, mash potatoes with leaks and brussel sprouts. My companion ordered the brisket special. Menu changes daily. It was delicious. Everything blended well together. We both ate our sprouts and neither one of us has ever liked them ! I also ordered tiramisu and he had lemon ginger sorbet. He said the wine was great, but it’s hard to go wrong with an Oregon Pinot. Incredible. It is pricy (in my opinion). But you get what you pay for. Wait staff was attentive and sincere. It’s a bit loud because of the open ceiling which I’m not a huge fan of. I would definitely go again. Do make reservations to ensure you will have a table.

Prior to the shutdown of restaurants, our last full meal was in 2019. We tried last July, but the process of getting dinner was unsatisfactory. We planned to return once they restarted table service. Our trip last week displayed what we had missed, excellent food and gracious service. My wife had the shrimp ravioli. It was a good portion with a light sauce and homemade ravioli. Her complaint was the shrimp tended to overpower this otherwise delicate dish. I had the grilled trout. Properly done (and plentiful) with a good sauce, accompanied by grilled potato cubes and prosciutto wrapped beans. I could have returned another night to repeat the meal. We had the garden salad which was a nice mixture of greens, vegetables, and almonds. My wife said she stilled preferred the insalate Nostrana. To an extent I agree. For dessert we had the blueberry cobbler. Again, a generous portion. We splurged with a homemade vanilla gelato accompaniment. Even though outside, Nostrana appears have gotten service correct. One little item was that one of the servers tried to remove our salad before we finished. Back again in the near future

You must make reservations for Friday or Saturday nights to dine at this Italian restaurant in Portland with innovative Northern Italian cuisine. A regular for us.

Excellent chic wine bar just a short UBER from downtown Nice menu with small plates small bites in the bar Very friendly attentive staff Nice wine 🍷 Pours are small but it seems typical in wine bars here Highly recommend

My wife (a descendant of the Dragon Queen of Anjou) and I dined at Nostrana this past February before the pandemic hit. We were visiting our daughter, Laurs, an up and coming fashion designer, who lives in SE Portland. For a leisurely lunch as we visited with Laurs, the DQ and I shared an Italian sausage pizza and Laurs had a veggie pizza covered with rocket. It was an enjoyable fellowship with her in the position I prefer to be in, the back corner table with my back to the wall.

My wife found this place on our maiden voyage to Portland - it was the first place we ate at and were not disappointed. The service was relaxed but on-point and matched our laid back style. We had pizza, brown butter gnocchi, and cheesecake. And a couple beers and bread. We were blown away with the flavors enjoying every bite. We will definitely going back when we return to Portland. Prices are reasonable. We had a reservation which i would recommend.

Very good choice for an excellent Italian lunch. Several good salads such as the "House Gardiniera", a variety of Pizze, tasty, fresh from the oven, and entrees. Several Italian wines by the glass to choose from. Excellent service. There is as well an ENOTECA next door . A good place for relaxation and many wines ....enjoy a glass or more.Hire a taxi!

I've been lucky enough to come to Portland several times over the past year for work and have had many great meals- but this one was my favorite by far! It is noisy but not off-putting, and I loved the decor. Really liked the bar area, and be sure to check out the bathrooms!

Service at the main restaurant Nostrana is just not that good. We had a 7pm reservation and didn't get seated until 7:30. A flat 22.5% gratuity is added to the bill and that definitely does not promote good service (and they ask for an additional tip). Very slow and very much not interested in us. $400 and 2.5 hours later, not a good experience. Food was also so-so this time around. Won't be back.

It’s worth a visit even though 4 stars instead of 5. Nice atmosphere and bar. We went next door to the restaurant while waiting for our table to open. It was Nostrana’s bar and they had some food too. Knowledgeable bartender. At the restaurant, I found the bread and olive oil boring but my husband loved it. He liked the clam pizza the best of our entire meal. It was very good but my favorite was the oven roasted trout. A bit too salty but still delicious and silky with a crunchy skin. The mushroom risotto cake was 5 stars alone! If that is ever alone on the menu definitely get that! My husband loved the Ragu gnocchi. It was very good but I just preferred the trout. Too full for dessert but I’m sure it’s well thought out. We sat at the bar watching the kitchen which was a fun experience.

I love to eat out at nice restaurants, and live in a city with a lot of them (DC), so having a meal that is truly memorable means it has to be something really exceptional. That was my experience at Nostrana. I really can’t say enough about the food here. Everyone in our party (4 of us) the next day was saying it was a meal we won’t forget for quite a while. From the burrata salad we shared, to each of our entrees (including two pasta dishes - I had their fettucine with shrimp in a lemon cream sauce, which was the lightest, most delicate pasta I’ve had in a very long time. My friend had their radiatorre with ragu - which was equally amazing). The desserts were the big finish. Their panna cotta with rhubarb sauce was indescribably good - light and fluffy, not rubbery as panna cotta can often be - with an intensely rhubarb-y sauce over the top . It was amazing, as was the butterscotch budino and a delicious light cake. Go.

My son works around the corner, but hadn't eaten there yet. When I mentioned Italian, he wanted to try this place. Fabulous! We'd been sampling Portland beer and wine (see Enzo winery review), so we had only water with dinner, but what an impressive bar and wine package they offer. And a fast, knowledgeable staff. Bunny provided, friendly excellent service, and it was easy she extended that type of service to all at the bar. The atmosphere is great - and it suitable for date night, family night, special occasions, etc. The smell from the wood burning grill will make all hungry, and the pies coming out of the wood burning oven are gorgeous and creative. No wonder so many James Beard award nominations. We had the sauteed spinach with garlic and parmigiano; the overnight pork; and the pasta with bolognese. Really wanted to also have the fettucini with crab, but there are limits to how much one should eat. Besides, now I have a choice for the next visit. Yes, this is really a great choice for a visit. On a night when the neighborhood was quiet, this place was jumping, and full until after 9:00.

The food, service, and ambiance were all very good. What caused me the most heartburn was the 22% service fee added to the bill. This was not a surprise, and I really don't mind paying it. Per their menu: "A Service Charge of 2% is applied to all checks at Nostrana, providing a professional and equitable wage for all team members. 100% of collected service charges are distributed to employees in the form of an elevated, fixed hourly rate. " Fair enough. BUT . . . we were also presented with a separate gratuity slip along with our bill. At this point, it felt very much like a shake-down. This restaurant needs to make this an "either/or" policy on service fee (tips), not a "both/and". I won't be back.

I reached out to Nostrana with an unusual request: ordering food to go. They really don't do takeout, but the host I spoke with over the phone obliged me(ordered 30 mins before closing). The service was warm and attentive, and my order was ready within 15 minutes. However they didn't pack any napkins in my to-go bag. Also, they don't have to go cutlery at all. So, me being from out of town diring this visit, that caused me to have to make another stop. However, the food made up for it. We did a couple of gnocchi entrees, the pork ragu gnocchi & the pancetta gnocchi. Both were excellent, and fulfilled us after a long day of flying across the country. The restaurant itself is beautiful, and was very busy for a Thursday night. I was okay with the 22% service charge added on "to pay our staff a living wage." Just know the dishes are pricy for the portion size, so just be prepared to spend a nice amount of money here, especially on a large party.

Met a friend here for dinner. Didn't know what to expect but overall it was outstanding. The space is well designed and almost wished we would have sat at the bar by the wood fired oven. Service was incredible. We did not feel rushed and they allowed us to take our time. Food was well prepared and equally outstanding. We brought our own wine but their wine list was nice and centered around Italian wines.

I’m from Las Vegas and frequent a number of bars and restaurants back home. For starters the capellini was amazing! They do a negroni of the month and several of the people I was talking to on my work trip had mentioned I should try one. It sounded amazing but truly I wasn’t enjoying it. Our waitress not only took the drink off our check but after talking to her more she actually offered me a small sample of a regular one. It was truly surprising and made an for an overall amazing experience that I’ve never had before. Sorry I don’t have photos. I was busy eating it lol

This is an awesome local joint in the Portland area. From the table bread to the menu which features new dishes everyday, it is certainly a place everyone can enjoy! Also, the patio is gorgeous.

When you walk in the room you just know you’re going to enjoy your experience . We sat the bar and enjoyed a fantastic dinner ! The white pie with local mushrooms was fab followed by the meatballs in a rich tomato butter sauce ( styled after Marcella Hazan) . The butterscotch budino one of the best I’ve had !

I have been eating at Nostrsna for years. Enjoyed the tents during covid. The meal was good as was the service. Nothing exceptional especially considering the cost. Then comes a 22% mandatory tip and the waitress explaining that it is for the house. “If you want to give me a tip that is extra.” It felt like she wasn’t being treated fairly and I wanted to encourage her to work elsewhere if that was the case. I used to tip more than 22% unless the service was bad. I ended up leaving the 22%.

My daughter and her partner took my wife and me to Nostrana during our visit to Portland this past September. The service was very professional and the food was very good. I would rate it a 4 out of 5, because it was not spectacular. We had visited once previously right before the pandemic hit in January 2020. We had pizza on that visit at lunchtime, but an entree this time.

This is one of the best meals I have ever eaten. From the beginning to end it was wonderful. Every aspect of this meal was perfection. Our waiter, Ivan, did an outstanding job, ask for him!! A reservation is highly recommended. If I could give more stars I would!

Stayed with an old friend and we took them out for a restaurant they had never been to, even though they had lived there for many years. We all loved the service and the food was very good. The only complaint is that it was extremely loud and hard to hear each other speak. Unless we sit outside next time, I probably will not be returning because of that.

Our meals were great. There were 5 of us including one youngster. Everyone enjoyed their food and our server was very pleasant. He was attentive without being pesty. The venue had interesting options. Nostrana was very busy and we had a bit of a wait even though we had reservations. But all in all we enjoyed the experience.

I was hosted by Two Holy Cross Priest who when I asked where we could get some good Italian food - brought me to Nostrana for lunch. Being from Chicago, I had little expectations of being impressed with the Italian food in Oregon. Well, I was wrong BIG TIME! This place is amazing and the ambiance is as if you were sitting in Rome. I started with the Insalata Nostrana which is their version of a Ceazar. My next entry was the Pizze Diavola. A brick oven baked pizza made with spicy sausage, mozzarella, provolone, tomato, Mama Lil's Peppers and topped with Arugula. Absolutely the best pizza I ever tasted. Next was the Bolognese. It was amazing! The wine selection is also impressive. An added surprise was when Dario Cecchini made his grand entrance with the sound of an Italian horn and a loud "Bonjourno!". He was the featured culinary star guest at an event thast evening at the restaurant. A must if you're in Portland.

This is consistently the best Italian restaurant in Portland. We have been here many times and enjoyed every visit.

Best part of evening was hostess. She was very pleasant and kept the wait tolerable. You’re lucky to have her!! Food was good but nothing special. Bread and olive oil delicious. Insalata mista Very average if not tasteless. Fava bean bruschetta good but very salty and very small portion. Trout perfectly cooked but drowning in 90% garlic salsa verde. Yukon Gold potatoes a joke. Sorry. Not an award winning meal.

Went for a weekday lunch. Had a pasta entree and pizza for the table. The service, wine by the glass and food was fantastic. Can’t wait to come back

First time visit. Nice and comfortable atmosphere, with a friendly and polite staff. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu. Four of us all had different entrees and we were all satisfied with our selections. We had the charcuterie plate which was elegant but a little short of quantity. A couple desserts were also enjoyed. None of us had pizza, but it looked very good at the table nearby. Menu changes daily which could provide other options we didn't experience. Overall, I would return and recommend.

What a fiasco! A COVID kabuki show with no service and a dish of dry and tasteless pasta ragù - my granddaughter’s’ is way better. To add insult to injury, they serve you a welcome drink in a plastic specimen cup, the kind your doctor would use for urine sample. Never again! Of all excellent Portland restaurants that disappeared, it’s ironic that this glorified and overpriced pizza joint is still here.

Visit our son, wife, and granddaughter once or twice a year. This is the one place we go to every time we come. To start our server April N. was excellent. We had a couple bottles of Crowley Pinot Noir and an order of ciabatta and focaccia to start with. Both couples ordered our favorite salads (Insalata Nostrana) to start which were excellent as always. We all had different entries and shared with each other. Hard to say which one was best!!! Also had a couple of sides (corn and snap peas) not that we needed more food but we do tend to over order at this place😊😊. Very cool atmosphere as well. A must go to in Portland.

Nostran is a must on any serious food maven in Portland. The creativity and brilliant execution are close to perfection. We had a grilled calamari and garbanzo bean salad followed by shrimp ravioli and a phenomenally flavorful flat iron steak. What did not work is the service. When making a reservation and entering the restaurant the aloof staff clarified that a 20 percent COVID service fee would be added to our bill replacing the need for a gratuity. Along with the 90 minute time limit on our access to the table it left a slightly sour taste in my mouth. Then our drinks showed up well after our appetizer and we had to mount a campaign to get our wine delivered prior to our pasta course. My son's pasta dish came missing the promised prosciutto. INCENTIVE PAY incents good service. Is it possible that service suffers when compensation is not linked to good service. Nostrana has relazed it's COVID restrictions and had every reservation filled without an empty table all night. It's time to drop the mandatory service fee. If the service merits I'll be happy to offer a 20 percent gratuity but that needs to be earned not mandatory.

We were looking for a good Italian restaurant on our recent visit. Our Uber driver suggested we try Nostrano’s instead of our original destination. So glad we listened to him. We sat at the chef’s table and had a fabulous meal. Our waitress was efficient but most importantly the food and wines were fabulous. The ambience is superb and they even have a great patio for outdoor dining. We really love bed the pizza and pasta we chose.

We were in Portland for over a week and this was our favorite restaurant! The food and the service were fantastic. Their pastas are all freshly made.

We ate here on Sunday night. My wife had the salmon special which had salmon as fresh as the salmon we had in Alaska and was excellent. The waiter said it was locally caught salmon. The pappardelle with added prosciutto for a two dollar upcharge was also excellent. My Diablo’s pizza was very good with a chewy crust, spicy sausage and mamas pickled peppers which were mildly spicy. The chicory salad was fine and the tuna conserva was mildly disappointing to our friends who had it. My wife had the blackberry fruit crisp for dessert which was very hot since it came from the pizza oven, also enough for two or more people. My Mopsy’s best cheese was mild and excellent. We ate inside since all the outdoor tables were occupied and it was very noisy. Weather permitting I suggest you eat outdoors.

We had to wait for our table and stopped for a drink. We ordered a bourbon old fashion. The bartender made us several delicious cocktails. It made waiting a pleasure.

Traveled here at suggestion of a client. Unique drinking and eating area was quite upscale. Beautifully designed room with open wine storage encased in glass on one wall. Nice selection of French wines, particuallyvthevjuraxregion of mountains. The food selection featured a number of vegan and vegetarian choices was quite nice as well. Recommend to wine lovers of all ages.

Most fans is highly regarded in the Portland area. It's chef-owner has been.lauded. The menu changes daily. Their personal-sized thin crust pizzas are very good. You are issued a pair of scissors to slice them! The pastas are delicious, as is the homemade ginger ale The decor is all dark wood, which makes it a bit moody.. The one thing to bring in a little more warmth would be a few .ore smiles

Horrible food. I just finished dinner at Nostrana and had the lam. It was pounded to 1/8” and gray. The polenta was as gummy and stuck to the plate. My hi said had gnocchi which was excellent. My recommendation is stick to the pasta. We are now headed to fast food as my dinner was inedible. Disappointing.

We ate with fellow travelors from a trip to Italy last year. Nostrana is as good as any there and the food and atmosphere reminded me of those local italian places we loved so much from the trip. We live over 40 miles from Portland, but will make the trip again soon and often.

Bottom line: everything we ate at Nostrana was excellent! It’s a bustling place, with a fairly large room and lots of crowd noise. But in spite of a good sized room, the food was prepared with real care. The quality was much better than you might expect from the casual atmosphere of the restaurant. We can highly recommend the halibut and the trout as entrees, but I doubt you could go wrong. The wine list was well chosen and well matched to the food. Service was excellent and attentive. Parking is easy, and having a reservation is very important. I’d be delighted to go again (we’re out-of-towners) and I highly recommend it.

This Italian restaurant in a vast room leaves plenty of space for enjoying a delicious Italian dinner. The pizzas and pasta are first rate, among the best we have had. Unfortunately, the pasta portions were very small. Consider them as (expensive) starters like in Italy and take a main dish to follow. This will not lighten your bill but your stomach will be contented.

We came here on a Friday night at 6:15. Without a reservation our options were a patio table or bar spot. We decided to accept the longer wait for the patio, which was estimated at 1.25 hours. We walked around for a bit then had some wine at the wine bar next door. The patio never opened up (lingering folks enjoying the Friday night weather) so they then offered us the chefs bar. Glad they did because it was so fun to watch all the action! Now for the food- my shrimp ravioli was fabulous. I don’t eat cheese and they made sure not to add it in any way. I appreciated the care. My husband ordered the pizza with crab on it and loved his as well. I would say this is $$$. Great wine list, cool atmosphere delicious food.

I really enjoyed my meal here. Was with family and they accommodated our youngster graciously. The Italian bread was fantastic! Our server recommended a nice red wine from the Alto Adige to accompany our meal, and, while my pork shoulder entree was a bit heavily seasoned, it was a nice portion and beautifully tender.

My wife and I decided to have lunch at Nostrana last week after considering the restaurant more than a dozen times but never going. Finally taking the plunge was a wise decision, reaffirming the validity of the notion that your first impulse is probably your best one. The place is beautiful and the food is excellent. We shared an order of focaccia and ciabatta, which we dipped in the most delicate olive oil, and an amazingly large, fresh, and delicious Insalata Mista, which we dressed. My wife had hand-made gnocchi and I had the pizza Diavolo, made comfortably zesty by the mildly spicy sausage and red peppers. Both entrees were done to perfection. By the way, the service was impeccable. We strongly recommend this restaurant. It is utterly fabulous.

All around amazing Italian food. Everything I tried was excellent. The Salted Caramel dessert was to die for. The bolognese they use is sublime. It’s a shame I don’t live in Portland to experience this on a regular interval.

We had not been here since Covid and we were pleasantly surprised at how amazing this place is after all that has happened. Atmosphere, although basically unchanged, was electric, with the incredible team of staff they have. Service was impeccable and each person was attentive and super friendly. Lot’s to choose from on the menu and our grandsons found things they enjoyed too. Thank you Nostrana for being consistently good and for hiring a great team

Dinner was a birthday celebration and was worth every penny. The food choices are innovative and beautifully prepared, wait staff is extremely attentive and knowledgeable, and the ambiance is super. Even with a large seating area, the noise level is well controlled and the lighting is perfect. We could not have asked for a more memorable evening.

We were here for a wedding reception, and often that means less than stellar cuisine, but this restaurant's food and drinks were over the top wonderful! We had a 7 course meal that was outstanding at every level. Radicchio salad had no bitterness, was so well balanced. Pasta with ragu was so tasty. Porchetta and lentil stuffed peppers were truly great. Cauliflower is not something I like but this lemony creamy version was super, and even the broiled broccoli was terrific. Desert of chocolate sort of mouse sort of cake was so good that not one drop was left on any plates! Cocktails were outstanding and imaginative with some ingredients that I have only been able to find in Italy, including the after dinner drinks, and wines were a terrific selection as well. If this is what they serve for ordinary dining, I'd say it's worth a trip for sure. Service was outstanding as well.

Recommended by our neighbors. We were not disappointed. We had reservations, which I believe are necessary. The waitress was very knowledgeable and helpful. My husband had the chicken, and it was perfect. Great wine list, but a lot of the wines are very pricey.

I visited Nostrana in September for dinner. The Italian dishes and wine are very nice. The room are full and lively. The location is far from the station or bus stop and it was hard to find car parking area.

Fabulous food, lovely atmosphere. Sat at the bar and the bartender was very attentive and super kind. We had burrata bruschetta, pasta with meatballs, the trout, pizza, and fruit crisp for dessert. Would definitely eat here again. The outside dining also looked beautiful.

Took my husband to dinner on Dec 12th, 2022. We go to Nostranas about4-5x/year and always love their food. Some of our favorite times to go was after 9 pm ... to enjoy the full size pizza and Salad Nostrana and a happy hour reduced cost. But, alas... no more... I used to love the bread with olive oil/balsamic vinegar while we waited for our food.... no more complimentary bread, either. What they had opted to do in spite of reducing the extras that added to the experience was to add a "SERVICE FEE" which is mandatory at 22% of the cost of the bill. We ordered 2 salads, 2 pizza margarhita and 2 pasta entrees with 2 lemonads. The cost came to $135 ish... and when they added on the 22% fee.... made the bill to be $178 ish. So... when they ran our card to pay the bill, they have the odasity to add on ANOTHER fee for gratuity... really? I think not! That would be like a 40% fee above the food we consumed. I almost lost my breath looking a the line for "gratuity after the added on service fee . Then, you look around the environment... looks like they must have gotten a grant because even though most restaurants went through a hard beating during covid... it looks like Nostranas blossomed and came out ahead.... hmmmmmm... they have upgraded their internal looks with many ball ceiling light fixtures and decor inside as well as outside. You can tell that even the pots and outdoor seating area was highly invested to create a beautiful environment for all to enjoy... and I am afraid at our own cost . Unfortunately, the bill per party will leave you scratching your head and your pocket book... and may have to consider looking at other amazing PDX eateries of similar caliber that doesn't ask for so much financially outside of the cost of the menu'd items to enjoy. Just an FYI in case you go there and nearly crap your pants like I almost did....!!! Who else in PDX is charging a 22% fee on top of asking for another 20%+ gratuity fee??? Just insane!

We’ve been here several times. We love the restaurant and the ambience and the great service. They are pushing Fridays as “Fish Friday”, or something like that. I was looking forward to the sea scallops. I am so stupid. They have this on their online menu. But they haven’t had sea scallops in YEARS. Please stop the false advertising. And update your stupid website. Crab cakes? 75% bread with the essence of crab. That is not fish. Mussels? I hate mussels. And, that is not fish. Trout? You have that on your menu all the time. I’ve had it five times. There was no Fish Friday fish. Please just stop the false advertising. You are embarrassing yourselves. Please just stop it.

Locally sourced food in a beautiful setting. A bit noisy but the food MORE than makes up for it. They bake their own bread. They have a wood fired oven out in the open. The staff has their chops down cold. The wine list,if expensive,is extensive. The smoked roasted chicken was divine. The polenta was perfect. The crab dippy thing was a great starter. I have to rate it among the top restaurants in Portland. ( see my other reviews)

Excellent food and atmosphere. We enjoyed the house salad and the pappardelle stuffed with goat cheese. Service was attentive. Dishes offered were creative. Parking is easy

Excellent pizza and pasta dishes prepared as if you are in Italy at reasonable prices. A place where friends will run into other friends.

I happen to be a foodie that doesn't like restaurants that give you small portions and charge a lot. I appreciate finely crafted food preparation and presentation, but value really factors into it for me. Nostrana is one of those restaurants that leave me feeling short changed. I know many people love Nostrana, but I'm not one of them.I had the Funghi Verde pizza and found it to be too light on the mushrooms and heavy on the arugula. My friend had the pork Arrotolato and was underwhelmed. Another diner had the pappardelle and loved it although she said the portion was too small.

The walls and surfaces reflect all sound easily. The music played is loud to begin with, and I am 50% deaf, which means it is truly too bloody loud. The bar is filled with several off duty staff, with whom almost all conversation takes place, not with YOU, the paying customer. I have a clue for you: they don't pay decent tips, if any! Get with it. Initiate a rule that forbids off duty staff from hanging out here. Many other locations have this in place. It would not be very easy to carry on a conversation here, save via shouting. Wine prices are not particularly low, compared to other nearby venues, such as Pix Patisserie. Happy hour prices are somewhat more reasonable. Caveat emptor, as anywhere.