Porta'Vino

Houston’s Hidden Wine Spot: Porta’vino Found a neat spot in Houston near the 610 and 10 freeway: Porta’vino. It’s close to Memorial Park and offers great wine options. Whether you prefer outdoor patio vibes, especially with the cooler weather, or the comfort of an air-conditioned space, they have both. Price-wise, it’s comparable to local markets and shops like Total Wine. Good deal! The food is tasty too. We tried the roasted garlic plate, which paired well with a wine called Amici. Our waiter? Top-notch. Friendly, knew his stuff, and super attentive. There was even a birthday celebration happening next to us. But a heads-up: our welcome wasn’t warm. The hostess seemed off. Just asked about reservations and seating. But after that, things improved. Our waiter made the evening enjoyable. I believe the first person you meet sets the mood for the place, so this could be better. Would I go back? Yes! And I’d bring friends. The good parts shine brighter. Hope the hostess vibes improve next time!

I can’t say enough good things about Porta’Vino! It’s been on my list of places to try for years since it opened, but finally made it for my one year anniversary and oh boy are we glad we tried it out! Service was wonderful, atmosphere was lively and cozy for a Friday night. We shared the salmon carpaccio, a half Cesar salad, the short rib with polenta, and were treated to the milkshake with cookies for our anni. Everything was seriously so delicious. I’m going to be thinking about that carpaccio and the polenta with the (extremely tender and tasty) short rib. We can’t wait to go back again and try more items on the menu. Additionally, we got the coconut cream pie to go and let me tell ya, it’s bestselling for a reason. It’s so obviously a homemade pie and not food service, you can taste the fresh cream and real toasted coconut flakes. We brought our own wine and paid the $12 corkage. Definitely not a cheap restaurant, but we thought that everything was very reasonably priced for the portion sizes and how lovely everything was! Highly recommended

This place was buzzing when we walked in, and after trying some of the dishes I understand why. The appetizers are worth it. For the main dish we tried the off menu truffle pasta - ‘twas fantastic. Cooked and flavored to perfection. Impressed by the speed at which our meals were delivered, without the sacrifice to quality. Looking forward to a return!