Portico Restaurant - Richmond

Our family was driving through this very quaint and lush residential neighborhood when we caught a glimmer of this restaurant out of the corner of our eye. We looked it up because if you know us, we're always looking for new and exciting places to eat. We found that Portico is a gorgeous Italian restaurant with a surprisingly large indoor dining space and exceptional outdoor dining option. The ambiance is exquisite. They have a respectable bar and their menu, which may be seasonal, has quite the innovative menu with no shortage of delicious options. Their attention to details did not go unnoticed. The taste was refined and the presentations were spot on. We highly recommend this place for memorable and intimate family meal.

I am an absolute fan of this restaurant. Dining at Portico gives the feeling of being transported to Italy. The first time I went we ate inside and only walked around in the garden a bit after. While the inside is tasteful and elegant, the al fresco atmosphere is outstanding! On our latest dinner here, we arrived very early for our reservation and the host was sure to give us a wine list and told us to get a drink from the bar and we could wait in the garden area or out front. There were chairs and a cushioned couch in the garden, so we walked over there. The garden is gorgeous with flowers and fragrant of herbs. There was the cutest cat sleeping soundly on the couch but was happy to have us sit with her. When our table was ready we started with absolutely hands down the best expresso martinis I've ever had. I ordered the seafood crepes and a wedge salad and both were delicious. I rarely finish every bite of a meal, but I devoured this! My husband got gnocchi, which I sampled, and it was so tender and flavorful. Our server, Cora, was wonderful. Our friends had the two lamb dishes and thought they were perfect too. I have never had a bad meal or experience here. I appreciate that they provide complimentary valet parking as the lot is is small. Part of the restaurant's charm is the small cottage it is in. It is beautiful and elegantly decorated. That said, this is where you go with a small group or with your significant other for a leisurely meal for a one of a kind experience. Portico is not where I would go to expect a quick seating or a fast meal with a large group or with small kids, it is not a chain restaurant. You will not be able to demand to switch tables or walk in most likely, especially on a beautiful weather day. The clientele is elegant and sophisticated. You won't see people in crocs or sweatpants. The one star reviews on Portico all seem to think they were at Applebees. Portico is an elevated experience for fine dining and it is what you should expect. It is small and feels exclusive while you are there. You could end up waiting a bit even with a reservation, but it is absolutely worth it. Definitely my favorite Richmond area dining establishment and I will return again and again.

What a surprising GEM at the edge of Goochland County on River Road. The atmosphere is amazing and food exceedingly went beyond our expectations! Elias the server was excellent and very knowledgeable of the menu and recommendations! Can’t wait to bring our friends for a dinner date night! Highly recommended. Enjoy

Definitely a solid visit in RVA, nice atmosphere and manicured garden and patio. The food was also very good. Just make sure you have your reservation ready since they can be crowded.

The food is very good. Fresh high quality ingredients in every dish. The chef is Sicilian, the food reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking! The atomosphere is beautiful inside and outdoors. Great cocktails from the bar too! A favorite go to spot.

We enjoyed a lovely brunch with a wonderful quiche of the day and French toast. The drinks were great too! The lemoncello surprise was very refreshing. This restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere and beautiful garden. Highly recommend eating outside if you can.

This little restaurant is beautiful in a quiet neighborhood. Lots of outdoor seating because it's so small. But it exudes atmosphere. The service was wonderful as was the food. This was a great dining experience.

I made a reservation here a few weeks ago for my boyfriend’s 30th birthday dinner (party of 2). I used the OpenTable app and someone from the restaurant called to confirmed the day before. I loved being able to adjust easily the time as I had moved the reservation back the day before to 7:30pm. I’m always hesitant to dine at establishments (bad service, lack of menu items, etc.) close to their closing time and when I moved the reservation back I didn’t realize they closed at 9pm on Mondays. However, Portico exceeded my expectations. The hostess wished my boyfriend and happy birthday once I confirmed my name, loved that! The restaurant is beautiful and I can see why the patio is so popular. There were people dining on the patio as it was covered and looked heated. The indoor setting is very intimate so I think it’d be great for a date night! I had to take a picture of our receipt because I forgot our server’s name at the end of the night but she, Cora was great. Cora was very patient, polite, and gave great details. She also didn’t make us feel rushed once! We followed just about all of her recommendations and they didn’t miss. My boyfriend got the brown buttered old fashioned and ranked it as his all time favorite cocktail and I had the Buckshot which she recommended because I like ginger. Now Italian is the cuisine I eat the least and never really crave (I ate too much spaghetti as a kid) so I wasn’t sure what I wanted and went with Cora’s favorite dish, the gnocchi. I wanted to add a protein and took Cora’s rec for the sausage as opposed to shrimp due to the red sauce and she was right! The flavors were amazing and everything was cooked perfectly. I’ve had gnocchi 2 other times and this is by far the best. I also added a Caesar salad to my dish and it was big enough to split and was brought out before our entrees. I asked to remove the tomato’s and kept the artichoke and both my boyfriend and I agree it’s in the top 2 of best Caesar salads we’ve ever had, and we love those! My boyfriend had the NY strip steak and loved it, it was cooked and seasoned just right. We opted out of apps and desserts because we went to a HH beforehand. The portions were perfect as we both had leftovers for lunch today. I absolutely will be visiting here again when I can enjoy the patio in warmer months, 10/10 recommend!

My wife and I had the lasagna and penne bolognese. Very good food. The home made cannolis are incredible!! Omg you have to try them!

###Update### ok, just gonna put this out there. Absolutly one of the best pizzas Ive ever had! The sausage, pepperoni, the pesto, everything just freaking works! One of my absolute favorites. You wont find a more professional staff and the food is out of this world. You're gonna pay for it but its really really good. The quaint cottage feel, the outdoor pation and fireplace with the perfectly groomed grounds make this a "go-to" for celebratory meals.

Excellent high quality dishes, and the cat was the icing on the cake for this experience!

What a lovely experience! The food was exceptional and the staff were friendly and welcoming. We ordered the caprese for an appetizer and it was absolutely delicious! For entrees, we decided on penne a la vodka and baked spaghetti with meatballs - wow! Both were delicious and with large enough portions to take home. Additionally, we had the wedge salad and a caesar salad - again, very tasty. To finish the meal, I ordered the limoncello layer cake and it was delightful and light - the perfect dessert! We will definitely return soon !

I always look forward to having dinner here because it is truly an experience. Not only is the food authenticity Italian, fresh and delicious, but the atmosphere is warm, intimate and inviting . I personally enjoy the patio in the summer, but it's available all year round . I ordered the Manhattan cocktail, caprese and homemade manicotti with marinara sauce. So light and delicious. I also ordered the limoncello cake dessert. (We saved room for dessert and took home leftovers from dinner) My friend ordered eggplant puntinesca, and chocolate ice cream dessert. We will be talking about this dinner for days! Make reservations! Friendly staff and owner💕 Buon Appettito!

We had a last lunch here before leaving for California and it did not disappoint. I just wish we knew about this place sooner. Beautiful ambience and amazing service. Justin was our server and was phenomenal and the entire staff was welcoming and very warm the minute we came in. Highly recommend trying this place to enjoy great food and a nice place to unwind after a busy work week.

Quaint Italian restaurant on River Road with a full bar. We had 5:00 reservations and were seated promptly. Ordered a beautiful Chianti and some appetizers- small Caesar salad , the garlic baguette (this is a pass for next visit) and the portobello mushroom appetizer which was so flavorful I could have had it for dinner with the salad and be perfectly content. For entrees we ordered penne vodka, penne bolognese with meatballs (which were a bit spicy), baked spaghetti (!!), rosemary chicken, and lamb risotto. All were incredibly delicious and I finished my entire dish of baked spaghetti. Completely satisfying and not overly stuffed but we passed on desserts. An excellent choice if your in the Henrico area.

Portico continues to be my favorite place to dine al Fresco. The shrimp tempura and fried artichoke hearts were outstanding. Our entrees were delicious and beautifully presented. You must save room for dessert as they are celestial . The ambiance on the patio surrounded by a meticulously kept garden makes for a relaxing dinner. This is the place to go for special celebrations or when you want to pamper yourself. We’ve traveled a bit and can tell you without reservation Richmond is truly blessed to have such an epicurean delight in our own backyard!! Thanks to Paolo and his team for providing another wonderful meal

One of the best in Richmond… Food is amazing. Little expensive but it really flavorful food. Totally worth. Atmosphere is at its best. Outside seating is available with heated tent.. file place. Location.. it has a vibe. Specially during fall color, this is such a nice place.. recommend for date nights as well.

Went without reservations and the host was kind and found us a nice table with a great view to the patio. Food was great, hot and feels fresh. Beautiful place perfect for a special occasion or just because. Will definitely return.

Been to this restaurant a couple times now and the more I go, the more I like it. It's extremely small and I would say that it's a reservation only restaurant ( we made reservations 3 weeks in advance) . The food is quite good and service is always on point. They have enough diversity in the menu for most people. Most dishes will run you around $20 to $22 with the specials running around $32. The majority of the seating is out side on the back deck area. They have umbrellas heat lamps and a covered gandola which makes it cozy. Not sure what they would do if the weather set in and it started raining because so much of their seating is dependent upon the outdoor space. They have pasta on the menu that they make fresh daily you may want to ask about that cuz it's quite good this is an Italian restaurant at its heart.

My husband and I came here for dinner to celebrate his birthday and enjoyed the experience. The food was delicious - the dipping sauce for the bread is unique and very refreshing and the penne al vodka was surprisingly memorable for what is normally a simple, unassuming dish! We brought our 13-month-old with us, and the staff was very courteous and helpful. There's a small garden area nearby too, which a parent brought their child to walk around at one point during the meal, so it's quite family friendly. Prices are reasonable for the amount of food, and they have a large selection of wines, etc. There's both indoor and outdoor seating. We didn't stay past dusk, but the outdoor area does have lighting, as well as heaters, so I imagine it has a nice ambiance in the fall evenings when it's a bit cooler. I didn't see any super large tables, but there were a couple groups of 6 or so. It may be harder to accomodate larger groups without advance notice. They do take reservations, but it wasn't particularly busy when we went (around 6pm), so I don't think they're strictly necessary. This place does seem to have a bit of a following of people who come regularly, mostly on the slightly older side. Some families, but not that many single young adults or couples - at least not when we went, so it's cute and quaint and homey, but probably not trendy, if that's what you're looking for. Service was a little slow for my liking, but overall it was a good experience. If you're looking for an Italian place for a nice celebration dinner, it certainly fits the bill.

This place was flawless. The outside dining is where it is at for Portico. It was a perfect fall day, 72 degrees outside, and sunny. The food pasta was perfect. The wine was great. The service was perfect. The outside dining was perfected by the well manicured grounds. This place is a must in the spring and fall.

Great service. Amazing atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The drinks are stiff and delicious. I got the penne al vodka with meatballs and it's so delicious. My girlfriend got the lamb risotto. She is loving it. The flavors are perfect. I will definitely be coming back here 5/5

Dinner on the patio during a busy weekend and Portico was nothing short of impressive. We love the patio garden and appreciated the complimentary valet parking this weekend. The Ahi Tuna and Penne Alla Vodka were gorgeous and tasted even better. For dessert we had the limoncello cake (yum!) and our waiter surprised us with a complimentary taste of moscato to help celebrate date night. Still our favorite Richmond restaurant, great job Portico!!!

The Google Photos don't even get close to doing this place justice. We stopped in on a whim for Sunday dinner since we were nearby, woefully underdressed and without reservations. None the less, they were incredibly welcoming and we were seated on the charming patio within 10 minutes. We had drinks at the bar while we waited. Everyone was friendly start to finish. Portion sizes were huge. We'll be returning!

We were seated outside on the garden. The atmosphere was beautiful and perfect. The food marvelous and I got a Ceasar salad. We bought a bottle of wine which paired perfectly. Our waitress was so friendly, positive, and accommodating. If anyone has a negative thing to say about this place they're just a sourness. Top 3 best restaurant experiences of my life including international. Love this place ❤️

We celebrated our 35th Wedding Anniversary at Portico, and it could not have been more perfect. From the moment we arrived, the outdoor atmosphere set the tone, with just the right touch of warmth and charm. The food was nothing short of exceptional. Every dish was beautifully presented and full of flavor, clearly prepared with care and attention to detail. Each bite reminded us why Portico stands out as one of the area’s finest dining experiences. The service was equally impressive, attentive without being intrusive. Our server made us feel genuinely welcomed and celebrated, adding a personal touch that made the evening even more special. It was the ideal place to mark such a meaningful milestone in our lives. Portico exceeded our expectations in every way, and we left feeling grateful, full, and already looking forward to our next visit.

Really good food. I'm picky so 5 star food has to be exceptional. Love the atmosphere. Valet parking is required.

We loved Portico. Our server, Manny, was absolutely great, very attentive. Food was delicious. I would highly recommend, planning to return for outdoor dining when the weather is warmer.

Random brunch here w friends and nicely surprised. Patio was very comfortable and food was good but not 5 star. 3-4.... overall was a great couple of hours and would recommend.

Elias was our server, and he was friendly and offered great menu selections. The Arancini balls were crispy and filled with risotto, capers, and mozzarella, with a touch of vodka sauce. The fried artichokes were filled with goat cheese and accompanied by balsamic vinegar. The lasagna served with mixed vegetables was absolutely delicious. The lasagna was moist and the meat sauce was full of delicious flavor.

Very cute place, decent food, nice service. Had dinner here with a friend, we had reservations for 4:30 pm. We dined inside, would love to come back on the patio sometime.

I have been wanting to eat here for years. After one visit, I probably will not go back again. Here are the pros and cons. Let’s talk about cons first. Difficult to get a table, my best option was outside sitting at 5:15 PM on a October Saturday night when I made reservation one week prior. Very expensive. We ordered two appetizers, one cocktail, four entrees, one dessert, plus 17% tip (we normally tip 20% for a good service, but in this case, it would be and tax, it was $55 per person. It was too much for family dinner. Not to mention the food was not memorable. It would be fine if the dishes were better, nothing was exceptional. Lastly, the restaurant offers mandatory free valet parking. For two cars, it was an additional $10 in gratuity. Now, let’s talk about the pros. The restaurant was very charming. Outdoor tables were surrounded by herb garden and heat lamps. Service was top notch, our waiter Billy deserves a five star. My disappointment was with the food. The quality and flavor did not meet the price tag and my expectations. There is no options for vegetables, same sautéed vegetables for every dish. I ordered the Grilled Shrimp, Franco's Lobster Caper Cream Sauce was just OK. My husband had Seafood Crepe. It was an innovative dish, but did not have a wow factor. My son had Lamb Risotto, it was cooked well. The lamb was tender and full of flavors. My daughter ordered the Petite New York Steak medium well, it was bloody when cut into the steak. Our waiter Billy took the dish back immediately and gave her a Caesar salad while she waited. They cooked a new piece of steak for my daughter. The only issue was we all finished with our meals and had to wait for her. The presentation of appetizers was beautiful. We ordered the Grilled Artichoke & Crab, it was delicious! The Caprese was nothing special. Our friend we met up with ordered the special Arancine Siciliane, it looked very appetizing. Tiramisu hit the spot. This is just my opinions, you should definitely give this restaurant a try since it is so popular with locals.

Was there for brunch this time around. Nothing special at brunch. Basic breakfast was good nothing extraordinary. Bloody Mary was amazing. Service very attentive and nice. Prefer this place for romantic dinners than brunch. Nice environment and welcoming people.

This restaurant is adorable. The wait time was a little long but not too bad. The food was fabulous. My only complaint is regarding our server. He was helpful and polite during ordering but was not real attentive after the food came to the table. Didn't come back in a timely fashion to ask if we wanted another mixed drink or to check on us except for once near the end of the meal. Not a deal breaker, I will definitely return.

This restaurant had a really cute vibe. We were seated immediately according to our reservation. The staff and our server were extremely nice and attentive. Good selections of wine by the glass and the bottle. Loved the fresh baguette and the tiramisu. The portico pizza and the penne vodka sauce were ok. I have much had better Caprese salad, tomatoes did not taste as fresh. We had tiramisu and cheesecake for dessert, which was amazing.

Cute spot for date night. The majority of the dining space is outside but it’s covered and has heaters if you’re concerned about out the cold/warmer weather. We ordered the garlic bread, penne bolognese with meat balls and pizza rustica! All were delicious! The restaurant offered complimentary valet too!

The restaurant's patio is one of the best place to enjoy a nice Italian wine with thin crust pizza.. We tried their ravioli,pesto pasta and portico pizza. My fav was their pizza. Their dessert were also delicious.. They do have special on their menu and staff will brief about it well

What a cool place! A small, cooked-to- order restaurant. Loved the atmosphere. The restaurant has two sitting options, indoor and out in the garden patio. The seafood crepes were very unique. It's delicious, but a little watery. Definitely make reservations. I'm looking forward to another visit.

I had a good experience, however, the ravioli that I received was extremely salty and so was the calamari, but the calamari was more bearable than my ravioli. I did order a cocktail and it was really good and the service was good as well. I like the environment.

I would give zero stars if I could. We booked a table for 4 adults and brought our 10-week-old baby. Upon arrival, the host was incredibly condescending, lecturing us that 'a baby is a person' and therefore we were a party of 5. We didn't say anything at the time; we were hungry and just wanted to eat. ​Despite there being plenty of empty tables inside (maybe some reserved - lets give the benefit of the doubt), they proceeded to seat us outside in below-freezing temperatures. They simply turned on a patio heater, but trying to keep a newborn warm with a subpar heater in that climate is close to impossible and unsafe. We actually tried to make it work because we were hungry, but it was just too cold. ​When we finally got up to leave, the staff simply smiled. There was no solution offered, no care, and zero empathy. It felt like our business wasn’t wanted. When a business is this indifferent to a family's safety and comfort, especially with a newborn baby, makes you wonder why - we left with a really uncomfortable feeling as to why we were treated that way. Would it have been different if we were not obviously foreign looking? Absolutely disgraceful service. Save your money and go somewhere that actually values its customers.