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PortaBella Restaurant, Carmel, CA

PortaBella Restaurant

4.5
4.5
1679 Reviews
$31 to $50
French

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 75 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
Our cuisine features beautiful specialties from France, Italy and Spain. The dishes are rich in color and flavor.
PortaBella is picturesque: awarded First Prize for Beautiful Flowerscaping from the Carmel Garden Club.

The ambience is stylish and romantic, the setting historic

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French, European
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (831) 624-4395
  • Website
    http://www.portabellacarmel.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

Featured in

Menu

All of our ingredients are local and freshly picked. Corkage Fee $30

Appetizers and Soups

  • Roasted Corn and Crab BisqueUS$7.00

    Brioche croutons and chives

    • CupUS$7.00
    • BowlUS$13.00

  • Portabella Cream of Mushroom SoupUS$7.00

    drizzled with truffle oil and chives

    • CupUS$7.00
    • BowlUS$13.00

  • Hummus with Pita BreadUS$9.00

    Garbanzo bean dip, tahini, lemon, cumin, pine nuts, zatar

    • Jumbo Lobster RavioliUS$16.00

      With tomato basil cream sauce

      • Prosciutto di Parma con CrostiniUS$15.00

        Shaved parmigiano reggiano, extra virgin olive oil, arugula, grilled ciabatta bread

        • Beef Tenderloin CarpaccioUS$15.00

          truffle oil, extra virgin olive oil, shaved Parmesan, capers and arugula

          • Skewered Grilled Jumbo PrawnsUS$16.00

            Marinated in olive oil, garlic, lemon, served with lemon herb aioli

            • Steamed Mussels au Vin BlancUS$17.00

              garlic confit, shallots, parsley, thyme and butter served with homemade fries

              • Assiette de FromageUS$22.00

                Assorted cheeses- Bleu d'Auvergne, Petit Basque, Chamembert le Chatelain, Local Goat Cheese Crottim Served with Cabernet onion jam and croutons

                Salads

                • Classic Caesar SaladUS$14.00

                  Croutons, shaved parmesan, anchovies

                  • Flambé Jumbo Shrimp SaladUS$18.00

                    grapefruit wedges, avocado, cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin seeds, mixed greens, orange segments, honey tarragon vinaigrette

                    • Tricolor Organic Baby Beet SaladUS$15.00

                      raspberries, mixed greens, sunflower seeds, Roquefort blue cheese, tarragon vinaigrette

                      • Smoked Salmon with Pistachio Herb Goat Cheese SaladUS$18.00

                        mixed greens, asparagus, orange wedges, honey tarragon vinaigrette

                        Sandwiches & Burgers

                        All of our sandwiches and burgers are served with our house salad or Homemade Fries

                        • Avocado Chicken SandwichUS$16.00

                          Marinated chicken breasts, Swiss Cheese, tomato, Greens, Garlic Aioli, ciabatta

                          • Croque MonsieurUS$17.00

                            traditional French ham and Swiss cheese sandwich, baked to perfection

                            • Vegetarian Croque MonsieurUS$16.00

                              mixed wild mushroom, tomatoes and basil

                              • Blue Cheese BurgerUS$17.00

                                Angus beef, Roquefort cheese, caramelized onions, greens and tomatoes

                                • Avocado Mushroom Swiss BurgerUS$18.00

                                  Angus beef, garlic aioli, greens and tomatoes

                                  Entrées

                                  • Classic Wild Mushroom RisottoUS$26.00

                                    Wild mushrooms, Arborio rice, winter truffle, Parmigiano Reggiano

                                    • Grilled King SalmonUS$27.00

                                      Swiss chard, Yukon mashed potato, Beurre Blanc chive sauce

                                      • Oven Braised Short RibsUS$28.00

                                        eight hours slow-cooked short ribs in a Merlot wine reduction, Mixed local mushrooms, Yukon mashed potato and seasonal vegetables

                                        • Lemon Dijon Garlic ChickenUS$25.00

                                          Roasted Mary's Organic Chicken Breast, Vegetables, Whole Grain Mustard lemon Sauce, golden Yukon mashed potatoes

                                          • Monterey Bay Sand Dabs FishUS$26.00

                                            lemon caper sauce, seasonal vegetables, Yukon mashed potatoes

                                            • Fresh Tuscan Pappardelle al PomodoroUS$22.00

                                              With sauteed wild mushrooms, artichoke hearts, English peas, basil in homemade marinara sauce

                                              • Pappardelle alla BologneseUS$26.00

                                                traditional slow-cooked Italian tomato-meat sauce

                                                • Linguine ai Frutti di MareUS$31.00

                                                  Jumbo prawns, mussels, local calamari, lobster cream broth, basil, over fresh linguine

                                                  Last updated: 8 September 2023

                                                  What 1,679 people are saying

                                                  Overall ratings and reviews

                                                  Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                                                  4.5
                                                  4.5 based on recent ratings
                                                  • 4.5Food
                                                  • 4.4Service
                                                  • 4.6Ambience
                                                  • 4.2Value

                                                  Noise • Moderate

                                                  Diners' Choice Awards

                                                  • Monterey / Carmel

                                                    Most Booked

                                                  Review summary

                                                  AI-generated from verified diner reviews
                                                  PortaBella Restaurant in Carmel is celebrated for its "splendid management," "delicious food," and "great service." Guests praise the "cozy atmosphere" and "attentive staff," making it a "must-do" dining experience. While some mention noise and occasional service issues, the "flawlessly-prepared dishes" and "lovely ambiance" ensure a memorable visit.

                                                  1,679 Reviews

                                                  1. RockyP

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    8 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    8 reviews

                                                    Dined today

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Great food and service. Really great hospitality.

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                                                  2. Karin

                                                    VIP

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    43 reviews

                                                    2.0

                                                    43 reviews

                                                    Dined 2 days ago

                                                    1. Overall 2
                                                    2. Food 2
                                                    3. Service 4
                                                    4. Ambience 1
                                                    Portabella has been our long time favorite. This was our 25th year dining here on Christmas Eve. We have wonderful memories with our family and friends. Sadly the new management has changed the overall dining experience. The warmth and decorum is gone, and the once outstanding food is now mediocre. We will not return. ☹️

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                                                  3. Danelle

                                                    VIP

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    73 reviews

                                                    4.0

                                                    73 reviews

                                                    Dined 3 days ago

                                                    1. Overall 4
                                                    2. Food 4
                                                    3. Service 4
                                                    4. Ambience 4
                                                    We had not been to Porta Bella in all our years coming to Carmel. We are glad we finally did. The salmon was fresh and delicious. Our server was quite competent. The atmosphere was cozy. It is a short walk to our hotel, La Playa.

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                                                  4. Nicole

                                                    Los Angeles

                                                    1 review

                                                    5.0

                                                    1 review

                                                    Dined 5 days ago

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 4
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Our dinner was very nice and the service was great. It’s a quaint little spot with a nice outdoor patio. We started with the cheese plate - which was lovely and a mushroom soup. Our main dishes were the sanddabs, seafood pasta, salmon and the bolognese pasta. Everything was delicious except for the kids pizza my nephew ordered. It wasn’t good and the waiter noticed my nephew didn’t eat any of it so he took it off of our bill (we didn’t ask). Overall nice meal and great service.

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                                                  5. RitaM

                                                    VIP

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    6 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    6 reviews

                                                    Dined 6 days ago

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    We’ve admired this restaurant while walking by it for years but we usually eat brunch and not lunch at Carmel-by-the-Sea. This time we had out-of-town relatives visiting us with their dog so I found this restaurant on Fido.com. We enjoyed the food and service at Portabella. We had a dog and were seated in the covered back patio on this drizzly day.

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                                                  6. Jackie

                                                    Central Coast

                                                    1 review

                                                    5.0

                                                    1 review

                                                    Dined 7 days ago

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    I always make sure to stop here when visiting carmel. The food is delicious, my server was wonderful. I was there with my pup, everyone was so kind to her, and it helps they have a puppy menu. The manager, Richard, was so kind to us, and absolutely delightful. We'll be back! Hugs, Jackie and Lola

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                                                  7. Karl

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    1 review

                                                    5.0

                                                    1 review

                                                    Dined on 19 December 2024

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    lobster ravioli was good and so was the complimentary bread and pesto

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                                                  8. Izzy

                                                    Washington DC

                                                    3 reviews

                                                    4.0

                                                    3 reviews

                                                    Dined on 2 December 2024

                                                    1. Overall 4
                                                    2. Food 3
                                                    3. Service 4
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Food is fine, not worth the price. Portions are big

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                                                  9. Lisa

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    12 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    12 reviews

                                                    Dined on 1 December 2024

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Wonderful evening….so nice to enjoy it all, the food was excellent, the scallops were light delicate and tasty, just wish we had more than 4. We paired with the carbonara, which was very nice. They added mushrooms which actually was a nice not strong addition. The ambience was lovely, relaxing and the noise levels were low, we could actually have a quiet conversation. Strolling guitar was a nice touch too

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                                                  10. Katie

                                                    New York City

                                                    3 reviews

                                                    3.0

                                                    3 reviews

                                                    Dined on 27 November 2024

                                                    1. Overall 3
                                                    2. Food 3
                                                    3. Service 4
                                                    4. Ambience 3
                                                    Crab bisque & lamb osso bucco were ok but linguine di mare was sub par (very stingy on the shellfish). Definitely trading on its location.

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                                                  FAQs

                                                  PortaBella Restaurant does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. PortaBella Restaurant also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 624-4395.

                                                  PortaBella Restaurant is rated 4.5 stars by 1679 OpenTable diners.

                                                  Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                                                  Make a booking

                                                  2 people
                                                  19:00
                                                  Booked 75 times today

                                                  Order delivery or takeout

                                                  Google Map for PortaBella Restaurant

                                                  Ocean Ave and Monte Verde, Carmel, CA 93921

                                                  Additional information

                                                  • Area
                                                    Carmel
                                                  • Hours of Operation
                                                    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:30 pm
                                                  • Price
                                                    $31 to $50
                                                  • Cuisines
                                                    French, European
                                                  • Dining style
                                                    Casual Elegant
                                                  • Dress code
                                                    Business Casual
                                                  • Parking details
                                                    Street Parking
                                                  • Payment Options
                                                    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
                                                  • Additional
                                                    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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