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PortaBella Restaurant, Carmel, CA

PortaBella Restaurant

4.5
4.5
1707 Reviews
$31 to $50
French

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 34 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 1,707 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
                                                  • 4.3Value

                                                  Noise • Moderate

                                                  Diners' Choice Awards

                                                  • Monterey / Carmel

                                                    Most Booked

                                                  Review summary

                                                  AI-generated from verified diner reviews
                                                  PortaBella Restaurant offers a "wonderful dining experience" with a cozy and romantic atmosphere. Many diners rave about the "outstanding food" and "excellent service." The menu features delicious options like scallops, lobster ravioli, and crab corn bisque. It's pet-friendly and provides a memorable occasion with live music and attentive staff.

                                                  1,707 Reviews

                                                  1. Darryl

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    10 reviews

                                                    2.0

                                                    10 reviews

                                                    Dined 1 day ago

                                                    1. Overall 2
                                                    2. Food 2
                                                    3. Service 3
                                                    4. Ambience 4
                                                    Saw the good reviews and thought we’d give it a try. Caveat, we are not foodies, though we eat out reasonably frequently. The service was good, ambience was good as well. It was a Tuesday evening, but the restaurant was pretty full. Unfortunately, for us, the food was not up to our expectations. We ordered mussels (one of our favorite dishes). They were huge, tough and rubbery. The broth looked good, but had very little flavor. We ordered salmon and tagliatelle bolognese. Both were very average. We cannot recommend this restaurant.

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                                                  2. Mike

                                                    VIP

                                                    Sacramento

                                                    56 reviews

                                                    4.0

                                                    56 reviews

                                                    Dined 4 days ago

                                                    1. Overall 4
                                                    2. Food 4
                                                    3. Service 3
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Second time visiting. Ambience and atmosphere are excellent. Service was not attentive, we started with the cheese plate for which no one came and explained what the cheese options were. Mains were mixed, sea dab fish was excellent, seafood pasta had a sauce that was very cream forward. Remains a good option for dining in Carmel

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                                                  3. James

                                                    Central Coast

                                                    1 review

                                                    2.0

                                                    1 review

                                                    Dined 5 days ago

                                                    1. Overall 2
                                                    2. Food 3
                                                    3. Service 2
                                                    4. Ambience 4
                                                    Service was slow. Food was about at expectations.

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                                                  4. janet

                                                    VIP

                                                    Central Coast

                                                    4 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    4 reviews

                                                    Dined on 12 February 2025

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Dinner at Portabella was perfect; from the cozy atmosphere, a warm greeting when we arrived, wonderful service from Veronica, and undoubtedly some of the best food in Carmel, our experience was fantastic. As a part-time resident of our beautiful city, I am so happy to have this gem of a restaurant be better than ever!!

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                                                  5. Nancy

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    4 reviews

                                                    4.0

                                                    4 reviews

                                                    Dined on 10 February 2025

                                                    1. Overall 4
                                                    2. Food 3
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    We came for dinner on Super Bowl Sunday. Hoping to find a new favorite Italian restaurant. This was a nice restaurant, good service, and pleasant area.

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                                                  6. John

                                                    Denver

                                                    35 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    35 reviews

                                                    Dined on 3 February 2025

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    We celebrated my wife's 50th birthday lunch here. Carmel By the Sea is a charming town and our experience at PortaBella matched that. The food, service and atmosphere were wonderful. They had a good selection of wines by the glass, interesting cocktails and beer selection. The menu spanned California, France, Italy and the Mediterranean. My wife had the Carbonara and I the sand dabs (a flat fish from Monterey Bay like flounder). Fresh, flavorful and beautifully presented. If we lived anywhere nearby- we'd come here regularly. Thanks for making my wife's birthday very memorable for her.

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                                                  7. Christin

                                                    San Diego

                                                    4 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    4 reviews

                                                    Dined on 1 February 2025

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Always have the best visit everytime we come here. Came for my birthday with the whole family and it was a wonderful time. The food is outstanding always. Piping hot and delicious. The scallops were a dream and the crab corn bisque we can never go without ordering, even my toddlers Alfredo pasta was amazing. Surprised with a birthday dessert and guitar serenade. Consistently top notch in every way. Thank you PortaBella! We can’t wait to come back again!

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                                                  8. Joseph

                                                    VIP

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    47 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    47 reviews

                                                    Dined on 29 January 2025

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    We have dined at Portabella twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. The atmosphere is warm and cozy as is the food. I had the sand dabs and my wife had mushroom risotto. Both were excellent. The price point is moderate and the food is delicious. We will return on our next visit to Carmel.

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                                                  9. Albert

                                                    San Francisco

                                                    3 reviews

                                                    5.0

                                                    3 reviews

                                                    Dined on 26 January 2025

                                                    1. Overall 5
                                                    2. Food 5
                                                    3. Service 5
                                                    4. Ambience 5
                                                    Amazing experience from the time we opened the door until we finished dinner.

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                                                  10. Daisy

                                                    Calgary

                                                    1 review

                                                    4.0

                                                    1 review

                                                    Dined on 22 January 2025

                                                    1. Overall 4
                                                    2. Food 3
                                                    3. Service 4
                                                    4. Ambience 4
                                                    Food just ok.. Not authentic Italian food.. wont be back.

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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 1707 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 34 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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