Il Pitosforo In Portofino

An unforgettable experience of cuisine and service in an elegant setting overlooking the Portofino pier.

On a day that only on the calendar was autumnal, we decided to try this restaurant. The staff was excellent, attentive, and the wine glass pairing was excellent. The food paid homage to Liguria, with a sublime appetizer. We were only sorry we couldn't thank the chef personally, even though he came out several times to chat with the next table. Should I perhaps return?

Stanely Tucci steered us wrong on this one! In his series, this chef and restaurant came off as farm to table. In reality it couldn't be a less earthy experience. Not only is it pretentious and overpriced, but we were charged for a 2nd bottle of water we didn't order or receive. Huh? I read this happened to another reviewer. The service was attentive but our server spoke like a mouse. We were forced to lip read. We filled in the questions ahead of time with our booking, yet no one was aware we are vegetarian or that my husband has an egg allergy. The staff did not prepare themselves.

It's time to set the record straight. This restaurant is the best in Portofino! So yes, it's not for everyone's budget, but those who complain about the quality of the food or the prices have missed the point and should return to the tourist traps further down. From start to finish, we had a wonderful time. We opted for the à la carte menu, and it was perfect! We really liked the nod to the meal with the desserts offered according to the dishes we tasted. And oh my god! The purple potato as an appetizer, what a treat!!!

I returned last night, September 23, after a year. Unfortunately, I feel like the quality of the experience has significantly deteriorated: the dishes were decent, but I found a thorn in the grouper and an inedible part of the cuttlefish. Not to mention the wine pairing: €180 for four glasses of what should represent excellent wines from around the world, and I was served two Italian wines out of four (which were also very superficially presented). The background music, featuring Italian classics, was truly deafening.

A wonderful experience. The young staff was very attentive, but never overbearing. We knew Chef Mattia by reputation, and he lived up to our expectations. We opted for the slightly longer tasting menu. Everything was perfect!!!

An excellent dinner with simple ingredients, beautifully prepared and presented! The atmosphere is refined, elegant, but not stuffy. The young chef Mattia Pecis and his team are excellent. The service was also excellent. Highly recommended!

Beautiful place, refined and carefully prepared dishes if it weren't for a miserable thorn in a dish, it really can happen, but we are at Cracco's, not Giovannino the greengrocer's. Not a star-worthy experience, but an experience nonetheless.