Portofino’s At The Arboretum

I eat here regularly. The food is on point. The pizza is great. A few items seem expensive like the clams casino. The dinner bread is good too. Tonight I had a cheesesteak. It’s probably the best in Charlotte. My only gripe is the French fries. I would like to see good regular (no added coatings for crispness) fries.

OUTSTANDING. So, Larry was my server and he was on point. I ordered the chicken piccata with capers, it was the best I've had in a minute. The place had people coming in for pickup pizzas, one of them told me the pizza were amazing. I'm pretty sure they are cause the chicken piccata with so tender and juicy, has the right amount of lemon and capers. Phenomenal, I say! Everyone was really nice and I looked a reck as it was another hot day. Hey thanks again Larry, and you were right about that chilled glass. I'll definitely be back. ***HIGHLY RECOMMENDED***

The Arboretum Portofino’s is our go-to spot for local, nearby pizza and Italian fare. The menu is what you’d expect at any Italian restaurant. Appetizers cover a wide path with classics like Mozzarella Sticks, Calamari and Bruschetta. Our favorite is the fresh Mozzarella alla Caprese. The salad menu has familiar classics but their Mixed House Salad with House Dressing is the best hands down. Loaded with vegetables and greens, you can order this in small or entree sizes. The pizzas we order are classic NY style thin crust. The sweet pizza sauce is really good. Stick to only a few toppings otherwise you could get a soggy pie. The entrees are large portions. The Chicken Parmigiana with salad and side pasta is large enough for two people. The pastas have interchangeable pasta types like Fettucine, Angel Hair, etc and interchangeable sauces like Marinara, Alfredo, Puttanesca and Vodka. Service is good and quick. We order take out here 90% of the time and it gets really crowded/busy at peak times. Parking is easy in Arboretum so no worries there. There are so many options for Italian food in Charlotte. If you’re in the area or local to Arbo, Portfino’s is a great choice.

7-11-23 was me and my sons first visit and we throughly enjoyed our pizza. He and I ordered a small pizza for each of us. When the pizzas showed up it was to our surprise Portofino’s idea of a small pizza and my idea are way two different things. What I received was a medium pizza in my mind but I was reassured it was a small. Well worth the visit. The cheese on the pizza was out of this world delicious, the sauce was good also. On 7/14/23 we went aging because my son requested it again and we had the same great experience.

I always enjoy whatever pasta dish I choose. We regularly call in our order for pick-up and I know that they're busy, but they rush and don't listen, so I always have to repeat and then look at our salads. Even when telling them that someone is allergic to carrots, we often get carrots on our salads. Not only do they disregard our preference, it could be a safety issue as well.