"There’s no shortage of great Italian restaurants in North Beach, but when it comes to seafood, Portofino earns special praise. The small casual restaurant crouches on Grant Street and cultivates an old-school vibe, in a good way. There’s no website and the best, freshest options are the ones scrawled on the hand-written menu board. Order from the chalkboard list and you’ll be treated to dishes like roasted sardines; whole steaming branzino laid atop a medley of tender vegetables; and squid ink pasta tangled up with chunks of swordfish, saffron, and veggies." - Dianne de Guzman, Lauren Saria