Ports of Italy, Boothbay Harbor

Ports of Italy delivered the best Italian meal we’ve had in years. The pasta is homemade and absolutely exceptional. We loved the lobster in vodka sauce and the ravioli stuffed with veal, mortadella, and pork, all topped with a rich cream truffle sauce—chef’s kiss. Even the Caesar salad was outstanding. The staff was helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable, making the experience even better. While it’s not inexpensive, the quality, portions, and authentic flavors make it worth every penny. This is real Italian food, and we can’t wait to return.

The service is impeccable, always prompt and knowledgeable! The mushroom cream sauce on the Veal Ravioli was delicious. I had the frutti di mare which was plentiful and fresh however I would have enjoyed a white wine or lemon caper sauce over the red marinara. Started off with the caprese which was beautifully presented

Great from start to finish. From the warm welcome at the host stand to the attentive service and unforgettable food—every detail stood out. It’s definitely a splurge, but worth every penny for an experience this memorable.

My family brought me here tonight for an early Mothers Day. My 1st time. My daughter had been here previously and was excited to see you offered Gluten Free options - I require them. We arrived at oir reservation time and were sat promptly. We had a wonderful gentleman for our server, very attentive and knowlegeable. We started with the mixed meats and cheese board and the ricotta stuffed eggplant for our table of five. I have to say, best eggplant dish I've ever had! For my entree I had the mixed seafood with red sauce over GF pasta (actually tasted like a wonderful fra diavolo sauce. ) was delicious. My daughter had the Lobster ravioli. Smelled ABSOLUTELY AMAZING - obviously that was a gluten containing dish but I couldn't help but wish they'd offered a deconstructed version over GF pasta. The gluten free chocolate torte was thankfully sweetened a bit, so much better than other, basically unsweetened GF tortes. Wonderful dinner. Wonderful service. Will return.

Ports of Italy was incredible. Amazingly flavorful food, fresh mozzarella ball that oozed yummy goodness, mouth watering homemade pasta, sauces beyond deliciousness. Service was top notch with a pleasant atmosphere. Reserve a table and take your favorite person. You’ll not be disappointed!

We love this place! That's why we were so disappointed when we went there for my wife's birthday and they did nothing despite it being a milestone birthday! But they sang happy birthday to another woman at a different table. Also, our waiter was just not good. He spilled part of a drink and didn't clean it and he was not attentive in general. The food was great however!

Vacationing in Boothbay, and at the top of our favorite restaurants is Ports of Italy, this place is not to be missed if you love Italian cuisine. Very popular with the locals and the tourists, be smart and make a reservation, especially over the weekend so you will not be disappointed. They are open 7 days a week 4:30-8:00. We had an early reservation and was taken to our table and immediately approached by our waiter, given water, he told us the specials and gave us time to look over the menu. We received a paper bag of warm, delicious rustic bread and olive oil dipping sauce, so good. After ordering, our food arrived in a timely fashion right from the kitchen. I ordered the veal ravioli in a mushroom cream sauce, let me tell you my choice was just delicious and very rich and filling. Husband ordered Osso Buco sitting on top of a rich broth and risotto, what a great presentation and my husband enjoyed it tremendously! Our waiter was very attentive to us and good at his job. The busboys were so nice and took good care of our needs. This place is a cut above the rest and they are popular and have a cult following!! Highly recommend coming here, a little pricey but so worth the experience. Bob and Debbie/ Mich

Amazing food, great staff and wonderful atmosphere. We stumbled upon this gem on a first time trip to Boothbay. Quite possibly the best Italian restaurant we’ve ever eaten at. The lobster Ravioli was fantastic, delicious black truffle risotto was one of a kind, and deserts all made on sight lived up to the hype. The best part was the staff was very attentive and responsive to our allergy concerns. Would definitely recommend this to anyone in the area.

My wife and I dined here in December after Gardens Aglow. The town was very quiet but the restaurant was busy, which was a good sign. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the food was absolutely delicious and the service was first rate. The menu was perfect since I love seafood and my wife is not a fan. There was enough to choose from for both of us. One note; make reservations. I'm not sure if December is off season for them or not but by the time we left, around 7:30, the dining room was pretty full. Can't imagine what it's like when the tourist seasons starts. There may be a wait but it's worth it.

After days of seafood we needed a break. Decided on this place after reading the reviews. The interior has a dim cozy feel, very welcoming. Our server was very attentive and the water guy was all over it. If you took a drink he was back to fill it up. For dinner we ordered the Fruiti di Mare, seafood, marinara, over black ink noodles. The other entree was the lobster and ricotta ravioli in a pink sauce. Ok, we did not stray far from the seafood. Both plates were good but could have used a bit more spice. Very light on the garlic. We tend to like spicy food but that's a personal preference. I would return and recommend this place.

Cannot sing the praises of this place enough. The outside is misleading - the inside is pure chic. Everything from the tables to the lighting to the menus. It's definitely not the place to go if you're grabbing a sandwich and hitting the road but if you're spending time with family and want a comfortable spot to spend a couple hours catching up and lavishing in some delicious food this is it. The staff is adorable - some of the sweetest and most attentive waiters I've encountered. This place definitely has a family feel and is very refined and orderly. The food was to die for - every single thing ordered by my party was delicious (we all did espresso martinis, wine, lobster pasta, salmon filet, caprese, and tiramisu for the table). The bill was what you would expect for a good quality experience but if you have the means and desire to try someplace new this was a 5 star experience for me and mine.

Went for New Year's Eve dinner. Very well decorated and a great atmosphere. All of the food was fabulous. Prepared as ordered. It was a great experience.

My wife and I dined at Ports of Italy during our last night in the Boothbay Harbor area. The restaurant is very well decorated so It definitely has a higher end ambiance than many of the local establishments; at least one wedding party appeared to be having a gathering there so the crowd was on the dressier side (though I also saw patrons with sandals and t-shirts...it is a harbor). It was quite busy on a Friday so I would say reservations are advisable. We were seated promptly and the server was very gracious, recounting the specials of the day and making recommendations. My wife got the rollatini di melanzane as a starter and I sampled it as well; it was excellent and the highlight of the meal. For the main course wife and I opted for classic Italian pasta options, tagliatelle all bolognese for me and fettuccini verdi for her. As advertised the pasta was fresh, though mine had some unevenly chewy spots; the bolognese was good though not as flavorful as I would have expected. My wife had similar sentiments on her dish. Overall it was a nice meal so definitely worth a try if you're in the area and craving Italian in a nicer setting.

This place was a pleasant surprise. Decided to give it a shot after looking at some more mediocre places in town. While it may in fact come off as a tourist trap, the food is decent and the service is excellent. Biggest surprise of the night -- one of best espresso martini's on the East coast (I know!). Gave it an extra star for that one.

We arrived 7-10 minutes ahead of our reservation time and were told they were cleaning our table. After waiting 6-9 minutes I asked what table was being cleaned as several people had been seated after we arrived. The maitre d said they had reservations before us and basically said if I did not like it to go elsewhere. I considered our options and told him we would wait and we soon were seated. Fortunately the remainder of experience was far better though not perfect. I ordered spaghetti alla vongole that proved to be disappointing as the clams were farm raised and apparently only added to the sauce immediately prior to being served. There was far too much olive oil in sauce and too little clam flavor. My wife saved the night by ordering fettuccine verdi alla Carolina (homemade spinach pasta with seared chicken breast, sundried tomatoes, fresh spinach and light cream) that was outstanding. Service once we were seated proved to be excellent. We'll be back on our next trip with the intention of arriving a few minutes late for our reservation, skipping the salad course and both requesting the fettuccine verdi alla Carolina.

Very friendly service. Host was very accommodating. Food was good. Ambiance was very comfortable. Would go back again.

We had a strong recommendation for Ports of Italy and it did not disappoint. I can personally recommend Chitarrucci Neri Ai Frutti Di Mare. With homemade black ink, spaghetti, shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamari, and little neck clams in a delicious red sauce, this dish will definitely satisfy the lover of seafood and Italian food. The seafood was cooked perfectly, as was the pasta. The red sauce was a great blend with garlic and herbs. You might want to hold on to some of the delicious bread that is served before the meal, since you will want to mop up every last bit of that sauce. If I enjoyed the meal so much, why did I only give four stars? The wine list, while extensive, was also expensive; I appreciate that this markup is a necessary evil for running a restaurant, but ratio here is a bit off. Still, I will return for the food.

My family and I ate here twice during our stay. The fruti de mare was worth every bite. Wait staff very friendly and helpful.

Ports of Italy is amazing!! The food is absolutely delicious, all of the pasta is homemade! The service is great, professional and authentic. The ambiance is very upscale without feeling posh. Our waiter looked at our reservation and wished us a happy anniversary which was very personable. From the homemade bread to the antipasto, entrees, and dessert everything was incredible. Always recommend!

We had the Oysters Rockefeller special as an appetizer and I got the Lobster Ravioli. Wait staff was friendly, informative, and the food was delicious!

Great homemade pasta dishes and friendly service compliment a wonderful dinner after a day of exploring the Boothbay area.

Everything is done right in this lovely restaurant. From the hostess to the yummy bread and olive oil, it's just perfect. They have a great wine list and the waitress was very friendly, on top of everything and knowledgeable. Plus - she makes all of the amazing deserts in house. The tiramisu was phenomenal! Highly recommended!

For being an upscale Italian restaurant the food was only okay. Overpriced and not prepared at a high standard we expected. For an upscale Italian restaurant we expected a much better wine list highlighting Italian wines. The staff didn't seem like they cared if we were there or not. The hostess barely made eye contact and acted like it was an imposition to seat us. Our waiter was attentive but never acted like he was happy to serve us. It was late September and cooler temperatures so the dining room was much cooler than we anticipated. Long story short, we have had much better and cheaper meals at our local Olive Garden.

This was a nice restaurant, service was good (waiter started off a little standoffish, but then warmed up) Food was very good, somewhat expensive and smaller portions than we anticipated.

On vacation here in Maine and were told we MUST experience Ports Of Italy. Did not disappoint. We called for a reservation but were told they couldn't accommodate us until later in the evening but that there were 2 seats at the bar they could hold for us for 10 minutes. We couldn't have been happier. Our bartender- Kathleen was absolutely fantastic. She made recommendations and was friendly and proficient in both making drinks and serving bar patrons. We had a wonderful meal and pleasant conversation. Can't wait to go back!

Such a Treasure. Jeff has found such a magical formula. The staff and service is flawless, lead this evening by Betty. The Negroni, lady slipper cocktail and Amarone style wine all perfect. The fresh pasta is distinctly superb. Never had eggplant rollatini nor white clam dinner so delicious. Burrata and Spek app so savory. Just YUM.

Our second time dining at Ports of Italy, and happy to report it was just as good as last season. In fact, they did some remodeling to the dining room and it is even nicer. I was not expecting this caliber of Italian food in a seasonal town in Maine, but we've found the pasta dishes to be excellent. Burrata appetizer was great as well as the desserts. Service was friendly and competent all around. This was our best meal on both visits to Boothbay Harbor. I would not hesitate to book this. Be sure to have a reservation as the place is hopping.

Good food but, oh the noise! When one visits a fine restaurant it's both the food and the way it is served that tickles the taste buds. I shan't trifle with your opinion about the food, it is superb. Everyone agrees that it is superb. Unfortunately, it's also very loud in this upstairs restaurant. Everyone agrees that it's a very noisy place. Don't ask me to give acoustical suggestions for I have none. That's up to the owner to figure out. Good food served loudly.

Probably the best eatery in Maine, and we lived there for over 40 years. Truly authentic Italian cooking, fantastic service, and a very nice ambiance. Would go again in a heartbeat.

Food, service, ambiance all stellar. Eating at the bar was a real treat. Delicious and innovative cocktails, amazing capresse salad in taco bowl, and both ravioli entrees were scrumptious. Thank you Jeff Teel for a wonderful birthday evening!

We made a last minute reservation here for after Gardens Aglow and were thrilled with our choice. We actually enjoyed our table tucked in the far corner of the lounge/bar by a window. Our server was wonderful, and her marvelous Italian as she described dishes really added to our enjoyment. We started with a glass of red wine (on special), which was dry and delicious, though I don't recall the name. The focaccia bread was soft and full, and dipped in olive oil that had bits of olives in it, was absolutely delicious. We shared a PORTS CAPRESE salad, very nice served in a "bowl" made from a parmesan crisp (!). (See photo.) For entree my husband chose SPAGHETTI ALLE VONGOLE and it was delicious. It seemed a small portion of, but he was very satisfied. I chose a special entree, which was wide homemade noodles topped with thin slices of duck and a gorgeous sauce. Just divine. For our last course we shared LIMONCELLO CAKE with cappuccinos, and we felt it was perfect. Everything is made in house, which is impressive. We are delighted to find a new favorite place and look forward to returning when it's light and we can enjoy the charming view of Boothbay Harbor.

Our favorite restaurant in Boothbay. Food is great and service is excellent. My favorite disk is ink pasta with lots of seafood.

My wife and I were looking for a change from the local seafood cuisine. What an absolute joy to find such good Italian food in an unlikely area! We chose to dine here early on a Tuesday night and had 5:15pm reservations. Primarily because they had no other time available until 8pm. If you plan to dine here, I highly recommend making a reservation a couple of days in advance. Grab free street parking nearby or park in the lot directly behind the restaurant. The restaurant was warm and inviting and already bustling with an eclectic mix of people. The host took our names, politely acknowledged our reservation and seated us at a perfect corner table for two. Our server, Ricardo, came by shortly with menus and was attentive and helpful throughout the meal. He presented us with the specials of the day. We ordered a bottle of Rosso (outstanding and a terrific value), while we reviewed the menus. In the meantime, another server came by with fresh bread and some absolutely delicious olive oil. When Ricardo returned, we ordered our meals: Rollatini Di Melanzane, Insalata Di Cesare, Chitarrucci Neri AI Frutti Di Mare, Ossobuco Con Risotto Funghi. First out was the salad. A delicious Caesar, with shaved parmesan croutons and olives. A nice twist on a simple Caesar. Next was the Rollatini. Oh my. The eggplant was so thin and perfectly cooked, just enough to hold in the melt in your mouth fresh ricotta. My mouth is watering as I think about it. Entrees followed shortly after. The black pasta with seafood was really good. It had shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and clams all on top of a bed of black pasta, with just the right amount of sauce. The Ossobuco was crazy good! It's a perfectly cooked pork shank on a bed of risotto. The kicker is the small amount of pesto that is dolloped on top. I wasn't expecting it, but it added a perfect elevation to the pork. What a treat! By the time we had finished our mains, we were far too full to entertain a dessert menu, although everything we saw come out of the kitchen looked stunning! All in all, just a wonderful evening at Ports of Italy. Grazie!

We made our annual dinner pilgrimage from NH to dine with you. Let me start by saying as always the food and service was outstanding. Our server Betty was outstanding. 2 of us ordered your specials Monday night. We were shocked when we got the bill at the cost of these. Just an FYI from someone who has worked many years in the restaurant field when a nighty special is read it should end with the cost. The halibut etc etc for $46.00. Yes you can say we could have asked but I never been to a restaurant that doesn't share pricing up front. The side of pasta was 16.00. The portion was all of 2 bites. Tried to reach out to them but no response.

I could go on and on but this restaurant is one of the best Italian restaurants we ever visited or hope to visit. Authentic, so don't expect chicken parmesan. Check out the menu before you go. Waitstaff is five star, too. Def not a tourist trap.

The food was all very good. We got the Caesar salad, lobster ravioli, spaghetti, and gnocchi followed up with lemochello cake. The service was pretty good. However, it was so loud, we had to yell at each other at the table to hear each other.

Great location and space! We really enjoyed our dinner here! There's only one bartender so drinks took a bit longer but everything else was amazing. Our server brought out fresh bread and the Cesar salad was exceptional! The staff is amazing and all super knowledgeable! I wish my pasta was a little more seasoned or had Parmesan cheese on it but that's just me being picky!

Good stuff all around. Good service good food and it smells great in there. I look forward to going back.

The food and service is always awesome. I got their cannoli and pasta bolognese. For the beverages, I got sparkling water and a Bellini.

Best restaurant in town by a mile! Waiter had swagger, borderline arrogance, but in a good way. He knew what he was talking about with wine pairings (cause I never do) and kept my drink full as much as he could. Suckling pig was nothing short of the best pork dish I've ever had. Incredible food. Chill ambience with a crowd that respects the fine dining experience. No one was annoyingly loud, which, surprisingly does happen in Boothbay.

Always such a fantastic experience at Ports of Italy. Not a huge menu but everything that is on the menu is always done right! Make sure to ask what the specials are in case they forget to tell you because there's always something good on special for the evening. The bocci ball is my go to cocktail & actually one of my favorite cocktails of all time! Definitely try it! I am also absolutely in love with the ossobucco dish!

Love this place food is always fantastic only thing that keeps me off of 5 stars is that ever since remodel it's so loud you can't even hear yourself think so some people may be turned off by that but it's definitely worth dealing with to get the fantastic food!!

This place was well recommended to me and my wife. Our meal and service was exceptional. My wife enjoyed her birthday dinner.

SO happy we found this place. We've been to Boothbay a handful of times but tonight was our first stop at Ports of Italy. 10/10 food and drinks. Service was amazing and we felt very welcome. We actually ended up going back 2 hours later for coffee, cocktails and dessert after walking around. Can't wait to go back!

Really great food and nice atmosphere. Don't miss out if you're craving Italian and are in the area.

We got the squid ink pasta and there was literally a beetle crawling around in our food. After I told him, the manager told us the replacement dish would be comp'd but then refused when the bill came. Sick to my stomach, do not eat here. Our server Pasha sang opera which was nice but certainly does not compensate for BUGS in your food. Update: The owner is now harassing me in my DMs calling me a "cesso" which based on my google search loosely translates to "toilet" which is ironic because his restaurant is an absolute cesspool.

What an excellent find here in Boothbay Harbor! Great change of pace from the traditional Maine seafood joints but still using lots of seafood. Lobster ravioli is a standout. Wife had the Cornish hen which was cooked perfectly. Daughter had the gnocchi which she loved. Sautéed spinach side simple and tasty (and made us at least feel like we were eating healthy). Tiramisu for dessert. Sat at the bar and the bartender/waitress was excellent. Highly recommend!

Meh. All the food was just fine. Nothing was bad but nothing was really good either. We got the frutti di mare (everything tasted the same- no differentiation between the seafoods), fettuccini (chicken was ridiculously dry), angolotti di vitello (this was the only truly good dish), and lobster ravioli (sauce was a little too sweet). The service and cold and unwelcoming. Looking at you, Tony.

Got a last minute reservation for Saturday night. What a great dinner and experience. I loved the salad in the delicateparmesan bowl. Fish special delicious haddock. Atmosphere was festive perfect for two people on vacation to feel in the midst of it:)

the restaurant has many excellent points, and many not so excellent... ambiance is very nice, almost formal, a bit of a noise problem, some tables looked cramped, but all in all ambiance is cozy. Very nice bread with dipping oil is provided. The big thing lacking is the menu, there is no eggplant parmesan or chicken parmesan with side of pasta marinara, in fact no pasta as a side...just big giant bowls of pasta entre's. Tried the pasta rigatoni Norma, which list eggplant pieces mixed in, this came out as a very hot almost overheated, jumble, with a dark brownish sauce from the eggplant cooking in it, pasta was "hard" from too much heating, maybe preheating...not a good one. The Caesar salad had very hard croutons, and a super creamy dressing, with whitish romaine, no nice dark romaine. The caprese salad in parmesan crusted bowl, is good, a bit wilted maybe from being made in advance, but very good. Cannoli was excellent. All in all, we'll be back when they improve the menu to authentic Italian, adding eggplant parmesan, or chicken parmesan. The pasta with clams was only listed with a white sauce. It would be nice to see a marinara, or pomodoro with a spaghetti option, even one where shrimp could be added on top, or other seafood. So, this was all lacking. Much room for menu improvement. Service is very good.

WOW! This place was a nice surprise! Wait staff was on point and food was delicious! I would highly recommend eating here. Pasta was a little Al dente but it worked with the meal. The cream sauce could have easily been too rich, but they pulled back just in time.

Drinks were perfect, the caprese salad was delicious served in a fried parmsean cheese bowl. Our main dishes were perfect. There were six of us and no one had a clean plate. Desserts were yummy. Great service, very hospitable.

I've dined at Ports of Italy a couple of times now. It's a nice change from the usual Maine fare (which I love but there really can be too much of a good thing, right?). Obvs it's Italian so that's why you come here. And you won't be disappointed with the food or drink. The restaurant can get very busy and the space can feel a little cramped and very noisy. I think some more soft furnishings or wall hangings would help to suppress the noise. There is a bar with a small seating area - I love to eat at a bar but have never been able to get in there, even when selecting that option on Resy. All in all though, if you enjoy good Italian cuisine and feel like a change from the usual suspects for dinner, then this should be your next port of call!

An amazing restaurant! The best Italian restaurant outside of Milan or Umbria here in Maine!

We've eaten here several times, and it has always been delicious food in a moderate atmosphere. Service is professional, ambience is decent, except for once when we were there, a drunk kid puked on the way to the toilet. Not management's fault, but this group was a little too rowdy for a restaurant, much more appropriate for a bar. I was expecting the manager to kick them out long before.

My husband and I stopped in for an early dinner. We shared the Lobster Ravioli and Veil Osso Buco. The bread that I read so much about wasn't as fresh as it was for others. It was very dense and dry but because we skipped lunch we ate it. The final piece was when discovered what it should have all tasted like. It seems our bread was just stale. The Veil had great flavor and was tender and the risotto almost perfect but the lobster ravioli was not very flavorful and the pasta was a little too thick and a little chewy. I was disappointed because it had great reviews and I was expecting better. Maybe I caught it on an off day. I would 100% recommend the Veil though.

Our food was amazing. My husband had the Halibut special and I had a pasta dish. The wine recommendation was also excellent as was the service. We had a coffee and cheesecake for dessert which was also stellar. We had a reservation and we're seated immediately and they also acknowledged our anniversary. We thought the prices were reasonable for the quality of the food. Highly recommend!