Portofino keeps diners coming back for more

Small Greek salad at Portofino's. (Photos by Mark Gilliland)

"We stay busy; we are blessed," said Portofino's manager Rebecca Stoker as we chatted across a booth at the restaurant.

The late afternoon light poured through the front windows as a steady stream of diners poured through the front doors. Rebecca, who has worked at the restaurant for over a decade, nodded to the patrons who passed by.

She knows her customers, from the local children she has watched grow up in the restaurant to the traveling businessmen and women who stay at nearby hotels and always visit when they come to town.

An East Ridge fixture for over 24 years, Portofino's is beloved for its familiarity, but what keeps those diners coming is its versatility.

Its menu includes Italian and Greek signature concoctions, old-fashioned pizzas, and homemade soups. For example, one dish the worldly foodie may sample is the grouper Florentine, featuring oven-broiled fish topped with sautéed spinach and chopped red pepper-cream sauce, and served on a bed of rice and spinach.

Meanwhile, the families leaving soccer practice at nearby Camp Jordan are big fans of Portofino's buy-one-get-one-free pizza special, offered daily. Throughout the week, diners may also enjoy the salad and hot bar which, this time of year, showcases a different homemade soup every day.

And then, of course, there are the tried-and-true staples: baked lasagna, chicken Parmesan, dolmades and moussaka, among many others. Portofino's has, after all, had plenty of years to build its repertoire, which is as varied and inviting as the diners who visit again and again.