I thought this place was fantastic. They are popular and it's easy to see why. Our server was attentive and really lovely, I think his name was Andrew. We got a couple apps, entrees and a dessert and all of it was delicious and interesting. I had the gnocchi and it was the perfect consistency, soft and melty, and I loved the flavors and play of texture. I also really enjoyed the zero proof beverage menu. Portland is kinda killing it in general in this way, but I loved the NA-groni ~ a really brave choice for the bar to offer something with such a bold bitter flavor, but so glad I went for it. The presentation and atmosphere were also just beautiful, thoughtful and unusual. Will be going back for special occasions. I love the dark and artsy feel, they kept the music at a reasonable volume and allowed conversation to take precedence. I do recommend making a reservation but they did a decent job of getting us a table last minute on a Friday night, and we perused a nearby shop while we waited to be called (via text). Will be going back for sure. read more

It was "ok" For all of the hype. Meh. The sommelier was lovely. She helped us with more than wine. And it was a good start. And then it just became mediocre. We had the artichoke with tapenade. Minimal flavor The scallops were good, but the lentils upon which they were served were room temperature. The lamb shank was almost obscene for the restaurant and the risotto upon which is was served the as tasteless. No salt. No flavor. The wine was delicious and slightly over priced. Would not go back when other options are close by and available. read more

Had a fantastic dinner at Via Vecchio. Loved the fried artichokes, short ribs and shrimp pasta. Our server Ashley was wonderful. Very helpful with the wine and menu choices. read more

Second time visit was not as good as the first. Short rib pasta dish was very salty and drowning in the gravy. Service was good and overall ambiance was pleasant. They charge extra for bread which was not worthy of the splurge. Will try again in hopes of a better experience. Come early or plan to wait for a table. read more

My husband and I went here for our anniversary. We arrived early for our reservation which was no problem. The person who waited on us was very personable and made great recommendations. The food was prompt, pretty and delicious. The set list they were playing was also lovely and featured some of my favorite oldies like Nancy Sinatra. The lighting was low, but everything still very visible and who doesn't like a beautiful bathroom with ring lights around the mirrors. read more

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When I learned, in advance of my dinner here, that Via Vecchia was affiliated with Blyth & Burrows, I was pretty sure I was in for an enjoyable evening... and I was. The atmosphere and seating here, especially in the back, is festive. The servers are animated, professional, and great with whom to chat. While I liked the cocktail list, I was even more impressed with the wine list, which included some less common types of Italian wines I've come to enjoy frequently over the past year. Dinner options vary in size from small to large plates, and you don't have as many options as you might have at other Italian restaurants, but you don't need quantity when you have quality. My group selected items from all over the menu, and we were generally pleased with everything, though a little more "meh" about the Pizzettes. Many of the larger desserts are in the $12-$13 range, but I was probably just as satisfied with my vanilla gelato at $5, which was very rich and creamy and perhaps some of the best vanilla gelato I have ever had. Some of the folks in my dinner group had spent additional time at their bar over the weekend, filling their Negroni Passport. Overall, our time spent here over the course of the weekend was time and money well spent. read more

Via Vecchia - Lumache pasta with chili braised pork - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Very nice place in old port area. Plenty of people come here so reservations are a must . Seating is very spacious, dimly lit and relaxing . Signature cocktails are excellent. The Negroni selection is interesting and well designed as a theme . Small plate of octopus was outstanding, fresh and cooked perfectly. Pasta dishes were exceptional as well . I had the Italian coffee and cheesecake for desert. We will be back . read more

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Wonderful dining experience at Via Vecchia. Attentive and personable server. Food was spectacular. Pasta plates and small plate of meatballs were delicious. Caesar salad was among the best I've had. Beautiful cozy dining room. A super memorable meal. read more

Wonderful dinner this evening. The Lumache pasta entree was delicious, perfectly cooked Al dente. Bolognese was fresh and tasty. Warm focaccia with olive oil, yum! Ate outside and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Highly recommend for attentive service and excellent food. read more

Restaurant was beautiful inside. Service was great, pasta was the best I've ever had- just wish the portions were a bit bigger or came with a side salad or bread, was still hungry after we finished. read more

Came here a couple weeks ago when visiting Portland. We did not have a reservation but were able to be seated right away! We sat at the high top bar right next to the window. The view was so lovely, and the food was even better! The sourdough bread was very good, and I really liked the unique butter choices. I got the lumache, and my mom got the meatballs. The lumache was cooked to a perfect al dente -- always appreciated! read more

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We went here for dinner tonight and had an amazing experience! Dylan was so wonderful and knowledgeable about the menu, and was so accommodating to my friend's allergy. We will definitely be back soon! read more

One of the best restaurants in Portland. The atmosphere is amazing and the food matches. Highly recommended, but make reservations well in advance. read more

Recently came here after maybe a year. Used to come very frequently. Sad to say this place has lost its touch. Yes, the inside is beautiful like all of Josh's places but the menu/ food quality has suffered. Clear lack of experience in the kitchen. It's also way overpriced now. You can get 10x better meal for price at Twelve so this isn't the typical "everything is expensive now" take. 1. Meatballs were lukewarm at best, sauce was cold 2. Polpo has maybe 4 tiny pieces of octopus, used to be a significant dish for price. Also way too many olives that overpowered and made it way too salty.. basic stuff here 3. I literally laughed at the beet salad. It's seriously just sliced beets in a jello mold over some bland puree. It's also MASSIVE. Like lol massive. 4. Tagliatelle was okay but some undercooked pieces of pasta here and there. Hope they change the kitchen up as this used to be a great place for a night out. Will prob give it a year to work out. It also wasn't as busy for a Friday night. Maybe because it's January or others have figured this out. read more

Delicious. Beautifully decorated. From the appetizer to the pasta - everything absolutely delicious.

VV is absolutely my favorite restaurant in Portland. Not only is the food fantastic, but to me the atmosphere and vibes are what make this place special. And the drink program. They really have the best drinks in Portland. The kettle one filthy martini is just chef's kiss. The service is spot on and the rotating menu always offers way more goods than I can actually try. Best for date night, girls' night, or for a big group out. Cin cin! read more

Ambiance and drinks get a 5. We unfortunately did not eat here but would definitely love to come back and try out their menu. The outside of the building is absolutely beautiful. It automatically draws your attention... however we did opt to sit inside at the bar.. Inside was gorgeous and we were so excited about our decision to have drinks inside however we kept walking past the beautiful bar we thought we were going to have drinks at and they took us behind a hidden door to ANOTHER beautiful bar- this room looked like a hidden speakeasy. We were even more excited about this. The bartender was very knowledgeable and we had fun chatting with him while we enjoyed our cocktails. I ordered the dirty martini made with olive oil- flavor was delicious I just wish it was chilled a little more. My bf got the mai tai and i was very jealous i might have drank half of his cocktail as well. read more

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We had a lovely dinner a week ago. It was east to make a reservation through their website although they have an area reserved just for walk ins as well. The ambiance in this place is to die for. The colors, decor, greenery, and music all are beautifully intertwined with each other to create an unforgettable dining experience. The food was delicious and well prepared. Make sure to try out their cocktails as they are all yummy and are sure to please a variety of tastes. The service was also very good which is saying a lot these days. I would definitely come eat here again and recommend those visiting Portland looking for yummy Italian food to come here as well, read more

Food was all great! Arancini, bruschetta and polpo were all delicious. 3 of us got the lumache and we all enjoyed. Service was also great and vibes inside are impeccable! Would definitely recommend! I'd say my rating would probably fall somewhere between a 4 and a 5, but I'll give them the 5 read more

Via Vecchia - lumache - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

Last year hushed rumors abounded that the owner of the wildly successful Blyth and Burrows was opening an Italian restaurant. Then the pandemic hit, and I figured that was that. Fortunately the rumors were true, and it more than lives up to the hype. Via Vecchia is the biggest Portland opening in several years. It's beautiful and classy inside, and the outdoor seating resembles an Italian cafe. Trust me, it's going to be the spot to be seen this summer. This is a highly confident restaurant. Everything is branded, from the coasters to the ice cubes. The silverware is golden. It's bold, and certainly not subtle, but it works. The food menu is separated by apps, small plates, large plates, and half and full portions of pasta. Our server warned us that portions are on the smaller side and even a large plate wouldn't fill one person, but we found the sizes were generous. The beef sirloin ($30) with asparagus and mushroom farro was most definitely entree size, and was perfectly cooked to medium. The polenta fries ($8) are officially my new favorite appetizer, with red sauce and pecorino mousse for dipping. Most importantly, the Rigatoni with pork ragu ($15 half, $26 full) is the single best pasta dish I've had in the city. After apps, the half portion was the ideal size. The pappardelle ($14/$24) was also a strong dish, but the rigatoni stole the show. The cocktail and and wine list follow the Blyth theme of me having absolutely no idea what anything is, but trusting that everything will be good. And sure enough, the Philly Shoreline (Pancetta rum, falernum, snap pea cordial, $12) was excellent. Service was perfect, as expected. Via Vecchia is a massive opening. It strives to be an upscale Italian cafe, and it's already a roaring success. Unfortunately (for me), it'll be very popular, but reservations are easy on the Resy app. I can't wait to go back. read more

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By far the best service and ambiance I've experienced in a long time! Highly recommend the burrata. I can't wait to go back! read more

Via Vecchia - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I'll start by saying that the service and food were very, very good. But holy slooooow! The food took exceptionally long to come out (and I was alone at the bar), it was busy but a two hour dinner, alone? The service is what saved the day, the gentleman behind the bar was knowledgeable, friendly and observant. He knew the food was taking awhile (I didn't say anything), he checked and even told his manager to check. I'm thinking it was an off night in the kitchen, no restaurant could last without sufficient flipping of tables. I will go back for sure, this is the reason why good help is worth paying for. read more

This was my first time at Via Vecchia and I absolutely loved it! The food is so thoughtful and delicious. Our server was really lovely and attentive. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant really makes the experience special. We had a bar seat by the window and it was so quaint and private. I will definitely be back here! read more

Via Vecchia - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

Food, service and ambiance were delicious/ great! Our server was outstanding. Will be back amazing pasta and apps.

Food was very good. The service and the ambiance were stellar. The dessert options left something to the imagination.

Wow! Tucked away in a side street in downtown Portland, this place was a fantastic surprise! The interior was beautiful, the bar is perfect; we sat on the patio which was so pleasant. And the food? Just exceptional. I had the Campanelle with lobster my wife had the ravioli. Both were some of the best I've had. Highly recommended. read more

This could very well be my favorite place I have tried in Portland. I truly love the atmosphere you feel when you walk in, swanky is an understatement. The food just makes my mouth water thinking about it. Since it is the winter time, we had our big coats, but not to worry about where to put them because the service will take them right to the coat closet for you. The drinks are unbelievable too! This is my happy place! read more

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One of the best italian meals I have had outside of italy. A must stop at for visits to Maine. We ordered the pancetta aranchini to start, the sauce was delicious and the portion was good. My husband got the Via Vecchia Pizza which was to die for! Highly recommend if you like spicy and aren't afraid of pizza without tomato sauce. That said, I won the ordering contest with the lumache pasta. Absolutely delicious, best pasta I have had in a long time, right amount of spice and flavor and pasta cooked perfectly. We sat at the bar and our service was fantastic. The restaurant is adorable and has great vibes. read more

Via Vecchia - Bar - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great location and ivy covered building is a nice touch. Not traditional Italian so go somewhere else if you are looking for that. You can't switch up the noodle types (guess the chef thinks only certain noodles go with certain sauces) My husband asked for mozzarella and instead of fresh he got parmesan sprinkles from a can served on a plate with a spoon. I however I had fresh mozzarella on top of my pasta dish so we know they had fresh mozzarella, why my husband wasn't offered fresh is good question. I think they are going for a new Italian vibe, so if that is what you are looking for this is the place for you. Not my vibe read more

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Second time I've come here. I really WANT this place to be a 5/5....but it's just so hard!!! The waitstaff 5/5 The ambiance 5/5 The drinks 5/5 The food 1/5 Yeah.....we had to ask for "less charred bread." The waiter literally brought out "here is your slightly grilled bread." So why the 1 star???? Well...if I'm spending $300 I think...just think...that maybe the ENTIRE plant experience should be 5/5, not 1/5 read more

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Didn't have a plan to eat dinner here. But, the vibe caught my attention with the open window on wharf street. Sat at the back bar and had excellent service and tasty mezcal drink. House made pasta for the Campanelle was good. Would certainly go back and try another dish. read more

Amazing. We were blown away with the service, food and atmosphere. We look forward to coming back during future visits. read more

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I took my brother for a birthday dinner. The space is warm and inviting. Good music, friendly vibe. We sat at the beautiful bar up front. The bartender was knowledgeable and mixed up some creative drinks. The sourdough bread and meatballs were fantastic ; the carpaccio was over-the-top delicious. My beet salad - marinated chiogga, bull's blood, & golden beets, cara cara orange, lemon yogurt, caraway seeds, olive oil - was very tasty. His lumache - pasta with calabrian chili braised pork, san marzano tomato, whipped ricotta, and pecorino romano - was perfect. A wonderful experience. read more

Food was excellent, I had two excellent cocktails as well. Service was top notch. We sat in the back in the upper level which was really neat. It was a little loud but overall very pleased with the experience and will go again! read more

Great ambiance and beautiful location, but it sort of ends there. The food was good, but the menu seemed a bit limited to pizza / pasta and the portions were small and a bit pricey for what you get. This place seems to get a lot of hype from the Instagram crowd, but I would personally look elsewhere for your few meals in Portland. read more

Via Vecchia - Outside - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

Husband and I stopped here for a late afternoon beverage outside while walking around Portland. We had other dinner plans that evening. We ended up looking at the menu and loving what we were seeing. Asked our server if there was availability inside for dinner and were told yes, they'd get us a table as soon as we finished our drinks. This place is gorgeous--old brick covered in English ivy. When you enter the light inside is beautiful, filtering in through the ivy on the windows. It has very high ceilings and it absolutely stunning. Feels very old timey yet modern at the same time. Our server was really friendly and helped us make some menu decisions. The portions are smallish so you should order a couple plates per person. We had the lamb belly skewers and the arancini for starters. Both were so flavorful. Loved them both. Then for our entree we both got the ravioli with pancetta, peas, pea shoots and prosciutto. Oh my, it was spectacular. I loved that the pasta of the ravioli still had a bit of tooth to it, they were stuffed full of a tasty ricotta... the entire dish was excellent. Ordered a martini. It arrived in a little carafe on ice with the tiniest little cocktail glass I've ever seen, but there was plenty in the carafe to fill the glass a few times. :) Yes, it's pricey, but it was just a perfect experience. read more

food is to die for!! honestly haven't had anything bad to date. the mussles have got to be some of the best in the city, if not the very best. the raviolis also will not disappoint! customer service is always on point, and the bartenders craft cocktails with true care! read more

Simply one of the best meals all around I have ever had. Our server Colie was a true pleasure, even when working on Xmas eve. Our food was simply delicious, all of it well worth the price tag. Cocktails also amazing, even down to the after dinner coffee quality. The space itself is also beautiful, try to get a table with the luxurious armchairs. read more

Via Vecchia - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great spot on our walk around the old port after dinner, loved the vibe and the service, great place! Sat on great seats in the lounge and had some martinis! Will have to come again fir dinner read more

Via Vecchia - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I flew in from out of town and made reservations here at least a month or two in advance for a nice dinner at the end of my trip. The photos lie to you about the place. While the front of the restaurant looks beautiful, we got sent to the back, to an upstairs spot in a far back corner where you could barely see because it was so dark. When asked if there was a lamp or something, the waitress just handed us the candle sitting on the table. Wish we sat outside in the cold of night since at least then we'd be able to see each other. We asked about their award winning martinis that we'd heard so much about when doing research for a nice restaurant in Portland, and the waitress had no idea what we were talking about. So, we got up and left. I'd prefer to spend my money at a place where I wouldn't be staring down at my food in the pitch black. Very disappointing. read more