As much as we love a date night in we do venture out and let someone else cook us dinner every once and awhile. There is no shortage of wonderful restaurants in the Portland area which can make picking a place quite the challenge. Here are some of our favorite spots for a cozy and tasty date night out.

Local 188

Not only one of our favorite breakfast spots, this is an amazing place for dinner as well. Andrew and I had our rehearsal dinner here back in 2010 so it’s easy to say that Local has a special place in our hearts. The paella and risotto are my favorites and Andrew loves to start with some tapas. Great vibe and wonderful food. Unfortunately Local served up it’s last meals Sunday October 13, 2024. We were lucky enough to grab our usual seats at the bar and say farewell to a place and its people who have been such a huge part of our lives. I don’t want to delete Local 188 off this page quite yet. It still hasn’t fully sunk in that we will never pop in there again.

Via Vecchia

Probably the prettiest restaurant on this list! Via Vecchia is the perfect place to grab drinks and an app at one of their two bars OR stay for a full Italian meal at a cozy table. Get some small plates to share, like the burrata, mussels and pulpo. For larger plates the lamb shank and gnocchi are SO good. They also have pizza, which I haven’t tried but I am sure it’s amazing. The cocktail and wine list is extensive and quite creative. If you visit in the summer, sit outside under a striped umbrella and sip on an Aperol Spritz or Negroni. Date night perfection.

Izakaya Minato

An izakaya is a casual Japanese bar, usually marked with red lanterns and is similar to a pub or a Spanish tapas bar. So lots of shareable plates and refreshing beverages. The kimchi cha-han, JFC(Japanese Fried Chicken), and garlic edamame are really good. They also offer a family style meal of 4-5 courses for $42 a person.

Chaval

We love this cozy neighborhood spot in the West End. Chaval serves up delicious Spanish and French inspired dishes. The menu changes with the seasons but any time of year is a great time to pop in for dinner. Patatas Bravas, warm olives, and Coq Au Vin are a few of our favorite things. Be sure to save room for dessert and and an after dinner Calvados.

Boda

Two words: Quail. Eggs.We’ve gone here for a date night just because we were both thinking about them. They are that good. Boda is a Thai kitchen with some seriously tasty food. I love the green papaya salad, beef panang, and Thai chicken noodle. The Thai Basil Tom Collins is also a must if you are in the mood for a cocktail.

MK Kitchen

While staying in Gorham during our renovation Andrew and I have popped into MK on many occasions. Whether just for a cocktail and app or a full dinner the food and service never disappoint. The braised short ribs, mushroom risotto and haddock are some of our favorites. Keep an eye on their social media pages for their Bistro menu, three courses for $45. It’s a delicious deal.

Bistro Leluco

Super cozy SoPo restaurant that serves up fantastic Mediterranean inspired dishes. The eggplant toast, mussels, and steak au poivre are not to be missed. They also serve up some tasty beverages at their beautiful bar. It’s quite small so definitely make a reservation if you can!

Cheers to date nights and no dirty dishes!