Nostrana (restaurant)

Last updated

Nostrana
Nostrana logo.png
Nostrana, Portland, Oregon (2019) 03.jpg
The restaurant's exterior, 2019
Nostrana (restaurant)
Restaurant information
Established2005;19 years ago (2005)
Owner(s)
Head chef
Food type Italian cuisine
Street address1401 Southeast Morrison Street, Suite 101
City Portland, Oregon
County Multnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97214
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 45°31′02″N122°39′05″W / 45.51734°N 122.65144°W / 45.51734; -122.65144
Website nostrana.com

Nostrana is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria [1] in southeast Portland, Oregon, United States. Cathy Whims opened the restaurant in 2005 and serves as chef and owner. Nostrana serves classic Italian cuisine and has been dubbed "Portland's capital of the Negroni". The restaurant has received a generally positive reception, especially for its pizzas and happy hour menu. In 2018, Whims opened the European wine bar Enoteca Nostrana next door to the restaurant.

Contents

Description and history

Chef and owner Cathy Whims opened Nostrana in Portland's Buckman neighborhood in 2005, along with her partner David West as well as Mark and Deb Accuardi. [2] Whims and West purchased the Accuardis' portion of the business in 2008 after differences of opinion over levels of service. [3] Brian Murphy serves as executive chef. [4] [5]

The menu features classic Italian cuisine such as pasta, pizzas, and salads. [6] [7] Entrées are seasonal, but Bistecca alla Fiorentina and fettuccine with tomato butter sauce inspired by Marcella Hazan (one of Whims' former teachers) are regular options. [8] [9] According to Thrillist, which dubbed the restaurant "Portland's capital of the Negroni", Nostrana started the costumed gala Negroni Social, which inspired Negroni Week. [10] [11]

The restaurant's interior features vaulted ceilings and an iron chandelier. [12] According to Eater Portland , the restaurant's atmosphere "straddles that line between 'casual-ish' and upscale". [13] As of 2016, a sommelier is on the floor nightly. [14] [15]

In 2017, the restaurant was featured on the "Italian Favorites" episode of Iron Chef Eats , a companion series to the Food Network's Iron Chef Gauntlet . [16] [17]

Reception

Interior, 2019 Nostrana, Portland, Oregon (2019) 01.jpg
Interior, 2019

Nostrana was included in The Oregonian 's 2012 overview of the city's best pizza and 2014 list of Portland's ten best restaurants bars. [18] [19] Nostrana ranked number 6 in the paper's 2015 list of Portland's 101 best restaurants, [20] and number 3 on the same list in 2016. [21] In 2017, The Oregonian's Michael Russell wrote: "On a perfect night here, the famous radicchio salad, the al dente pastas draped in tomato-butter sauce or sage butter and the attentive service can make you think you're eating at the best restaurant in Portland. Even when the kitchen isn't firing on all cylinders, Nostrana remains the neighborhood Italian joint of your dreams." [22] Nostrana ranked third in the best pasta restaurants category of The Oregonian's annual readers choice awards in 2024. [23]

In 2005, Willamette Week contributor Roger Porter described Nostrana as "a rustic yet beautiful Italian restaurant with a kitchen that turns out some of the most honest, authentic food in the city". [2] The newspaper's Martin Cizmar wrote a review in 2016 called, "Nostrana Is What People Mean When They Ask for 'A Nice Italian Place with Good Wine'", in which he described Nostrana as "a classic" restaurant with "a steady, restrained fine-touching that delights traditionalists". [6] Nostrana was included in Willamette Week's 2016 lists "My Oh My, Portland's 8 Best Pizza Pies" and "Our Favorite Italian Spots in Portland", [15] [24] as well as the 2017 list of best restaurants along southeast Portland's Belmont and Hawthorne districts. [25] Nostrana was also included in the paper's lists of the city's best happy hours. [26] [27] [28] [29]

Tent for outdoor dining in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic Nostrana, PDX, October 2020.jpg
Tent for outdoor dining in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic

In her Insiders' Guide to Portland, Oregon books, Rachel Dresbeck called the Neapolitan pizzas and desserts "outstanding", and wrote, "The grilled and rotisserie meats are perfectly done, sharing touches of Tuscany while being, at the same time, all Oregon." [9] [30] Julian Smith of Frommer's gave Nostrana two out of three stars, and said the restaurant hosts "one of the east-side's best happy hours". [31] Sunset also recommended visiting for evening happy hour, available daily. [32] Layla Schlack of Wine Enthusiast Magazine called Nostrana a "Portland institution" with a predominantly Old World wine list. [33]

Erin DeJesus included Nostrana in Eater Portland's 2013 list of the twelve "best restaurants for dining solo" in the city, [34] and its 2014 list of 38 "essential" Portland eateries. [13] The website's Alex Frane included Nostrana in his 2018 list of Portland's "primo" Italian restaurants, in which he describes Nostrana as "lauded" and "legendary". [12] Brooke Jackson-Glidden included the Insalata Nostrana in Eater Portland's 2024 overview of "iconic" Portland dishes. [35] The restaurant was included in OpenTable's list of the 100 best restaurants "for wine lovers", according to data provided by more than twelve million verified reviews for more than 28,000 businesses in the U.S., collected between August 2017 and July 2018. [36] Nostrana ranked fifteenth on The Daily Meal's 2019 list of the 75 most romantic restaurants in the United States. [37] Zagat gives the restaurant ratings of 4.5 for food, 4.3 for decor, and 4.4 for service, each on a scale of 5. [38]

Enoteca Nostrana

Nostrana's "sister" wine bar, Enoteca Nostrana, opened next door to the restaurant in 2018. [39] [40] The 1,500-square-foot (140 m2), [41] 40-seat bar emphasizes European and natural wines and has a modern aesthetic compared to Nostrana's "rustic" atmosphere. [42] [43] Enoteca Nostrana's interior features Italian design and a two-story wine cellar made of glass and steel, capable of storing 3,000 bottles. [44] The bar's opening selection featured 130 wines. [45]

Condé Nast Traveler 's Hannah Wallace described Enoteca Nostrana as "splashy", with a "short but fabulous" menu. She recommended select antipasti options and wrote, "Because of its stylish ambience, this restaurant feels like a quick jaunt to Europe." [46] Brooke Jackson-Glidden of Eater Portland called the bar "glammed-out" and "glitzy", [47] and noted the availability of pizzas from Nostrana during afternoon happy hour. [48] Enoteca Nostrana won in the design category in Eater Portland's 2018 Eater Awards, which recognize the city's best new chefs and businesses in the restaurant industry. [49] In her review of Enoteca Nostrana, Wine & Spirits ' Kerry Newberry wrote, "the space evokes Milan more than Portland, with bold geometric flair [and] mod barstools shaped like Champagne corks". [45]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oven and Shaker</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Oven and Shaker is a small chain of pizzerias in the Portland metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The original restaurant operates in northwest Portland's Pearl District and the business also operates in Lake Oswego. Oven and Shaker has announced plans to operate at Portland International Airport and in Beaverton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluehour</span> Defunct restaurant and bar in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Bluehour was a Mediterranean restaurant and bar located in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon, United States. The business began operating in September 2000. Bruce Carey and Joe Rogers co-owned the business with Kenny Giambalvo, who also served as an executive chef until 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mama Mia Trattoria</span> Italian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Mama Mia Trattoria is an Italian restaurant housed in Portland, Oregon's Waldo Block, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bit House Saloon</span> Bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Bit House Saloon was a bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Established in 2015, the business operated in the Nathaniel West Buildings in the city's Buckman neighborhood. The high-energy squad "Team Riff-Raff" managed the bar from 2016 to 2021, hosting pop-ups and inviting other chefs to collaborate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathy Whims</span> American chef and restaurateur

Cathy Whims is an American chef and restaurateur in Portland, Oregon. She has been a James Beard Foundation Award finalist six times. The restaurants she has owned in Portland include Genoa, Nostrana, and the pizzeria Oven and Shaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clyde Common</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Clyde Common was a restaurant and market in Portland, Oregon, United States. The business opened in 2007. In 2020, Clyde Common closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reopening in July with outdoor dining and as a market. The bar and restaurant became known as Clyde Tavern, and the part of the former dining area was called Common Market. Clyde Common closed permanently in January 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dóttir (restaurant)</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Dóttir was a restaurant in Portland, Oregon's KEX Hotel, in the United States. The restaurant closed on January 1, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grassa (restaurant)</span> Restaurant chain in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area

Grassa is a restaurant with multiple locations in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, in the United States. The original restaurant opened in Southwest Portland in 2013; subsequent locations have opened in Northwest Portland's Northwest District, in Southeast Portland's Buckman neighborhood, and in Vancouver, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Candle (Portland, Oregon)</span> Defunct bakery and pizzeria in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Roman Candle Baking Co., or simply Roman Candle, was a bakery and pizzeria–restaurant in the Richmond neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Duane Sorenson opened Roman Candle in 2013, with a menu offering wood-fired pizza and other Italian cuisine, including sandwiches, breads, green salads, pastries, and baked potatoes. Dan Griffin and Joshua McFadden served as the baker and chef, respectively. The bakery started supplying select menu items to Sorenson's Stumptown Coffee Roasters locations in late 2015. Roman Candle received a generally positive reception, with the pizzas and kouign-amann receiving the most praise. The restaurant closed in April 2018 for renovations, ahead of a rebrand as a gluten-free and vegan cafe called Holiday, which Sorenson launched one month later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xico (restaurant)</span> Defunct Mexican restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Xico was a Mexican restaurant in Portland, Oregon's Richmond neighborhood, in the United States. The restaurant opened in 2012; sibling establishment Xica Cantina opened in northwest Portland in mid 2019. Xico closed in March 2023 for financial reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genoa (restaurant)</span> Defunct Italian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Genoa was an Italian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. Housed in the Genoa Building, the restaurant closed permanently in 2014. Laurie Wolf said Genoa "was at the forefront of Portland's changing food scene".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shift Drinks</span> Defunct cocktail bar in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Shift Drinks was a cocktail bar in Portland, Oregon. The bar opened in 2015 and closed in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masia (restaurant)</span> Defunct restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Masia was a short-lived Spanish and Catalan restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Housed in the Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland, the restaurant was owned by married chefs José Chesa and Cristina Baez and their business partner, Emily Metivier. Shortly after opening with breakfast, lunch, and dinner service in February 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced Masia to close temporarily. The restaurant operated in various forms throughout the remainder of 2020, offering take-out service and special pre-packaged dinners for select holidays. The owners initially planned to close temporarily in January 2021 but confirmed the restaurant's permanent closure in March.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coopers Hall Winery and Taproom</span> Urban winery and restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Coopers Hall Winery and Taproom, or simply Coopers Hall, is an urban winery and restaurant in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza in Portland, Oregon</span>

The American city of Portland, Oregon has been recognized for its pizza culture and establishments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonder (restaurant)</span> Defunct restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Yonder was a Southern restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Chef Maya Lovelace opened Yonder in northeast Portland's Cully neighborhood in 2019. The business was named one of the city's ten best new restaurants of 2019 by The Oregonian and was featured on an episode of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2020. Yonder closed on June 26, 2022, when Lovelace converted the space into Hissyfit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mucca Osteria</span> Italian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Mucca Osteria is an Italian restaurant in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunshine Noodles</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Sunshine Noodles was a Cambodian American restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Owner Diane Lam operated the business from 2019 to 2022, initially as a pop-up noodle bar and later as a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Slabtown area of Northwest Portland's Northwest District. Despite garnering a positive reception, Lam closed Sunshine Noodles permanently in late 2022 and relocated to San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heavenly Creatures (restaurant)</span> Wine bar and bottle shop in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Heavenly Creatures is a wine bar and bottle shop in Portland, Oregon. The restaurant opened in the Sullivan's Gulch neighborhood of northeast Portland in 2022. It has garnered a positive reception and was named one of Portland's ten best new restaurants by The Oregonian in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campana (restaurant)</span> Italian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Campana is an Italian restaurant in Portland, Oregon's Woodlawn neighborhood, in the United States. Chef-owner George Kaden and co-owner Annalisa Maceda started Campana in 2018, initially as a series of pasta nights that became a pop-up restaurant at Grand Army Tavern, which the duo opened together in 2017. Plans for Campana to take over the Grand Army Tavern space were exacerbated by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Campana's menu includes cacciatore, comfort food such as spaghetti and meatballs, cavatelli in pork ragu, polenta, puttanesca, panna cotta, and other Italian dishes. The restaurant has hosted special dinners for holidays like Feast of the Seven Fishes and Thanksgiving, and has garnered a positive reception.

References

  1. ↑ "Cosa Nostrana". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  2. 1 2 Porter, Roger (December 6, 2005). "Yours, Mine and Ours: Nostrana's antique dishes satisfy contemporary cravings". Willamette Week . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  3. ↑ Perry, Douglas (March 11, 2008). "Restaurant News: Nostrana Team Splits Up". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  4. ↑ Jabine, Angie (October 15, 2013). "Restaurant Guide 2013: Nostrana". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Brian Murphy: Executive Chef". Nostrana. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Cizmar, Martin (October 27, 2016). "Nostrana Is What People Mean When They Ask for "A Nice Italian Place with Good Wine"". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  7. ↑ Shepherd, Katie (November 9, 2017). "Quintessential Portland Spot Nostrana Feels Like It's Straight Out of the Piedmont". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  8. ↑ Tobias, Ruth (November 29, 2015). "Nostrara". Time Out . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  9. 1 2 Dresbeck, Rachel (March 1, 2011). Insiders' Guide to Portland, Oregon (7 ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. p. 74. ISBN   9780762774777 . Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  10. ↑ Dombrosky, Pete. "Nostrana". Thrillist . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  11. ↑ Rowan, Jason (June 9, 2014). "Cocktail Culture: One Negroni for Every Month of the Year". The New York Times . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Frane, Alex (July 22, 2018). "15 Primo Italian Restaurants in Portland". Eater Portland . Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  13. 1 2 DeJesus, Erin (January 7, 2014). "The Essential 38 Portland Restaurants, January 2014". Eater Portland . Archived from the original on June 19, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  14. ↑ Bamman, Mattie John (September 19, 2016). "Nostrana Brings Back the Sommelier". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  15. 1 2 "Our Favorite Italian Spots In Portland". Willamette Week. October 28, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Season 1, Episode 8: Italian Favorites". Food Network. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Iron Chef Eats Season 1". IMDb. Archived from the original on 13 July 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  18. ↑ Russell, Michael (April 11, 2012). "Portland's best pizza: Nostrana and Firehouse Restaurant offer the best authentic Italian pies". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  19. ↑ Bakall, Samantha (September 15, 2014). "The top 10 Portland restaurant bars: Bar Tab". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  20. ↑ Russell, Michael (December 29, 2015). "Portland's 10 best restaurants: Diner 2015". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Portland's 101 best restaurants of 2016". The Oregonian. June 1, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  22. ↑ Russell, Michael (September 25, 2017). "Nostrana is the neighborhood Italian restaurant you've been dreaming of (review)". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  23. ↑ Copeland, Mims; Russell, Michael (2024-12-13). "Here are the 5 best places for pasta in Portland: Readers Choice Awards". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-12-16. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  24. ↑ "My Oh My, Portland's 8 Best Pizza Pies". Willamette Week. October 28, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  25. ↑ Korfhage, Matthew (November 21, 2017). "The Best Restaurants on Hawthorne and Belmont in Southeast Portland". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  26. ↑ "The Best Happy Hours in Southeast Portland". Willamette Week. September 20, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Here's Are the Best Happy Hours at Portland's Fine Dining Restaurants". Willamette Week. September 30, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Where to Get Good, Cheap Wine During Happy Hour". Willamette Week. October 5, 2016. Archived from the original on January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Portland's Best Late Night Happy Hours". Willamette Week. October 6, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  30. ↑ Dresbeck, Rachel (March 1, 2017). Insiders' Guide to Portland, Oregon. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 65. ISBN   9781493028221 . Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  31. ↑ Smith, Julian. "Nostrana". Frommer's. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  32. ↑ "Nostrana". Sunset . 21 October 2013. ISSN   0039-5404. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  33. ↑ Schlack, Layla (December 10, 2018). "Local Meets Global in Portland, Oregon". Wine Enthusiast Magazine . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  34. ↑ DeJesus, Erin (February 11, 2013). "The 12 Best Restaurants for Dining Solo in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  35. ↑ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2015-01-29). "Iconic Portland Dishes That Are Actually Worth Eating". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-08-20. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  36. ↑ Tagoda, Maria (September 20, 2018). "The 100 Best Restaurants for Wine Lovers, According to OpenTable". Food & Wine . Meredith Corporation. ISSN   0741-9015. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  37. ↑ Mack, Lauren (January 15, 2019). "The 75 Most Romantic Restaurants in America". The Daily Meal . Archived from the original on January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  38. ↑ "Nostrana". Zagat . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  39. ↑ Russell, Michael (April 17, 2018). "Nostrana chef Cathy Whims is opening a Euro-style wine bar and it's gorgeous". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  40. ↑ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (April 11, 2018). "Cathy Whims Wants to Teach Portland's Newbies to Love Wine". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  41. ↑ Mang, Lauren (July 30, 2018). "Portland's Enoteca Nostrana Dares to Take on Memphis Design". Gray. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  42. ↑ Brooks, Karen (January 24, 2018). "Celebrated Chef Cathy Whims to Open Enoteca Nostrana". Portland Monthly . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  43. ↑ Forster, Tim (January 25, 2018). "Pro Italian Chef Cathy Whims Is Opening a Euro Wine Bar". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  44. ↑ "Enoteca Nostrana". Condé Nast Traveler . ISSN   0893-9683. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  45. 1 2 Newberry, Kerry (August 15, 2018). "Enoteca Nostrana". Wine & Spirits . Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  46. ↑ Wallace, Hannah (December 24, 2018). "22 Best Restaurants in Portland, OR". Condé Nast Traveler. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  47. ↑ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (November 28, 2018). "Vote Now for Portland's Most Beautiful Restaurant of the Year". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  48. ↑ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (August 10, 2018). "Glitzy Bar Enoteca Nostrana's New Happy Hour Isn't Playing With Its Wine Deals". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  49. ↑ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (December 5, 2018). "Portland's 2018 Eater Award Winners". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.