Portofino Italian Restaurant

Portofino Italian Restaurant is located inside the Le Meridien hotel in Phuket and is well suited to a relaxed dinner by the water. It’s especially appealing in the evening: the restaurant overlooks the pool, beach, and sea, and the sunset sets the mood for the entire experience. Live music and an understated, calm table setting add to the ambience.

The menu focuses on authentic Italian classics, with bold flavors and generously sized portions. You’ll find bruschetta, pasta (including house-made options), truffle mushroom risotto, black truffle pasta, lasagna, ossobuco with saffron risotto, steaks, and lamb rack. Seafood is also well represented — seafood soups, large tiger prawns, oysters, and tuna tartare. Starters are thoughtfully put together, too, such as burrata and Parma ham with mozzarella. Desserts hold their own: the panna cotta and gelato stand out for their texture. The drinks list includes smoothies that emphasize natural flavor with no added sugar, and sushi is available as well.

Service is attentive and genuinely friendly. The team helps with recommendations, chefs sometimes stop by to ask for feedback, and off-menu requests are possible — for example, a vegetable pasta for a vegan order. On the rare occasion when timing goes wrong, staff handle it tactfully with a discount and a small complimentary item. A few practical notes: some dishes can be very heavy on cheese, water is served in small paid bottles, and it’s worth being discerning about the freshness of certain fish items — don’t hesitate to ask for a replacement if something seems off.