Cafe Portofino

Cafe Portofino — Where to Enjoy Authentic Italian Fare Plus Lovely Harp Music
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

With their location right along Nawiliwili Bay and their tableside harp music, Café Portofino infuses every meal with sheer romance. Even while dining alone, you’ll feel the love in the air and delight in the dreamy atmosphere while enjoying authentic Italian fare. But if you prefer to skip the magic and just get to eating great food, you can grab a takeout order and enjoy it on the beach instead.  

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

When you want to enjoy a romantic Italian meal in a picturesque setting, just follow the harp music to Café Portofino. Nestled along Kauai’s Nawiliwili Bay, this quaint eatery easily sets the mood for a truly memorable dining experience that promises to leave you wanting to come back for more.

While they may operate as a part of the Marriott Kauai Beach Club, their charming personality is all their own. They boast a cute open-air dining room that provides a stunning view of Kalapaki Beach and the ocean beyond. Plus, they offer friendly service from the second you walk in the door and all the best Northern Italian dishes you could ever want. The tableside harp music serves as the cherry on top, creating a chill aesthetic that simply cannot be beat.

Although the eatery definitely serves as a great place to settle down and enjoy a great meal, good company, and amazing views, the food is where they really shine. They make every dish from scratch using the highest quality ingredients, including tons of local produce, seafood, and more. Their team relies on time-honored recipes and traditional cooking methods to create consistently fantastic dishes on demand.   

If you want to take your experience to the next level, just ask for their wine list. Although their offerings change often, you can count on seeing all the best reds, whites, and dessert wine listed. Beyond that, you can treat yourself to bright, crispy sparkling wine of all kinds, including Michele Chiarlo, Korbel Brut, and Moet Chandon White Star.  All their options are available by the glass or the bottle, so you can customize your dinner spread to your liking.

Fan favorites on the menu include:

Antipasto Portofino for Two
The Antipasto Portofino for Two lets you whet your appetite in style with help from your tablemate. This cold appetizer comes with bruschetta, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, caponata, tomatoes, mozzarella caprese, and a variety of Italian meats.

Cannelloni Ripieni Di Pollo
For an exciting dish made with flair, select the Cannelloni Ripieni Di Pollo. They make this exquisite entrée by filling cannelloni with a mixture of chicken, mushrooms, ricotta cheese, and spinach. Then, the whole thing bakes to perfection before landing on your table piping hot.

Scampi Flambe Trastevere Style
If you’re looking for a meal to remember, you absolutely must try their Scampi Flambe Trastevere Style. To create this house specialty, they cook up their prawns just right by sautéing them in garlic butter, tomato, and capers. Then, they add wine and flambe it up right as they bring the meal out to your table.

Filet Mignon & Lobster
When you want to go all out, the Filet Mignon & Lobster is always an excellent choice. They prepare both the eight-ounce filet mignon and quality lobster tail on the grill to match your taste preferences. Then, it comes out hot and ready to eat with lemon-drawn butter for dipping. If you want to elevate the experience, even more, order up the Mushroom Trifolati for an extra charge and put it right on top of the filet mignon before digging in.

Before you head out after dinner, be sure to get a taste of their decadent desserts. If you’re not sure what to get, you cannot go wrong with their Profiteroles. These little cream puff delights have a vanilla ice cream filling plus chocolate sauce and almonds all over the top. Want a frozen treat that’s just as good? They make their Italian gelati and sorbets fresh daily in all the best flavors, including pistachio.  

Insider Tips:
-Every Thursday, they host their 21 and over dance party from 10 pm to 2 am.
-Each month, they roll out new wine specials, so be sure to ask what’s available at every visit.