Located near the upper end of Water St just before it turns into offices, Portage's PoMo space is in contrast to much of St John's historical downtown, but it's a refreshing vibe that still feels inviting and relaxed. The menu is on the larger side for a place of Portage's caliber and reputation, with several snack-sized starters and veggie-based dishes, and a leaner variety of proteins and desserts on offer. You know you're likely in for an excellent meal when it's hard to choose what to get, but after some deliberation, my wife and I landed on a handful - smoked olives, the cleverly-named Tongue and Cheek, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower souvlaki, and fingerling potatoes. Note that you can conveniently get half-sized portions of most dishes, although we, somewhat greedily, did not. Unsurprisingly, the smoked olives arrived right out of the gate. The plump green olives came as advertised and while you wouldn't know it from looking at them, tasted more like smoke than olive - and I was all for it! I'm slowly converting to olives, although it's generally only at nicer restaurants and not the olives that come out of obscenely large buckets/cans that get slopped on mediocre pizzas and salads. The cauliflower souvlaki started off our string of excellent veggie dishes. I wasn't sure what the portioning or presentation would be like for these, but they were all a generous size for two people to share, and while they were plated with consideration, it wasn't so much "haute cuisine" as it was "piles of delicious food with complementary garnishes". I was a bit surprised that the cauliflower was served at room temperature, but the charred cruciferous veg still packed a lot of flavour into each tender-crisp bite. Paired up with pickled dates, yogurt, and fresh dill and mint, the dish hit a lot of notes - savoury, lightly sweet, and tart and bright vegetal freshness. On deck were the fingering potatoes. Loaded up with sauteed onions, scrunchion-esque bits of pork belly, and a blessedly-conservative amount of Dijon, this was a dish that harkens to a lot of continental European dishes. The execution of the relatively simple ingredients is where it stood out though, with firm-but-tender potatoes that had hints of sweetness and umami from their toppings, and the crisp bits of pork belly brought some textural contrast to this comfort food classic. The dishes were coming hard and fast at this point with the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and (cod) Tongue and Cheek showing up in quick succession. Brussels sprouts have become a family sight on contemporary restaurant menus in the past 15-ish years, and the crispy, charred veg got the Boomer parent treatment, although melted Cheez Whiz was replaced by a much more natural Mornay sauce. I'm not jaded enough yet by their ubiquity to bemoan the delicious execution of these sprouts, and the cheesy goodness of the Mornay mellowed out the sharper edges of this infamous vegetable. A surprise hit was the broccoli - with velvety smooth and lightly salty ricotta, fresh micro greens and a not-insubstantial punch of heat from chili crisp, our third cruciferous vegetable of the night took top honours of the three, IMO. The Tongue and Cheek is an amusingly tongue-in-cheek play on words, using two cuts of cod that have become local delicacies. Each was fried in a light and airy batter that was only slightly heavier than a proper tempura, with a perfectly generous amount of salt. The tongues were a bit more toothsome, but still tender, while the cheeks almost melted in your mouth. They're one of the more pricey starters, but absolutely worth it. After this sizeable feast, dessert was not on the table, figuratively or literally. Service was spot-on and friendly, without the almost clinical coldness that can come with the precision that some fine dining places have. Portage is understandably representing St John's on Canada's Top 100 list with its deliberate, but unpretentious menu that will leave you wanting more and loosening your belt at the same time. read more

See all

Had a wonderful meal at Portage. Shout out to our server Caroline who really looked after us well. Highly recommend this spot for offering specialities of the area. Please note that I also highly recommend reservations as it's not a huge dining space and because the food is so good, they do get busy. We started with the seafood sampler platter. So wonderful. And then we shared the Halibut, rice and spinach/fiddleheads with shrimp hollandaise (which were a fantastic complement to each other). Only one thing we did not like (it was not the fault of the restaurant, but our table for 2 was flanked by a table for 8. We don't mind that generally but 2 of the party were children who initially were running around and flinging themselves on the banquette seating for the first half of the meal. I started to wonder if I was going to end up with one of them in our laps. Fortunately they settled down at some point). Despite all this I would go back in a heartbeat. read more

See all

Plenty of creative and tasty items on the menu. The snow crab was incredibly fresh. Pricey, but a good date spot nonetheless! read more

Portage - Deviled Eggs - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Check out this new spot!! Portage is everything and more. The crab legs were sensational. Such unique food pairings that blend seamlessly. The ambience is comfortable and cozy, yet can definitely be upscale for a date night or event. Most the food can be done in half portions and the prices were great for the experience and flavours you get! 100% recommend. read more

Portage - Crab Legs + Caesar Salad - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

See all

Portage may have given me one of the best bites I had this whole trip to St. John's. Highly recommend the scallop toast to start. It was decadent and nothing I've had before. Super buttery almost melt in your mouth. We also ordered half portion of the parsnips and strip loin, which was perfectly executed. Keep in mind that their menu prices look steep because all the portions are meant to be serving for 4 people. You can ask for half portions but with half portions it's not like they charge half the price. They charge you few more dollars than half. So it's best if you come in groups of 4 to get the best value and can try more dishes. The setting is chic and the server was attentive. If you're looking to indulge in a highly rated restaurant in St. John's, you won't be disappointed here. read more

See all

Portage is such a standout spot for a great night out. The combination of fresh seafood, expertly crafted cocktails, and a strong beer and wine selection makes it easy to find something you'll love. read more

Portage was great- it was our best meal of St Johns. The cod and the steak were the highlights. The veggie sides needed a bit more work but overall, it was a winner of a meal. We were very lucky to be seated without a reso. Everyone made it work for our big family and we were very grateful. We would totally go back and I recommend it to anyone visiting St John. read more

The food is great. And the service was excellent. Luckily we had table for us on that night. The decoration is very nice and simple. read more

See all

I'd give 4.5 stars if I could! Amazing service and great ambiance. All of the veggie dishes here were BOMB! Surprising and delightful flavour profiles and the sauces were soooo good. The only detraction was that the cod was overcooked. Otherwise would have been a hit all around. I'd definitely come back when I visit St John's! read more

See all

This was an amazing experience from the minute our group of 7 walked in the door! The services AA+, the food was some of the best I've ever had. It is a family style service, which is great because we got to try many items we wouldn't have. Our group highly recommends the Portage!! read more

This is my second time eating here and both times everything has been absolutely incredible. Easily the best restaurant in town! We had the dinner rolls, oysters, broccoli, beets, and chicken, and since there were 3 of us, we ordered all 3 desserts and split them as well. 10/10 food as well as incredible service. Perfect way to celebrate my birthday! read more

Amazing restaurant!! They were able to squeeze us in and sat us at the chefs table! Service was exceptional and the food was out of this world! Well done and and highly recommended!! read more

See all

We were welcomed this evening with seats at the bar even though I had mistakenly booked a table in later July. I was generously allowed to taste two wines, choosing a lovely French white. My husband and I ordered, he asking to start with a Caesar salad and a main. I ordered halibut with two sides asking to have them delivered when his main delivered. Unfortunately, my items were delivered shortly after my husband's salad delivered. I had almost finished when my husband decided he did not want to eat alone and cancelled his chicken dish which was kindly received by our waiter. Our gripe is that the bartender(someone different) taking our order did not appear to listen to what we were asking and seemed clueless as to how dishes were prepared (asked about chicken dish and he repeated "chicken with mushroom sauce). We asked for additional info and told a bit more but not much. Typically a bartender is reasonably friendly. This gentleman was annoyed and oddly a bit rude when we attempted to make conversation. Overall food good, service less than warm. It was an odd evening - nothing we have experienced in the past. Particularly given how friendly everyone has been in the lovely city of St. John. read more

The food as always was fantastic. It was fresh,delicious and plentiful. The service was first class, also courteous, knowledgeable there to make your dining experience a memorable event. read more

My wife and I enjoyed an outstanding dinner with "half-sized" portions that allowed us to enjoy a broader range of creative, delicious, and well-presented dishes. The wine for "Magnum Monday" paired perfectly with our meal. Service was prompt and personable. This restaurant is superb! read more

One word - Wow ! We stumbled on this restaurant by error Ordered mussels - A Must !!! And the code fish - excellent Very much recommended A bit in the high price but definitely worth it!! Unfortunately we are from the west coast so probably will not stop by soon again - but I wish we could Shout out to the bartender Sara - great attitude and recommendation as well as excellent bartender Again - recommended. Oh yes - don't skip the butter rolls .. read more

Absolutely fantastic! I'm not sure how it is that I'm the first to review this place. It's awesome and extremely popular. Wonderfully warm staff despite our arriving as a walk in on a busy Saturday night. The food is an inventive take on Newfoundland cuisine with some Asian and Med influence. Generous portions. We had fantastic fish with ginger and chillies, amazing parsnips with hummus and a few other great dishes. One of the best restaurant meals I've had in years. Epic! Artful! Inventive! Awesome! read more

The service at this restaurant is excellent. The food was well presented and the flavours were outstanding. The ambiance was perfect for this type of restaurant. No overbearing loud music, so conversation was readily possible. I will warn you, it is a five star restaurant and the prices are definitely five star. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed the experience. read more

Our 30th Anniversary. $300 for the two of us. Expectations were high at this price point. Did not deliver. First - Sommelier is excellent !! He really knows his stuff and recommended champagne and a great Barolo wine for our meal. A good start. But.... the server spoke a mile a minute and I felt rushed like we were in a $10 breakfast diner. The meal was .... fine. The food dishes come out whenever, not all together. Got our steak first, then lobster, and veggies later. They call it "family style"...however, the real reason is that they only have four burners in the kitchen. If the place is full they can't handle the capacity. Steak was fine. Smashed potatoes were quite good. Lobster was good. When informed we had chosen them for our 30th anniversary dinner, I secretly hoped they'd do something. Desert, special shot of liqueur, something. Nope. Our meal was worth $120 or so, not $300. read more